cinematic ArchivesAmbrosia For Heads

The 15 Best Rap Albums Of 2022

As 2022 winds down, it comes time to celebrate the best in Hip-Hop music. As is tradition, the Ambrosia For Heads team weighs in on our opinion of the year's best albums. This list of 15 includes some comeback performances, significant sequel efforts, and collaborative tandems. The collection of LPs also shows... Read more

December 20, 2022 Best Rap Albums Of 2022

Joey Bada$$ Has Released The Best Album Of His Career

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

July 22, 2022 Audio

Joey Bada$$ Celebrates Capital STEEZ With Some Of His Best Work

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

July 9, 2022 Audio

Joey Bada$$’s Next Album Is A Sequel To His Classic Mixtape

In June of 2012, Joey Bada$$ launched what has become a highly-respected catalog with 1999. The mixtape from the Brooklyn, New York MC helped usher in the Pro Era movement, with appearances by Capital STEEZ, CJ Fly, Chuck Strangers, Kirk Knight, Nyck Caution, Dessy Hinds, and more. As a 17-year-old... Read more

May 12, 2022 Audio, Fresh, News

Mick Jenkins Is A Deep MC. His Black Milk-Produced Song Is About Living Carefree

UPDATE: Mick Jenkins has released the video for "Carefree": ORIGINAL JANUARY 4 STORY: It has been over a year since Chicago, Illinois MC Mick Jenkins released Pieces Of A Man. The acclaimed record perfectly encapsulated Jenkins' style as a mellowed-out deep-thinker with an ear for Jazz production. Following a... Read more

January 7, 2020 Video

Mick Jenkins Calls Out Blood Suckers In His Circle & Still Spreads Love (Audio)

Mick Jenkins is up to something. The Chicago, Illinois MC released "Vampire In Brooklyn." It is neither a Halloween hangover or an homage to Eddie Murphy's film. Instead, Mick emphatically spits about those not showing love within his circle. The creator of 2014's acclaimed The Water[s] and strong '15 follow-up... Read more

November 1, 2017 Audio

Big K.R.I.T. Kills And Buries Himself In A New Video

In the last 24 hours, Big K.R.I.T. has rallied. The Meridian, Mississippi multi-threat dropped the first single to an upcoming project. "Confetti" showered down good news that there is some exciting life after Def Jam ahead for one of the greatest emerging artists of the last decade. Just mere hours... Read more

September 29, 2017 Video

Big K.R.I.T. Rocks The Spot & The Clock… With 12 Freestyles In 12 Hours (Audio)

Big K.R.I.T. is a product of the online era of Hip-Hop. The Meridian, Mississippi MC/producer has become a stalwart of the culture, and has built a career without reliance on mediums like radio and television. Instead, Krizzle gave away his music for free over the worldwide web, and never lost... Read more

July 5, 2016 Audio

Lupe Fiasco, Big K.R.I.T. & Dee-1 Come Together To Be Real, Righteous & Relevant (Audio)

New Orleans, Louisiana MC Dee-1 has been grinding for years. Now backed by RCA Records, Dee has a knack for making music that knocks in the headphones and trunks, but still packs tremendous fodder for the mind. Fresh off of his club-tinged student loan-inspired "Sallie Mae Back" (a play on... Read more

April 6, 2016 Audio

Sticks & Stones Will Not Stop Big K.R.I.T. From Winning (Audio)

One week ago (March 25), Big K.R.I.T. was the latest contestant of Mass Appeal's Rhythm Roulette game. While past producer/MCs have taken the challenge of blindly selecting three records from a store (Erick Sermon, El-P, Large Professor, to name a few of the most esteemed), Krizzle would break new ground.... Read more

March 30, 2016 Audio

Big K.R.I.T. Returns To Soul-Sampling & Songs About Pushing Through (Audio)

Big K.R.I.T. made a name and a lane for himself making songs about defying the odds. The "third coast representing" MC/producer tackled the tall walls of the music industry on early mixtapes like KRITWuzHere and Return Of 4eva before becoming a Def Jam Records-backed major label artist. Despite two charting... Read more

March 28, 2016 Audio

Mick Jenkins’ Clever Lyricism Is Accentuated In A Marco Polo Remix (Audio Premiere)

Marco Polo is one of the Hip-Hop artists who is still bringing creativity and innovation to the remix medium. The veteran producer has provided his own spin on joints by PRhyme, Talib Kweli, and D.I.T.C. For his latest re-imagining, one-half of Double Barrel goes to the Windy City and comes... Read more

February 11, 2016 Audio, Exclusive

Mick Jenkins Eloquently Makes Sense Out Of His Windy City (Audio)

Mick Jenkins has been fast at work entering the new year. The Chicago, Illinois MC has been recording a lot with producer THEMpeople. Today (January 7), Mick unveiled "Grenade Theory," and pulled a pin, before exploding some profound thoughts and rhymes into the microphone. The song is a here-and-now for... Read more

