little brother Archives

9th Wonder Releases 7 Beats Custom Made For Redman. It’s Time 4 Sum Aksion!! (Audio)

Redman's classic catalog includes some heavy-hitting producers. With a lot of co-production to his credit, Red' made many of his most celebrated hits with Def Squad mentor Erick Sermon. RZA, Pete Rock, Parrish Smith, DJ Scratch, and Rockwilder (who made a critical early appearance on Dare Iz A Darkside) are... Read more

June 1, 2017 Audio, Video

Finding The GOAT Producer: Pete Rock vs. 9th Wonder. 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

January 26, 2017 Finding the GOAT

The Beatnuts, Rapper Big Pooh & Termanology Announce January 2017 US Tour Dates

Three respected independent Hip-Hop acts are hitting the road together, next month. Queens, New York veteran duo The Beatnuts have announced their first US tour in some time. Psycho Les (who released his Dank God, Vol. 1 album in 2016) and Juju will hit the road with Rapper Big Pooh... Read more

December 17, 2016 Fresh

Rapsody & GQ Team Up & Show That Jamla Is The Squad That’s Saying Something (Audio)

North Carolina's Rapsody and Oakland, California's GQ have been two steadfast members of 9th Wonder's Jamla Records. In the last month, Rap' released her Crown EP. GQ has been quiet for much of 2016, since eloquently speaking his thoughts on an Oaktown' sidewalk in January. The former college basketball star... Read more

December 7, 2016 Audio

Mickey Factz & Phonte Prove Some MCs Actually Love Their Women (Audio)

Nowadays, to listen to Hip-Hop one would think that most male MCs hate women. Misogyny in lyricism is so prevalent as to not even raise an eyebrow. Also, seemingly no rapper has his own girlfriend, as all you hear about is what they're going to do to "your girl." Ironically,... Read more

October 22, 2016 Audio

Dante Ross Wanted To Make O.D.B. & Method Man “The Next Run-D.M.C.”

In the canon of Hip-Hop music, Dante Ross may be what we now know as "the plug." From De La Soul to Missy Elliott, MF DOOM to Digital Underground, Lil Dicky to Brand Nubian, Dante has discovered some of Hip-Hop's most respected artists. Beyond simply the exploration, Ross has thrived... Read more

September 23, 2016 Fresh

Rapper Big Pooh Is Still Putting Nottz Beats On Smash (Audio)

Last year, Rapper Big Pooh released Home Sweet Home with fellow Virginia native Nottz. Pooh and Nottz go back, a decade back, in the form of Little Brother's "Life Of The Party." The two have made plenty more music since. Together, Pooh and Nottz Raw pave a way for Jamaica... Read more

September 17, 2016 Audio

9th Wonder Makes A Powerful Case For Tolerance Between Generations In Hip-Hop

In recent weeks, there have been several incidents, primarily on social media, that suggest a generational divide within Hip-Hop. Three of the biggest breakout stars of the last year ran into isolated incidents, and collided with some of Rap's veterans. Beyond simply music, age played a factor in the conflicts... Read more

September 14, 2016 Food for Thought

The World Needs Love. Phonte & Eric Roberson Make Music To Go With It. (Audio)

In a week marred by violence, all may be asking, "Where is the love right now?" Phonte is an artist who has masterfully reflected on the confusion and pains of the world. This time, 'Te simply provides a welcome reminder of what it takes to heal, to rebuild, and to... Read more

July 8, 2016 Audio

Remember When Little Brother & Black Star Picked Up Where Native Tongues Left Off? (Audio)

In the late 80s and early 90s, Native Tongues, the collective led by De La Soul and A Tribe Called Quest, and consisting of members like Jungle Brothers, Queen Latifah, Black Sheep, Monie Love and more, began a movement that would last well into the 2000s. Beyond the musical legacy... Read more

