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Boot Camp Clik Reunites For The First Time In 16 Years

Life is too short to listen to bad music. So…let Ambrosia For Heads sift through it for you and only supply you with that great stuff. Despite the reports, Hip-Hop is alive and well and, in many ways, it’s better than it’s ever been. Not only can we go back... Read more

Why 1996 Had The Perfect Storm To Split Hip-Hop In Two

On the most recent episode of Drink Champs, co-host N.O.R.E. told guests Talib Kweli, Yasiin Bey, and Dave Chappelle about the moment he felt Hip-Hop became divided. The co-founder of Capone-N-Noreaga opined to Black Star that he feels The Roots' 1996 "What They Do" music video was a dividing line... Read more

Rawkus Records’ Rise & Fall Is Detailed In A New Video

It was 15 years ago this fall that Rawkus Records stopped releasing albums. The "Rawkus 50" campaign allowed a new generation of MCs and producers to digitally release product with the same label that introduced many Hip-Hop Heads to names like Mos Def, Talib Kweli, Company Flow, High & Mighty,... Read more

DJ Scratch Explains The Tension At The Big Daddy Kane & KRS-One Verzuz

On Sunday night (October 17), Hip-Hop fans were treated to a Verzuz match up between 80s Hip-Hop legends, Big Daddy Kane and KRS-One. There were freestyles, surprise guests, and some noteworthy banter between the two participants and their DJs—Kid Capri and DJ Scratch, representing Kris and Kane, respectively. During AFH's recap... Read more

Black Moon Describe The Personal Process Of Making Their First Album In 16 Years (Video)

There are not many Hip-Hop crews who could sustain a career that has spanned a quarter of a century, while only releasing four albums, but Black Moon is not just any crew. The highly-influential Brooklyn trio, comprised of Buckshot, 5ft, and DJ Evil Dee, first arrived on the scene back... Read more

Black Moon Make Their Return And Bring Method Man With Them (Audio)

Black Moon has just released its first album in more than 16 years. Buckshot, DJ Evil Dee, and 5ft made Rise Of da Moon, produced entirely by Da Beatminerz (Evil and his brother, Mr. Walt). The 15 songs include two video singles, "Creep Wit Me" and "Black Moon Rise." As... Read more

Black Moon Is Rising Once More. Here’s Their New Video, Album Tracklist & Guests

More than three months, Black Moon released its first music video in more than 16 years. "Creep Wit Me" reunited Buckshot, DJ Evil Dee, and 5 ft after years of anticipation that the Brooklyn, New York trio would follow-up Total Eclipse. Heads now have more details surrounding Rise Of Da... Read more

Sean Price’s Brooklyn Mural Is In Danger & Hip-Hop Ain’t Havin’ That

Next month will make it four years since Hip-Hop artist Sean Price passed away. The member of Heltah Skeltah, Boot Camp Clik, and Random Axe was in top creative form. Although accolades came to Price during the 1990s alongside Rockness Monsta, the Brownsville, Brooklyn native had catapulted himself to elite... Read more

Black Moon Release Their 1st Video In 15 Years. The New Album Is Coming Soon.

It has been 16 years since Brooklyn, New York's Black Moon released a studio album. Boot Camp Clik's breakout artists are back with their first new music since 2003's Total Eclipse. Along with an exciting new music video, the collective of Buckshot, DJ Evil Dee, and 5 ft have a... Read more

Black Moon Is Releasing A New Album This Summer. Evil Dee Describes The Sound.

