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Skyzoo Has Released An Entire Album As Snowfall’s Franklin Saint

Skyzoo has been on a tear for the last five years in an already decorated career of elite lyricism and quality album-making. In that time, the Brooklyn, New York veteran MC released In Celebration Of Us, Retropolitan with Pete Rock, and 2021's stunning All The Brilliant Things. 2020 also included two standout EPs within... Read more

The 15 Best Rap Albums Of 2022

As 2022 winds down, it comes time to celebrate the best in Hip-Hop music. As is tradition, the Ambrosia For Heads team weighs in on our opinion of the year's best albums. This list of 15 includes some comeback performances, significant sequel efforts, and collaborative tandems. The collection of LPs also shows... Read more

The 14 Best Rap Albums Of 2021…What Did We Miss

As 2021 comes to a close, it is appropriate to reflect on a remarkable year for Hip-Hop music and news. Although we did it slightly differently this year, Ambrosia For Heads shares our list of the best Hip-Hop Albums Of 2021. On episode #72 of the What's The Headline podcast—starting at 1:13:00—we list our... Read more

Joell Ortiz Names His Top 5 Brooklyn MCs

This month, Joell Ortiz delivered a new album, The Autograph. The release, embedded below, marks Ortiz's fourth with indie stalwart Mello Music Group. After a career cultivated by rapping his circumstances directly to the listener, Joell somehow goes even deeper on his new album. As he tells Ambrosia For Heads' What's The Headline podcast (embedded... Read more

JAY-Z & LL Cool J Brought A President & $3 Billion To The Rock & Roll Hall Of Fame

On Saturday (October 30), LL Cool J and JAY-Z were formally inducted into Cleveland, Ohio's Rock & Roll Hall Of Fame. While Hip-Hop artists have been entering the Hall for over a decade now, 2021's celebration was truly a standout moment for the culture. As Dave Chappelle suggested while inducting... Read more

Skyzoo Explains How Phonte Talked Him Out Of Retiring

Earlier this month, Skyzoo released his latest album, All The Brilliant Things. Already named as one of Ambrosia For Heads' best of 2021 so far, the Mello Music Group LP is reportedly three years in the making. In a run that includes the Pete Rock-produced Retropolitan and 2020's standout The... Read more

The 10 Best Rap Albums Of 2021 So Far

As 2021 quickly approaches its midpoint, it is tradition to evaluate the year's best Hip-Hop albums—so far. So on the latest episode of Ambrosia For Heads' What's The Headline podcast, we did just that. As we did in deciding the best albums of 2020, the AFH team uses the platform to publicly discuss the best... Read more

Swizz Beatz & Timbaland Are Giving Ownership In Verzuz To All Past Participants

It was an exciting week for Hip-Hop. Sunday culminated with a first-time Grammy win for Nas, a poignant second win for Anderson .Paak (as well as a show-stopping performance), and more. As many looked back at a year defined by the pandemic, the week also saw the acquisition of one... Read more

JAY-Z’s Sale Of TIDAL Will Transform How Artists Are Paid For Music

Just weeks after selling half of his stake in Ace of Spades, JAY-Z made another power move. Hip-Hop's first billionaire mogul sold his stake in Tidal to investor Jack Dorsey's Square company in a reportedly $297 million deal this month. Dorsey, the CEO of Twitter, also leads the mobile payment company, which now welcomes... Read more

Here Are Our 20 Best Rap Albums Of 2020

We can all agree that 2020 has been something else. But we can also agree music has been a godsend—especially Hip-Hop music. It has been a pivotal year for Ambrosia For Heads, after a decade of dedication to the culture. However—as we like to do about this time, AFH offers our annual list of... Read more

With Help From Eminem & Royce, Big Sean’s New Album Is Still Detroit Vs. Everybody

Last Friday (September 4), Big Sean released his fifth album, Detroit 2. One day before the eighth birthday of his 2012 mixtape that launched the series, the G.O.O.D. Music/Def Jam Records LP is another ensemble affair. Like the freebie, Royce 5'9" offers some big-brother-support from Detroit. Meanwhile, Eminem, Lil Wayne,... Read more

Who Had The Best Rap Album Of 2019 (Battle 9): Skyzoo & Pete Rock vs. Gang Starr

Over the last couple of years, Ambrosia For Heads has asked our readers to help us determine the Best Rap Album for 2017 and 2018, respectively. In looking at the top music of 2019, we believe that instead of letting the Grammy Awards—a committee who does not know anything about... Read more

Oddisee Checks In With A Brand New Verse & It’s Delightful (Audio)

Elaquent is back in a major way with a new song for 2020. Born Sona Elango, the producer and musician left his native Guelph, Ontario, for the rugged lanes of Washington, D.C., where he cut his teeth forging a style all his own. Through trial and error, Elaquent created his... Read more

