DJ Muggs ArchivesAmbrosia For Heads

Alchemist Names His Top 5 Producers

Alchemist has had a busy 2023. The acclaimed producer (and MC/DJ) has released albums alongside Larry June, Earl Sweatshirt, and MIKE and Wiki—along with fresh solo material. Amid the prolific year, Al spoke to Genius' Andres Tardio to list his Top 5 Hip-Hop producers—including one of his mentors. Along the... Read more

November 1, 2023 Video

Ghostface Killah & Westside Gunn Give Golden Age Raps To DJ Muggs

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

August 25, 2023 Audio

The 25 Most Important Rap Albums Of Hip-Hop’s First 50 Years

Over the years, countless music lists have laid out the "Greatest" of a particular category–album, artist, song, etc. These lists often cite vague criteria and then lay out what they claim to be objective rankings. But, they are subjective. At Ambrosia For Heads, we have generally provided opportunities for the people... Read more

August 17, 2023 Exclusive, Food for Thought, Hip-Hop's 50th Anniversary

Scarface & Freddie Gibbs Blackout On A DJ Muggs Beat For The Streets

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 10, 2022 Audio

Method Man & Slick Rick Wreck A DJ Muggs Beat

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

May 24, 2022 Audio

Cypress Hill Recruited Black Milk To Make Their Best Album In Years

This weekend (March 18), Cypress Hill released its tenth album, Back In Black (embedded below). The 10-track self-released LP is produced by a noteworthy guest in the mix, Black Milk. The Detroit, Michigan native producer/MC/musician steps in to assist a collective that dates back more than 30 years, having previously... Read more

March 19, 2022 Audio

JAY-Z’s Sale Of TIDAL Will Transform How Artists Are Paid For Music

Just weeks after selling half of his stake in Ace of Spades, JAY-Z made another power move. Hip-Hop's first billionaire mogul sold his stake in Tidal to investor Jack Dorsey's Square company in a reportedly $297 million deal this month. Dorsey, the CEO of Twitter, also leads the mobile payment company, which now welcomes... Read more

March 9, 2021 Audio, Video

DJ Muggs Is Cosigning A New Class Of MCs. Tha God Fahim Is 1 Of His Favorites (Video)

Since 2017, DJ Muggs has been dropping joint albums with the who’s who of a new generation of underground MCs. The Cypress Hill co-founder has taken it upon himself to put a spotlight on the current renaissance of Hip-Hop players. His Soul Assassins albums with Eto, CRIMEAPPLE, Mach-Hommy, and Tha... Read more

January 8, 2020 Video

Cypress Hill Tour Manager Dan McKay Applies His DIY Punk Background To Rap Legends

It is important to draw a line in the sand when aiming to be ahead of your time. For Dan McKay, the hardworking tour manager behind Cypress Hill, he saw how becoming a well-oiled machine was key to becoming the "King James" of touring Hip-Hop talent. Getting his start as... Read more

December 22, 2019 Interview

DJ Muggs Details Returning To Hip-Hop & Why He’s Putting Out More Music Than Ever (Audio)

DJ Muggs has enjoyed a celebrated 30-year career as a member of Cypress Hill and a tenure as a solo artist. On top of Cypress’ catalog, his Soul Assassins compilations and Vs. series are considered staples by many Hip-Hop Heads. In the 2000s, however, the Queens, New York native pivoted... Read more

November 3, 2019 Audio

GZA Opens Up About Writing Some Of ODB’s Classic Verses

Over the last decade, GZA has been one of the most reserved members of Wu-Tang Clan. The legendary Brooklyn, New York lyricist participated in this year's Sacha Jenkins-directed documentary, Wu-Tang: Of Mics And Men. He will also be portrayed in next week's dramatic series, Wu-Tang: An American Saga. However, The... Read more

August 26, 2019 Fresh, Throwback, Throwback

DJ Muggs Puts A Full-Length Spotlight On Underground Phenom CRIMEAPPLE (Audio)

