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Black Thought Names 5 MCs Who Deserve More Props

In the last month, Black Thought published his memoir, The Upcycled Self. Appearing on the New York Times' "Best Sellers" list, the autobiography reveals aspects of Tariq Trotter's personal life, including suffering the losses of his father and mother, respectively. The Grammy Award-winning (and currently nominated) Roots MC examines his... Read more

New Jacks Take Heed…Ice-T Is Still Hustling O.G. Bars (Video)

Before he began his unprecedented 21-year run on Law Order: Special Victims Unit, Ice-T cemented a spot as a Gangsta Rap pioneer more than 30 years ago. Without question, Ice-T is an O.G. in the game. However, with longstanding TV roles, reality shows, and car insurance commercials, it can be... Read more

Kool Keith, B-Real & Joell Ortiz Show MCs How To Level Up (Audio Premiere)

Next month (July 12), veteran MC innovator Kool Keith will see the release of his latest album, simply titled KEITH. Produced entirely by The Beatnuts' Psycho Les, KEITH will feature appearances by Houston's Paul Wall, Cypress Hill front-man B-Real, and Crooklyn Dodger lyrical slugger, Jeru The Damaja. Following last month's... Read more

Kool Keith Has A New Album Coming. He Turns To B-Real For The 1st Single

In the last 20 years, Kool Keith has become one of Hip-Hop's most prolific MCs. The co-founder of the Ultramagnetic MC's has a career that spans more than 35 years in Rap. However, the Bronx, New Yorker has never slowed his roll. Instead, the advanced lyricist has created characters, groups,... Read more

Kool Keith & Ced Gee Remember The Prodigy’s Keith Flint & The Hit They Made Together

On March 4, Keith Flint of the Electronic music group, The Prodigy, was found dead in his Essex, England home. Tragically, the 49-year-old took his life just one month after his final performance with the group. The British collective crossed over into the mainstream upon the release of their third... Read more

Ultramagnetic MCs’ Ced-Gee Reveals He Produced Most Of BDP’s Criminal Minded (Video)

There is a bevy of pivotal and highly influential Hip-Hop albums celebrating landmark anniversaries this year. Ambrosia For Heads has recently published articles about the 20 year anniversaries of both Black Star’s self-titled debut and OutKast’s Aquemini. The 25th anniversary of Wu-Tang Clan’s initial offering, Enter the Wu-Tang (36 Chambers)... Read more

Finding The GOAT Group: Boogie Down Productions vs. Ultramagnetic MC’s. 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

Kool Keith Dedicates A New Song To His Former Wife Who Recently Passed Away (Audio)

Kool Keith's quirkier sides are well-documented, especially on the heels of a new Dr. Octagon album. However, the decorated veteran MC can also let his guard down and make some pretty reflective Rap. It's what he's doing on his latest song, paying tribute to his ex-wife and youngest kid's mother... Read more

Dr. Octagon Releases Its First Video In More Than 20 Years & It’s Right On Time

One week from today (April 6), Dr. Octagon will release its second album with the founding lineup. Moosebumps: An Exploration Into Modern Day Horripilation packs excitement in the careers of Dan The Automator, DJ QBert, and MC Kool Keith. After releasing their latest album's first two singles "Octagon Octagon" and... Read more

Del The Funky Homosapien & Amp Live Form A Duo. They Did Not Come To Play. (Video)

This month, Oakland, California's Del announced the collaborative project with renowned producer/musician, Amp Live (formerly of Zion I). It represents a merging of two very meaningful Hip-Hop artists, especially to the Bay Area. The duo's debut album, Gate 13 is due to drop on April 20, and they teased its... Read more

Craig G Returns To Battle Rap & He’s Ready To Juice The Competition

Much like many aspects of Hip-Hop, Battle Rap today looks (and sounds) a lot different than it did when it originated. With the help of some of the pioneers, like MC Craig G, Heads may get new glimpses at its past glory. The documented freestyle master and Juice Crew member... Read more

Kool Keith Shows He Can Still Deliver Critical Beatdowns On A New Dr. Octagon Song (Audio)

Life is too short to listen to bad music. So…let AFH fight 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 are we able to go back... 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

Soundbombing Was Released 20 Years Ago & Launched A Generation Of Underground Hip-Hop

Twenty years ago this week (October 14, 1997) New York-based independent Hip-Hop label Rawkus Records released Soundbombing Vol. 1. Rawkus' second full-length project boasted Black Moon/Da Beatminerz producer DJ Evil Dee on the mix, and atop its cover touted, "The Ultimate Guide To Underground Hip-Hop." Time would prove it most... Read more