Who Had The Best Rap Album Of 2019 (Battle 1): Skyzoo & Pete Rock vs. Smif-N-Wessun

Over the last couple of years, Ambrosia For Heads has asked our readers to help us determine the Best Rap Album for 2017 and 2018, respectively. In looking at the top music of 2019, we believe that instead of letting the Grammy Awards—a committee who does not know anything about... Read more

Here Are Ambrosia For Heads’ Top 25 Rap Albums Of The Decade

In the final hours of a decade, Ambrosia For Heads presents our Top 25 Hip-Hop Albums. The 2010s were a wild ride, with an onslaught of important new voices, and incredible maturation from veteran MCs. It was a 10-year span where artists and songs were discovered new places (including the... Read more

Ambrosia For Heads’ Top 15 Hip-Hop Albums Of 2019 List

It is that season when “best of” lists abound and, in a year that featured some remarkable music from artists across the landscape, 2019 kept Hip-Hop fans on the edge of our seats. There were reunions, surprise collaborations, and show-stopping debut albums. The year also featured innovative label compilations, unexpected... Read more

Homeboy Sandman Is A True Original. Watch Him Spit A Freestyle Like No Other MC.

Fresh off the release of his Dusty album (embedded below), Queens, New York's Homeboy Sandman popped by Peter Rosenberg’s HOT 97 late show to converse about life, his artistic journey, the importance of uniqueness, and monotony in today’s Hip-Hop climate. The 39-year-old Elmhurst representative, who has solidified himself as one... Read more

Apollo Brown’s Album Features Royce, Elzhi, Slum Village & More. Listen Here (Audio)

Apollo Brown continues to be one of the most trusted and most consistent producers in Hip-Hop. The Michigan native, based in Detroit, has made heralded albums alongside Joell Ortiz, O.C., Ras Kass, Planet Asia, and others. Additionally, the Mello Music Group mainstay has been the backbone in groups such as... Read more

Ras Kass Recruits Pete Rock For Some Ice Cold Soul (Video)

Ras Kass has steadily dropped quality material since he came on the scene in the mid-1990s. Soul On Ice 2 is an important album in a respected discography, especially since it was first announced three years ago. When this sequel to 1996's cult-lauded original was released at the beginning of... Read more

Skyzoo & Pete Rock Break Down The Making Of Their Brand New Collabo Album (Video)

Heads were gifted an outstanding collaborative album titled Retropolitan last Friday (September 20) by top-tier lyricist Skyzoo and legendary producer/DJ Pete Rock. The 12-track Mello Music Group LP (embedded below) celebrates Hip-Hop culture and the city that birthed it. As Sky' puts it, the project is a love letter that... Read more

Skyzoo Gets Pete Rock To Kick A Rare Verse & Both Drop Jewels (Audio Premiere)

Tomorrow (September 20), Skyzoo & Pete Rock are releasing an anticipated collaborative album, Retropolitan. The pair's first outing together features the Brooklyn, New York veteran taking on the lyrics recorded to exclusively P.R. production. Guests on the Mello Music Group LP include Styles P, Raheem DeVaughn, and an already-released posse... Read more

Skyzoo, Elzhi & Griselda Body A Pete Rock Beat On 2019’s Hardest Posse Cut (Audio)

In just over two weeks (September 20), Skyzoo & Pete Rock are releasing their joint album, Retropolitan. The 12 all-new songs finish a campaign that began at the top of 2019. Styles P and Raheem DeVaughn are among guests. However, one song contains an arsenal of lyrical talent. "Eastern Conference... Read more

Joell Ortiz Joins The Greats In Making A Heartfelt Dedication To His Mother (Audio)

Late last year, Joell Ortiz released one of his most revered works in Mona Lisa, a collaborative album with producer Apollo Brown. Since then, the Brooklyn, New York veteran has hardly sat still. He opened the year with a joint project, Gorilla Glue, alongside Fred The Godson that was produced by... Read more

Skyzoo Is Gearing Up For 1 Of The Biggest Albums Of His Career & It’s All Good (Video)

Skyzoo is embarking on one of his biggest albums in an already-decorated discography. Next month, S-K-Y and Pete Rock will release Retropolitan (September 20) on Mello Music Group. Both Sky and Rock have done some of their best work with a single collaborator. In addition to legendary work with C.L.... Read more

Skyzoo & Pete Rock’s Album Is Coming Soon. Here’s The 1st Single & Featured Artists

In less than six weeks, Pete Rock & Skyzoo are releasing a joint album. Retropolitan pairs the Brooklyn MC with the Mount Vernon producer, DJ and rapper. After first reported at the top of the year, new details have emerged surrounding the Mello Music Group album as well as its... Read more

