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Prince Paul And Dan The Automator’s Handsome Boy Modeling School Lessons Still Apply (Video)

In the late 1990s, Hip-Hop was taking itself a bit too seriously—at least in the eyes of two highly-accomplished producers. An era remembered for its high-profile beefs, Champagne-poppin', and colorful and shiny videos was rich fodder for some veterans who wanted to jerk the steering wheel with creativity in mind.... Read more

Ladybug Mecca, Prince Paul & Don Newkirk Bring The Warm Sounds Of Brazil To Brooklyn (Video)

BROOKZILL!, the quartet made up of Digable Planets' Ladybug Mecca, legendary producer Prince Paul, keyboardist Don Newkirk, and Brazilian MC Rodrigo Brandão, is a globally-minded outfit. Nearly two years after their album releases, this exciting group is still spinning its powerful messages. Their 2016 effort Throwback To The Future bridged... Read more

Kool Keith, Dan The Automator & QBert Revive Dr. Octagon With A New Album & Single (Audio)

This past weekend, Yasiin Bey (fka Mos Def) revealed that he and Talib Kweli are reuniting for a sophomore Black Star album. Meanwhile, another late '90s Hip-Hop squad finally debuts new music with its founding lineup. Dr. Octagon returns with Kool Keith, Dan The Automator, and DJ QBert. Moosebumps: An... Read more

Erick Sermon Reveals The Source Of The Def Squad Album Samples To Prince Paul (Video)

Recently, Redman told New Jersey's Grass Routes Podcast that he hopes Def Squad can record a sophomore album. Next year marks 20 years since he, Keith Murray and mutual mentor Erick Sermon came together for El Niño. The album debuted at #2, following the group's covering of 1979 breakthrough Hip-Hop... Read more

Prince Paul Remixes An Album Featuring Guru, DOOM & More And Gives It Away For Free (Audio)

Prince Paul has a legendary career in Hip-Hop. A member of Stetsasonic, Gravediggaz, Handsome Boy Modeling School, BROOKZILL! and many other projects, the Long Island, New Yorker revolutionized the way producers approached sampling in the 1980s. He mentored and produced De La Soul, in addition to work with Chris Rock,... Read more

Prince Paul Reminds That 3 Is The Magic Number, With DOOM, Chubb Rock & Wordsworth (Audio)

There were no new DOOM tracks this week, despite a promising "Missing Notebook Rhymes" series roll-out. Based on what's been reported, that series may have halted. In any case, the masked villain more than sprinkled fans with the full-length Westside Gunn collaboration, "Gorilla Monsoon." Beyond that, Prince Paul remixed an... Read more

Linkin Park Singer Chester Bennington Found Dead At Age 41

Chester Bennington was a writer, vocalist and eventual guitarist for band Linkin Park during their five consecutive #1 albums. Today (July 20), Bennington has been confirmed dead. The 41-year-old Phoenix, Arizona native was found hanging in his California home after an apparent suicide. For the Hip-Hop community, Bennington is remembered... Read more

Dr. Octagon Is Back In The Operating Room With New Music

In 2017 Dr. Octagon is making big waves after years in idle. More than 20 calendars after Kool Keith, Dan The Automator, DJ QBert and others recorded the cult-lauded Dr. Octagonecologyst album, the fictional persona is back in the symbolic operating room. Keith, Dan, and QBert performed their first ever... Read more

Dr. Octagon’s Album To Reissue As Box Set With 5 Unreleased Songs

Dr. Octagon is making some serious waves in 2017. Twenty years after the group went public (with a lengthy hiatus), things are really heating up. The duo of MC Kool Keith and producer Dan The Automator (along with DJ Qbert) had recently announced two California dates, the same state where... Read more

Kool Keith, QBert & Dan The Automator Will Perform Dr. Octagon Live For The First Time

In 1996, Kool Keith and his career were at a crossroads. For the last decade, the Bronx, New Yorker had been pushing the envelope of technical rhyme patterns, cadences, and crafty lyricism as the defacto figurehead of the Ultramagnetic MC's. As the group would disband for hiatus (resuming a decade... Read more

Finding The GOAT Producer: Madlib vs. Prince Paul. 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

DJ Premier & Prince Paul Discuss Hip-Hop’s Generation Gap & Why We All Need Perspective (Video)

DJ Premier and Prince Paul are two legendary producers in Hip-Hop (and beyond) with discographies that span back to the 1980s. Back then, Preemo joined Guru to launch the album-making years of Gang Starr. In the very same 1989 that No More Mr. Nice Guy released, Paul celebrated strong accolades... Read more

Prince Paul, Ladybug Mecca, Don Newkirk & Rodrigo Form Brookzill! Get A Taste.

Grammy Award-winning producer Prince Paul has announced his latest project. The Long Island, New Yorker teams with fellow Grammy winner Ladybug Mecca of Digable Planets, longtime musical collaborator Don Newkirk (The Dix), and veteran Sao Paulo, Brazil MC Rodrigo Brandão to form BROOKZILL!. The group combines the sounds of Brazil with... Read more

Prince Paul Recalls MF DOOM’s “Impostor” Idea & Wu-Tang’s Earliest Days (Audio)

The "devastating" Prince Paul is a living Hip-Hop legend. Although he is a self-professed "shy guy," the Long Island, New Yorker would eventually find himself winning Grammy Awards for cracking jokes around Chris Rock and elite comedians. Listening to Paul is a joy in and of itself; an experience filled... Read more

Gravediggaz Heads Ask In A Mix… Who’s Nicer: RZA Or Prince Paul? (Audio)

Hip-Hop has produced some groups stacked with more than one dope producer. EPMD celebrated the funk-driven knock that was both Erick Sermon and Parish Smith. The Beatnuts has Psycho Les and JuJu, two Corona, Queens masters of psyche samples and percussion. D.I.T.C includes giants such as Lord Finesse, Buckwild, Showbiz... Read more

Want Some Bugged Out Entertainment? Watch Deltron 3030 Go Record Shopping (Video)

Along with veteran Canadian turntablist Kid Koala, Del The Funky Homosapien and Dan The Automator complete the other-worldy trifecta known as Deltron 3030. The weirdest character concoction this side of Dr. Octagon (whom, Dan also helped "Frankenstein"), Deltron released their sophomore, highly-anticipated LP, Event II, less than one year ago.... Read more