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JAY-Z’s “U Don’t Know” Was Originally Offered To Busta Rhymes & Prodigy

Hip-Hop history is filled with what-ifs, especially concerning beats and production. Tupac's diamond-certified All Eyez On Me once featured verses from Inspectah Deck and The Lady Of Rage. Moreover, Disc 2's Dr. Dre-produced "Can't C Me" was rumored to be created for a shelved Ice Cube collaboration before another iteration had Tha Dogg Pound rapping. Jadakiss'... Read more

Daz Plays Part Of A Song That Featured Tupac & Nas

Daz Dillinger has corrected Snoop Dogg's recent account of the removed Nas verse from a Tupac track. On the newest episode of Drink Champs, Snoop Dogg said that Method Man and Kurupt were on a song together, referring to Tupac Shakur's “Got My Mind Made Up.” The diamond-certified All Eyez On Me song... Read more

Dr. Dre Explains Why Eminem Was The Missing Link In Making 2001 (Video)

Twenty years ago today (November 16, 1999), Dr. Dre released his sophomore solo album, 2001. It became a benchmark album that book-ended a decade that the producer and rapper had fueled. Personally and musically, plenty had happened since The Chronic, which marked Dre's first album since leaving N.W.A. and Eazy-E.... Read more

Royce 5’9 & Kxng Crooked Discuss Who Was Better On Renegade: JAY-Z Or Eminem (Video)

Kxng Crooked is the latest respected Hip-Hop lyricist to segue into driving dialogue in the music media. Recently, the Long Beach, California lyricist also known as Crooked I launched Crook's Corner. Taking a concept from his hashtag of longstanding Hip-Hop discussions on social media with peers and fans, the MC... Read more

Large Professor Reveals Nas Mentioned Aaliyah On The Original Ether

Last year, Rap fans witnessed one of the most personal and ruthless lyrical exchanges in the mainstream. Pusha-T revived his beef with Drake on a large scale with "Infrared." Within hours of the DAYTONA album-closer, Drake responded with "Duppy Freestyle." That track mentioned Pusha's then-fiancee (now his wife), Virginia Williams.... Read more

JAY-Z’s Blueprint Album Will Be Preserved In The Library Of Congress

Every year, The Library Of Congress selects 25 musical titles to add to its National Recording Registry. This act is meant to honor pieces of art for their cultural significance for future generations. A National Recording Preservation Board decides the annual inclusions. This week, JAY-Z's The Blueprint album became the... Read more

The Blueprint: How 1 Kanye West Beat Tape Changed Roc-A-Fella Records Forever (Audio)

In September of 2001, JAY-Z released his sixth album. The Blueprint was wholeheartedly a pivot. To his fans, Shawn Carter had an incredible consistent streak of quality, authenticity, and event-worthy album-making. Five years removed from his debut album, S.Dot sought a new sound, and raised the stakes in every possible... Read more

Snoop Dogg’s Dippin’ From Death Row To No Limit May Have Saved His Career & Life (Audio)

In early 1998, Snoop Dogg left Death Row Records for No Limit. In a reported $4 million deal brokered by Priority Records, the Long Beach, California MC went from the breakout star signed by Dr. Dre at the top of the decade to the key acquisition of the reigning independent... Read more

Stillmatic Turns 15. Here’s A Look At Nas’ Return To His NY State Of Mind (Video)

Fifteen years ago today (December 18), Nas released his fifth album, Stillmatic. At a time before popular Rap stars were making albums into series and franchises, Nasir Jones flashed back to his 1994 debut. In the seven years since, the MC had two #1 albums, and gone platinum many times... Read more

15 Years Ago, Mystikal Told Us To Bounce Back Up When Knocked Down (Video)

Fifteen years ago this Sunday (December 18), New Orleans, Louisiana native Mystikal dropped Tarantula, his fifth and final studio album to date. Its lead single, “Bouncin’ Back (Bumpin’ Me Against The Wall),” is like an early-2000s time capsule, from Mystikal’s erratic flow to the track’s bouncy Neptunes beat. It was... Read more

Scott Storch Details Going From Leaving The Roots To Making Hits With Dr. Dre (Video)

In Hip-Hop, Questlove and Black Thought have become household names. However, going back to Organix and the earliest album lineups of The Roots, there is arguably another. Scott Storch has become one of the most prolific, top-earning music producers of the 2000s. Beginning in 1999 with Dr. Dre's "Still D.R.E.,"... Read more

Dr. Dre’s 2001 vs. Pete Rock & C.L. Smooth’s Mecca And The Soul Brother. Which Is Better?

One year ago, Ambrosia For Heads launched a debate among its readers seeking to answer one of Hip-Hop’s most hotly-contested questions: who is the greatest MC of all time? “Finding The GOAT MC” lasted between September 2014 and May 2015, engaging millions of readers and ultimately producing its winner, as... Read more

Styles P Grabs Another Dr. Dre Beat, Digging Deep Into 2001 (Audio)

As Jadakiss kicks off the weekend with two Jay Z reworkings, Styles P keeps on keepin' on with Dr. Dre instrumental freestyles. The Ghost has touched The Chronic, Snoop Dogg's Doggystyle, so it's only fitting that he swoops to 2001. Commonly called "Chronic 2001," Dre famously freaked the funk with... Read more