When heads think of Black Moon, many immediately trudge back to their heralded 1993 debut Enta Da Stage. Beyond its textured sampling and aggressive lyrics, the Nervous Records LP helped detail an East Coast equivalent to Gangsta Rap. While there where no lowriders, or bandanas in Buckshot Shorty, 5FT, and... Read more

Evil Dee Details What Led To The Demise Of Rawkus Records

DJ Evil Dee was a onetime artist at Rawkus Records. In the fall of 1997, he hosted and mixed the first Soundbombing compilation. That release would propel the label launched by Jarret Myer and Brian Brater onto the radars of many. With it, plenty of Hip-Hop Heads got a taste... Read more

Smif-N-Wessun Put The Hammer Down On A 9th Wonder Production (Audio)

Smif-N-Wessun has put out some pretty high-quality collaborative projects over the past decade. In 2013, they dropped Born And Raised, an EP completely produced by Beatnick & K-Salaam, that embraced the Boot Camp Clik duo's Caribbean roots and relayed a heavy Reggae and Dancehall influence. In 2011, they teamed up... Read more

Uncle Ralph McDaniels Details 35 Years Of Making The Original Rap Video Show (Video)

"Uncle" Ralph McDaniels is a pioneer in bringing video to Hip-Hop culture. The New York City native co-created and co-hosted Video Music Box, a show that would help bring some of the top names in Hip-Hop, and their music, to TV screens across the world. Subsequently, McDaniels would use his... Read more

3 Years After Sean Price’s Passing The Boot Camp Clik Is Still Saluting Him (Video)

Three years ago today (August 8, 2015), the world lost a true original with the passing of Sean Price. The Brownsville, Brooklyn MC was a deft lyricist as a vocation, and also renowned for his role as a father, a husband, and a mentor and ally to so many peers.... Read more

Finding The GOAT Group: Mobb Deep vs. Black Moon. Who Is Better?

“Finding the GOAT Group,” the fourth installment of Ambrosia For Heads’s annual battle series features Hip-Hop’s greatest collectives vying for the #1 spot. Sixty-two groups have been pre-selected by a panel of experts, and one slot will be reserved for a wild-card entry, including the possibility for write-in candidates, to... Read more

Common Looks Back At His Time With Dilla On A Song Fit For February (Audio)

Common has transcended Hip-Hop. He is now a political activist. He's won an Academy Award and a Golden Globe award for his song "Glory" featuring John Legend in the film Selma. Also, he's the only Hip-Hop artist to achieve an "E.G.O." hat trick by receiving an Emmy Award for his... Read more

Talib Kweli Details How He And Mos Def Became Family Before They Were Black Star (Video)

This week, Talib Kweli appeared on Desus & Mero to promote November 17's Radio Silence album. That LP reunites Kweli with Jay Electronica and Anderson .Paak, as well as features a range of guests, from Waka Flocka Flame to Freestyle Fellowship's Myka 9 to Rick Ross. In making his return... Read more

Dancer For Many Classic Hip-Hop Videos, Voodoo Ray, Has Passed Away At Age 50

Throughout the decades, Voodoo Ray (born Raymond Ultarte) brought the dance moves he displayed in New York City clubs in the 1980s to some of Hip-Hop culture's more memorable late 1990s videos. Formerly known as Boogie Ray, Ultarte's dancing eventually went on to appear in visuals such as Run-D.M.C. &... Read more

Kool G Rap, Canibus & Chris Rivers Send An Omen That Real Lyricism Is Back (Audio)

One of 2016's most steadfast MCs, Chris Rivers is a clear disciple of that hard-nosed late '80s and 1990s lyricism. While the Bronx, New Yorker's greatest influence would appear to be his father (Big Pun), there are other clear connections. Pun, after all, was a student of Kool G Rap,... Read more

Masta Ace Reveals Why The Crooklyn Dodgers Lineup Changed (Video)

In conjunction with the Spike Lee Joint Crooklyn, A Tribe Called Quest and Q-Tip began assembling a Hip-Hop collaboration for the Geffen Records soundtrack. While the film was set in the 1970s, director Spike Lee has historically attached Hip-Hop to his films. According to Q-Tip, considerations were reportedly made for... Read more

Buckshot & DJ Evil Dee Are in the Studio Making New Black Moon Music (Video)

