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Big Daddy Kane Names His Top 3 Posse Cuts

Thirty-five years ago, Marley Marl released "The Symphony." In 1988, the Cold Chillin' Records single became a juggernaut for the Juice Crew's expansion. It included Marley on production, with ear-grabbing verses from Big Daddy Kane, Kool G Rap, Craig G, and Masta Ace. At a time when Roxanne Shanté, Biz... Read more

Wu-Tang Clan vs. Juice Crew: The Greatest Rap Crew Competition

In recognition of Hip-Hop’s 50th anniversary, BET Digital, in partnership with Ambrosia For Heads, is celebrating the culture by hosting a bracket-style competition that allows you to determine Hip-Hop’s greatest crew. Rather than having “experts” tell you who is the greatest of all-time, this is your opportunity to collectively make that... Read more

Native Tongues vs. The Juice Crew: The Greatest Rap Crew Competition

In recognition of Hip-Hop’s 50th anniversary, BET Digital, in partnership with Ambrosia For Heads, is celebrating the culture by hosting a bracket-style competition that allows you to determine Hip-Hop’s greatest crew. Rather than having “experts” tell you who is the greatest of all-time, this is your opportunity to collectively make that... Read more

Kool G Rap & AZ Are The Last Of A Dying Breed Of MCs

As 2022's calendar winds down, there is still plenty of Hip-Hop to look forward to. On December 9, Kool G Rap will release his first album in more than four years. Last Of A Dying Breed will feature the late Sean Price, Vado, and fellow Queens, New Yorker Royal Flush.... Read more

The History Of Violence In Hip-Hop: 6 Years Changed Everything

In the last year, Hip-Hop has lost an alarming number of its artists to violence. Young Dolph, PnB Rock, Trouble, and Drakeo The Ruler are just some of the noteworthy examples, among several others. In the last week, Migos member Takeoff was killed in Houston, Texas on November 1—adding to... Read more

Rawkus Records’ Rise & Fall Is Detailed In A New Video

It was 15 years ago this fall that Rawkus Records stopped releasing albums. The "Rawkus 50" campaign allowed a new generation of MCs and producers to digitally release product with the same label that introduced many Hip-Hop Heads to names like Mos Def, Talib Kweli, Company Flow, High & Mighty,... Read more

Kool G Rap & Big Daddy Kane Reunite On A New Song

After a 35-plus-year career, Kool G Rap is gearing up for a statement album. On October 14, 2022, the Queens, New York lyrical legend will release Last Of A Dying Breed. The upcoming album features contributions from Sean Price, AZ, 38 Spesh, NEMS, Royal Flush, and Vado. Domingo, a producer... 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

Black Thought Shows He Really Is Every MC On An Unreleased Roots Song

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, is better than it's ever been. Not only can we go back and... Read more

Immortal Technique Lists His Top 5 MCs & Says A New Album Is Coming (Video)

Immortal Technique is recognized as an MC whose music is informational and at times, extreme. The Harlem lyricist emerged during the rise of independent Hip-Hop in the early 2000s, and his politically-charged brand of Hip-Hop quickly struck a chord with fans worldwide. Further, he is widely acknowledged for his activism... Read more

Happy Birthday To Big Daddy Kane. Ever Hear His “Raw” Remix With Kool G Rap?

Today (September 10) marks Big Daddy Kane's birthday. Commanding audiences far and wide since he was a teenager, the now 51-year-old living legend continues to be among the culture's best performers. From collaborations with Ghostface Killah and Joell Ortiz, as well as new freestyles, King Asiatic continues to add to... Read more

20 Years Ago, Mobb Deep, G Rap & Alchemist Made 1 Of The Realest Collabos (Audio)

Mobb Deep has released two highly-acclaimed albums in the mid-1990s. Prodigy and Havoc's sophomore set, The Infamous, is one of the most beloved LPs of all-time. A year and a half later, they delivered Hell On Earth, a menacing follow-up that stayed the course. By the close of the 1990s,... Read more

38 Spesh Displays Why OGs Like Kool G Rap, DJ Premier & D.I.T.C. Co-Sign Him (Video)

Rochester is not a city regularly associated with Hip-Hop. This Upstate New York burg is the home of DJ Green Lantern, who, along with Emilio Rojas, is one of the few artists from the area to make an impact on the game in the last two decades. But that is... Read more

Statik Selektah Releases His 1st Instrumental Album. Stream It Here.

