black hippy Archives

Kendrick Lamar’s Versatility Continues To Expand, Appearing Alongside Lil Wayne & Future On A Mike WiLL Made It Beat (Audio)

Heads may forget, but one of Kendrick Lamar's breakthrough performances was all the way back in 2009, alongside Black Hippy cohort/mentor Jay Rock, and Lil Wayne on "Colors." Five years later, and the self-proclaimed "The Best Rapper Alive" on that cut may be feeling some pressure from his Compton cohort... Read more

June 16, 2014 Audio, Fresh

Ab-Soul Kicks A ShowOff Freestyle Along with Dame Dash’s Family, Da$h (Video)

ShowOff Radio freestyles continue to impress, in this Carson, California-to-New Jersey link. Damon Dash's latest family member foray into the music industry is Da$h, who came up appearing on some of Curren$y/Jet Life's get-down with BluRoc/DD172. Now solidifying his own lane, Da$h gets on the mic with Ab-Soul... both of... Read more

June 5, 2014 Fresh, Video

Kurupt, ScHoolboy Q, Bad Lucc & Problem Show Out For Salva On A Bouncy Track (Audio)

Getting to Salva is pretty easy. The producer recruited O.G. Kurupt, as well as white-hot West Coast spitters ScHoolboy Q, Bad Lucc, and Problem for "Drop That Bitch." The song samples an Eazy-E lyric most Heads are familiar with. The unique, bouncy production style stands apart from what's been in... Read more

April 30, 2014 Audio, Fresh

ScHoolboy Q Talks About The Class Differences In Present Day L.A., Addiction In A Jarringly Real Interview (Video)

ScHoolboy Q's OXYMORON is one of 2014's more polarizing albums. Heads might like it, Heads might love it, Heads might not feel it at all. However, it could be argued that in the desensitized space of Hip-Hop, no album from the last five months deserves a closer listen to the... Read more

April 28, 2014 Fresh, Video

Kendrick Lamar Speaks on the Status of His New Album & Music From Black Hippy (Video)

MTV caught up with Kendrick Lamar on the red carpet for The Amazing Spider Man 2 premiere. Kendrick spoke on the status of his new album, forthcoming music from Black Hippy and more. Check out the video. Related: SZA Offers Up The Dreamy & Thoughtful Kendrick Lamar-Assisted Babylon (Audio)... Read more

April 25, 2014 Video

ScHoolboy Q Makes a Sexy & Stylish Video for Studio (Video)

ScHoolboy Q keeps hitting Heads with OXYMORON visuals. Longtime Top Dawg Entertainment affiliate, and Motown Records artist in his own right BJ The Chicago Kid assisted in one of the album's more intimate tracks, "Studio." Cutting back and forth from the boards to the bedroom, Groovy Q reveals why it's... Read more

April 22, 2014 Fresh, Video

SZA Offers Up The Dreamy & Thoughtful Kendrick Lamar-Assisted Babylon (Audio)

In less than 12 hours, (the opening ticks of April 8th), TDE's songstress SZA will deliver her Z EP. With a nice sampling already in the marketplace, fans were treated to "Babylon" today. The track features star label-mate Kendrick Lamar with some incredibly dense, personal-feeling rhymes, while SZA's cloudy vocals... Read more

April 7, 2014 Audio, Fresh

Kendrick Spazzes Out With Alicia Keys On The Pharrell-Produced New Spiderman Anthem (Audio)

Many times, rapping (even incredibly dope, innovative, skillful rapping) comes after the chorus, tucked away in the song when it comes to mainstream R&B/Pop/Hip-Hop blends. This is not at all the case with the single from The Amazing Spiderman 2 film. Kendrick Lamar goes in to the nucleus to kick... Read more

March 31, 2014 Audio, Fresh

Damn It Feels Good To Hear A Gangsta: The 2014 Revival Of Gangsta Rap (Food For Thought)

In just its first quarter, 2014 has witnessed its share of high profile releases. ScHoolboy Q unleashed his major label debut, OXYMORON, while Rick Ross’ continued his growth with concept and cohesion in Mastermind. Kid Cudi surprised everybody with a sneak-attack release, while Kid Ink, The Stepbrothers, and Isaiah Rashad... Read more

March 23, 2014 Featured-homepage, Food for Thought, Fresh

ScHoolboy Q & Delaware’s Jem Cretes List Their Hustle Commandments In New Song (Audio)