January 7, 2016 Audio

Big K.R.I.T. Restores The Glory With A Tape Featuring Warren G & Ludacris (Mixtape)

If Kendrick Lamar and Drake can rock the Hip-Hop space in an instant, why shouldn't Big K.R.I.T.? In a comparatively quiet 2015 for the Meridian, Mississippi double-threat, he makes up for lost time with a major splash in the water. It's Better This Way is a fitting title for an... Read more

October 14, 2015 Mixes

Big K.R.I.T. Injects A Visual Double-Dose Of Cadillactica Luxury (Video)

Big K.R.I.T.'s Cadillactica may be approaching a year old, but that's not hurting its Blue Book value in the least. Krizzle releases a combined video for two of the albums standout cuts, songs that show the two distinct sides of the Meridian, Mississippi MC/producer. "My Sub Part 3 (The Big... Read more

September 22, 2015 Video

Mick Jenkins’ Wave[s] Continues To Hydrate Minds After The Water[s] (EP Stream)

One year to the day after The Water[s], Chicago, Illinois MC Mick Jenkins returns to the shore with The Wave[s]. The Cinematic Entertainment artist follows his acclaimed breakthrough with 29 minutes, and nine tracks. Production duties include Sacramento, California veteran Lee Bannon (Joey Bada$$, Souls Of Mischief) and Montreal, Quebec's... Read more

August 13, 2015 Audio

Joey Bada$$ & Big K.R.I.T. Hope That You’re Listening To These Jewels (Audio)

Tomorrow, Statik Selektah will release his Lucky 7 seventh album—on 7-7, no less. One of the ShowOff Records/Duck Down Music release's highlights is "In The Wind." This moment is the latest run-in between Joey Bada$$ and Big K.R.I.T., alums from A$AP Rocky's "1 Train" as well as the obvious connection as... Read more

July 6, 2015 Audio

Mick Jenkins Puts on a Lyrical Display Reserved for a Rarefied Few (Video)

Mick Jenkins is well aware of Rap concept cliche. The Chicago, Illinois MC says he was out to reach new ground in "P's & Q's." Knowing that Nas famously rewound a story with suspense, and Jay Z rigorously rocked repetition, he wanted to stand apart. Big on literary devices, the... Read more

May 26, 2015 Video

Finding The GOAT (Round 4): Kendrick Lamar vs. Big K.R.I.T.…Who You Got?

We have now reached the critical Round 4 in the ultimate battle for the title of the GOAT (Greatest of All-Time). With 21 MCs remaining (with the largest winning margin, Rakim receives a bye for the round), things are really coming down to 10 match-ups, leading AFH’s bracket-style series towards... Read more

April 20, 2015 Fresh

Finding The GOAT (Round 3): Big K.R.I.T. vs. Action Bronson…Who You Got?

We have reached the third round in the ultimate battle for the title of the GOAT (Greatest of All-Time). With 42 MCs remaining, 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... Read more

March 31, 2015 Fresh

Big K.R.I.T. Gets Autobiographical About His Struggle To Climb Mt. Olympus (Audio)

Big K.R.I.T. is five years in on a journey to his own private "Mount Olympus." However, for the Merdian, Mississippi native, the journey goes back a long ways before 2010's Kritzwuzhere. On "K.R.I.T. 4eva (Chapter One)," the MC/producer channels the hunger—literally "a sandwich a day" as he recalls Greyhound bus... Read more

March 13, 2015 Audio

Finding The GOAT (Round 2): Big K.R.I.T. vs. ScHoolboy Q…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

February 26, 2015 Fresh

Mick Jenkins Has Nothing But Time, But No Time For The B.S. (Audio)

Mick Jenkins seems to capture the Windy City essence so well in his music. "Time," on paper, is just a compilation track (Chicago Sight n' Sound). However, the Cinematic Entertainment MC makes a deep record that's not about how he manages his time in a thirst-stricken industry, in a violent... Read more

February 12, 2015 Audio

Joey Bada$$’s J Dilla & The Roots-Produced Cut Gets A DMX-Inspired Visual (Video)

With the Dilla Day spirit on high, Joey Bada$$ unleashes the visual for "Like Me." This is his B4.Da.$$ showpiece, boasting production by The Roots and a posthumous J Dilla credit. With the just-released video, it's especially interesting that Badman quite obviously presents his take on DMX's 1998 breakthrough video... Read more

February 11, 2015 The Bridge

Big K.R.I.T. Made Mind Control For Outkast, Talks Guests He Wanted For Cadillactica (Video)