Since 2007, Massachusetts beat maker Statik Selektah has dropped eight studio albums with his last project, aptly titled, 8, releasing just two years ago. Along the way, Statik has made collaborative albums with Action Bronson, Kxng Crooked, Bumpy Knuckles, Saigon, and a handful of 1982 releases with right-hand-man Termanology. He... Read more

AZ Is Not Part Of Marley Marl’s Crew But His Video Shows He’s Still Got Juice

Last Friday (January 18), AZ premiered some new music at Ambrosia For Heads. "It's Time" is a fitting title for the Brooklyn, New York O.G. who has teased fans with Doe Or Die 2 throughout the decade. This June makes it an even 10 years since S.O.S.A. put an album... Read more

Kool G Rap Was Wrongfully Accused Of Shoplifting. Now He’s Getting Gangster.

For the last 30 years, Kool G Rap's music has featured narratives about being on the run, wanted by the law, and serving time in places like New York City's Rikers Island. One of Gangsta Rap's pioneers is part of headlines this week, for a crime he says he did... Read more

Kool G. Rap, Nine & Smoothe Da Hustler Breathe Fire & Melt A Snowgoons Track (Audio)

Veteran Bronx, New York rapper Nine has long possessed one of Hip-Hop's illest voices. When his debut album Nine Livez dropped on Profile Records in 1995, it seemed like he was at the beginning of a successful career, bringing "redrum" to the game. Instead, he quickly slipped into obscurity after... Read more

Bun B Gives His Old Verse A 1 Out Of 5 Because Of A Trump Reference (Video)

"I should've known better back then; I should've had better foresight." That's what Bun B said while participating in BET's Rate The Bars series. He was referring to lyrics that he wrote during the early 1990s for the cult-classic "Pocket Full of Stones" from UGK's debut album Too Hard to... Read more

A Video Shows Mobb Deep’s Lethal Sampling For “Murda Muzik,” On Its 19th Birthday

Mobb Deep's fourth album, Murda Muzik, remains their best-selling album to date. It began the duo's transition from New York street poets into a pair capable of making records that played on the radio, video shows, and the clubs at once. Havoc didn't forfeit his gift for sampling in the... Read more

Uncle Ralph McDaniels Details 35 Years Of Making The Original Rap Video Show (Video)

"Uncle" Ralph McDaniels is a pioneer in bringing video to Hip-Hop culture. The New York City native co-created and co-hosted Video Music Box, a show that would help bring some of the top names in Hip-Hop, and their music, to TV screens across the world. Subsequently, McDaniels would use his... Read more

Black Thought Explains Why Kool G Rap’s “Road To The Riches” Is His Favorite Verse (Video)

In 2004, The Roots released their sixth album, The Tipping Point. The Philadelphia, Pennsylvania group's final album for Geffen Records contained an Easter egg of sorts for Hip-Hop Heads. The Dice Raw-assisted "Boom!" featured band front-man Black Thought paying homage to two of his MC inspirations: Big Daddy Kane and... Read more

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

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

Big Daddy Kane Details The Rich History Of How The Juice Crew Started (Video)

Big Daddy Kane is the latest guest on Drink Champs. The Brooklyn, New York lyrical legend is in a casual mood, often joking during the three-hour episode. N.O.R.E. and DJ EFN interview the Juice Crew MC about a number of highlights from his life and career. There are probing questions... Read more

Kool G Rap Explains How Record Label Politics Made Him Lose Like The Ill Street Blues

Twenty-five years ago today, Kool G Rap & DJ Polo released their third album, Live & Let Die. Featuring singles "Ill Street Blues" and "On The Run," the Cold Chillin' Records release marked a shift for the Queens, New York MC and DJ team. The release would be the final... Read more

Steve Stoute Explains Why He Took Nas From The Underground To The Mainstream (Video)