DJ Muggs is the definition of longevity in Hip-Hop. From his early days with 7A3 in the late 1980s, to Cypress Hill’s epic run that started in the 1990s, to his cult-lauded Vs. series throughout the 2000s, this California-based producer/DJ has continued to serve up quality music for more than... Read more

July 26, 2019 Audio

Westside Gunn’s New Album Involves Madlib, Evidence, Alchemist & More (Audio)

While Conway The Machine and Benny The Butcher have already dropped well-received releases this year, Westside Gunn has waited until halfway through 2019 to give heads his distinct brand of hardcore Hip-Hop. While he did give fans the Fourth Rope mixtape in mid-April, it was a collection of his previously... Read more

July 6, 2019 Audio

B-Real Details How He Developed 1 Of Hip-Hop’s Most Distinctive Voices (Video)

Guru famously proclaimed "It's mostly the voice" on a Gang Starr song of the same name. Like the late, great Keith Elam, Cypress Hill and Prophets Of Rage member B-Real has one of the most recognizable voices in music. The Los Angeles, California veteran raps with clarity and a nasal... Read more

April 24, 2019 Video

MF DOOM, Your Old Droog & Mach-Hommy Body A Beat Like King Kong (Audio)

Brooklyn, New York's Your Old Droog surprised Hip-Hop Heads today with a track featuring MF DOOM and star sensation Mach-Hommy. Produced by V Don, "RST" shows off the talented trio flowing over a soulful, synth-heavy beat. For Droog, who has put in work throughout to mid-to-late 2010s, this work stands... Read more

April 18, 2019 Audio

Cypress Hill Is The 1st Latino Hip-Hop Group On The Hollywood Walk Of Fame

Just moments ago, it was announced that Cypress Hill is the latest Hip-Hop act headed to the Hollywood Walk Of Fame. The group formed by B-Real, DJ Muggs, and Sen Dog (that has since added percussionist Eric Bobo) once made an anthem about what it takes to be a "Superstar."... Read more

April 9, 2019 News

Cypress Hill’s Entire Next Album Will Be Produced By Black Milk (Video)

In 2018, Cypress Hill released its ninth album (and first in eight years) with Elephants On Acid. The effort was fully produced by DJ Muggs, who co-founded the group. On 2010's Rise Up, Muggs largely stepped aside on the boards to B-Real, as well as a cast including Pete Rock,... Read more

March 29, 2019 News, Video

DJ Muggs Aims To Make Sure All Hip-Hop Heads Know Mach-Hommy’s Name (Audio)

Mach-Hommy may not be a widely-known name outside of a hardcore corner within the Hip-Hop scene, but for those who do know it, it's hears as something like a myth. His reputation is that of a secret weapon for producers who favor dusty samples, like Alchemist or Knxwledge. He made... Read more

March 19, 2019 Audio

Alchemist Tells B-Real About Just How Much His Time With Cypress Hill Shaped Him

B-Real can get some interviews on his Smokebox TV that go beyond typical taped conversations. Beyond the obvious reasons included in the title, "Dr. Greenthumb" asks great questions and seems engaged in wanting to understand his guests' story. The Cypress Hill MC's latest episode with Alchemist does not disappoint. In... Read more

January 3, 2019 Video

Cypress Hill Are Ready To Tell Their Story On THEIR Terms & They Need Help (Video)

Less than one month ago, Cypress Hill released its first album in eight years. With live musicians, recording sessions in Egypt, and years of cultivation, Elephants On Acid puts the production reigns back in group co-founder DJ Muggs' hands. The results are a psychedelic-drenched affair from B-Real, Sen Dog, Eric... Read more

October 16, 2018 Fresh, TV/Film, Video

Roc Marciano Unleashes The 1st Video From His DJ Muggs-Produced Album

Although from different decades, both DJ Muggs and Roc Marciano are already legends in the game. Regardless, neither is one to rest on their laurels. The Los Angeles, California-based producer and Long Island, New Yorker are doing some of the best work of their careers in 2018. In fact, both... Read more

October 5, 2018 Video

Cypress Hill Says DJ Muggs Is Dead In Their Weirdest Video Ever

Cypress Hill will release their long-awaited Elephants On Acid album in less than five weeks (September 28). The first C.H. LP in nearly a decade puts founding group member DJ Muggs back at the production controls. Based on this month's first video single "Band Of Gypsies," and some early accounts... Read more

August 24, 2018 Video

Finding The GOAT Group: Wu-Tang Clan vs. Cypress Hill. Who Is Better?

