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The Top 20 Rap Albums Of All-Time As Determined By Millions Of Fans

Earlier this month, the Hip-Hop community reacted to the latest high-profile lists ranking the greatest Rap albums of all time. Rolling Stone magazine and a team of journalists and writers ranked 200 Hip-Hop LPs, prompting plenty of reaction. It was not the first list of this kind, and it certainly will not... Read more

Biggie Smalls’ Demo Tape Collaborator DJ 50 Grand Has Passed Away

DJ 50 Grand played a pivotal role in the career of Biggie Smalls. The Bedford Stuyvesant, Brooklyn native born Kevin Griffin has reportedly died over last weekend at the age of 55. No cause of death has been made public. Junior M.A.F.I.A. member Lil' Cease, Revolt, and Andscape's Justin Tinsley... Read more

Lil Wayne Names His Top 5 & Missy Heads The Pack

Lil Wayne was a recent guest on What's Wright? With Nick Wright. There, the FOX Sports commenter and the New Orleans, Louisiana Rap superstar discussed the Green Bay Packers, Rap peers, and more. For Hip-Hop Heads, Wayne was asked to offer his Top 5 rappers list. “I got...for me, first:... Read more

Benny The Butcher Adds 10 Crack Commandments To Biggie’s List

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, it’s better than it’s ever been. Not only can we go back... 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

RZA Explains Why Tupac Was More Dangerous Than The Notorious B.I.G.

Wu-Tang Clan's RZA was a contemporary of both Tupac Shakur and The Notorious B.I.G. The Abbott produced "Long Kiss Goodnight" from Biggie's diamond-certified double-album Life After Death, a song that many Hip-Hop Heads interpreted to be one of the Brooklyn, New York MC's responses to Pac—even after Shakur was fatally... 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

Stretch & Bobbito Release An Album That Honors Some Of Hip-Hop’s Building Blocks

Stretch Armstrong and Bobbito Garcia are legends in the culture of Hip-Hop. The duo began their careers in radio on Columbia University’s WKCR radio station. Their late-night show helped jump-start iconic Rap careers by featuring the then-unsigned likes of Nas, JAY-Z, Wu-Tang Clan, Eminem, Big L, Biggie Smalls, Fugees, Big... Read more

Biggie Smalls Will Be Inducted Into The Rock & Roll Hall Of Fame

After weeks of open voting, the 2020 Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductee class was revealed this Wednesday morning (January 15). With some notable musical acts up for consideration — Depeche Mode, The Doobie Brothers, Whitney Houston, Nine Inch Nails, and T-Rex — it is their sixth on the... Read more

1 Year After Craig Mack’s Passing, Look Back At Another Song That Has Flava

One year ago today (March 12, 2018), the late-night news of Craig Mack's passing felt like an essential piece of 1990s Rap fabric was ostensibly gone forever. The 47-year-old Long Island, New York representative died from natural causes. His legacy was connected to the genre's elite from the genesis of... Read more

Who Are The Top 5 MCs Of All-Time? Allen Iverson Has The Answer.

Allen Iverson wrote a lengthy article in the latest edition of The Player’s Tribune (December 6) titled, "Allen." In the piece, the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame inductee covers everything from his connection to Meek Mill, to an anecdote about giving a Bentley to former teammate Larry Hughes, to... Read more

DJ Premier Re-Creates The “Ten Crack Commandments” Beat Using Turntables (Video)

The 14th Annual A3C Festival has been taking place since Wednesday in Atlanta, Georgia. As usual, this premiere Hip-Hop gathering had an amazing line-up of the genre’s best and brightest performing. Names like Wu-Tang Clan, The Diplomats, Talib Kweli, Lil Wayne, Mannie Fresh, and PRhyme have been headlining the event... Read more

One Of Biggie’s Final Radio Appearances Is A Moment That Can Never Be Tuned Out (Video)

In today’s Hip-Hop landscape, Sway Calloway is most synonymous with hosting both established and budding MCs at the Shade 45 studios in New York, providing them a globally esteemed platform to showcase their verbal readiness. A successful Sway In The Morning appearance has become somewhat of a seal of approval for... Read more

Do Remember When Biggie & The LOX Flexed A Freestyle Over Wu-Tang’s C.R.E.A.M. (Audio)

Earlier this week, Styles P was on The Breakfast Club to promote his newly-released G-Host album. During the interview discussion, co-host Charlamagne Tha God mentioned The LOX and The Notorious B.I.G.'s important collaborative freestyle appearance on early 1997's The Mixtape Vol. II: 60 Minutes Of Funk by Funkmaster Flex. He... Read more

Mary J. Blige, Faith Evans & More Recall The Making Of Biggie’s One More Chance Remix (Video)

Approaching a year after The Notorious B.I.G.'s Ready To Die released, Biggie Smalls, Puff Daddy, and the Bad Boy Records family were still hard at work delivering it to the masses. While Junior M.A.F.I.A. was fast at work on their own offshoot debut, Puffy commissioned an album-cut remix. "One More... Read more

Biggie’s Ready To Die vs. Wu-Tang Clan’s Enter The Wu-Tang. Which Is Better?