With ScHoolboy Q's OXYMORON in the stores and on the charts, Wilmington, Delaware MC Jem Cretes unleashes his Groovy collaboration, "Hustle 101." The song pulls a bit from The Notorious B.I.G.'s "Ten Crack Commandments" and Jay Z's "1-900-HUSTLER" in terms of giving the listener an instructional look on how to... Read more

March 21, 2014 Audio, Fresh

Ab-Soul & Sir Michael Rocks Help Jesse Medina Make A Grand Entrance (Audio)

On April 1, Jesse Medina will drop the aptly-titled Meet Jesse Medina. With a new version of his single, "Riddims 2.0," Jesse recruits Black Hippy's Ab-Soul and The Cool Kids' Sir Michael Rocks, along with singer Anya Kvitka for the track about finding the pocket, of the beat and of... Read more

March 19, 2014 Audio, Fresh

ScHoolboy Q Talks Some Neighborhood Landmarks, High School Football & Bangin’ On Wax (Video)

Nardwuar The Human Serviette's research game has grown with the profile. The Vancouver, British Columbia-based radio personality and interviewer has become a South By Southwest staple in the last five years, especially in Q&A with rappers. ScHoolboy Q, with his recently-released OXYMORON, is the talk of the town (and an... Read more

March 18, 2014 Fresh, Video

Nitty Scott, MC’s Working Relationship With TDE Further Blossoms With Ab-Soul (Audio)

Nitty Scott, MC is making some big noise across various pockets within independent Hip-Hop. However, the Brooklyn-by way of-Florida rapper's biggest moment has arguably been her 2012 Kendrick Lamar collaboration. For Nitty's upcoming The Art Of Chill, she keeps things Black Hippy with an Ab-Soul link on "Apex." Produced by... Read more

March 17, 2014 Audio, Fresh

If You Aren’t Up On YG, This Kendrick Lamar-Assisted Track Will Put Your Attention In A Chokehold (Audio)

Although he's still a relatively new face in Hip-Hop, Kendrick Lamar has fast found the ability to knight other artists into the spotlight. While K.Dot has many pockets of fans, some Heads gravitate towards the Compton MC for his unpredictable flows, honesty, and eloquent wordplay that align him with the... Read more

March 12, 2014 Audio, Fresh

Lupe Fiasco Rocks Out With Ab-Soul On Thorns & Horns (Audio)

Lupe Fiasco and Ab-Soul have a few traits in common. One is a healthy distrust of secret societies, and another is a fearlessness in speaking their mind. In the title alone, Heads can gather that "Thorns & Horns" deals with d'evils of things. Both freak some linguistics, having fun with... Read more

March 3, 2014 Audio, Fresh

Smoke DZA & Ab-Soul Hop On A DJ Dahi-Produced Cloud For Hearses (Audio)

For nearly a decade, Smoke DZA's been around when movements start. From the last days of Dipset and Purple City, to the recent Harry Fraud wave, to Black Hippy, DZA's positioned himself as every rapper's willing collaborator, and the results can be quite pleasing. Such is true of "Hearses," with... Read more

March 3, 2014 Audio, Fresh

TDE Plans to Release New Albums From Jay Rock, Ab-Soul, Black Hippy & Kendrick Lamar in 2014

Schoolboy Q and Kendrick Lamar cover this week's issue of Billboard Magazine, but the story is a full report on the rise of their label, Top Dog Entertainment. After releasing albums from both Isaiah Rashad and Schoolboy Q already, TDE also plans to release new LPs from Jay Rock, Ab-Soul,... Read more

February 28, 2014 Fresh

If You Don’t Shop At Target, You Won’t Get This Fuzzed-Out ScHoolboy Q & A$AP Rocky Jam (Audio)

Collaborations are a driving force on ScHoolboy Q's OXYMORON. From links with Tyler, The Creator and 2 Chainz, to the king of "links" himself, Raekwon, the major label debut from Quincy is an opportunity to hear how he blends with some new friends. However, for almost two years, Q's been... Read more

February 25, 2014 Audio, Fresh

James Blake Takes A Stab At Remixing Kendrick Lamar’s m.A.A.d city (Audio)

For an album cut that Heads celebrated in 2012, "m.A.A.d city" has come into the spotlight in February of 2014. After Imagine Dragons live-mashed-up the MC Eiht-assisted joint at the Grammy Awards, James Blake is reworking the partial-title track from K-Dot's platinum major label debut. After performing with Drake at... Read more

February 24, 2014 Audio, Fresh

ScHoolboy Q & Raekwon’s Blind Threats Collaboration Comes Out In High Quality (Audio)