“Finding the GOAT Group,” the fourth installment of Ambrosia For Heads’ annual competition 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 (which has been determined), including the possibility for... Read more

August 23, 2018 Best Hip-Hop Group, Finding the GOAT

DOOM & DJ Muggs Assassinate Kanye West In Their Latest Video

Artistically, DJ Muggs pulls no punches. The Cypress Hill co-founder is known for a raw and uncompromising style. His brand is Soul Assassins, and from GZA to Sick Jacken, Ill Bill to Planet Asia, he historically aligns with MCs that are not afraid to speak their mind on the microphone.... Read more

August 10, 2018 Video

Freddie Gibbs Plays One Crazy & Playalistic Uncle In His Latest Video

In recent months, Freddie Gibbs has gone from Gangsta Gibbs to well... just "Freddie." The Gary, Indiana MC, whose last few albums have brandished street life and many a thug tale, has softened his approach up a bit. His recently self-released Freddie album plays on Teddy Pendergrass' eponymous 1979 LP,... Read more

August 3, 2018 Video

Cypress Hill Are Releasing Their 1st Album In 8 Years. The 1st Video Is A Trip.

It has been eight years since Cypress Hill's last album, Rise Up. That 2010 effort marked a transitional period for B-Real, Sen Dog, DJ Muggs, and percussionist Eric Bobo. While Muggs co-produced two songs on the Priority Records LP, the Hill welcomed in outside sound providers ranging from Pete Rock... Read more

August 3, 2018 Video

Raekwon & DJ Muggs Make A Wu-Tang/Cypress Hill Connection Over Luxury Beats & Rhymes (Video)

After chopping up a couple of singles with MF DOOM, and dropping some Sin City-esque, revenge-fueled animated visuals featuring both DOOM and Freddie Gibbs for the single, "Death Wish," Cypress Hill co-founder DJ Muggs enters the fold once again. Belonging to Muggs' forthcoming album, Dia Del Asesinato (August 10), Muggs... Read more

August 2, 2018 Video

Kool G Rap’s New LP Has Production From DJ Premier, Pete Rock & Alchemist. Listen Here (Audio)

Kool G Rap doesn't let his legend status stop him from continuing to do what he loves. Last year, the Corona, Queens veteran dropped his Return Of The Don album, and in 2018, he's following up the solid effort with a collaborative album full of heavy hitters behind the boards... Read more

July 6, 2018 Audio

Finding The GOAT Group: Cypress Hill vs. Naughty By Nature. Who Is Better?

“Finding the GOAT Group,” the fourth installment of Ambrosia For Heads’ annual competition 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 (which has been determined), including the possibility... Read more

July 6, 2018 Best Hip-Hop Group, Finding the GOAT

DOOM & Kool G Rap Join Forces To Plot Weak MCs’ Demise (Audio)

In 1991, MF DOOM, Kool G Rap, and DJ Muggs were all making some serious noise in Hip-Hop. Of the three, G Rap was the decorated veteran. A product of Marley Marl and Mr. Magic's Juice Crew and down with Eric B. & Rakim's possé, the Queens, New Yorker had... Read more

June 29, 2018 Audio

DOOM, DJ Muggs & Freddie Gibbs Serve Eye For An Eye Justice To Real-Life Killers (Video)

Last week, DJ Muggs and DOOM announced plans for a fast-track collaborative project simply titled Muggs x DOOM due this Friday (June 29). With that word came first single "Death Wish," which features Freddie Gibbs (the same Friday that he released his self-titled album). Approaching release date, the trio unleashes... Read more