DOOM & Kool Keith Are Otherworldly MCs. Their Latest Collab Is On The Moon (Audio)

DOOM reconnects with the MC once known as "Dr. Dooom." Metal Face and Kool Keith make a fitting pair. These are two rhyme revolutionaries of New York City Hip-Hop. For Keith, that's true of more than 30 years. DOOM is not far behind him, with critical work dating back 25... 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

Hip-Hop Took The Gold In August. Hear The Best Of The Month (Audio)

August was filled with the Olympics and some of the worst heat of the year, but it also brought some great Hip-Hop. De La Soul released their first album in 12 years, and it debuted at #1 on the Rap chart. Andre 3000 had some choice words for ghostwriters. Nas... Read more

DOOM & Kool Keith Are Villains With Heroic Verses (Audio)

DOOM (f/k/a MF DOOM) and Kool Keith have some over-arching qualities. For starters, these two 1980s-rooted MCs can never seem to decide on one name to release their product. Outside of titles, these artists have evolved with a love of unconventional writing, strong imagery, and the furthest reaching pop culture... Read more

Atmosphere, DOOM & Kool Keith Send A Bright Beam Of Light From The Underground (Audio)

Next week (8/5), Atmosphere, the duo consisting of Slug and Ant, will release their latest album, Fishing Blues. The LP, distributed by Rhymesayers, will be their 11th in a catalog that spans nearly 20 years. Featured guests include Aesop Rock, deM atlaS, The Grouch and more. Atmosphere Heat Up An... Read more

Prince Paul Pushed More Boundaries With His Prince Among Thieves Film (Video)

In 1999, Prince Paul raised the stakes in an already illustrious career. After pivotal work with Stetsasonic and Gravediggaz, the Long Island, New Yorker had proven himself to be a visionary. More recognizably, the vet was largely responsible for the sounds of the first three De La Soul LPs, as... Read more

Phonte Explains Why Big Daddy Kane Is The Reason He Became An MC (Audio)

Phonte is the latest guest on The Cipher Show Podcast. For episode #146, the Greensboro, North Carolina native MC/singer spoke about the evolution of his career. A founder of Little Brother and Foreign Exchange, "Tigallo" had an hour-and-a-half discussion with Shawn Setaro on topics ranging from his "Percy Miracles" character,... Read more

Run-D.M.C.’s Run-D.M.C. vs. Ultramagnetic MC’s Critical Beatdown. Which Album 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

Kool Keith Made One Of His Most Focused Works Alongside L’Orange. Listen In (Album Stream)

Kool Keith's discography is staggering. From his origins with The Ultramagnetic MC's to a vast solo career, to side projects like Cenubites, Analog Brothers, and Dr. Octagon, the Bronx, New Yorker stays incredibly busy. With so much material, it can be hard to know where to look first—especially for longtime... Read more

Kool Keith & L’Orange Wander Through Time To Discover New Sounds (Video)

The latest visuals from Kool Keith and producer L'Orange's upcoming project, Time? Astonishing!, open in a similar vein as some classic MF Doom intros or a '60s comic book television series, a la "Superman," where the viewers are introduced to an all new, time traveling hero, "The Wanderer," through the... Read more

Stretch & Bobbito’s Highlight Reel Features Slick Rick, Big L & Mobb Deep (Mix)

Throughout the 1990s, Stretch Armstrong & Bobbito The Barber created a radio program that may as well have been the farm club to the Rap hall of fame. These two New York City DJs honored Hip-Hop 12" singles of the day, while welcoming would-be stars like Nas, Mobb Deep, Pharoahe... Read more

Kool Keith & J-Live Make An Unlikely Pair. But They Are Great Travel Companions (Audio)

Mello Music Group's L'Orange is a quiet threat. The French producer chops down samples and breathes new life into dusty grooves. Pensive MCs, whether Blu or Gift Of Gab, thrive on his sonic textures. "The Traveler" extends L'Orange's collaborative history with Kool Keith, and welcomes J-Live to the fold. Two... Read more

Inspectah Deck, Kool Keith & Headkrack Demand Justice For Unarmed Black Men (Premiere)

Three Bronx, New York MCs unite to speak on very pressing and sensitive issues in American society. Kool Keith, Inspectah Deck, and Headkrack decry the excessive force used by some law enforcement. These incidents, particularly over the last five years, have resulted in the increased death-count of Black men and... Read more

Ultramagnetic MC’s Make A Colorful Vid To Ego Trippin’ Almost 30 Years Later (Video)

The Ultramagnetic MC's debut album, 1988's Critical Beatdown may be the Bronx, New York group's most celebrated work. However, the Next Plateau Records release lacked the emerging video medium enjoyed by many other top Hip-Hop acts of the time. MC Ultra would eventually travel through several other labels in their... Read more

Finding The GOAT (Round 2): Big Daddy Kane vs. Kool Keith…Who You Got?

