kendrick lamar Archives

ScHoolboy Q Releases A Grim Short Film Premiering His Song “By Any Means” (Video)

It's been an active week for ScHoolboy Q. Days ago, he teased a short film, directed by Jack Begert & Dave Free of tHe little Homies, for his forthcoming Blank Face LP (July 8), and yesterday, he revealed the eclectic and star-studded tracklist for the album. Now, he releases the... Read more

June 24, 2016 Video

Jay Rock Speaks About His Motorcycle Accident For The First Time (Video)

February 15, 2016 was a day of mixed emotions for the Top Dawg Entertainment family. The record label, which is the home to Kendrick Lamar, ScHoolboy Q, Jay Rock, Ab-Soul, SZA and more, was riding high as Kendrick Lamar took home 5 Grammy Awards, including the one for Best Rap... Read more

June 1, 2016 Video

Mistah F.A.B., Kendrick Lamar & KXNG Crooked Come Together for a Survivor’s Rallying Cry (Audio)

Oakland, California's Mistah F.A.B. is prepping for the release of his sixth studio album and first since 2012's Da Yellow Bus Rydah. Son of a Pimp Pt. 2 drops May 27 and is a follow up of sorts to 2005's Son of a Pimp, which featured fellow Bay Area icons... Read more

May 13, 2016 Audio

Prince & Kendrick Lamar’s Full Performance Surfaces & They Tear Down The Stage (Video)

In October of 2014, video surfaced of Prince and Kendrick Lamar performing together. The Twin Cities Pop icon and King Kunta from Compton (a title he was six months away from claiming) would rock 1998 Prince box set inclusion, "What's My Name." K-Dot, who was just a mere 11 years... Read more

May 3, 2016 Video

This Lyrical Autobiography of Kendrick Lamar is Genius

Storytelling is arguably one of the most important facets of a skilled MC's artistry, and few contemporary lyricists maintain that quality as consistently as Kendrick Lamar. With a penchant for the conceptual as it relates to albums, Lamar's deftly delivered verses are often chronological in order, anecdotal in format, and... Read more

April 25, 2016 Fresh

Kendrick Lamar Makes A Tribute Video For Kobe Bryant’s Retirement (Video)

Kendrick Lamar and Kobe Bryant share a connection that goes deeper than their ties to Los Angeles. When Kendrick faced off against Jay Z for the first time on a track, he chose the iconic photo of a young Kobe lined up against the aging Michael Jordan, as the cover... Read more

April 12, 2016 Video

N.W.A. Are Inducted Into The Rock & Roll Hall Of Fame By Kendrick Lamar (Video)

Last night, at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, NY, N.W.A. joined Run-D.M.C., Beastie Boys and Public Enemy as the only Hip-Hop acts to be inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame. After being nominated but passed over in 2014, many saw the Hall of Fame's actions this year... Read more

April 9, 2016 News

King Lil G Brings Warmth To Watts’ Projects On “Cold Christmas” (Audio)

Despite relatively tepid American winters growing up in Watts, California, King Lil G's experiences during December weren’t always as warm, giving, and lavish as the department store aisles may have taught him, as some of his Hip-Hop counterparts from the area, Jay Rock and Glasses Malone, may attest to. For... Read more

March 26, 2016 Audio

Q-Tip Opens Up His Archive Of Live A Tribe Called Quest Recordings To Celebrate Phife Dawg (Audio)

While Q-Tip did not appear on last night's edition of his Abstract Radio show on Beats 1, he dedicated the entire episode to his fallen A Tribe Called Quest brother, Phife Dawg, and celebrated him with a 2-hour mix of live and rare Tribe recordings, from Tip's personal archives. During... Read more

March 26, 2016 Audio

BJ The Chicago Kid & Kendrick Lamar Fight Hannibal Buress’ Cupid With An Old-Fashioned Love Song (Video)

Ever think about the kind of chaos that could happen if Cupid went rogue? That's exactly what happens in BJ The Chicago Kid's video for "The New Cupid." The song is a throwback old school Soul ballad, with BJ joined by Kendrick Lamar on a verse and Raphael Saadiq on... Read more

March 24, 2016 Video

Ice Cube & Kendrick Lamar Keep George Clinton’s Funk Torch LIT (Video)