Yesterday, Ambrosia For Heads shared some thoughts after hearing ScHoolboy Q's OXYMORON in Los Angeles at an early listening session. One of the highlights was this cut, "Blind Threats," which Q envisioned to feature Raekwon or Cappadonna. Before he had a chance to check for the other Staten Island MC,... Read more

February 19, 2014 Audio, Fresh

Common’s Nobody Smiling Shows Its Teeth With An Ab-Soul Feature On A No ID Jam (Audio)

Fresh off of Rick Ross' Mastermind listening session and album preview, 2014's album landscape is looking quite fertile. Coming up soon is Common's Nobody Smiling, a Chicago-themed conversation piece about the youth violence epidemic. Late today, the L.A. Leakers dropped the digital needle on "Made In Black America." The song,... Read more

February 12, 2014 Audio, Fresh

After ScHoolboy Q’s OXYMORON, TDE Sets It Sights On Ab-Soul’s Black Lip Pastor

2014 promises a reported six Top Dawg Entertainment releases. After this month, Heads are holding two: a first retail effort from Isaiah Rashad's Cilvia Demo, and ScHoolboy Q's major label debut, OXYMORON. Today, TDE's head, Top Dawg himself, and Ab-Soul suggested that Black Lip Pastor is next (though that is... Read more

February 3, 2014 Fresh

ScHoolboy Q’s OXYMORON Will Feature Black Hippy Plus OG’s Like Kurupt, Raekwon & Suga Free. Here’s the Tracklist.

With February 25th fast-approaching, here is the tracklist to ScHoolboy Q's major label debut, OXYMORON. Guests include two-thirds of his Black Hippy cohorts, save for Ab-Soul. Veterans include Pomona pimp-hop O.G. Suga Free, Kurupt, Raekwon, and 2 Chainz while Q's peers include Tyler, The Creator, BJ The Chicago Kid, and... Read more

February 3, 2014 Fresh

Macklemore & Kendrick Lamar: How Hip-Hop (Not The Grammy’s) Turned Sunday Into a Fail (Food For Thought)

The day after the Grammy Awards, the conversation about Macklemore & Ryan Lewis’ win for Best Rap Album over Kendrick Lamar’s good kid, m.A.A.d. city (G.K.M.C) grew from a buzz to a roar. Social media platforms and the web, generally, were on fire. The frenzy was fueled in part by... Read more

January 29, 2014 Featured-homepage, Food for Thought, Fresh

ScHoolboy Q Rocks Early 2014 With Tour & Some Fresh OXYMORON Music (Audio)

With two Top 200 independent albums already under his belt, all eyes are on ScHoolboy Q's first Interscope Records-backed LP, OXYMORON. The longtime Top Dawg Entertainment artist has garnered mainstream appeal, all from his perch as a straight-talking, easy-going G from the streets of South Central Los Angeles. TDE confirmed... Read more

January 28, 2014 Audio, Fresh

Macklemore Believes Race & Other Factors Contributed To His 4 Grammy Award Wins

From Macklemore's texts of solidarity to friend/peer Kendrick Lamar before last night's (January 26) 56th Grammy Awards to his words following winning in four categories competing against the Compton, California MC, it's hard not to love the way the Seattle, Washington veteran (who happened to win Best New Artist) handled... Read more

January 27, 2014 Fresh

Macklemore Tells Kendrick Lamar He Got Robbed By Not Winning Best Rap Album. See the Texts (Photos)

Did the 56th Grammy Awards leave the Head in you feeling some kind of way? Especially if you're a Kendrick Lamar fan, watching Macklemore & Ryan Lewis' four awards sweep early in the night, talk of the town performance, and Daft Punk's Random Access Memories taking the Album Of The... Read more

January 27, 2014 Fresh

Kendrick Lamar Steals The Show At The Grammys. Who Needs An Award? (Video)

So with controversy already in the air after some categorical losses early in the night, what would Kendrick Lamar do with his performance slot? The Compton, California good kid (with a reputation for competition) performed a Heads-approved album cut from his major label debut, "m.A.A.d city." With Imagine Dragons backing... Read more

January 26, 2014 Fresh, Video

Kendrick Lamar Details His Reaction To The Grammy Awards Nomination (Video)

Where was one of 2013's hardest-working artists when he caught wind of his Grammy Award nomination for "Album Of The Year"? Take one good guess... Hint: Not the recording studio... Kendrick Lamar discusses to The Hollywood Reporter what he expects from his first Grammy nods and first time attending, as... Read more