We have reached the second round in the ultimate battle for the title of the GOAT (Greatest of All-Time). We are asking you to help us rank who is the greatest MC to pick up a mic. We will take over 35 years of Hip-Hop into consideration, pairing special match-ups... Read more

Kool Keith Officially Supports This Limited Edition Dr. Octagon Action Figure

While some Kool Keith fans—including Ice-T—tend to celebrate the Bronx, New Yorker's Ultramagnetic MC's days, a large contingency asserts that Keith's finest work was in fact in the mid-1990s. After all, it was then, in the early days of a solo career, that the lyricist made Sex Style, as well... Read more

Ice-T Interviews Kool Keith, & The Ultramagnetic MC Explains Creating His Groundbreaking Style (Audio)

Heads may not know this, but back in 2000, Ice-T and Kool Keith made an album together in Pimp To Eat. The Analog Brothers, consisting of Keith, Ice, Marc Live, Black Silver, and Rex, was believed to be a response (largely on Keith's part) to RZA's "Bobby Digital" persona. The... Read more

Finding the GOAT: Pick The Final Legendary Wild Card For Round 2?

As we continue the ultimate battle for the title of the GOAT (Greatest of All-Time), we are asking you to help us rank who is the greatest MC to pick up a mic. We will take over 35 years of Hip-Hop into consideration, pairing special match-ups in a sequence not... Read more

Kool Keith Has His Own Private Dancers In The Flow (Video Exclusive)

Leave it to Kool Keith to reach the weekend with a whimsical note. The Bronx, New York legendary lyricist premieres his latest single "The Flow" with Ambrosia For Heads. A purveyor of the burlesque and red light district antics long before his Spankmaster album, K.K. hits the club to watch... Read more

Kool Keith + Rah Digga + Human Beatbox = MEAN FACE (Audio)

When's the last time you heard a Human Beatbox on a track?? Kool Keith pulls in Rah Digga on a song that's driven by some ill vocal percussion and "Nonstop" hard-rhyming. Prepare to get your mean face on. This joint GOES HARD. Related: Rah Digga Talks To The New Crop... Read more

It’s A Bronx Thing When Two Giants In The Mental, Kool Keith & A.G. Rock Out (Audio)

In the early 1990s, two of the finest, most innovative MCs in Hip-Hop were Kool Keith and A.G. From respected outfits Ultramagnetic MC's and Showbiz & A.G., respectively, these men found frontier rhyme patterns and regularly traced their verses back to Hip-Hop's origins. Such is the case for "Eldorado." Both... Read more

Kool Keith Gets A Funny Or Die Show Just Being…Kool Keith. George Clinton Cameos (Video)

If Odd Future's Tyler, The Creator can have his own variety show, what about the pioneer of Rap-weird? As Eminem so eloquently pointed out on "Monster," he hopes to be "kookier than Kool Keith." Well, after the debut episode of the Ultramagnetic MC's frontman's new Funny Or Die show, is... Read more

Kool Keith Takes Off The Mask & Gets Open In This Stellar Documentary (Video)

Kool Keith is a genius. The Ultramagnetic MC's front-man elevated the artform of lyricism to the highest level through albums like Ultramagnetic MC's Critical Beatdown and Wild Pitch Records one-off The Four Horsemen. However, along the way, the artist who regularly rhymed about trips to Bellevue Mental Hospital admitted to... Read more

Kool Keith – Impressions (Remix) ft Keith Murray

Here's a remix to the Kool Keith/Keith Murray collabo that was originally on Kool Keith's Love & Danger album. The remix is a bonus cut on the newly-released vinyl version of the album and is more atmospheric and melodic than the original. Check out Impressions (Remix) below. Related: Ultramagnetic MCs... Read more

Kool Keith – Goodbye Rap (Video)

Here's some new music from Kool Keith. He says farewell to hip-hop (at least on this album). Check out the video for Goodbye Rap. Related: Here's a look at the legacy of Jive Records, the label that first signed Kool Keith with the Ultramagnetic MCs While Kool Keith talks about... Read more