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Will Smith Tells Rakim He Copied Him On Summertime

One of Hip-Hop's longstanding curiosities surrounds DJ Jazzy Jeff & The Fresh Prince's 1991 hit "Summertime." The Homebase single landed the West Philadelphia duo their second Grammy Award, but it also marked a shift in tempo, style, and flow for the Hip-Hop vets. For years, some have speculated that Rakim... Read more

Rakim & LL Cool J Perform A Boomin’ Tribute To Marley Marl

Earlier this month (October 3), the 2023 BET Hip Hop Awards taped in Atlanta, Georgia. The awards show now aired tonight (October 10). Among its highlights was producer/DJ Marley Marl winning the coveted I Am Hip Hop Award in the culture's ceremonial 50th year. Marley Marl is the Queens, New... Read more

Big Daddy Kane Turned Down A $1 Million Death Row Deal

In the mid-1990s, Big Daddy Kane was a free agent. After nearly a decade releasing music through Cold Chillin' Records and its Warner Bros. distributor, the Brooklyn, New York lyricist was a talent for hire. In 1994, he had released a sole MCA Records LP, Daddy's Home, featuring involvement with... Read more

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

Black Thought & Rakim Light Up The Stage With Talib Kweli

Last week, Bob James held a concert residence at New York City's Blue Note alongside Talib Kweli and a live band for the second consecutive year. An esteemed panel of guests joined the Grammy-winning Jazz keyboardist and famed producer during 2023's three-night residency. D.M.C. joined on February 7, Slick Rick... Read more

Hip-Hop Legends From The Last 50 Years Gave The Most Iconic Tribute Ever

Last night (February 5), the Grammy Awards celebrated Hip Hop's upcoming 50th birthday. LL Cool J, one of the culture's first superstars, introduced the special concert, in which he also performed. During the presentation, LL pointed to August 11, 1973, and the Bronx back-to-school jam at a rec center, made... Read more

Many Of Hip-Hop’s Greatest Rappers Name Their Top 5 MCs

Note: Jadakiss recently appeared on ESPN’s Jalen & Jacoby podcast and was asked who his top 5 Hip-Hop groups of all-time were. This article has been updated below with his response, as well as The Game’s top 5 LA Rap albums. A few days ago, during a podcast appearance, Ice... Read more

The Top 20 Rap Albums Of All-Time As Determined By Millions Of Fans

Earlier this month, the Hip-Hop community reacted to the latest high-profile lists ranking the greatest Rap albums of all time. Rolling Stone magazine and a team of journalists and writers ranked 200 Hip-Hop LPs, prompting plenty of reaction. It was not the first list of this kind, and it certainly will not... Read more

Master P & Baron Davis Want To Buy Reebok To Make It For Us By Us

Master P had a big 2020. The founder of No Limit Records partnered with BET to produce a docuseries on his famed label. The New Orleans, Louisiana native born Percy Miller also remains a partner in Rap Snacks and other ventures. However, the artist whose career expanded to film, sports,... Read more

Busta Rhymes Has Made A Classic Album 30 Years Into His Career

Busta Rhymes is one of Hip-Hop's most enduring stars. Named by Chuck D, a fixture within Native Tongues, a requested artist on Tupac's One Nation project, a member of the Aftermath/Shady/G-Unit reign as well as Cash Money/Young Money, and one of J Dilla's closest collaborators, Trevor Smith, Jr. has done... Read more

Ever Hear When Rakim Went Back To “The Ghetto” With Black Thought (Audio)

Nearly a decade ago, J. Period was commissioned by Sony Records to make a companion mixtape to The Roots & John Legend's WAKE UP! album. That LP, which got The Roots two more Grammy Awards for the trophy case, involved some great MCs such as Common and C.L. Smooth to... Read more

Rakim Is A Top MC, But He Ain’t No Joke As A Producer Either (Video)

Rakim is widely revered as one of the greatest MCs in Hip-Hop history. However, as the lyrical legend continues to speak about his career in a new light, he may also deserve recognition as one of the culture's great producers. Earlier this week, Rakim stopped by HOT 97's Ebro In... Read more

Eric B. Is Getting Paid In Full…As An Actor On TV

Eric B. is recognized as one of Hip-Hop's earliest artist-executives. As one-half of Eric B. & Rakim, the Queens, New Yorker helped was part of a movement that raised the bar on lyricism, production, and album-making in Rap. Now, the man born Eric Barrier is lending his talents to the... Read more