Even though he is straight out of New Jersey, George Clinton has had a profound impact on West Coast Hip-Hop. The colorful grooves, dynamic showmanship, and heavy bass hits of Parliament, Funkadelic, and Clinton's solo work deeply influenced the music of Dr. Dre, Ice Cube, Kendrick Lamar, Snoop Dogg, and... Read more

March 24, 2016 Video

Kendrick Lamar Leads A Freestyle Cypher With Musicians In The UK & Rocks It (Video)

With all the chatter around the political themes embedded in Kendrick Lamar's To Pimp A Butterfly, and the album's immense critical acclaim, it's sometimes easy to lose sight of the fact that, at his core, Kendrick is an MC who loves the sport of rhyming. But, before he showcased the... Read more

March 16, 2016 Video

Listen To The Best Hip-Hop of February (& January) 2016 In One Playlist (Audio)

The month of February brought many surprises in Hip-Hop. DJ Premier partnered with ambient songstress Yuna, for some boom bap vibe music. Blu rocked on a 45 King track reminiscent of "Hard Knock Life." Kendrick Lamar and Ice Cube got funky with Funkadelic. The Game waxed poetic with nothing but... Read more

March 7, 2016 Audio

Kendrick Lamar Creates March Madness Again…With A New Surprise EP

In March of 2015, Kendrick Lamar shocked the Internet by releasing his highly anticipated sophomore major label album, early. In 2016, it appears he's besting that delivery with one of pure surprise altogether. Hours ago today (March 3), an eight song EP hit Kendrick Lamar's Spotify page, called (at present)... Read more

March 3, 2016 News

N.W.A.’s Straight Outta Compton vs. Kendrick Lamar’s good kid, m.A.A.d city. Which Is Better?

One year ago, Ambrosia For Heads launched a debate among its readers seeking to answer one of Hip-Hop’s most hotly-contested questions: who is the greatest MC of all time? “Finding The GOAT MC” lasted between September 2014 and May 2015, engaging millions of readers and ultimately producing its winner, as... Read more

March 3, 2016 Finding the GOAT

Outkast’s Aquemini vs. Kendrick Lamar’s To Pimp A Butterfly. Which Is Better?

One year ago, Ambrosia For Heads launched a debate among its readers seeking to answer one of Hip-Hop’s most hotly-contested questions: who is the greatest MC of all time? “Finding The GOAT MC” lasted between September 2014 and May 2015, engaging millions of readers and ultimately producing its winner, as... Read more

February 23, 2016 Finding the GOAT

Kendrick Lamar Confirmed To Induct N.W.A. Into Rock & Roll Hall Of Fame

One week ago today (February 15), Ice Cube and O'Shea Jackson, Jr. presented Kendrick Lamar with the Grammy Award for "Best Rap Album Of The Year." The honors went to To Pimp A Butterfly, Kendrick's latest work. In the speech that followed, the Compton, California MC thanked Ice Cube (along... Read more

February 22, 2016 News

George Clinton Pulls In Ice Cube For A Funky Remix With Kendrick Lamar (Audio)

Last year, George Clinton and Kendrick Lamar made some of the funkiest music in years together. When Kendrick decided to root his album, To Pimp A Butterfly, in the music that influenced Dr. Dre, Warren G, DJ Quik and other West Coast MCs before him, he went straight to the... Read more

February 21, 2016 Audio

See The Side Of Compton That Makes Kendrick Lamar’s “Keisha’s Song” A Reality (Video)

Following the captivating first part of Noisey mini-documentary Bompton, viewers got an inside look at the city of Compton. Kendrick Lamar and 20-year best friend Lil L are among the hosts in a voyeuristic ride through the gang-controlled streets that have affected Rap music for the last 30 years. While... Read more

February 20, 2016 TV/Film, Video

Take A Look At Kendrick Lamar & High-Stakes Compton From The Inside (Video)

Last night (February 15), Kendrick Lamar closed his Grammy performance with an image of the Africa continent with the words "Compton" upon it. The parallels between the Motherland and Hub City may be strong to the 28 year-old. Both are complicated places built around Black (and Brown) Pride, cultural diversity,... Read more