June 26, 2018 Video

DJ Muggs & DOOM Tease Their Upcoming EP With A Banger Featuring Freddie Gibbs (Audio)

When it comes to collaboration tracks and albums with artists, there is a high percentage rate that Heads will get a quality product when DJ Muggs, MF DOOM, or Freddie Gibbs are involved in the effort. The stakes have been raised even more for a hardcore rapper's delight as these three... Read more

June 22, 2018 Audio

Finding The GOAT Group: Cypress Hill vs. Das EFX. 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

May 25, 2018 Best Hip-Hop Group, Finding the GOAT

Keith Murray Kills This Freestyle Over A Classic Cypress Hill Instrumental (Audio)

Keith Murray seems to be up to something. The Def Squad MC has released a few freestyles in 2018. With DJ Gumba beside him, Keith did a rendition of Eric B. & Rakim's "I Ain't No Joke." After tackling one of Hip-Hop's most beloved 1980s records, Murray and Gumba go... Read more

January 24, 2018 Audio

DJ Muggs Lays Down One Wild Beat For Meyhem Lauren & Then Directs The Video

DJ Muggs & Meyhem Lauren's Gems From The Equinox is one of the most exciting Soul Assassins releases in years. The Cypress Hill co-founder and the Outdoorsmen MC linked up for 11 hardcore Hip-Hop tracks about stylin' on lesser rappers, "Rotten Apple" imagery, and respecting the G-Code. The album opens... Read more

November 28, 2017 Video

Sean Price’s Eternal Talent Shines On A Track By Cypress Hill’s DJ Muggs (Video)

Through the later years of Sean Price's career, he became the consummate cleanup batter whenever he stepped to the mic on a track that featured multiple MCs. More times than not, "P!" figuratively smacked the beat out of the park with his gruff delivery, compound rhymes, and alliterative wordplay. Price... Read more

November 8, 2017 Video

DJ Muggs Is Producing An Album For Action Bronson’s Day 1. The New Video Is Meyhem.

UPDATE: Following last week's debut single from Gems From The Equinox, DJ Muggs & Meyhem Lauren unleash "Murder Rap." With a beat that pounds the listener in the face, Cypress Hill's co-founder uses another MC to rhyme about "how he could just kill a man." With the second video, a... Read more

October 18, 2017 News, Video

Cypress Hill To Hit The East Coast For Haunted Hill Mini-Tour

The group Cypress Hill is hard at work on its ninth album, Elephants On Acid. With DJ Muggs at the helm of production for the first time since 2004's Till Death Do Us Part. In preparation, B-Real, Sen Dog, Eric Bobo and Muggs announce the Haunted Hill mini-tour. The three-day... Read more

July 18, 2017 Fresh

Cypress Hill’s 1st Album In 7 Years Puts DJ Muggs Back In Heavy Rotation (Video)

In the 1990s, many celebrated Hip-Hop groups had in-house DJ/producers. Just consider acts like Gang Starr, Pete Rock & C.L. Smooth, Naughty By Nature, N.W.A., Wu-Tang Clan, Main Source, and Digital Underground. Cypress Hill is another prime example, with DJ Muggs cooking up tracks for B-Real and Sen Dog to... Read more

June 15, 2017 Video

Roc Marciano Speaks To B-Real About His Upcoming Album With DJ Muggs (Video)

In the last month, Long Island, New York MC/producer, Roc Marciano, released his fourth album, Rosebudd's Revenge. Coming from the former Flipmode Squad member's own Marci Enterprises label, the effort makes a new level of independence to a nearly 20-year veteran of the music industry. That album features Brownsville Ka... Read more

March 10, 2017 Video

Finding The GOAT Producer: Dr. Dre vs. DJ Muggs. Who Is Better?