Music industry veteran Steve Stoute recently launched UnitedMasters, a company that allows musicians to market directly to their fans across digital platforms. The service promotes artists keeping their master recordings and provides resources for the modern market that once seemed reserved for major label acts. Stoute is the latest guest... Read more

In 1992, Kool G Rap Teamed Up With Ice Cube & The Geto Boys On A Lethal Collabo (Audio)

One week after Ice Cube released The Predator, and three ahead of Dr. Dre's The Chronic, Kool G Rap & DJ Polo released their third LP, Live And Let Die. Following 1990's Wanted: Dead Or Alive, the Juice Crew MC still had a grim, survivalist's outlook and a penchant for... Read more

Kool G Rap, Lil Fame & Freeway Are Wise Guys On And Off The Mic (Video)

Since 1986, Kool G Rap has stuck to his guns as a trailblazer of East Coast Gangsta Rap and a paragon of lyricism. His cinematic portrayals and trenchant analysis of New York City street life made his longtime fans keep tabs on his newest offerings from the lab. Kool G... Read more

Large Pro Details The Bobby Brown & Kool G Rap Album That Didn’t Happen & Why (Video)

In mid-1990, Kool G Rap & DJ Polo released their sophomore album, Wanted: Dead Or Alive. Heavily produced by Large Professor (then of Main Source), the LP is widely considered one of G Rap's best works. The Cold Chillin'/Warner Bros. Records release spawned dynamic singles like "Streets Of New York"... Read more

Do Remember When Prodigy Reminded Us He Was One Of The Realest (Audio)

The Hip-Hop community remains in a state of collective mourning, still reeling from the unexpected loss of Prodigy earlier this week. The 42-year-old Queensbridge MC - who at only 18 penned some of Rap's most prolific rhymes - passed away due to complications from his lifelong battle with sickle-cell disease... Read more

Kool G Rap, Termanology & Saigon Show They Can Outrun Life’s Biggest Obstacles (Video)

Kool G Rap has just released Return of the Don, and the Juice Crew legend's triumphant return to his solo career does not disappoint. For more than three decades, the Queens, New York MC has remained an influence on any rapper who values complexity of structure and innovation in flow (whether... Read more

Kool G Rap Is A 30-Year Lyrical Legend. Listen To A Sneak Preview Of His New Album (Audio)

Kool G Rap is frequently considered one of Hip-Hop's greatest MCs. For 31 years, the Queens, New Yorker has helped bring Rap out of an era of simpler deliveries to compound rhyme structures, fast paced flows, and an unrivaled use of cadence. Additionally, he is one of the pioneers of... Read more

Kool G Rap Reveals Def Jam Passed On Nas Because He Sounded Too Much Like Him (Video)

There are few, if any, record labels that have a more storied tradition than Def Jam Recordings. The company started by Rick Rubin and Russell Simmons would be the musical home of countless Hip-Hop legends over time, including LL Cool J, Beastie Boys, Public Enemy, Redman, Method Man, Jay Z,... Read more

Kool G Rap & Raekwon Are Out For That Life (Audio)

With June 2's Return Of The Don, Kool G Rap will share with the world his first truly solo album since 2011's Riches, Royalty, Respect. Produced entirely by MoSS, the LP features Freeway, Noreaga, Cormega, Raekwon, Sheek Louch, Saigon, Termanology, Fame, KXNG Crooked, Conway The Machine & Westside Gunn, and the late... Read more

Kool G Rap Details How He Helped Launch Nas’ Career & Releases New Cormega Collabo (Video)

In 1995, Kool G Rap released the highest-charting single of his career, "Fast Life." The song merged two Queens legends, as G Rap collaborated with the white-hot Nas, fresh on the heels of his Illmatic debut. While the world may not have known it at the time, the collaboration was... Read more

Kool G Rap Strikes With 1st Single In 6 Years. Lil Fame & Freeway Back Up The Bars (Audio)

Lyrical Rap legend Kool G Rap has released his first official solo single in more than six years. Approaching June 2's Return Of The Don album, G Rap prepares his first album with a single producer since his heralded 1989 Marley Marl-produced debut, Road To The Riches. This time around, the onetime mentor to... 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