June 23, 2016 Do Remember

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

March 15, 2016 Audio

Phonte & Torae Go From “The Breaks” To Breaking Down A Beat (Video)

One month after battling (in character) during Vh1's The Breaks, Torae and Phonte release their video single as a team. From Tor's just-released Entitled album, this song takes two veteran MCs who have been able to show versatility in the present, while making music that connects with Hip-Hop's past. Six... Read more

February 10, 2016 Video

Blu & Rapper Big Pooh Say It’s Do Or Die When The Stakes Are High (Audio)

In 2015, Rapper Big Pooh and Nottz came together to release Home Sweet Home. The Mello Music Group LP had been anticipated for years, and delivered with strength from the two Virginia native creatives. Just under three months removed from release day (November 13), now is as good a time... Read more

February 10, 2016 Audio

9th Wonder Explains How J Dilla Changed The Sound of Hip-Hop and Fathered “Neo Soul” In The Process (Interview)

After the ascendance of greats like DJ Premier, Pete Rock and Q-Tip in the 90s. There was a new wave of producers that would come to prominence in the 2000s who would carry the torch for Hip-Hop and take it in new directions. This new generation of beatmakers included the... Read more

February 4, 2016 Exclusive, Food for Thought

Stream Murs & 9th Wonder’s Brighter Daze Album (Audio)

Just hours ago, it was announced that Murs & 9th Wonder's sixth album would release today (December 31). Heads can now dive right into Brighter Daze, the first in the duo's catalog, since 2012. Rapsody, Problem, Mac Miller, Bad Lucc are the guests among the Jamla Records LP's 12 tracks.... Read more

December 31, 2015 Audio

Murs & 9th Wonder Announce 6th Collaborative Album…Coming Today

In late 2012, Murs & 9th Wonder released The Final Adventure. The Jamla Records album was the fifth, and said to be final release from the pair—a Los Angeles, California MC and a North Carolina producer. The tandem's work stemmed back to early 2004, with the acclaimed Definitive Jux release,... Read more

December 31, 2015 News

Little Brother’s The Listening vs. Slum Village’s Fantastic, Vol. 2. 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

December 23, 2015 Finding the GOAT

DJ Premier, Slum Village, Royce Da 5’9″, Rapsody & 9th Wonder To Perform At 2016 J Dilla Weekend

The second annual J Dilla Weekend has been announced. The Miami, Florida extension of Detroit, Michigan's longstanding J Dilla Day will take place on February 5-7, 2016. Hosted by Maureen "Ma Dukes" Yancey (Dilla's mother), the event continues a rich tradition of celebrating James Yancey's life and music through performances,... Read more

December 21, 2015 Exclusive, News

Rapper Big Pooh & K-Hill Know No Quitting. This Soulful Song Inspires (Audio)

North Carolina MC K-Hill has been grinding for more than 10 years, making a name for himself through work with the likes of Big Daddy Kane, Sean Boog, and the late PumpkinHead. Making noise from the N.C. state around the same time as Little Brother's emergence, his song "The Prodigal"... Read more

December 11, 2015 Audio

Blu, Rapper Big Pooh & Nottz Carry Some Sweet Soul Across Oceans (Audio)

Fresh off of Home Sweet Home, Rapper Big Pooh and Nottz keep the chemistry flowing. The Virginia pair team with Blu for a triangle offense, who seizes some Australian Soul. Bankrupt Billionaires is a Brisbane act with the booming vocals of Kel On Earth. Band producers Sammsonite and DATS turn... Read more

November 25, 2015 Audio

Rapper Big Pooh Does It Again With a Stellar Album That Feels Like Home Sweet Home (Album Stream)

Throughout his career, Rapper Big Pooh has produced some of his best work when paired with producers with a penchant for soulful beats. From teaming with 9th Wonder as part of Little Brother to releasing this year's Words Paint Pictures album with Apollo Brown, something about deep funky bass lines... Read more