“Finding the GOAT Producer” begins. The third installment of Ambrosia For Heads’s annual battle series features Hip-Hop’s greatest producers vying for the #1 spot. Thirty producers were pre-selected by a panel of experts, and two slots will be reserved for wild-card entries, including the possibility for write-in candidates, to ensure no deserving... Read more

February 3, 2017 Finding the GOAT

Alchemist & DJ Muggs Win The Wild Card Battle To Join Finding The GOAT Producer

“Finding the GOAT Producer,” the third installment of Ambrosia For Heads’s annual battle series, features Hip-Hop’s greatest producers vying for the #1 spot. Thirty producers were pre-selected by a panel of experts, and two slots have been reserved for wild-card entries, including the possibility for write-in candidates, to ensure no deserving beat... Read more

February 1, 2017 Finding the GOAT

Cypress Hill, Def Squad & MC Eiht Made Us All Throw Our Hands In The Air (Video)

For more than 25 years, Cypress Hill has bloomed from pure Hip-Hop to mainstream appeal. B-Real, Sen Dog, and DJ Muggs created a sound that made Hip-Hop fans feel the daily angst of gang-controlled Los Angeles, California juxtaposed with the euphoria of medicinal relaxation. In 1996, after three albums (eventually... Read more

January 12, 2017 Do Remember

Cypress Hill Explain Passing On “Jump Around” & Why It Remains A Good Decision

In 1992, an emerging Hip-Hop group named House Of Pain became overnight mainstream sensations, thanks to single "Jump Around." The Tommy Boy Records song, belonging to the group's subsequent self-titled debut, would reach #3 on the charts. The Irish American-themed trio of Everlast, Danny Boy, and DJ Lethal would score... Read more

September 4, 2016 Throwback

Redman Highlights Cypress Hill’s Green Thumb In Cultivating His Career (Video)

In the early 1990s, Cypress Hill and Redman would two Hip-Hop artists who launched careers that have lasted well into today. While Cypress Hill hailed from Southern California and Red' from Northern New Jersey, these acts helped expand the Rap genre's mind with songs about mind elevation. 1991's Cypress Hill... Read more

August 19, 2016 Video

This Cypress Hill Anniversary Mix Shows Why Their Music Still Kills 25 Years Later (Audio)

Twenty-five years ago this month (8/13), Cypress Hill released their debut eponymous album. It was both a critical and commercial success, going on to sell over two million copies. Beyond its reception, the album represented a major milestone for Latinos. Despite the contributions of Latinos to Hip-Hop from its earliest... Read more

August 17, 2016 Throwback

Cypress Hill Light Up For 9th Album, With DJ Muggs At The Helm (Video)

It has been nearly six years since mult-platinum Los Angeles, California trio Cypress Hill released a full length album. 2010's Rise Up found B-Real, Sen Dog, and DJ Muggs outsourcing a lot of their product to guest producers and lots of collaborative features. In an interview with HipHopDX, B-Real says... Read more

February 12, 2016 News, Video

Raekwon & Ghostface Killah Premiere the Trailer for a Documentary on The Purple Tape (Video)

Nas' Illmatic was not the only Hip-Hop classic worthy of a documentary. Over the weekend at The Sundance Film Festival, a trailer was premiered for The Purple Tape Files, a forthcoming film about the making of Raekwon's Only Built 4 Cuban Linx..., guest starring Ghostface Killah as Tony Starks. The... Read more

January 26, 2015 Throwback

Cypress Hill’s Next Album Will Return To DJ Muggs Production

Sometimes it's weird when legendary groups stop using their internal, amazing production. This has happened with the likes of Wu-Tang Clan (RZA), Black Moon (DJ Evil Dee/Da Beatminerz), and Jedi Mind Tricks (Stoupe), among many others. One group that's not about that life anymore is reportedly Cypress Hill. The three-man... Read more

September 9, 2014 Fresh

WC Explains Why He Avoided The Westside Connection & Cypress Hill Beef (Video)

One of the feuds that people tend to forget is the 1996 battle between Westside Connection and Cypress Hill. In the wake of 2Pac's murder, Eazy-E's death, and all the subliminals happening between The Notorious B.I.G., Nas, and Wu-Tang Clan, it's easy to forget. However, a clever interviewer briefly asked... Read more

October 21, 2013 Fresh, Throwback