Brooklyn, New York's Black Moon is one of Hip-Hop's most celebrated trios, and one whose contributions to the borough's signature dark and brooding underground sound continue to influence MCs today. Comprised of Buckshot, 5ft and DJ Evil Dee, the Duck Down Music group first appeared with 1992's "Who Got Da... Read more

Buckshot Credits Sean Price For Saving Duck Down & Taking Over Boot Camp Clik (Video)

Whether solo, or as part of Heltah Skeltah or Random Axe, Sean Price would release all of his albums with Duck Down Music. The label founded by Black Moon's Buckshot and manager Dru Ha would launch with the release of 1996's Nocturnal album by Sean Price (as Ruck) and Rockness... Read more

Da Beatminerz Show How They Made Those Thunderous Boot Camp Clik Beats (Video)

DJ Evil Dee and Mr. Walt are one of the most successful brotherly groups in Hip-Hop. As Da Beatminerz, the Brooklyn, New York record clerks-turned-DJ/producers have laced ageless knocking beats for Smif-n-Wessun, The Roots, Mos Def, and of course Black Moon (which Evil is one-third of). From Academy Records to... Read more

Greg Nice Reveals Details About The East/West Peace Album Tupac Was Recording When He Died (Video)

In the month of May, the unreleased music of Tupac Shakur has been the topic of discussion. The reported 152 songs belonging to the estate of the slain Hip-Hop superstar are said to now be in the hands of the music executive who signed him to Interscope Records in the... Read more

Listen To The History Of Black Moon In 3 Minutes (Audio)

When the trio of Buckshot, 5ft and Evil Dee, otherwise known as Black Moon, hit the Hip-Hop scene, they brought a sound that fused dark Jazz chords and boom bap drums with gritty Brooklyn flows. The group is the latest subject of Ed Lover's "Behind The Hip-Hop" segment, which takes... Read more

This Little Boy Blues Record Was A Seed Of Love For Some Brooklyn Rap Giants (Audio)

Little Boy Blues released a single album, 1968's In The Woodland Of Weir. The Psychedelic Garage Rock outfit fronted by "Little Boy Blue" Ray Levin, would eventually rise to open for the Rolling Stones, The Association, and Lovin' Spoonful. Formed four years before the Fontana Records LP, the band was... Read more

Da Beatminerz Rock A 90 Minute Radio Party Covering Rock, Funk, Jazz & Hip-Hop (Mix)

Da Beatminerz and Q-Tip go back. Although not collaborators in the traditional sense, DJ Evil Dee and Mr. Walt joined the Abstract at those storied Roosevelt Hotel Record Conventions in the early 1990s New York City. Black Moon and A Tribe Called Quest were running in the same circles, advancing... Read more

Duck Down Artists Old & New Celebrate By Performing The Hits, For 3 Hours (Video)

How many labels in Hip-Hop can get all of their artists over the last 20 years back together on stage? Duck Down Music (a/k/a Duck Down Records) celebrated its 20th anniversary this month. On B.B. Kings' Manhattan stage, founders Dru Ha and Buckshot Shorty celebrated this massive milestone accomplishment with a... Read more

DJ Premier Made Others’ Albums Great. Now Nas, Snoop & Dre Are There For Preemo. (Video)

In January of this year, it was revealed that Gang Starr's DJ Premier would step to the front with his solo debut, Last Session @ 320. The forthcoming LP's title serves as an homage to the West 37th Street address of Midtown Manhattan's HeadQCourterz Studios—Premier's resident studio since the early... Read more

Black Moon’s ‘Powaful Impak’ Is The Focus Of A Duck Down Feature Documentary (Video)

In looking at Hip-Hop artists and consistency, Heads regularly point to De La Soul, Outkast, and A Tribe Called Quest. There are acts who made extensive catalogs, by-and-large, never disappointing fan-bases. Is Brooklyn, New York trio Black Moon not one of them? Buckshot, DJ Evil Dee, and 5FT have released... Read more