Kool G Rap Announces First Solo Album In 6 Years & It Has Some Exciting Guests

Less than a week ago (February 17), Queens, New York veteran Kool G Rap and Juice Crew band-mate Big Daddy Kane performed a co-headlining event in East Stroudsburg, Pennsylvania. Billed as an "The Most Epic Hip-Hop Showdown," the Sherman Theater concert featured each legendary MC going song-for-song in a battle... Read more

Big Daddy Kane & Kool G Rap Battle Song-For-Song, In Concert (Video)

Big Daddy Kane and Kool G Rap go back together more than 30 years. Since the mid-1980s, these two New York City lyricists were some of the most legendary components in Marley Marl's Juice Crew. In 1986, Kool G Rap & DJ Polo let the world hear something special with... Read more

Boldy James’ Comeback EP Featuring Kool G Rap Is A Welcomed Return (Audio)

When Nas invested in Mass Appeal Records, Boldy James was one the artists he began touting shortly after. The Detroit, Michigan street MC worked with Prodigy, Action Bronson, Odd Future, and extensive work with Alchemist. While he was extremely prolific in the early 2010s, Boldy slowed his roll over the... Read more

Finding The GOAT Producer: Marley Marl vs. Rick Rubin. 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

Kool G Rap, Canibus & Chris Rivers Send An Omen That Real Lyricism Is Back (Audio)

One of 2016's most steadfast MCs, Chris Rivers is a clear disciple of that hard-nosed late '80s and 1990s lyricism. While the Bronx, New Yorker's greatest influence would appear to be his father (Big Pun), there are other clear connections. Pun, after all, was a student of Kool G Rap,... Read more

Here Are The Best Hip-Hop Performances & Videos Of 2016

2016 has been a unique year. With it, Hip-Hop had a lot to say, visually. Poets new and old, independent and well-heeled, used their art to promote awareness, suggest change, and when appropriate, provide distraction. At a time when the music video largely lives online, artists made statements—about themselves, their... Read more

The Symphony 2016 Was Just 1 Of The Truly Amazing Performances & Videos Of The Year

2016 has been a unique year. With it, Hip-Hop had a lot to say, visually. Poets new and old, independent and well-heeled, used their art to promote awareness, suggest change, and when appropriate, provide distraction. At a time when the music video largely lives online, artists made statements—about themselves, their... 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

Big Daddy Kane, Kool G Rap & More Takeover The Roots Picnic New York (Video)

This past weekend, The Roots held the first ever New York version of their annual picnic. Pulling out all the stops, they expanded the traditionally one day festival into two days, and built a star-studded lineup. Participating acts included Wu-Tang Clan, D'Angelo, David Byrne, DJ Jazzy Jeff, Swizz Beatz, EPMD,... Read more

The Symphony 2016 ft Kane, G Rap, Royce, Monch, Black Thought, Freeway & More (Video)

This weekend, The Roots hosted their first ever Roots Picnic in New York City. Held in Bryant Park, near Times Square, the two-day affair billed D'Angelo, Wu-Tang Clan, DJ Jazzy Jeff, Swizz Beatz, EPMD, John Mayer, David Byrne, The Jungle Brothers and many more. There were also a number of... Read more

Ever See This 1990 Freestyle Session Between Kool G Rap & Biz Markie? (Video)

Back in 1988, Marley Marl's Juice Crew served the world with one of Hip-Hop's all-time great posse cuts. Featuring Big Daddy Kane, Masta Ace, Craig G and Kool G Rap, "The Symphony" was a lesson in lyrical dexterity that endures today. More than recording together, members of the crew often... 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

The Original Version of Kool G Rap & DJ Polo’s “Keep It Swingin'” Surfaces (Audio)

The original version of a rare track by Kool G Rap & DJ Polo has recently surfaced, as reported by Unkut. A remix version of "Keep It Swingin'" appeared on G Rap and Polo's 1996 compilation album Rated XXX. That song is atmospheric and synthesizer heavy. The original has the... Read more