January 24, 2014 Fresh, Video

Jay Rock & Ty Dolla $ign Take Notice Of How Things Change With Fame (Video)

Two of Southern California's harder working, breakthrough artists have noticed how things have changed—from the women and dollars, to the expectations and the hate. They come together on "Never Be The Same" to look at things as they were, and are, and say never no more, from a burn site,... Read more

January 24, 2014 Fresh, Video

Today It All Makes Sense: A Retrospective on the Chicago Hip-Hop Sound (Food For Thought)

Published by: Bandini “This the city of Chicago, the state of confusion The style I'm using is free or at least it would be if my mind was…” – Malik Yusef, “My City” (One Day It’ll All Make Sense) Since the 1990s, Common Sense has always been among my favorite... Read more

January 19, 2014 Featured-homepage, Food for Thought

Kendrick Lamar Says He Was Once Scared To Say He’s From Compton. Here’s Why (Video)

Like he does in his verses, Kendrick Lamar can do a lot in two minutes of video. In a new Pepsi-sponsored series leading up the Grammy Awards, "Day In The Life." While on the Yeezus Tour, K-Dot runs people through his tireless schedule, as he explains that most of his... Read more

January 15, 2014 Video

Ab-Soul Explains His Pete Rock Tattoo & Talks His Favorite LPs. Chicagoans Will Appreciate (Video)

Ab-Soul is soulful. Soulo, who calls himself Soul Brother #2 recently broke down to Bootleg Kev why he's got Pete Rock (Soul Brother #1) on his arm. In an age where rappers are big on tattooing deceased influences on their bodies, it's incredibly cool that Ab honors the living. Last... Read more

January 6, 2014 Fresh, Video

Got BARS? These MC’s Do. Here Are The Best Freestyles of 2013 (Video)

There are few things more satisfying in Hip-Hop than a killer verse. It's why Kendrick Lamar shook up the Internet for 3 weeks (an eternity these days) with his Control verse...and then again with his BET Cypher. We've assembled a collection of the best freestyles (mostly "writtens") of 2013. Check... Read more

December 24, 2013 Fresh, Video

Guess Who’s Coming to The Grammy Awards? Kendrick Lamar Will Take the Stage

For some folks, watching the Grammy Awards in their dens, bedrooms and livingrooms is as close to an actual concert as they get all year. Additionally, the annual Winter performance opens up Heads in all different genres to each other's breakthrough artists. How many folks first saw Adele through Grammy's?... Read more

December 19, 2013 Fresh

Kendrick Lamar Raps About The Winners Circle With Old Partner Kanin (Audio)

Throughout the last three years, Kendrick Lamar frequently lends his vocal talents to artists on the come-up. Whether Y.G. Hootie, Mann, or Nitty Scott, MC, K-Dot is generous with the look, but hoards the spotlight as he famously promised earlier this year. "Winners Circle" is an Old School New single... Read more

December 3, 2013 Audio, Fresh

Snoop Dogg Refutes TDE & Death Row Records Comparisons (Video)

After GQ magazine's "Man Of The Year" Kendrick Lamar cover story, Top Dawg, founder of TDE, along with K.L. dismissed the reporting. In the article, the author compared Dawg to Marion "Suge" Knight. While TDE has connections to Tha Row care of Dr. Dre, and the late Flipside (of O.F.T.B.),... Read more

November 25, 2013 Fresh, Video

Kendrick Lamar Performs Swimming Pools / Poetic Justice Medley At 2013 AMAs (Video)

Kendrick Lamar had one of the most-talked up about performances last night (November 24) at the 2013 American Music Awards. TDE's "Man Of The Year" blessed televised audiences with two of his biggest hit singles of the last 12 months, "Swimming Pools (Drank)" and "Poetic Justice," sans Drake. Those who... Read more

November 25, 2013 Fresh, Video

ScHoolboy Q Might Be Having Some GQ Fun On His Version Of Man Of The Year (Audio)

It would not be a reach to say that ScHoolboy Q is Hip-Hop's "Man Of The Year." However, Quincy's Oxymoron major label debut is still under wraps, and his Black Hippy buddy Kendrick Lamar likely earned that distinction with the "shot heard 'round the world." GQ magazine thought so, and... Read more

November 19, 2013 Audio, Fresh

Jhene Aiko & Kendrick Lamar Stay Ready On The Latest Link (Audio)

