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Melle Mel Flexes His OG Status On An Eminem Diss

Last week (August 4), Eminem unleashed some diss bars at Grandmaster Melle Mel. Marshall Mathers, who thanked Melle in his Rock & Roll Hall Of Fame induction speech less than a year ago, clearly took umbrage with some of the comments his fellow Hall of Famer has made in the... Read more

Eminem Sends A Message To Melle Mel With A Furious Diss

Since entering August, Hip-Hop celebrations are in high gear as Heads march to August 11's symbolic 50th anniversary. Notably, one of the superstars of Rap is dissing a legendary MC from the culture's formative years. On the new song "Realest," Eminem serves a diss to Grandmaster Melle Mel, his fellow... 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

Rakim Is A Top MC, But He Ain’t No Joke As A Producer Either (Video)

Rakim is widely revered as one of the greatest MCs in Hip-Hop history. However, as the lyrical legend continues to speak about his career in a new light, he may also deserve recognition as one of the culture's great producers. Earlier this week, Rakim stopped by HOT 97's Ebro In... Read more

Finding The GOAT Group: Run-D.M.C. vs. Grandmaster Flash & The Furious Five. Who Is Better?

“Finding the GOAT Group,” the fourth installment of Ambrosia For Heads’ annual competition 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 (which has been determined), including the possibility... Read more

Finding The GOAT Group: Grandmaster Flash & The Furious Five vs. Whodini. 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

Melle Mel Explains Why He Didn’t Think “The Message” Would Be Successful (Video)

Grandmaster Melle Mel is regarded as one of Hip-Hop's first generation MC icons. The lyrical front-man of Grandmaster Flash & The Furious Five helped move the fledgling genre of Rap from the party to a reflection of street reality. In his staggering discography, Melvin Glover was successful in both realms.... Read more

Kidd Creole Of Grandmaster Flash & The Furious Five Charged With Murder

Pioneering Hip-Hop crew Grandmaster Flash & The Furious Five holds one of Rap's most memorable lyrics in their 1982 song "The Message": "Stabbed that man right in his heart, gave him a transplant for a brand new start." Ironically, one of the legendary Bronx collective's members, The Kidd Creole (born... Read more

How Laurence Fishburne & Spike Lee Are Tied To Grandmaster Flash’s “White Lines” Video

Writer and director Ernest Dickerson, perhaps best known for his 1992 directorial debut Juice, worked extensively with Spike Lee in the 1980s and ’90s as his cinematographer. Together, they created a myriad of important films like She’s Gotta Have It, Do The Right Thing and Malcolm X. Sitting down with... Read more

Why Every Rapper Owes A Debt To Grandmaster Melle Mel (Video)

To those who closely study the history of Hip-Hop and embrace the earliest days of Rap, Grandmaster Melle Mel is a living legend and pioneer. The Bronx New York MC has a name that is often mentioned, whether in academic texts like Can't Stop, Won't Stop or Netflix series Hip... Read more

A New List Declares Who’s Been The Best MC Every Year From 1979 to 2016

2017 is still too young to have its best MC crowned, but a new list has named the best MC in each year, since 1979. From Grandmaster Caz to Chance the Rapper, MCs of all generations have found themselves mentioned in the comprehensive list generated by a team of writers... Read more

Kool Moe Dee & Melle Mel Brought the Block Party to the World in 1990 (Video)

With just a few days until the 58th annual Grammy Awards, there may not be a more fitting time for a retrospective on a particularly noteworthy Grammy moment in Hip-Hop history. The year was 1989, and as the world was still getting acquainted with the blossoming New York City youth... Read more

Big Daddy Kane Celebrates Macklemore For Working With Hip-Hop’s Pioneers (Video)

One of the more polarizing occurrences in Hip-Hop this year has been Macklemore's song "Downtown." Since his massive ascension in 2012, the Seattle MC has had both passionate supporters and vitriolic haters, with little in between. The divide was only heightened when Macklemore won the 2014 Grammy Award for Best... Read more

Macklemore, Melle Mel, Grandmaster Caz & Kool Moe Dee Stage an Epic VMA Opening (Video)

Did you ever think you'd see Melle Mel, Grandmaster Caz and Kool Moe Dee on the VMAs? Macklemore & Ryan Lewis made it happen. Fresh off the release of the completely over the top song and video, "Downtown," the Seattle duo topped both with one of the most epic VMA... Read more

Macklemore Collaborates with Melle Mel, Grandmaster Caz & Kool Moe Dee (Video)

The lives of Macklemore & Ryan Lewis have changed immensely since the 2012 release of their album, The Heist. The duo went from being indie Hip-Hop darlings to full-blown global superstars. The album and its singles dominated music for more than a year, culminating in sales of more than 1.4... Read more

Willie D Vs. Grandmaster Melle Mel Boxing Match (Video)

To anybody who's ever learned everything about this early '90s (1992?) short-lived rapper boxing league, finding some footage is priceless. This is some two-plus minutes "Yo! MTV Raps" b-roll footage of Geto Boys O.G. Willie D fighting Grandmaster Melle Mel (of Furious Five fame). It goes without saying, these men... Read more

Celebrating MLK and Inauguration Day (Playlist)

Today is a day of reflection and hope. We look back on the monumental impact of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. and look forward with optimism to the next four year's under 44's leadership. Here's a playlist celebrating the legacy of Dr. King and the inauguration of President Obama for... Read more

Sugar Hill Records introduced hip-hop to most of the world. Nuff said. They are the 4th most important hip-hop record label of all time.

#4 Sugar Hill Records Much has been written about the allegedly shady past of Sugar Hill Records and the lack of credibility of the Sugar Hill Gang (many of Big Bank Hank's rhymes were actually bitten from Grandmaster Caz). Regardless, it cannot be denied that most people had never even... Read more