November 13, 2015 Audio

Anderson .Paak Blends Soul Power With Rap Reality On A 9th Wonder Groove (Audio)

This weekend, Anderson .Paak released his first official solo single following a booming three months of attention. With both Dr. Dre and DJ Premier in his corner, the part singer, part MC unleashed "The Season / Carry Me," which is incredibly demonstrative of his style and range. Dr. Dre dropped... Read more

November 8, 2015 Audio

Rapper Big Pooh Looks at the True Cost of Being a Drug Boss (Audio)

Rapper Big Pooh's lyrics often deal in relationships, a deep love of music, and sometimes, a passion for sports. On "300Z" from his upcoming Home Sweet Home album (November 13) with fellow Virginia native Nottz, Heads can hear Pooh in the mind-state of a drug-dealer. No, the Little Brother co-founder... Read more

October 20, 2015 Audio

Little Brother Has 1990s Roots. Revisit The First Phonte & 9th Wonder Recording (Audio)

Last month, Little Brother's sophomore studio album, The Minstrel Show celebrated its 10th anniversary. While the game-changing Durham, North Carolina Hip-Hop trio is not currently touring or recording as a unit, Phonte, 9th Wonder, Rapper Big Pooh, and other former Justus League affiliates all reflected to Watch Loud on the... Read more

October 15, 2015 Do Remember

Phonte & Like Join Madlib, Blu & MED For A Head-Nodding Groove (Audio)

Historically, when Phonte links with Madlib, some amazing audio moments result. 2010's "Best Of Times" collabo with Strong Arm Steady on a Madlib track yielded a video single that still endures. Five years later, 'Tigalo links with 'Lib, care of the Oxnard, California MC/producer/DJ's trio with Blu and MED. Pac... Read more

October 14, 2015 Audio

Sadat X & El Da Sensei Form New Group. Here’s A 9th Wonder-Produced Introduction (Audio Premiere)

For more than 20 years, MCs Sadat X and El Da Sensei have run in the same circles. A product of Brand Nubian and The Artifacts, respectively, these East Coast lyricists have flipped words with flare to stand out amongst their band-mates and peers. Ambrosia For Heads is pleased to... Read more

September 14, 2015 Audio

On Its 10 Year Anniversary, Little Brother Remember The Minstrel Show With New Perspective

According to many Hip-Hop Heads, one of the most complete, cohesive Rap albums of the 2000s is Little Brother's The Minstrel Show. Released by Atlantic Records, the LP is a bittersweet moment for its makers and its legions of fans. Ten years ago yesterday (September 13, 2005), 9th Wonder, Phonte,... Read more

September 14, 2015 Throwback

Rapper Big Pooh Dusts Off Childhood Memories Over Evocative Nottz Chops (Audio)

Rapper Big Pooh is gifted in the ability to present raps that many Heads can relate to. With Nottz composing a reflective arrangement of vocals (by Novej) and drums, the Virginia native returns to his childhood and adolescence from fast food jobs to high school proms, trying to look cool... Read more

September 8, 2015 Audio

Foreign Exchange Announces Sixth Album & It’s Coming Really Soon

A step removed from 2013's Love In Flying Colors, Foreign Exchange has announced their sixth album. On August 21, Phonte and Nicolay will release Tales From The Land Of Milk And Honey. This release, presumably on their own +FE Music imprint, follows 11 years of material, garnering Grammy nominations and appearances on the... Read more

July 8, 2015 News

Rapper Big Pooh Shows 1 of the Scariest Things in Life for Black Men…Being Pulled Over By the Police (Video)

For decades, Hip-Hop has played a pivotal role as a voice for the people and especially so during tough, critical moments in United States history. Most recently, that role has come to the forefront due to consistent acts of police brutality and violence against, most specifically, young black men. That... Read more

June 4, 2015 Audio, Fresh

Phonte & Nicolay Unveil A New Collaboration Beyond The Foreign Exchange Sound (Audio)