Rakim Raps His Unreleased Lyrics That Were Dissing Big Daddy Kane (Video)

Earlier this week, Rakim published his memoir, Sweat The Technique: Revelations On Creativity From The Lyrical Genius. The God MC's first text tells his life story as well as offers insight into songwriting and rhyming. In promotion of the book (which he wrote with author, activist, and former Source editor Bakari... Read more

Rakim’s “Sweat The Technique” Memoir Will Arrive In Less Than A Month

For several years, Rakim has discussed plans to release a memoir. The text would place the legendary Long Island, New York MC born William Griffin, Jr. in the company of Hip-Hop peers including LL Cool J, KRS-One, Ice-T, Chuck D, Scarface, and the Beastie Boys. After initial plans to release... Read more

Rakim Reveals The Verse That Most Defines Him (Video)

This November marks 10 years since Rakim released an album. The Seventh Seal involved Jadakiss, Busta Rhymes, and Styles P, alongside production from Nottz, Jake One, and Ty Fyffe. At the time, that SMC Recordings LP followed a 10-year-break since The Master. Unlike his first dozen or so years on wax,... Read more

Large Professor Speaks About His Lost Tapes With Nas (Video)

Nas typically keeps it strictly business when it comes to his social media usage so when he does take a moment to pause and get personal, it is notably with intention. On Thursday (March 21), the prolific MC took to Instagram to wish Large Professor and DJ Premier a happy... Read more

MC Serch Says He Was Once Asked To Write Lyrics For Rakim (Video)

3rd Bass released two gold albums between 1989 and 1991. Twenty-nine years ago this month, Def Jam Records released The Cactus Album, a full-length debut from the New York City collective of MC Serch, Prime Minister Pete Nice, and DJ Richie Rich (aka DJ Daddy Rich). The first single from that... Read more

Pharoahe Monch Discusses Early Hip-Hop Experiences & Why He Still Loves H.E.R. (Video)

Last week, respected DJ/producer J. Period orchestrated a "live mixtape" Hip-Hop event featuring Rap performances by Rakim, Black Thought, and Pharoahe Monch. Surprise guest performers included Smif-n-Wessun, Dres and Chi-Ali, Eric B., as well as Mumu Fresh. Yasiin Bey appeared on stage, but did not perform. In addition to rapping and... Read more

Rakim Reveals What He Hates About How He Recorded His Verses (Audio)

For their third episode of Season 2 of What’s Good With Stretch & Bobbito, the hosts welcome Rakim. The highly-venerated rapper is widely considered one of the greatest lyricists of all time. His four albums with his partner Eric B. are considered part of the gold standard of Hip-Hop, while... Read more

Finding The GOAT Group: Eric B. & Rakim vs. Gang Starr. 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

Rakim, Black Thought & Pharoahe Monch Will Record A Live Mixtape Onstage

Three of the most respected veteran MCs are coming together to make some history. Throughout the 2010s, DJ J. Period has assembled live mixtapes. He's orchestrated these incredible performances on revered stages, including the Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C. These guest-driven affairs have become fixtures at events like The Roots... Read more

Eric B. & Rakim Name Their 5 Most Important Hip-Hop Songs Of All-Time (Video)

Eric B. & Rakim were on-hand for a celebration at Mikey Likes It Ice Cream shop in New York City's Lower East Side last week. Currently celebrating 30 years since Follow The Leader, the Queens DJ/producer and the Long Island MC/producer collaborated in listing five of the most important Rap... Read more

Nas Names 5 Of His Favorite Rap Songs In Celebration Of Hip-Hop’s 45th Birthday (Video)

This past Saturday, Hip-Hop celebrated a significant milestone. August 11, 1973, marks the day that DJ Kool Herc (aka Clive Campbell) rocked a benchmark party in the rec room of 1520 Sedgwick Avenue. As a result, many Hip-Hop Heads, scholars, and even tech giants honor that day as the culture's... Read more

Here Are The 16 Hip-Hop Groups Competing To Be Named The Best Of All-Time

“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 were pre-selected by a panel of experts, and one slot was reserved for a wild-card entry, including the possibility for write-in candidates, to ensure no... Read more

Finding The GOAT Group: EPMD vs. Eric B. & Rakim. 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

Finding The GOAT Group: Eric B. & Rakim vs. Salt-N-Pepa. 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

Rakim Hilariously Details His High Stakes Slap-Boxing Match With LL Cool J (Video)