Buckshot & Smif N Wessun Have a Boot Camp Clik Reunion on a Statik Selektah Banger (Video)

Last week, Statik Selektah released his stellar Lucky 7 album on Duck Down Music. That compilation, which Statik says is his last solo project, features a smorgasbord of MCs, including Joey Bada$$, Action Bronson, Royce Da 5'9", Your Old Droog, Rapsody, Big K.R.I.T., Styles P, Bun B and more. Ever... Read more

DJ Evil Dee Makes A House Birthday Mix For Himself That All Can Celebrate (Mix)

DJ Evil Dee had a birthday recently (May 24). The Bushwick, Brooklyn co-founder of Black Moon and Da Beatminerz celebrated in style. The veteran DJ/producer fired up the Technics 1200s, and pulled out some dance-friendly crates of records for his two-hour "Church" mix-show. The "birthday edition" features the producer for... Read more

How Many MC’s Could Freestyle Over This Black Moon Classic As Well As Lloyd Banks? (Audio)

G-Unit has been quite active throughout the last month. With their second EP, The Beast Is G-Unit and a number of freestyles from Kidd Kidd during his promotion for XXL's 10th spot in the 2015 Freshmen class, the Unit has been hard at work. While Tony Yayo recorded his own freestyle... Read more

Ever Hear The 5 Deadly Venoms Of Brooklyn? It’s Widely Considered To Be Rap’s Greatest Tape (Mixtape)

1997 was an interesting year for Hip-Hop, especially as far as New York City was concerned. Tragically, The Notorious B.I.G. was murdered just months into the new year, throwing a dark cloud and massive vacancy in the hearts, souls, and earphones of many. Additionally, the part of Biggie's music that... Read more

Black Moon Had a Lot on Their Mind In This 1999 Future Flavas Freestyle (Audio)

Six years after Enta Da Stage, Black Moon made a powerful return in 1999. War Zone would be a Top 40 debut for the Brooklyn, New York trio, and the last of the three studio B.M. albums produced entirely by DJ Evil Dee and Da Beatminerz. With all the hype... Read more

Da Beatminerz Share Their Production Secrets with an Up and Coming Producer (Video Premiere)

For more than 20 years, Da Beatminerz helped define a predominant, defiantly Brooklyn, New York sound. With low end bass, heavily filtered samples, and rich sonic textures, the Bushwick-based crew has been sought out by major labels and indie labels alike, making 12" deep cuts and Rap classics played everyday... Read more

Crooklyn Dodgers ’94 & Crooklyn Dodgers ’95 Trade Uniforms In This ILL Blend (Audio)

DJ Hellee Hooper (a play on famed Soul II Soul/Bjork/No Doubt producer Nellee Hooper), swapped the vocals of Special Ed, Masta Ace, and Buckshot from "Return of the Crooklyn Dodgers" with the instrumental to the 1995 original (Chubb Rock, O.C., Jeru The Damaja). The results (thus "94.5") trick your mind,... Read more

Finding The GOAT (Round 2): Andre 3000 vs. Buckshot…Who You Got?

We have reached the second round in the ultimate battle for the title of the GOAT (Greatest of All-Time). We are asking you to help us rank who is the greatest MC to pick up a mic. We will take over 35 years of Hip-Hop into consideration, pairing special match-ups... Read more

Start the New Year with Some Old School Videos (Playlist)

Should old acquaintance be forgot...never that. Today, we ring in the new year with some Old School. Here's a video playlist featuring Nas, Common, OutKast, The Roots, Black Moon, Pete Rock & CL Smooth, The Beatnuts, a rare performance by The Notorious B.I.G. & Method Man and more. Check it... Read more

Black Moon’s First New Song In Years Is Slow-Moving Dopeness (Audio)

This week, Black Moon/Da Beatminerz' DJ Evil Dee released his first free online mixtape in recent memory. Part of the Broadcasting Live Mix is "Go To War," a Black Moon cut, and the first new one from Evil, Buckshot, and 5FT in nearly a decade. The Duck Down trio last... Read more

Black Moon’s Evil Dee Releases a Mixtape Of All New Material (Mixtape)

Straight out of Bushwick, Brooklyn, DJ Evil Dee has made some amazing Hip-Hop records. A onetime high school DJ phenom, this centerpiece of Da Beatminerz is mean on the mix, the drum machine, and diggin' in the crates. The sound-provider of Black Moon established Duck Down as a source of... Read more

Finding The GOAT: Buckshot vs. Billy Danze…Who You Got?