February 16, 2016 Video

Kendrick Lamar Takes Home 5 Grammys & Debuts New Music (Video)

In music's biggest night, Hip-Hop came out as one of the big winners at this year's Grammy Awards ceremony, thanks to the rousing success of Kendrick Lamar's To Pimp A Butterfly. Only two years after what many considered a snub - when his good kid m.A.A.d. city lost the "Best... Read more

February 15, 2016 News, Video

Jay Electronica Aims To Crash The Grammy Party With This Controversial Song (Audio)

Jay Electronica is not among the artists up for a Grammy nomination tonight (February 15). However, the Roc Nation MC seemingly aimed to crash the party with his latest song, "Curse Of Mayweather." In a track that references A Tribe Called Quest's "Can I Kick It?" and Jay Z's "Streets... Read more

February 15, 2016 Audio

BJ The Chicago Kid & Kendrick Lamar Make A Timeless Hip-Hop Soul Ballad (Audio)

On several occasions, Kendrick Lamar and BJ The Chicago Kid have made powerful music together. Long before both artists had major label paperwork on the table, these two found an overlapping ability to uphold the bygone skills in a way the youth could easily digest. From BJ's upcoming In My... Read more

February 11, 2016 Audio

Kendrick Lamar Details The Origins Of “To Pimp A Butterfly” & Why Prince Missed The Cut

In preparation for the 58th Grammy Awards, the Recording Academy's website published an oral history of this year's most nominated album. Kendrick Lamar's sophomore major label effort, To Pimp A Butterfly carries 11 nominations at the February 15 ceremony in Los Angeles, California. Hip-Hop journalist Andreas Hale spoke to K-Dot,... Read more

February 8, 2016 Food for Thought

Voting For The Top 10 Albums Of The 2000s Is Coming Down To The Wire

In late 2015, Ambrosia For Heads returned to “Finding The GOAT,” our annual voting series that polls readers and fans to determine the Greatest Of All-Time. Following 2014-2015’s quest to use votes to determine the GOAT MC, we are asking readers to determine the greatest of all-time Hip-Hop album. “Finding... Read more

February 6, 2016 Finding the GOAT

Rapsody Reacts To Grammy Nomination & Confirms Guest On Next Album (Video Interview)

Last night, Rapsody and 9th Wonder performed at the second annual J Dilla Weekend in Miami, Florida. During Rap's set, her friend and collaborator Jay Electronica took the stage to publicly crown her "the best female lyricist since Lauryn Hill," and bestow her with his chain. Moments later, the Jamla... Read more

February 6, 2016 Exclusive, Food for Thought, Video

Kendrick Lamar’s To Pimp A Butterfly vs. Common’s Like Water For Chocolate. Which Is Better?

One year ago, Ambrosia For Heads launched a debate among its readers seeking to answer one of Hip-Hop’s most hotly-contested questions: who is the greatest MC of all time? “Finding The GOAT MC” lasted between September 2014 and May 2015, engaging millions of readers and ultimately producing its winner, as... Read more

February 5, 2016 Finding the GOAT

Kendrick Lamar Reflects on Past Grammy Losses While Looking Forward to Domination (Video)

Monday, February 15 may promise to be an indispensably important night for Hip-Hop. With 11 nominations, Kendrick Lamar is poised to be this year's biggest winner, only two years after losing to Macklemore & Ryan Lewis for Best Hip-Hop Album of the Year and Best New Artist. This time around,... Read more

February 4, 2016 Video

Kendrick Lamar’s To Pimp A Butterfly Is Now Platinum As RIAA Adds Streams To Criteria

Two of 2015's most talked about Hip-Hop albums can now claim platinum status. Just weeks before the Grammy Awards, Kendrick Lamar's sophomore major label album To Pimp A Butterfly now has the same celebrated benchmark of its 2012 predecessor, good kid, m.A.A.d city. Additionally, Big Sean achieves his first platinum... Read more

February 1, 2016 News

Drake Responds to Obama’s Claim That Kendrick Lamar Would Beat Him In A Battle (Audio)

Drake has been under siege from all sides over the last 12 months. Though the Toronto MC has grown accustomed to MCs, singers and fans throwing shots at him, the sneak attack from Meek Mill, his former collaborator, calling into question whether Drake wrote his own rhymes, was on a... Read more