Being a legendary MC comes with a lot of praise, pressure, and stories. Rakim's faced or experienced a lot of all three, and when it comes to interviews over the years, "the God MC" has treated Heads to a lot of great tales. For example, one of those stories was... Read more

Eric B. & Rakim Announce First Tour Dates In 25 Years

Last July, Eric B. & Rakim reunited on stage for the 30th anniversary of Paid In Full. At Harlem's Apollo Theater, the Hip-Hop legends added a new chapter in their history, performing a plethora of hits from their early catalog. Ambrosia For Heads filmed from the audience as more than... Read more

The Book of Ra. Rakim Confirms His Memoir Is Coming This Year. (Audio)

Many of Hip-Hop's best-known and greatest MCs have released autobiographies and memoirs. JAY-Z published Decoded. LL Cool J (I Make My Own Rules), Ice-T (The Ice Opinion), Snoop Dogg (Tha Doggfather), Prodigy (My Infamous Life), Eminem (The Way That I Am), Common (One Day It'll All Make Sense), 50 Cent... Read more

Happy Birthday Rakim. The God MC Turns 50 Years Old (Video)

It is a milestone month for legendary MCs. On January 14, LL Cool J celebrated his 50th birthday. Two weeks to the day after, Rakim also reaches this important mark. Fifty years ago today (January 28, 1968), the master lyricist was born William Michael Griffin, Jr. in New York, and... Read more

This Mix Salutes 1987’s Def Jam Tour With LL Cool J, P.E., Eric B. & Rakim and Whodini

By 1987 Def Jam Records had solidified a foothold in the Hip-Hop music landscape. While labels like Sugar Hill, Enjoy, Jive, and Profile Records had released some truly incredible singles, Russell Simmons and Rick Rubin's three-year-old outfit was fast embracing the Rap album format. Moreover, they had a diverse roster—in... Read more

EPMD Detail The Night Their Beef With Eric B. & Rakim Almost Got Physical (Video)

Earlier this year, EPMD joined Flava Flav, Large Professor, Bumpy Knuckles and more than 20 MCs at the 30th anniversary concert for Eric B. & Rakim's Paid In Full. Rakim and Eric's first concert together in years, also marked a historic armistice in 1980s Hip-Hop folklore. On this week's episode... Read more

A New Mix Tells Rakim’s Story Through His Spoken Words & Music (Audio)

Friday (July 7) marked a major milestone for Hip-Hop. Eric B. & Rakim's debut album Paid In Full celebrated its 30th birthday. With the event, Eric and Rakim reunited at the Apollo Theater for their first concert together in approximately 25 years. In support of the anniversary, more than 20... Read more

Large Professor Discusses The Productions He Made For Eric B. & Rakim (Video)

Main Source's 1991 debut album Breaking Atoms made several key developments for Rap music. The album that introduced Nas and Akinyele also ushered in Large Professor as one of Hip-Hop's greatest multi-threats. The Queens, New Yorker rapped, he produced, and later on, he showed the masses that he could cut... Read more

Eric B. & Rakim Are Reuniting To Celebrate The 30th Anniversary Of Paid In Full (Audio)

Eric B. & Rakim are perhaps Hip-Hop's most revered duo. The Long Island, New York icons are partly responsible for defining the term "timeless classic" as it pertains to Rap music, not once slipping into obscurity since dropping Paid in Full in 1987. Thirty years have since passed, with as... Read more

Watch 40 Years Of Hip-Hop History In 4 Minutes In A Mind-Blowing Mashup (Video)

It ain't nothin' like Hip-Hop music...Over the last 40 years, there have been few forces in pop culture with more impact than Hip-Hop. Like Rock & Roll before it, the music and lifestyle shaped an entire generation and has had untold influence around the world. The Rub: The History of... Read more

10 Years Ago, Rakim, Nas, Kanye West & KRS-One Made A Classic (Video)

This week, a new video with D.M.C. revealed how telling his verse on "My Adidas" truly was. The Hollis, Queens superstar MC pointed back to the lyrics claiming he took the beat of the street and put it on TV. In doing just as Darryl McDaniels said, the world followed,... Read more

Why Kool G Rap Is A True MC’s MC Who Is Criminally Underrated (Video)

Kool G Rap is currently gearing up for his first album in more than five years, The Return Of A Don. Said to be featuring Raekwon, the late Sean Price, and Saigon, this LP already promises to appeal to lovers of lyricism. 2017 marks 31 years of the Queens, New... Read more