As we continue the ultimate battle for the title of the GOAT (Greatest of All-Time), we are asking you to help us rank who is the greatest MC to pick up a mic. We will take over 35 years of Hip-Hop into consideration, pairing special match-ups in a sequence not... Read more

Buckshot’s Stories Reenacted At The Hip-Hop Improv Show (Video)

Hot 97 links up with Buckshot for the latest segment of "Take It Personal: The Hip-Hop Improv Show" at UCB East in New York City. The Black Moon affiliate shares stories about his career, Tupac, and his family for the "Tribe Called Yes" improv crew to reenact in front of... Read more

YC The Cynic Is A Nightmare Literally And Lyrically In “Night Thoughts” (Video)

Brooklyn artist YC The Cynic dons the sinister rabbit mask from the movie "Donnie Darko" in his latest visual effort, "Night Thoughts." The video, directed by Breeze Embalm, boasts mischievous production, fantastical vocal loops, and a taste of Black Moon's "How Many MC's," powered by Yuri Beats. The stage is... Read more

Boot Camp Clik Meets Pro Era, As Buckshot Crosses Paths With Joey Bada$$ & CJ Fly (Video)

Whether it be with Black Moon, Boot Camp Clik, or just on his own two as the B.D.I. Thug, Buckshot Shorty has been dropping music for over two decades and has worked with a slew of notable artists including 9th Wonder and KRS-One. To add to his extensive catalog, the... Read more

Summer Is Cooking Up. Know The Ledge On The Making Of Mtume’s Juicy Fruit (Video)

Whether you're a '60s, '70s, '80s, or '90s baby, Mtume's "Juicy Fruit" means something to you. The Electro-Soul groove is a hit in its own right, before becoming the basis of The Notorious B.I.G.'s breakthrough hit almost of the same name. Red Bull Music Academy sat with James Mtume, the... Read more

Da Beatminerz In The House! DJ Evil Dee’s Tribute Mix For Frankie Knuckles (Audio)

DJ Evil Dee stays on the mix (c'mon, and kick it!). One of the living legends of Bushwick, Brooklyn and Hip-Hop production has been making mixtapes for over 25 years. Although Evil Dee (and brother Mr. Walt) are best known for grimy, bass-driven Hip-Hop beats (especially with his group, Black... Read more

Buckshot & 9th Wonder Come Back Together For Some 3am Square Biz (Audio)

From 2005 to 2012, Black Moon's Buckshot and Little Brother's 9th Wonder made an Interstate 95 link to record three albums together. These works charted new waters for both artists, who when they set out to collaborate, were largely known for the personas created in their respective groups. By 2012,... Read more

Eminem Don’t Front When It Comes To Honoring Black Moon, Buckshot & Duck Down (Audio)

One of Rap's ultimate "what-if's" has always surrounded Eminem and Duck Down Records. The house that Buckshot and Dru Ha built made a play to sign the Detroit MC when he was kickin' around the NYC underground with Skam?, Thirstin Howl III, and Wordsworth. In the end, Eminem inked a... Read more

The Masterful Place & Time Of Black Moon’s Enta Da Stage (Food For Thought)

Place and time can be everything in art. If a creator properly conveys place and time, the viewer of the artwork can learn so much more about the world it speaks from. When watching Goodfellas, you can undoubtedly know the stakes of every action before it’s explained to you. You... Read more