January 31, 2016 Audio

Freddie Gibbs Takes Kanye West’s Madlib Beat & Makes It A Gangsta Party (Audio)

In 2014, Freddie Gibbs and Madlib released a collaborative album together, titled Piñata. Many believe Madlib's soulful and complex productions brought out Gibbs' best work to date, and the album topped many year end "best of" lists. The two have worked together sparingly, since, but Gibbs knows a good beat... Read more

January 27, 2016 Audio

Kendrick Lamar’s good kid, m.A.A.d city vs. Clipse’s Lord Willin’. Which Is Better?

One year ago, Ambrosia For Heads launched a debate among its readers seeking to answer one of Hip-Hop’s most hotly-contested questions: who is the greatest MC of all time? “Finding The GOAT MC” lasted between September 2014 and May 2015, engaging millions of readers and ultimately producing its winner, as... Read more

January 26, 2016 Finding the GOAT

Kanye West Unveils Swish Tracklist & Says It’s “The Best Album Of All Time”

It is less than three weeks away from the release of Kanye West's seventh solo album. Swish will release on February 11, and already its maker is calling it "the best album of all time." The Roc-A-Fella/Def Jam Records release is West's first since 2013's Yeezus. So happy to be... Read more

January 25, 2016 News

TDE’s President Punch Rhymes Better Than A Lot Of MCs (Audio)

Over the last 5 years, Top Dawg Entertainment, more commonly known as TDE, has grown into one of the most powerful record labels in Hip-Hop. The company's roster includes Kendrick Lamar, ScHoolboy Q, Jay Rock, Ab-Soul, Isaiah Rashad and SZA. As impressive as that group of artists may be, it... Read more

January 22, 2016 Audio

Kanye West’s First Kendrick Lamar & Madlib Collabo Is Worth The Wait (Audio)

"I know some fans thought I wouldn't rap like this again / But the writers block is over, MCs cancel your plans." - Kanye West Last Friday (January 8) Kanye West showcased the 2016 return of "G.O.O.D. Fridays" in the Ty Dolla $ign assisted-"Real Friends." After the song finished playing... Read more

January 18, 2016 Audio

Blu & Exile’s Below The Heavens vs. Kendrick Lamar’s To Pimp A Butterfly. Which Is Better?

One year ago, Ambrosia For Heads launched a debate among its readers seeking to answer one of Hip-Hop’s most hotly-contested questions: who is the greatest MC of all time? “Finding The GOAT MC” lasted between September 2014 and May 2015, engaging millions of readers and ultimately producing its winner, as... Read more

January 14, 2016 Finding the GOAT

TDE’s Resident Engineer Ali Has Compiled 2 Epic Mixes of Their Throwback Music (Audio)

"Let it run, Ali" is a familiar-sounding phrase for Top Dawg Entertainment Heads. The crew featuring Kendrick Lamar, Jay Rock, Schoolboy Q, Ab-Soul (as well as their collective group, Black Hippy), SZA, and Isaiah Rashad was founded back in 2004 before any of their roster members were making it big,... Read more

January 12, 2016 Audio

Kendrick Lamar Meets With President Obama And Vows To Pay It Forward (Video)

What a year Kendrick Lamar has had. In the last 12 months, he released his To Pimp A Butterfly album, spawning critical acclaim strong enough to generate 11 Grammy nominations and, more importantly, a soundtrack for an entire generation dealing with issues of race, inner conflict and police brutality. The... Read more

January 12, 2016 Video

Kendrick Lamar Brings To Pimp A Butterfly Live To Your Living Room With A Full Band (Video)

Kendrick Lamar has been very protective of how he presents his album, To Pimp A Butterfly, live. The critically-acclaimed LP, which has been nominated for 11 Grammy Awards (the most ever for a Rap album), is deeply personal to the Compton MC who has said he wanted his first album... Read more

January 10, 2016 Video

Kanye West Releases His Best Song In Years. This Is Vintage Yeezy

Kanye West is back, reinvigorating the G.O.O.D. Friday weekly release campaign with "Real Friends" and a snippet "No More Parties in L.A." Featuring Ty Dolla $ign, the former is five-plus minutes of unbridled emotion, the rawest since West became a father, which gives Heads a sense of a brand-new Kanye,... Read more