Ras Kass Rhymes With A Vengeance. He Vows To Make 2019 His Year (Video Premiere)

Twenty-three years ago, Ras Kass dropped his first studio album, Soul On Ice. The LP brilliantly balanced wordplay with rich information about history, religion, race, and life in the Southern California streets from the MC who reps both Watts and Carson. The Priority Records album featured production from Battlecat, Vooodu, Bird,... Read more

Ras Kass’ Soul On Ice 2 Involves Snoop, Pete Rock, Diamond D & Immortal Technique

For more than three years, Ras Kass has teased fans with a sequel to his cult-lauded 1996 debut, Soul On Ice. After an album trailer (with a fundraising drive) and a revival rendition of that Priority Records title track, "the Waterproof MC" takes a giant leap today (June 19). The... Read more

Quelle Chris Self-Reflects On Life & Legacy In A Dreamy New Video (Premiere)

Just over one month ago, New York-raised but Detroit, Michigan-famed rapper Quelle Chris dropped his latest LP, Guns (embedded below). The record is his sixth solo album to date, although including collaborations and production credits, Chris has more than two dozen projects under his belt. This latest Mello Music Group... Read more

Nolan The Ninja Cuts To The Front Of His Class With His Mello Music Debut (Audio)

Detroit, Michigan MC/producer Nolan The Ninja is at the forefront of Motown's Underground Hip-Hop scene. Along with his partner-in-crime A-Minus, and contemporaries like battle cat Ty Farris, the reinvented Bang Belushi, RSXGLD’s Ro Spit, and more, he is leading the charge of a hardcore brand of Rap coming out of... Read more

Oddisee Explains Why He’s NOT Underrated Or Underground

Oddisee has spent the 2010s making some of the most cohesive and thoughtful albums in Hip-Hop. 2012's People Hear What They See, 2015's The Good Fight, and 2017's The Iceberg are a three-album run as formidable as any in Rap. Meanwhile, the artist born Amir Mohamed el Khalifa has showered his fans with handfuls... Read more

Open Mike Eagle’s New TV Show To Feature MF DOOM, Phonte & Method Man

Chicago, Illinois MC Open Mike Eagle has inserted wit and drama into his music for years. The artist behind such releases as 2016's Hella Personal Film Festival (with producer Paul White), 2017's Brick Body Kids Still Daydream, and last year's What Happens When I Try To Relax EP has partnered... Read more

In 2008, Posdnuos, Oddisee, & J-Live Came Together To Upgrade Hip-Hop

Twenty years ago, MC/producer/DJ J-Live was putting the finishing touches on his debut album, The Best Part. During that time, the talented artist was heard on DJ Premier's New York Reality Check 101 compilation. The Brooklyn, New York-based English teacher was also putting in acclaimed work with Prince Paul and... Read more

Who Had The Best Rap Album Of 2018 (Battle 8): Apollo Brown & Joell Ortiz vs. Royce 5’9

We have our opinions on the best releases of 2018, but rather than simply tell you our pick for #1, we thought it would be more interesting to hear what you, the readers, believe is the Best Rap Album of 2018. With that in mind, we decided to make our... Read more

Joell Ortiz Examines How Growing Up Fast Shaped Him Over A Lush Apollo Brown Beat

Last month, Joell Ortiz and Apollo Brown partnered to release the Mona Lisa album. The Mello Music Group LP is a platform for Joell to look back at his upbringing, react to the dissolving of Slaughterhouse, and call for more MCs with heart, all while celebrating the beauty in the... Read more

Apollo Brown & Joell Ortiz Discuss Their Album, Slaughterhouse & More (Video)

Apollo Brown and Joell Ortiz released their Mona Lisa album on Friday, October 26 (embedded below). These two stalwarts of the culture have put together 11 tracks of soulful, insightful, and competitive-spirited Hip-Hop. Having had a chance to digest this nuanced body of work, Ambrosia For Heads' Editor-in-Chief Jake Paine... Read more

Joell Ortiz Reflects On Slaughterhouse & More On His Collabo With Apollo Brown (Audio)

It seems like Detroit, Michigan’s Apollo Brown has taken it upon himself to pair some of the most lyrical MCs in the game with the tailor-made production they deserve. Since 2012 he has dropped heralded projects with Guilty Simpson, O.C., Ras Kass, Skyzoo, Planet Asia, and earlier this year, Locksmith.... Read more

Slaughterhouse May Be Done But Joell Ortiz & Royce 5’9 Are Still Stomping Out MCs (Audio)

Even with the group apparently on ice, people are talking about Slaughterhouse right now, as much as ever. Eminem spoke about the group during part 2 of his week-long rollout of an interview with Sway. As recently as this weekend, Joe Budden is reflecting on the group dynamic on his... Read more