Last September, Ambrosia For Heads launched a debate among its readers seeking to answer one of Hip-Hop’s most hotly-contested questions: what is the greatest Rap Album Of All-Time? “Finding The GOAT Album” has considered more than 120 albums from the 80s, 90s and 2000s (40 in each), with options for... Read more

The Notorious B.I.G.’s Ready To Die vs. Slick Rick’s The Great Adventures Of…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

The Role Of Biggie Is Cast In The Tupac Biopic. And You’ve Seen Him Before…

In 2016, the Tupac Shakur biopic All Eyez On Me is slated to reach movie theaters. Starring Demetrius Shipp, Jr. as the late Hip-Hop superstar, the L.T. Hutton-produced film also stars veteran Hollywood actor Hill Harper. The role of Tupac's close friend-turned-nemesis has also now been cast. Jamal Woolard has... Read more

The Notorious B.I.G.’s Ready To Die vs. Lauryn Hill’s The Miseducation Of Lauryn Hill. 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

The Game Takes Biggie’s Kick in the Door Beat & Adds Some Bang, With a Co-Sign From Puff Daddy (Audio)

The Game is on one right now. His double album follow up to his debut LP The Documentary will be released in 2 weeks, with part 1 hitting stores on October 9 and part 2 following the week after. Earlier this week, he set the web on fire with his... Read more

Vic Mensa Ends All Questions About Why Jay Z Signed Him With This Freestyle Over Classic Biggie (Audio)

Over the past few months, Vic Mensa has been adding his own flavor to the work of others, including his re-imagining of Future's "Codeine Crazy," his "Breakfast Bars" segment attacking some vintage Ice Cube beats, and his chance to pay homage to his current boss, Jay-Z, by freestyling over the... Read more

Obey Your Thirst, And Some Nas, Biggie, Drake, & Rakim Lyrics While You’re At It…

One of the first companies to respect and reflect Hip-Hop for the force that it is will be honoring the culture again. Soon, cans with lyrics by Rakim, Nas, Biggie and Drake will be in stores across the nation. Sprite has launched a new line of limited edition products sporting... Read more

Mister Cee Reveals Slick Rick Once Fully Stepped to Big Daddy Kane…Strapped (Audio)

DJ Mister Cee is the latest guest on Cipha Sounds & Peter Rosenberg's Juan Epstein podcast/show. In Part 2 (Part 1 ran earlier this month), The Finisher speaks to his friends and former HOT 97 colleagues in depth about the two figures most closely associated with the Brooklyn, New York... Read more

Chris Rivers Tears Down Another Track With A Cold Lyrical Display (Video)

Not just in his bloodline, Chris Rivers is out to walk the path and stand in the circle with the lyrical giants. He draws strong connections to other great MCs, including The Notorious B.I.G in Wonderland Of Misery 2's "Askin." Surrounded by his homies, in front of mural images of... Read more

DJ Doo Wop Takes Everybody Back To School With Another Great Mix (Audio)

DJ Doo Wop marks the Back to School season with the second installment of his Coolout series. Within, Doo Wop goes free form with the New York City Hip-Hop he helped distribute and bring awareness throughout the '90s and early 2000s. Doo Wop touches a lot of hits from the... Read more

The Notorious B.I.G’s Ready To Die 20 Years Later, The Best Of All Worlds (Food For Thought)

Twenty years ago today (September 13, 1994), The Notorious B.I.G and Bad Boy Records released Ready To Die, one (and many argue the best) of the two handfuls of incredible debut albums introduced in 1994. A long hot summer after Nas' Illmatic, with Wu-Tang Clan's Enter The Wu-Tang (36 Chambers)... Read more

DJ Clark Kent Remembers Junior M.A.F.I.A’s Player’s Anthem With A Funny LL Cool J Story (Video)

DJ Clark Kent is one of Hip-Hop's most consistent veterans. A DJ, a record executive, a producer, and a sneaker-head, Clark's hands (and more importantly, his ears) have shaped the careers of many, ranging from Jay Z and Rakim, to Saafir and Canibus. Sitting down with Hip-Hop Wire's Alvin Blanco,... Read more

Mike D Speaks on the Evolution of Violence in Hip-Hop Fueled by the Death Row vs. Bad Boy Feud (Video)

