grandmaster flash ArchivesAmbrosia For Heads

KRS-One Explains Why Kool Herc Is THE Founder Of Hip-Hop

Throughout 2023, Hip-Hop culture is celebrating its most significant anniversary to date. At the top of the year, US Senator Kirsten Gillibrand, Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, and Congressman Jamaal Bowman appeared at the Universal Hip Hop Museum construction site in New York's Bronx borough. There, attending with KRS-One, Roxanne Shanté, Grandmaster Flash,... Read more

February 16, 2023 Video

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

February 6, 2023 Video

Hip-Hop Culture Is Closer To 100 Years Old Than 50 Years Old

Every August 11, Hip-Hop Heads celebrate a birthday associated with the culture. In 1973, that was the day that many historians credit DJ Kool Herc (aka Clive Campbell) with throwing a back-to-school jam at the rec center of 1520 Sedgwick Avenue in New York City's Bronx borough. In the last... Read more

September 14, 2022 Video

Kidd Creole Is Found Guilty Of Fatally Stabbing A Man

On Sunday night (April 3), Grandmaster Flash and Grandmaster Melle Mel were filmed sitting together at the 2022 Grammy Awards—just two years after they received a Lifetime Achievement Award. Days later, another Grandmaster Flash & The Furious Five member is in the news surrounding a much more severe manner. Nathaniel Glover,... Read more

April 7, 2022 News

Swizz Beatz & Timbaland Are Giving Ownership In Verzuz To All Past Participants

It was an exciting week for Hip-Hop. Sunday culminated with a first-time Grammy win for Nas, a poignant second win for Anderson .Paak (as well as a show-stopping performance), and more. As many looked back at a year defined by the pandemic, the week also saw the acquisition of one... Read more

March 16, 2021 Video

A New Phife Dawg Album Is Coming In 2021

This week, Ambrosia For Heads recorded what is likely the final What's The Headline episode of the year. In the season 2 finale, we react to some of the LPs that our readers told us we missed after our "Best Albums List" for 2020. Additionally, we discuss next month's 63rd... Read more

December 22, 2020 Audio, Video

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

August 21, 2018 Video

Finding The GOAT Group: Run-D.M.C. vs. Grandmaster Flash & The Furious Five. 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 11, 2018 Best Hip-Hop Group, Finding the GOAT

Finding The GOAT Group: Grandmaster Flash & The Furious Five vs. Whodini. 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 2, 2018 Best Hip-Hop Group, Finding the GOAT

Melle Mel Explains Why He Didn’t Think “The Message” Would Be Successful (Video)

Grandmaster Melle Mel is regarded as one of Hip-Hop's first generation MC icons. The lyrical front-man of Grandmaster Flash & The Furious Five helped move the fledgling genre of Rap from the party to a reflection of street reality. In his staggering discography, Melvin Glover was successful in both realms.... Read more

January 18, 2018 Exclusive, Video

See The Evolution Of Hip-Hop From 1979 To The Present In 30 Minutes (Video)

Over the years, there have been a number of vehicles that show the transformation of Hip-Hop from its inception to the present. The vast majority of these tend to be either hyper-kinetic mashups that showcase 2-3 second snippets of songs, or exhaustive documentaries that unfold over hours, showcasing years of... Read more

November 18, 2017 Video

Grandmaster Flash Has A New Message And It’s Aimed At Kool Herc & Afrika Bambaataa (Video)

Earlier this month, Hip-Hop celebrated its 44th birthday. Just like holidays for some families and groups of friends, it was not without some drama. Fans may have missed it, but some legendary shots appeared to be thrown—by one of Hip-Hop's pioneers towards another one of its founding figureheads. The issue... Read more

August 26, 2017 Exclusive, TBD, Video

Grandmaster Flash Calls Out Kool Herc’s DJ Skills In A Push For Peace (Video)

One week ago today, Hip-Hop celebrated its 44th birthday. That day is associated with an August 11 Bronx, New York party where DJ Kool Herc (aka Clive Campbell) prolonged the dance section of a record by using two turntables with copies of the same disc. For the event, an incredible... Read more

August 18, 2017 News, Video

DOOM Is Opening His Missing Notebook Of Rhymes & Releasing 15 New Songs (Video)

Hip-Hop news and culture move fast, and it’s easy to miss significant developments. Every week, Ambrosia For Heads takes a look back at the Last 7 days. This video series, hosted by Justin “The Company Man” Hunte examines the current issues with a colorful rundown of the what, where, and why. While the Last... Read more

August 9, 2017 Exclusive, Last 7, Video

Kidd Creole Of Grandmaster Flash & The Furious Five Charged With Murder

Pioneering Hip-Hop crew Grandmaster Flash & The Furious Five holds one of Rap's most memorable lyrics in their 1982 song "The Message": "Stabbed that man right in his heart, gave him a transplant for a brand new start." Ironically, one of the legendary Bronx collective's members, The Kidd Creole (born... Read more