EPMD Reveal Eric B. & Rakim Used The Rhythm To Hit Them With A Diss (Video)

Last Fall, Rakim spoke before a special live event with the Juan Epstein Podcast. There, the lyrical half of Eric B. & Rakim told Peter Rosenberg and Cipha Sounds about a number of highlight moments surrounding his 30-plus-year career. To fans of 1980s Rap rivalries and supreme lyricism, one section... Read more

Eric B. & Rakim Affiliate, MC and Manager Ant Live Has Passed Away

According to several sources, veteran Hip-Hop figure Ant Live (aka Anthony Barrier) has died. Stetsasonic co-founder Daddy-O and podcast host Combat Jack are among those who have confirmed the news on social media. While the details of Ant's passing are not clear at this time, Rakim spoke about Live's health... Read more

Rakim & DJ Premier’s Song Has A Message Of Wisdom, Strength & Moving Forward (Audio)

In 1999, the world was gearing up for Y2K with great angst and uncertainty. Going by the numbers this week, approximately half of the American voters are feeling angst and uncertainty in an upcoming change of offices, from the White House, to Congress, and at state levels. In a week... Read more

Rakim Opens Up About Rivalries With Big Daddy Kane, KRS-One, EPMD & More

Although he is revered as one of, if not the greatest, MCs of all time–Rakim typically shuns the spotlight. Even as rumors (and anonymously reported denials) linger about an Eric B. & Rakim reunion and corresponding tour, the 30-year professional musician has not come forward to confirm or waive off reports.... Read more

Large Professor Broke More Than Atoms 25 Years Ago. He Broke New Ground.

By the early 1990s, Wild Pitch Records proved to be one of the most exciting labels in Hip-Hop. It was their logo at the center of the record that made key introductions for Gang Starr, Lord Finesse, and Flavor Unit lyricist Chill Rob G. Stu Fine’s label appeared to be... Read more

Rakim Addresses The Rumors That He Wrote DJ Jazzy Jeff & The Fresh Prince’s “Summertime”

For 25 years, there have been longstanding questions (and some rumors) surrounding DJ Jazzy Jeff & The Fresh Prince's biggest hit, "Summertime." The 1991 Top 5 Jive/Zomba Records single from Homebase showcased a different flow from the West Philadelphia, Pennsylvania MC now known as Will Smith. Many speculated that the... Read more

Rare Photographs Of Rakim Show Why He’s Hip-Hop Royalty

Last summer, in conjunction with the theatrical release of Straight Outta Compton, Ambrosia For Heads spoke to Stephan Armleder (a/k/a The Genevan Heathen). A B-Boy to the core (who also DJs and produces), The Genevan Heathen has been documenting N.W.A. and its members through scanning photographs, advertisements, trading cards, and... Read more

Rakim Narrates & The Firm Appears In Documentary On AZ (Video)

In 2004, Nas famously made single "The Unauthorized Biography Of Rakim" for his Street's Disciple album. The Queensbridge MC paid homage to the lyrical half of Eric B. & Rakim through a compelling narrative. In 2016, Rakim emerges to help tell the story of one of Nas' band-mates in The... Read more

Meet The Secret Weapon To Hits By Nas, Eric B. & Rakim & Main Source (Audio)

Anton Pukshansky is a name that likely appears in your music library—even if you don't know it. Born in Russia, raised in New York City, the producer, engineer, bassist, and keyboardist would work on heralded albums including Nas' Illmatic, Eric B. & Rakim's Let The Rhythm Hit 'Em, Kool G Rap &... Read more

Eric B. & Rakim’s Paid In Full vs. Wu-Tang Clan’s Enter The Wu-Tang (36 Chambers). Which Is Better?

Last September, Ambrosia For Heads launched a debate among its readers seeking to answer one of Hip-Hop’s most hotly-contested questions: what is the greatest Rap Album Of All-Time? “Finding The GOAT Album” has considered more than 120 albums from the 80s, 90s and 2000s (40 in each), with options for... Read more

Rakim May Be The God MC But He’s A Devil On The Turntables. This. Is. Hip-Hop (Video)

If you read ego trip's Book Of Rap Lists, and bluntly speaking, all Heads should, page 52 has a great list of MCs with supreme DJ skills. Rakim, often revered as one of—if not thee greatest rapper—proves himself to be one such double-threat. Recently, the Long Island, New York legend... Read more