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Legendary Hip-Hop Producer 45 King Has Passed Away

As Hip-Hop celebrates its 50th anniversary, of the most music's legendary producers has reportedly died. 45 King, aka Mark James, is known for founding the original Flavor Unit—a launchpad for the careers of Queen Latifah, Lakim Shabazz, Apache, Chill Rob G, and Latee. The Bronx native (who relocated to New... Read more

Queen Latifah Says Today’s Rappers Have Gotten Soft (Video)

Queen Latifah recently appeared on Ebro In The Morning. The MC-turned-actress-turned-producer reunited with the radio personality who says he once appeared on an episode of Living Single. In the candid conversation, Queen Lah recalled some career highlights. Queen Latifah Honors Hip-Hop’s Women Pioneers In An All-Star Showing Of U.N.I.T.Y. (Video)... Read more

45 King Gives His Rhythm Roulette Records A Truly Hard Knock (Video)

45 King is one of the most active Hip-Hop producers of 2016 who can say he was making hit records in the 1980s. He joins Dr. Dre, EPMD, Marley Marl, Prince Paul, Large Professor, and a very select few in that elite class. The New Jersey native has always had... Read more

Listen To The Best Hip-Hop of February (& January) 2016 In One Playlist (Audio)

The month of February brought many surprises in Hip-Hop. DJ Premier partnered with ambient songstress Yuna, for some boom bap vibe music. Blu rocked on a 45 King track reminiscent of "Hard Knock Life." Kendrick Lamar and Ice Cube got funky with Funkadelic. The Game waxed poetic with nothing but... Read more

45 King Reaches In His Pocket Full Of Miracles & Hands Blu A Gem (Audio)

Almost 20 years ago, 45 King (and Kid Capri) gave Jay Z one of the biggest anthems of his career with "Hard Knock Life." Before the vocal sample trend would define the early 2000s, the original Flavor Unit founder returned to form by letting the cast of Annie chronicle life... Read more

Big Daddy Kane’s It’s A Big Daddy Thing vs. Queen Latifah’s All Hail The Queen. 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

45 King Recalls Early Days Of Queen Latifah & Jay Z, Reveals A Hit He Was Not Credited For (Audio)

In the canon of Hip-Hop producers, 45 King is among the most important. From break-beat compilations to remixes, seminal 1980s 12" singles, to Grammy Award-winning hits, the New Jersey-based DJ/producer born Mark James has nearly 30 years of highly-influential digging, sampling, and arranging. Whether Queen Latifah, Gang Starr, Eminem, or... Read more

Chuck Chillout Spins De La Soul, Gang Starr, MC Lyte & EPMD in a 1988 Mix (Audio)

The late Mr. Magic is widely considered one of Hip-Hop's greatest radio mix-masters. DJ Marley Marl's mentor dropped the needle on seminal records in the late 1970s, throughout the 1980s, and the early 1990s, helping give many Heads would-be classic songs that he personally deemed important. The same week boogieknight... Read more

Ghostface Killah Compares Himself To Martin Scorsese. Here’s Why (Food For Thought Interview)

Speaking about his upcoming eleventh solo album, Ghostface Killah is in his glory. The Staten Island MC is spirited, especially on the subjects of 1980s Rap and 1990s cinema. The day his 36 Seasons was publicly premiered in a full-length NPR Music stream, Ghost speaks to Ambrosia For Heads, and... Read more

Bundle Up For The Album Sampler To Ghostface Killah’s 36 Seasons (Audio)

In three weeks, Ghostface Killah's 36 Seasons will be released by Tommy Boy Records. With AZ, Kool G Rap and Pharoahe Monch in the supporting cast, this is a lyrically-driven LP on paper. Similarly, with Lil Fame, 45 King, and The Revelations on the boards, beats appear to have a... Read more

Ghostface Killah To Drop A Hardcore Hip-Hop Album Really Soon, Unearths First Single (Audio)

This will have the Wu-Tang Clan controversy Heads abuzz... One week after W.T.C. is plotting A Better Tomorrow, Ghostface Killah will release 36 Seasons (December 9). What's more is that this LP teams Ghost with fellow New York City rhyme-monsters such as Kool G Rap, AZ, and Pharoahe Monch. Perhaps... Read more

Who Wants Some Rare Early Cuts From Jay Z, DMX, The Beatnuts & Black Sheep? (Mixtape)

A lot of the would-be Hip-Hop stars of the 1990s put in studio recording work years before their names got hot. Moreover, the artists, their early labels, and teams had to go to risky expense of pressing these moments to wax in hopes of breakin' even, or perhaps giving them... Read more

DJ Premier Unleashes A Gang Starr Tape Of B-Sides, Rarities & Remixes (Mixtape)

Today (October 24), DJ Premier opened up the online Gang Starr merchandise store through his PremierWuzHere website. With an assortment of shirts, hats, hoodies, and more—exclusively set up by the Texan-turned-New Yorker, sharing its proceeds with the family of late partner Guru, Preem got behind the wheels of steel to... Read more

45 King Plays The Classics & The Breaks, Rocking An Hour-Long DJ Set For Boiler Room NYC (Video)

One of the true links in Hip-Hop's chain from the mid-1980s to today is 45 King. Often credited as the founder of the original Flavor Unit, 45 King is also the man responsible for discovering MCs like Queen Latifah, Chill Rob G, and others, all while producing classic material for... Read more

45 King, Chill Rob G & Lakim Shabazz Share Flavor Unit Memories, Talk 45’s Heart Attack & Collaborations (Video)

Two New Jersey Hip-Hop legends came together over 25 years after their first link. 45 King and Lakim Shabazz, the founder and one of the star MCs of the first wave of The Unit, respectively, did a new episode of 45's "Making The Beat." While playing some joints, the pair... Read more

Welcome Home! 45 King Is Back From His Heart Attack & Hospitalization (Video)

Some good news on the health and Hip-Hop front. Last month, Ambrosia For Heads reported that The 45 King suffered a heart attack, and was hospitalized. Well, good news... the beat-digging, production, and 7" record DJ'ing legend is back in effect mode, with a new video to talk about puttin'... Read more

Keep 45 King In Your Thoughts This Week, He Suffered A Heart Attack

One of Hip-Hop's most important producers in 45 King. The New Jersey native known for founding the original Flavor Unit, and in part, discovering Queen Latifah, also produced major hits for Eminem ("Stan") Jay Z ("Hard Knock Life"), and legendary remixes for Eric B. & Rakim, Diamond D, and Lisa... Read more

Making The Beat – A Conversation between The 45 King and DJ Premier (Video)

Here's a pretty dope conversation between 2 legendary hip-hop producers. DJ Premier and DJ Mark The 45 King sit down and chop it up about all sorts of topics, ranging from the late great Heavy D to how they treat demos they receive (Primo actually drops his email address) to... Read more