August 3, 2017 News

RESPECT THE DJ: Rob Swift Speaks Out Against Those Who Should Not Be Called “DJ”

Words By DJ Rob Swift I started out as a fan first. I grew up around the art of DJing since I came out my mother’s womb. There hasn’t been a day in my life that I haven’t been exposed to the art form in some way, NOT ONE DAY.... Read more

June 21, 2017 Food for Thought

Why Every Rapper Owes A Debt To Grandmaster Melle Mel (Video)

To those who closely study the history of Hip-Hop and embrace the earliest days of Rap, Grandmaster Melle Mel is a living legend and pioneer. The Bronx New York MC has a name that is often mentioned, whether in academic texts like Can't Stop, Won't Stop or Netflix series Hip... Read more

March 19, 2017 Video

This Rare 1986 Documentary Is An Amazing Hip-Hop History Lesson (Video)

In 1986, one of the earliest documentaries on Hip-Hop was made by a Dutch TV company. Big Fun In The Big Town, directed by Bram van Splunteren, featured on air Belgian host, Marcel Vanthilt, traveling the streets of New York City to gain a better understanding of the burgeoning culture.... Read more

January 19, 2017 Throwback, Throwback

Bumpy Knuckles Salutes ’70s & Early ’80s Rap Pioneers On A Nottz Track (Audio)

Bumpy Knuckles (aka Freddie Foxxx) released his first music in 1986. At the time, "Freddie C." was part of the Supreme Force. In that year, Hip-Hop and Rap music were transitioning. Run-D.M.C., Fat Boys, Whodini, and the Beastie Boys had stepped out bringing the album format and music videos to... Read more

November 30, 2016 Audio

Bruno Mars Meets Grandmaster Flash & The Message Is Golden (Video)

Earlier this month, Bruno Mars simultaneously announced he was releasing his first album in 4 years and dropped the video single for "24K Magic," the title track. Like previous Mars' releases, the song channeled the best of yesteryear in a way that was both authentic and iterative. In the case... Read more

October 26, 2016 Video

The Story Of Hip-Hop’s Earliest Days Is Told By Its Pioneers (Video)

Fifteen years after the onset of Hip-Hop culture (August of 1973 is credited by many historians), Eric B. & Rakim's Paid In Full album took the elements of skillful rapping and DJ'ing and applied them to a materialistic, ambition-driven lifestyle that featured fashion, jewelry, and luxury cars. Even in that... Read more

September 8, 2016 Video

Mayer Hawthorne’s Early Rap & Disco Mix Is Perfect For Back To School Season

Most people know Mayer Hawthorne as a retro-styled Soul singer down with the Stones Throw crew. However, the Michigan native first burst on the scene as a DJ for the Athletic Mic League conglomerate (which also spawned 14K). Even though he's become a pop culture sensation with his voice, the... Read more

September 7, 2016 Mixes, Throwback, Throwback

Grandmaster Flash Educates & Demonstrates Pioneer DJ Techniques (Video)

If not for the work of pioneers like Grandmaster Flash, Hip-Hop would not be on radio today. Long before strong signals were freely broadcasting cutting, scratching, and Rap music into the universe, DJs were transmitting live in the parks, house parties, and New York City clubs in the mid-1970s. That... Read more

August 19, 2016 Video

The Story Of Hip-Hop’s Creation Is Being Re-Examined By Some Of Its Most Respected Pioneers (Video)

Editor's Note: The first edition of this story credited Crazy Legs as Rock Steady Crew founder. It has been brought to Ambrosia For Heads' attention that Crazy Legs is in fact the president of the organization. The mistake has been corrected, in the story below: Last night (November 2), Crazy... Read more

November 3, 2015 News, Video

These Pictures Show Where Iconic Hip-Hop Album Covers Were Photographed

Earlier this year, Mass Appeal put together an amazing gallery of pictures that showed the locations where some of the most iconic album covers in Hip-Hop were photographed. That collection showed the real-life settings for the artwork for Nas' Illmatic, Ice Cube's Amerikkka's Most Wanted, LL Cool J's Bad and... Read more

November 1, 2015 Fresh

Two “Empire” Execs Sign On For Sugar Hill Records / Sylvia Robinson Biopic

As Straight Outta Compton dominated cinema box offices in 2015, another Hip-Hop label biopic is in pre-production. The Sugar Hill Records story is in development with Warner Bros. Pictures, according to The Hollywood Reporter. For the unnamed script, two executives from FOX's hit series "Empire" have signed on. Producer Malcolm... Read more

October 21, 2015 News, TV/Film

The Group Behind One of Hip-Hop’s Most Famous Samples Announces New Music 35 Years Later…

From The Fugees' multi-platinum album The Score to Spike Lee's joints Crooklyn and 25th Hour, Heads have heard Cymande. The British-based Funk band pulled from across oceans, cultures and continents to build a band that would help define the sound of Hip-Hop, thanks to creating some of the most seminal breaks... Read more