Phonte and Nicolay's Foreign Exchange have defied genre. While the pair's serendipitously digital debut, Connected, basked in some Hip-Hop roots, F.E. would later circle the realms of R&B, Pop, and Soul. The journey has been a successful one, marked by acclaimed tours, and Grammy nominations for the independent duo. From Nic's... Read more

May 19, 2015 Audio

Rapper Big Pooh Talks Words Paint Pictures, History With Little Brother and Kicks a Freestyle (Video)

Rapper Big Pooh stopped by the Sway in the Morning show to promote his stellar Words Paint Pictures joint project with Apollo Brown. Pooh spoke about how he, Phonte and 9th Wonder met before forming Little Brother, as well as the current status of their relationship. He also spoke generally... Read more

March 31, 2015 Video

Rapper Big Pooh Releases His Finest Music Since Little Brother (Album Stream)

Rapper Big Pooh has had a host of quality releases since his days with vaunted group Little Brother with Phonte and 9th Wonder. From 2005's Sleepers to his entire Fat Boy Fresh series, Pooh has stayed working. However, his recent union with Apollo Brown has produced some of the best... Read more

March 24, 2015 Audio

Rapper Big Pooh Flips Through His Rhyme Book While Apollo Brown Digs In The Crates (Video)

A month from yesterday (March 24), Rapper Big Pooh & Apollo Brown will release Words Paint Pictures on Mello Music Group. The Virginia-to-Michigan tandem got together to record the LP, and to film "Augmentation." The soulful cut finds each artist in their first loves, rapping and diggin', showing the culture... Read more

February 25, 2015 Video

Rapper Big Pooh Says the Shooting of Unarmed People of Color Must Stop (Audio)

More than two months ago, Ambrosia For Heads gathered some intel that Rapper Big Pooh might be crossing paths with Apollo Brown for a project called Words Paint Pictures. It's 2015, and not gloating or anything, but we were right. The artwork and March 24 EP release date were confirmed... Read more

February 3, 2015 Audio

Finding The GOAT (Round 2): Mos Def vs. Phonte…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

January 30, 2015 Fresh

Phonte & Oddisee Channel Pain Into Beautiful Art, Reacting To The World Today (Audio)

In the wake of the 2014 murders of Michael Brown, Eric Garner, Tamir Rice, and so many other Black men at the hands of law enforcement, there was a large outcry for artists to react, reflect, and somehow find the words we, the people, could not. Those expressions are indeed... Read more

January 13, 2015 Audio

Phonte, DJ Premier & Royce Da 5’9″ Geek Out About Rap, Memories & Battles (Video)

Structure isn't everything in Hip-Hop interviews. Sometimes organic, natural, nonrestrictive discussions go a heck of a lot farther. In their ongoing PRhyme media campaign, DJ Premier and Royce Da 5'9" get an unlikely guest in Phonte. The Stashed orchestrates a casual discussion about a number of things with these three... Read more

December 29, 2014 Fresh, Video

9th Wonder, Talib Kweli & Pharoahe Monch Join Forces to Distribute Independent Hip-Hop (Video)

You think Hip-Hop is dead? 9th Wonder, Talib Kweli and Pharoahe Monch don't. The three like-minded guardians of the culture have come together to form an independent company to distribute Hip-Hop artists who they believe represent the ethos of the music they (and we) have come to love. The company... Read more

October 22, 2014 Video

9th Wonder Says Without Phonte, There Is No Drake (Audio)

During A3C week earlier this month, 9th Wonder served as Reggie Osse's latest guest for a live taping of The Combat Jack Show. Per usual, the conversation spanned the career of the Raleigh-Durham, North Carolina producer/DJ/sometimes-MC. However, there are certainly some impromptu side discussions and points made that make this... Read more

October 20, 2014 Audio, Featured-homepage, Fresh

Rapsody Got Drama For Days (Video)