January 8, 2016 News

Kendrick Lamar Premieres A New Song With An Absolutely Monstrous Performance (Video)

Kendrick Lamar performed on The Tonight Show With Jimmy Fallon just hours ago (January 7). The Top Dawg Entertainment platinum star's first televised appearance of 2016 was nothing small. "Cornrow Kenny" (as he refers to himself by) closed out the NBC appearance with an all-new song, "Untitled 2." Supported by... Read more

January 8, 2016 Video

Kendrick Lamar Brings Two of “T.P.A.B.”‘s Deepest Cuts to Life on Stage (Videos)

As the one-year anniversary of Kendrick Lamar's To Pimp a Butterfly inches closer and closer, the Compton MC is still dominating conversations about the best in the game. Tonight (January 7), he will be a guest and performer on The Tonight Show, where he will likely provide viewers with a... Read more

January 7, 2016 Video

Hip-Hop Man Of The Year 2015: How Kendrick Lamar Proved That He Truly Is “Chosen” (Editorial)

In large part, 2015 was a difficult year to make sense of. Around the world, there were major acts of violence, hatred, and reminders that injustice and systematic prejudice lurk in every corner. Approaching an election year, the discourse in the United States often felt polarized, with across-the-aisle messages vitriolic.... Read more

January 5, 2016 Food for Thought

Macklemore & Ryan Lewis’ The Heist vs. Kendrick Lamar’s good kid, m.A.A.d city. Which Is Better?

One year ago, Ambrosia For Heads launched a debate among its readers seeking to answer one of Hip-Hop’s most hotly-contested questions: who is the greatest MC of all time? “Finding The GOAT MC” lasted between September 2014 and May 2015, engaging millions of readers and ultimately producing its winner, as... Read more

January 4, 2016 Finding the GOAT

Kendrick Lamar Ends 2015 With 1 Of The Most Emotionally Raw & Visually Stunning Videos

When we look back at 2015 years from now, the annum for Kendrick Lamar will be viewed as one of the most complete for any artist in any genre or medium. Lamar achieved levels of success by any metric--commercial, critical, social importance--with the release of his album To Pimp A... Read more

December 31, 2015 Video

Kendrick Lamar Witnessed His First Murder When He Was 5 Years Old (Audio)

Kendrick Lamar recently spoke, at length, with NPR. While fans of Kendrick likely have heard bits and pieces of a number of the subjects Kendrick addressed in the interview, he reflected on a number of deeply personal topics in greater detail than he often does, outside of his most introspective... Read more

December 29, 2015 Audio

The Best Freestyles of 2015 Left Heads Spinning and Microphones Smoking (Video)

In Hip-Hop, there are few things more exciting than watching an MC get on the mic and spit a freestyle. The definition of the word "freestyle" has been fluid over the years. Originally, the term was used to denote any rhyme, written or off the top, that was not about... Read more

December 29, 2015 Video

These Videos Made Us Feel Like We Could Fly In 2015 (Video)

2015 might very well be remembered as the year the video took over the song in Hip-Hop. While audio platforms like SoundCloud, Spotify and Apple Music are growing in strength, high profile mixtapes decreased in number, and an increasing amount of releases were presented as videos even before the audio-only... Read more

December 28, 2015 Video

Here Are Ambrosia For Heads’ Picks For The Best Music Videos Of 2015

2015 might very well be remembered as the year the video took over the song in Hip-Hop. While audio platforms like SoundCloud, Spotify and Apple Music are growing in strength, high profile mixtapes decreased in number, and an increasing amount of releases were presented as videos even before the audio-only... Read more

December 23, 2015 Video

Ambrosia For Heads Present…Our Picks For The 15 Best Hip-Hop Albums Of 2015

2015 watched a lot change in the music industry. Streaming culture kept Heads on the edge of their seats, as Hip-Hop superstars "pushed the button" on a whim. Reclusive legends released new product, while patient veterans made massive breakthroughs. No matter large or small, burgeoning or veteran, all artists seemed... Read more

December 22, 2015 Food for Thought