August 21, 2015 News

Erykah Badu & The Roots Perform The Ultimate Hip-Hop Medley (Video)

Erykah Badu and The Roots took the stage together at the 2015 Roots Picnic and performed the mother of all tributes to Hip-Hop. Black Thought kicked things off, ripping through "Act Too (Love Of My Life)," which segued perfectly into Badu's "Love of My Life (An Ode to Hip-Hop)," and... Read more

June 24, 2015 Video

Grandmaster Melle Mel Has An Unpleasant Message For Grandmaster Flash

Thirty-three years ago, Grandmaster Flash & The Furious 5 made one of Hip-Hop's seminal singles, "The Message." In 2015, two of the Furious 5's MCs, Grandmaster Melle Mel and Scorpio, have a message for Flash: pay up. “No matter what happens, if you say ‘Grandmaster Flash,’ you think of ‘Grandmaster... Read more

May 25, 2015 News

Crazy Legs Says That The Credit For Hip-Hop’s Creation Needs To Be Shared (Video)

One of the pioneers of Hip-Hop in on the ground floor of the culture is Crazy Legs. The President of the Rock Steady Crew, Richard Colón has been am ambassador of breakin', fashion, and the Hip-Hop attitude for more than 35 years. Crazy Legs appeared in Wild Style, Style Wars,... Read more

March 4, 2015 Video

If You Love The Vid To The Furious 5’s The Message, F.Stokes Is Worth Your Time (Video)

F.Stokes is one of the best kept secrets of Hip-Hop right now. This Madison, Wisconsin native (who has spent a ton of time in Chicago) has a live show where he literally convinces showgoers to sit on the (dirty) floor sometimes. He is energetic, insightful, and original, with an array... Read more

February 14, 2015 The Bridge

Afrika Bambaataa’s Record Crates Helped Create The Hip-Hop Genre. Get A Look (Video)

Hip-Hop's three forefathers are often remembered as pioneers DJ Kool Herc, Grandmaster Flash, and Afrika Bambaataa. With all three men tied to the Bronx, New York of the 1970s, each brought a unique flare to the sound of the culture, with varying personal backgrounds. Herc, a native of Jamaica, had... Read more

August 7, 2014 Featured-homepage, Fresh, Throwback

Episode 1 of The Message Documentary Speaks on Kool Herc, Afrika Bambaataa, Grandmaster Flash, Run-D.M.C., LL Coo J & Much More (Full Video)

Episode 1 of BET's Hip-Hop documentary, The Message, covers roughly the first decade of Hip-Hop. It addresses pioneers like Kool Herc, Afrika Bambaataa, Grandmaster Flash, LL Cool J, Run-D.M.C., Cold Crush Brothers and more. It also features several luminaries including Doug E Fresh, Fab 5 Freddy, Ice Cube, DJ Premier,... Read more

June 11, 2014 Throwback

Reflections on Trayvon Martin (Playlist) and a petition to prosecute his killer.

I've been searching for a song to capture my feelings around the senseless killing of Trayvon Martin and lack of prosecution of his killer but I haven't found one. It's probably because I have a multitude of emotions ranging from rage to sorrow to reflection. Here are some songs that... Read more

March 24, 2012 Audio, Food for Thought, Playlists

Sugar Hill Records introduced hip-hop to most of the world. Nuff said. They are the 4th most important hip-hop record label of all time.

#4 Sugar Hill Records Much has been written about the allegedly shady past of Sugar Hill Records and the lack of credibility of the Sugar Hill Gang (many of Big Bank Hank's rhymes were actually bitten from Grandmaster Caz). Regardless, it cannot be denied that most people had never even... Read more

December 14, 2011 Audio, Food for Thought, Playlists, Throwback, Video

We’ve been giving a lot of love to Breakin’. Now it’s time to give some to the DJ. Check out Scratch, one of the best films ever on turntabilism.

Scratch gives an in-depth look at the art of working the 1s and 2s. It goes from the beginning with Grandmaster Flash, Grand Wizard Theodore, Afrika Bambaataa and others to DJ Premier, the X-Ecutioners, Q-Bert and many, many more. Watch the whole movie below.... Read more

April 10, 2011 Video

Electro Funk was a key element of early Hip-Hop. It was an essential part of break dancing, particularly on the West Coast. Here’s a playlist of some of the music that used to get the poppers, lockers and breakers going back in the day.

Electro Funk has had a resurgence over the years with groups like Chromeo and games like Grand Theft Auto: Vice City, but there is nothing like the original joints. And, if you missed Breakin' N Enterin' click here.... Read more

April 5, 2011 Audio, Playlists

Ever see the movie Wildstyle? It was the first hip-hop film ever.

While it was fiction, it plays almost like a documentary, transporting you back to 1983 for a look at the early days of hip-hop culture. It covers all 4 elements of hip-hop culture, from DJing to MCing to Breaking and Graffiti, and features many of hip-hop's pioneers, including Busy Bee,... Read more

January 23, 2011 Throwback, Video