When she wants to dramatize her verses, Rapsody literally goes underground. Jamla's current flagship artist tells the tale of Beauty & The Beast with the latest visual to her just-released EP. With her team surrounding her, the Kooley High alum spins the yarns on why she's among the best, and... Read more

October 7, 2014 Fresh, Video

Edo G & King Magnetic Visit The Zoo Over A 9th Wonder Groove (Video)

Edo G (f/k/a Ed O.G.) has been a guiding light to two generations of MCs for his ability to kick family-conscious tracks, as well as skillfully make traditional Hip-Hop. Additionally, like his contemporaries Kool G Rap and Tragedy Khadafi, Roxbury's finest has also been a beacon for hardcore, fact-filled Rap... Read more

October 1, 2014 Fresh, Video

Finding the GOAT: Phonte vs. Malice…Who You Got?

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

September 28, 2014 Fresh, Throwback

Rapsody Says It’s Hard To Choose, But It’s Not Hard To Choose Rapsody (Audio)

Leading up October 7's Beauty And The Beast, Rapsody is pulling out all the stops. "Hard To Choose," produced by 9th Wonder, takes strong audit of the North Carolina native's career, and choices as such. Citing everybody from DJ Kool Herc to Afrika Bambaataa to MC Lyte, Rap' explains the... Read more

September 15, 2014 Audio, Fresh

Bad Nuze Brings Rapper Big Pooh & CyHi The Prynce Together On Fight (Audio)

California-meets-Georgia-meets-Virginia. Emerging act Bad Nuze linked with Rapper Big Pooh (Little Brother) as well as G.O.O.D Music's CyHi The Prynce on "Fight (Remix)." Using recent events, the three artists discuss the fight necessary to push ahead. Pooh seems to address the gossip mill, saying "don't ask me about my Brothers,"... Read more

September 5, 2014 Audio, Fresh

Salute to Little Brother’s Phonte & 9th Wonder Who Will Be Honored by Their College

Shout out to Little Brother's Phonte and 9th Wonder who will be honored by their alma mater, North Carolina Central University, as part of their Forty Under Forty Awards Gala. It's great to see Hip-Hop Scholars recognized as such. North Carolina Central University had this to say about the Gala:... Read more

August 30, 2014 Fresh

9th Wonder Calls Nottz “Arguably The Best Beatmaker On The Planet,” Expands Soul Council

Throughout the ages, Nottz and 9th Wonder have worked on the same albums. Including releases from Little Brother, the Virginia and North Carolina producers, respectively, have a strong overlap in the artists and projects they take on. Both producers with history on the mic too, these heralded musical personalities have... Read more

August 20, 2014 Fresh

Little Brother’s Rapper Big Pooh Rocks a 9th Wonder-esque Beat (Audio)

Little Brother's Rapper Big Pooh teams up with BJ the Chicago Kid on a trunk-rattling track by Praise that features some 9th Wonder-esque funk. Pooh sounds right at home on this track and it's a reminder of just how nice this third of LB is. Check out "Last Dance." Related:... Read more

August 18, 2014 Audio

The Roots’ Longtime Manager & Producer Rich Nichols Passes Away

With his name in the liners as far back as Illadelph Halflife, producer Richard Nichols was an integral part of The Roots. Producer, executive, and manager, Nichols was never credited as a member of the Philadelphia, Pennsylvania Hip-Hop band, but was highly involved in their studio work and even transition... Read more

July 17, 2014 Fresh

9th Wonder Honors The Life Of Bobby Womack With An Amazing Sonic Collection (Mixtape)

Following this week's sad news regarding the death of R&B/Soul icon Bobby Womack, Hip-Hop reacted. Since Little Brother's The Listening, 9th Wonder has quietly and carefully alluded to his love (and listening) of Bobby's music. Thereby, 11 years later, it was 9th who was among the first to honor the... Read more

June 30, 2014 Audio, Fresh, Mixes