Hip-Hop always loves a good what-if. Sitting down with Southern Rap mixtape mainstay DJ Smallz, Big K.R.I.T. feels comfortable enough to share some of the what-if's surrounding his sophomore major label album, Cadillactica. For starters, the E-40 & Wiz Khalifa-assisted "Mind Control" was made with another duo in mind. Having... Read more

January 24, 2015 Video

Joey Bada$$ Drops Wisdom While DJ Premier Drops A Scorching Beat (Audio)

"B4.Da.$$" is the title of Joey Bada$$' studio debut, releasing this coming Tuesday (January 20) on Pro Era/Cinematic/Sony Red. The Brooklyn, New York MC reflects this title, not just as a conveniently clever time-capsule of his rise to stardom, or an ah-ha to the doubters and skeptics. Rather, the Pro... Read more

January 17, 2015 Audio

With Sounds By The Roots & J Dilla, Preview Snippets Of Joey Bada$$’s B4.Da.$$ (Audio)

Over the weekend, the full artwork, tracklisting and production credits for Joey Bada$$' studio debut, B4.Da.$$ (January 20) were released: 1. Save The Children (prod by Statik Selektah) 2. Greenbax (prod by Lee Bannon) 3. Paper Trails (prod. by DJ Premier) 4. Piece of Mine (prod by Freddie Joachim) 5.... Read more

December 29, 2014 Audio, Fresh

Big K.R.I.T. & Raphael Saadiq Time Travel Back To Soul Food Dinners (Video)

From Cadillactica, "Soul Food" is an evocative center-piece. Produced by Raphael Saadiq, the veteran crooner's transcending soulful sound colors the way for Big K.R.I.T.'s strong commentary on the changing times, and how that has effected family, love, and togetherness. For the video, symbols of simpler times are captured, from long... Read more

December 12, 2014 Fresh, Video

Finding The GOAT: Nipsey Hussle vs. Jay Rock…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

December 10, 2014 Fresh, Video

Big K.R.I.T. & Raphael Saadiq’s Soul Food Highlights Cadillactica. See How It Was Cooked (Video)

Big K.R.I.T. earned another Top 5 this week, for Cadillactica, his sophomore major label release. The Def Jam Records-backed LP is a balance of Krizzle's foundation of car-audio odes, Southern slab ballads, and insightful looks at the world around him. One of the third variety is "Soul Food," a track... Read more

November 20, 2014 Fresh, Video

Mick Jenkins’ New Vid Takes A Deeper Look At Violence In Chicago (Video)

Mick Jenkins' The Water[s] remains one of the strongest, most-talked about mixtapes/street albums of 2014. It's deeper than Rap with the Jazz-influenced Chicagoan. The DJ Dahi-produced "Dehydration" is a powerful, conceptual piece to The Water[s]' puzzle produces a video that unearths some of the youth, the violence, and the confusion... Read more

November 19, 2014 Fresh, Video

Travel To Big K.R.I.T.’s Planet Of Cadillactica A Week Early (Album Stream)

With the new week, Big K.R.I.T. has looked to NPR First Listen (for the second straight time) to premiere his sophomore major label album, Cadillactica (November 11) more than a week early. Guests on the Cinematic/Def Jam Records affair, per usual, include many of K.R.I.T's inspirations, including the likes of... Read more

November 3, 2014 Audio, Fresh

Big K.R.I.T. & Raphael Saadiq Search For The Lost Soul In The World (Audio)

With Cadillactica two weeks away (November 11), Big K.R.I.T.'s Raphael Saadiq-assisted "Soul Food" hits the web. Ray sounds as a crisp as he has in 10 years, and as integral to a Rap song as ever, as Krizzle breaks down the missing soul, from the relationships, to the streets, to... Read more

October 28, 2014 Audio, Fresh

Big K.R.I.T. & DJ Dahi Rev Up The Cadillactica In The Studio Garage (Video)

In the second installment of Big K.R.I.T.'s behind-the-scenes making of Cadillactica series, Krizzle sits in the lab with DJ Dahi (Drake, Freddie Gibbs, ScHoolboy Q) creating the Def Jam sophomore LP's title track. Even through camera speakers, you cannot argue that this thumps... Related: Big K.R.I.T. Previews His Cadillactica Album... Read more

October 20, 2014 Fresh, Video

Mick Jenkins Looks Deep Into The Water[s], Discusses Reflection Eternal Influence (Food For Thought Interview)

As the infrastructure of Hip-Hop in Chicago, and the excess of young talented artists concocting it continues to swiftly evolve, the eccentric and unflappable twenty-three year old MC, Mick Jenkins, has recently ascended near the top of the budding movement. Initially hinting at his lyrical aptitude with the 2012 release... Read more

October 16, 2014 Food for Thought, Fresh

Big K.R.I.T. Kicks A So-Sincere Verse From Cadillactica On Sway In The Morning (Video)