Salute To Hip-Hop Couples. Jean Grae & Quelle Chris Are Now Married

Remy Ma and Papoose. Offset and Cardi B. Solé and Professor Griff. There are multiple marriages of two rappers throughout history and currently. Hip-Hop can add a new couple to that list after last weekend. Jean Grae and Quelle Chris have married. The couple and friends, including Tanya Morgan's Donwill... Read more

Chris Orrick Finally Unmasks And Faces The Music (Video)

Hailing from the blue-collar pastures of Michigan, Chris Orrick is an MC whose latest album, Portraits, makes a strong case for the value of intense reflection. In January, he announced he was retiring his former moniker (Red Pill) to opt for his given name, after learning of the existence of a... Read more

L’Orange and Solemn Brigham Take It Back To The Lower Levels (Video)

Over the years Mello Music Group has become recognized as one of the top indie labels in Hip-Hop. More specifically, they have become known as the home for collaborative albums between fan-favorite MCs and producers. MMG boardsmen Apollo Brown, Gensu Dean, and L’Orange have all made a name for themselves... Read more

Apollo Brown & Locksmith’s New EP Combines Lyricism With Personal Reflection (Audio)

Richmond, California native Locksmith has a knack for mixing witty lyrics with a flow that delivers his message with a punch. It serves him well as a battle rapper, but perhaps it's even better when he's constructing a body of music. These attributes are heavily on display in his newest... Read more

Apollo Brown & Locksmith Are Releasing An EP. The 1st Song Leaves No Question It Will Be Dope (Audio)

Locksmith has been in the game long enough to go from prodigious street poet to battle MC, to prolific recording artist. Although Lock' is straight out of Richmond, California, his music is not what many might expect from the region. His lyrics do not glorify drugs, sideshows, or violence. Instead,... Read more

Jean Grae Knocked With The Hardest Bars & The Industry Opened The Door (Audio)

Jean Grae was a refreshingly honest and forthright MC when she first emerged out of the New York City underground scene in the late 1990s. Previously known as What? What?, Jean made it abundantly clear to all within an earshot that she was bringing that raw spit. Known to share... Read more

Skyzoo & Raheem DeVaughn Serve D’Angelo’s Devil’s Pie With Their Own Recipe (Audio)

Skyzoo has been in the Rap game for over a decade and a half now. Having worked with 9th Wonder, EPMD, and Spike Lee, the MC has devoted his career to sharpening his skills. The Brooklyn, New Yorker is prepping to drop an album, In Celebration Of Us (February 2) via First... Read more

Who Had The Best Rap Album Of 2017 (Battle 6): Brother Ali vs. Oddisee

We have our opinions on the best albums of 2017, but rather than simply list them, we thought it would be more interesting to hear what you, the readers, believe is the Best Rap Album of 2017. With that in mind, we decided to make our Best Rap Albums Of... Read more

Apollo Brown & Planet Asia Made One Of The Year’s Best LPs. “Get Back” Shows Why (Video)

Apollo Brown & Planet Asia's collaborative album Anchovies holds rank as one of this summer's more cohesive and standout projects. Similar to the video for the LP's second single "The Aura," the bare-bones visual of third single "Get Back" showcases the two through a grainy lens standing under a bridge,... Read more

Oddisee Is In Amazing Stride. He Pops His Collar On A New Single (Audio)

Oddisee has been mostly self-contained in 2017. He produces, he raps, and he does not do a ton of guest vocal features in modern times. Rather, attention is deserved on the Diamond District member's albums, most recently The Iceberg. Oddisee Is Having The Best Year Of His Career & The... Read more

Mr. Lif & Akrobatik Let The Rhythm Hit ‘Em With Heavy Rhymes & Hard Drums (Video)

In late July, Boston MCs Mr. Lif and Akrobatik revived The Perceptionists. The former Def Jux group (which then featured DJ Fakts One) made a strong return on Resolution (which premiered at Ambrosia For Heads), releasing through the Mello Music Group—a label that may be reminiscent of El-P's 2000s imprint.... Read more

Oddisee Is Having The Best Year Of His Career & The Great Music Keeps Coming (Audio)

In February, Oddisee's The Iceberg (below) helped forecast a great year for Hip-Hop. One of Mello Music Group's flagship artists followed up the stellar 2015 effort The Good Fight with another conversation piece about self-care, race relations, and the modern American immigrant family experience. The 15-plus-year veteran multi-threat shows that... Read more

Apollo Brown & Planet Asia Bring Out Some Of The Best In Each Other (Video)

Apollo Brown and Planet Asia have struck again with a second single "Aura" from their upcoming album Anchovies. The songs serve as a formidable addition to one of Detroit's best beat-smiths and the Cali Agent MC's mutual catalog and further displays their undeniable synergy. On A Great Night For Cali,... Read more