Def Jam's Jhene Aiko has been in the industry for over 15 years. In addition to links with Childish Gambino and Drake, it was really her versatility as heard with Kendrick Lamar, ScHoolboy Q, and Ab-Soul that showed the L.A. native's versatility, and market with today's Hip-Hop consumer. A K.Dot... Read more

November 11, 2013 Audio, Fresh

TDE and A$AP Mob Squash All the Rumors in an Interview with The Breakfast Club (Video)

Making it crystal clear that there's no beef between their crews (nor with Drake), Kendrick Lamar, A$AP Rocky, Jay Rock, A$AP Ferg and Schoolboy Q conducted a joint interview where they addressed all the speculation point blank. They also discussed upcoming projects from Q and Ab-Soul, Ferg's album and the... Read more

November 4, 2013 Video

Jay Rock Counts His Numbers On The Boards (Audio)

Like Al Pacino's devilish monologue, nobody is gonna see Jay Rock coming. The elder statesman of Black Hippy, the first artist of TDE may have gone under the radar a bit with Follow Me Home. However, the Watts native who never seems to say much off the mic, is saying... Read more

October 23, 2013 Audio, Fresh

ScHoolboy Q & Jay Rock Hop On Isaiah Rashad’s Shot You Down For The TDE Remix (Audio)

Black Hippy's Jay Rock and ScHoolboy Q get Isaiah Rashad's message on "Shot You Down." The pair punches in their own take on the theme, and welcome their TDE brother with scorching accents to one of this year's viral heat-rocks. Jay Rock's been relatively quiet in 2013, but he damn... Read more

October 18, 2013 Audio, Fresh

CJ Fly – Sadderdaze ft Ab-Soul

Pro Era and Black Hippy pop off a coast-to-coast collaboration over a sample quite familiar to Reasonable Doubt lovers, CJ and Soulo offer a link from Thee Way Eye See It, which is slated to be on hard-drives by this weekend. Both of these crews are able to make simple... Read more

September 30, 2013 Audio, Fresh

Danny Brown – Dope Fiend Rental ft ScHoolboy Q

Danny Brown's Old releases tomorrow, September 30. An early glimpse "Dope Fiend Rental" captures D.B.'s essence. The song chronicles his rugged street-life days, his penchant for rough sex, and all sorts of clever imagery in between. The beat knocks, as Old could be a sneak-attack piece of discussion for Album... Read more

September 29, 2013 Audio, Fresh

Kendrick Lamar Controls The 2013 BET Hip-Hop Awards Cypher

Hot off the presses from Atlanta, Kendrick Lamar "killed" this year's BET Hip-Hop Awards Cypher, and we were there to witness it. Symbolic of what Kendrick's Control verse did to the industry in August, the entire TDE family (Kendrick, Ab-Soul, Schoolboy Q, Jay Rock and new member Isaiah Rashad) spit... Read more

September 28, 2013 Fresh

Kendrick Lamar Explains The Musical Inspiration Behind His Name and Performs m.A.A.d. City (Video)

While it'd be nice if "In Living Color" was also back, with Keenan Ivory Wayans still able to poke fun at some of the stuff, Arsenio Hall's latenight platform was a crucial trailblazer in legitimizing Hip-Hop in the mainstream. Moreover, Arsenio (who points out in this interview that he's a... Read more

September 18, 2013 Fresh, Video

Ab-Soul Previews New Verse (Video)

Few new MCs of the last five years are as potential with words as Carson, California's Ab-Soul. #ControlSystem is as intelligent and thoughtfully-charged of an album with Longterm Mentality just as powerful. Needless to say, the Black Hippy member can still inspire that rewind factor long after labels in Hip-Hop chilled... Read more

September 16, 2013 Fresh, Video

Ab-Soul – Dreamin’ ft K-Boy & Tone Trump

For all the negative things we can all say about Twitter, sometimes it's just great. For example, when a producer randomly drops a dope Hip-Hop track on a whim, which is exactly what The Chromatix did yesterday. The track is titled “Dreamin'," is headlined by Black Hippy's Ab-Soul, and also... Read more

August 29, 2013 Audio, Fresh

Black Hippy Thoughts From The Road (Video)

Ab-Soul. Jay Rock. Schoolboy Q. Kendrick Lamar. Although individual success is something they’re all enjoying, the members of Top Dawg Entertainment’s Black Hippy Crew feel what they’re accomplishing as a collective is just as important. All hailing from Southern California, the four members synced up long before the fame and... Read more

August 26, 2013 Fresh, Video