Big K.R.I.T. doesn't freestyle. He tells Sway Calloway as much during this week's stop on Sway In The Morning. However, when urged to take a minute to gather an upcoming collection of couplets, after a quick freestlye over "Mind Playing Tricks on Me," K.R.I.T. comes out of nowhere with a... Read more

October 15, 2014 Fresh, Video

Big K.R.I.T. Releases the Title Track to Cadillactica (Audio)

Less than a month away from his sophomore album with Def Jam Records backing (November 11), Big K.R.I.T. offers up the title song from Cadillactica. The work fits snugly into Krizzle's catalog, on the basis of lyrics. However, the sound of the record shows some new progression from the MC/producer.... Read more

October 14, 2014 Audio, Fresh

Finding The GOAT: J. Cole vs. Big K.R.I.T…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

October 13, 2014 Fresh

Big K.R.I.T. Explains Being Sharper In 2010 vs. 2014, Less Likelihood Of Country Cousins (Audio)

With his sophomore major label album, Cadillactica (premiered last night, September 30) just over five weeks away (November 11), Big K.R.I.T. is the latest guest on The Combat Jack Show. Making his 2014 stop on the audio program, Krizzle really opened up on everything from his skills, to emotions, to... Read more

October 1, 2014 Audio, Fresh

5 Years In The Making, Joey Bada$$’s Debut Album His Its First Single (Video)

It's no secret or hidden fact that Joey Bada$$ (and much of Pro Era) pulls from an early-mid 1990s New York City Hip-Hop sound. The language, the subject matters, the deliveries, the choruses, the fashion, and even the videos feel like art that could have been unearthed from a Nervous... Read more

September 30, 2014 Audio, Fresh, Video

Nitty Scott, Chris Webby, Smoke DZA & CJ Fly Cypher With Conviction (Video)

One day after the 2014 BET Hip-Hop Awards' Digital All-Stars Cypher (Emilio Rojas, Andy Mineo, Dreezy, Dillon Cooper, Retro Jace, Conceited) premiered, RAW rolling papers' shows another healthy, talented crop of MCs. Nitty Scott, MC, Pro Era's CJ Fly, Chris Webby, and veteran Smoke DZA represent the NY tri-state lovely,... Read more

September 23, 2014 Fresh, Video

Big K.R.I.T’s Cadillactica Gets Its Release Date, And It’s Coming Soon

As anticipated from last week's video series premiere and See Me On Top, Vol. 4 mixtape release, Big K.R.I.T took to video today (September 23) to announce the release date for his sophomore major label album, Cadillactica. The Cinematic/Def Jam Records release, due on November 11, is the follow-up to... Read more

September 23, 2014 Fresh

Big K.R.I.T Drops Off a Brand New Mixtape, See Me On Top, Vol. 4 (Mixtape)

It's the fourth quarter, and Big K.R.I.T is out to "Mike Jordan 'em." Fresh off of dropping two very different pieces of content yesterday (September 15), Krizzle, as announced just 24 hours ago, unloads See Me On Top, Vol. 4. The fourth volume of the mixtape series, a step apart... Read more

September 16, 2014 Audio, Fresh, Mixes

Joey Bada$$ Says He’s Bringin’ Brooklyn Back In A Tony Touch Freestyle (Video)

Some things just make sense. If Joey Bada$$ was around, in the industry, in the late '90s, he would have sounded right and exact on Tony Touch cassette tapes. The Taino Turntable Terrorist and the Pro Era front-man linked on Toca Tuesdays. On a loop-based beat made famous by Lootpack... Read more

September 16, 2014 Fresh, Video

Running In From Left Field…Big K.R.I.T Remixes alt-J & It’s Great (Audio)

Big K.R.I.T's crates run deep, and current. The Mississippi producer/MC who sampled Adele on "Hometown Hero" now looks to take a spin with alt-J's hit "Every Other Freckle." The remix, which is official by the way, finds Krizzle getting especially sexual on the record about physical infatuation. With platinum singles... Read more

September 15, 2014 Audio, Fresh

Big K.R.I.T. Verbally & Sonically Chin-Checks All Those Out To Block Him Alongside Yo Gotti (Audio)

DJ Infamous is making some noise lately. The veteran mixmaster links up two of Southern Rap's brightest stars, veterans paying dues that are quickly embraced as new artists in the mainstream. Big K.R.I.T. laces the beat and holds down "Somethin Right." With double-timing flow in Krizzle's second verse, the track... Read more

July 8, 2014 Audio, Fresh

Cinematic Soul Playlist

Hip-hop has long been influenced by the cinematic soul of the 70's. Whether you're a fan of Big K.R.I.T. or Biz Markie, UGK or Snoop Dogg, Dr. Dre or Just Blaze...you can hear the influence of music from films like Shaft, Super Fly, The Mack, The Payback. Here's a playlist... Read more

January 7, 2012 Audio, Playlists, Throwback