In a recent sit down with Vanity Fair Magazine, Mike D of The Beastie Boys discusses how the Death Row versus Bad Boy feud changed the course of Hip-Hop for all artists, including himself, as they had to learn to navigate in a culture of escalating violence. In part one... Read more

A Candid Look At Hip-Hop From Around The World In B+’s Ghostnotes (Video)

Brian "B+" Cross, who is the talented, Dublin born photographer known for his work on a myriad of album covers, recently previewed his series Ghostnotes at the Unsung Heroes of the American West event last April. The snapshots take a candid look back at some of Hip-Hop's biggest names around... Read more

Sadat X Talks Brand Nubian, Biggie, ‘Pac & Jay Z On Juan Epstein (Audio)

Sadat X sits down with Cipha Sounds and Peter Rosenberg to listen to some old Sadat cuts and discuss a wide variety of topics including his influences, early stories surrounding Brand Nubian including his initiation with Grand Puba and Lord Jamar and their subsequent '90s break-up, as well as some... Read more

The Notorious B.I.G.’s Earliest Mentor, DJ Mister Cee Laid Down A Biggie Birthday Mix (Audio)

Before Puff Daddy, before Heavy D, before even Easy Mo Bee, it was DJ Mister Cee who took musical interest in a young Christopher Wallace. Mister Cee was a Brooklyn big-shot back in 1992, known as a fixture for DJ'ing and producing for Big Daddy Kane and others, as part... Read more

Bad Boy Records made the East Coast relevant again in rap music, making it the 3rd most important hip-hop record label in history.

#3 Bad Boy Records While East Coast Rap music was never dead, there is no question that from mid-1992 to mid-1994 commercial hip-hop was dominated by the West Coast, primarily by Death Row Records. It was not until Sean "Diddy" Combs was fired from Uptown Records and decided to launch... Read more

Salute to Shaquille O’Neal. His presence in the NBA will be sorely missed.

In honor of the big fella, here are a couple of dope joints linking Shaq and hip-hop's big fella, Biggie Smalls. First up is Shaq's Can't Stop the Reign ft The Notorious B.I.G., and next is a powerful video ESPN dropped a few months ago examining the connection between Shaq... Read more

Rapper Big Pooh and WarrenJae spit some flame on a track with a funked up riff on the Herb Alpert bass line featured on Biggie’s Hypnotize.

Check out Live. Click here to download Live.  This is from WarrenJae's solid mixtape, titled The Dreamcatcher, which you can listen to and download here.  Here's the Biggie joint: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ypP8sMHo74Y And, here's Herb Alpert's original, Rise (the sample kicks in around 3:15): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ennMD1fPtXA... Read more

This week’s playlist is the first in a series dedicated to the greatest producers in hip-hop. First up is the legendary DJ Premier.

Primo burst onto the national scene more than 23 years ago and has been a hip-hop staple ever since. He represents guaranteed credibility for any project he touches and has often been the go-to guy for the greatest rappers in the game. You know what to expect: Biggie, Nas, Jay-Z,... Read more

Ever see Rhyme & Reason? After nearly 15 years it still stands as one of the best films ever on hip-hop. Watch the whole movie here.

It takes a comprehensive look at hip-hop THE CULTURE through the words of some of the best rappers to advance it: Nas, Biggie, Pac, KRS-One, Q-Tip, RZA, Ice-T, MC Eiht, Pharcyde, Lauryn Hill, Dr. Dre...It doesn't stop.... Read more

Here’s a Presidents Day playlist dedicated to the presidents most celebrated in hip-hop: Dead Presidents.

This one is all about the mighty dollar. You'll find some Jay-Z, J. Cole, Nas, Wu-Tang Clan, Biggie, Dogg Pound, DJ Quik, Scarface, 2Pac, 50 Cent and some outliers like Zion I and Mountain Brothers. Press play, sit back and count stacks.... Read more

Ever see the movie Freestyle: The Art of Rhyme? It explores the art of truly coming off the top of the dome with clever lyrics.

Nowadays, anytime someone spits a verse that's not on wax or in concert it's considered a "freestyle." It wasn't always like that though. It used to be that a true freestyle was a complete impromptu rap that was often inspired in the heat of battle with another MC. If you... Read more

It’s been 14 years since the death of Biggie Smalls and even longer for Tupac Shakur. Still, the murders remain unsloved.

Earlier this month, news broke that new leads in The Notorious B.I.G.'s murder have been uncovered and the case has been re-opened. Will we finally learn the truth? In the meantime, it's a good time to re-visit Biggie and Tupac, one of the best documentaries out there on their deaths.... Read more

The Kid Daytona flew under the radar in 2010 but dude is DOPE. Get ready to hear a lot more from him in 2011. Here’s the video for his song On The Hill.

He takes it back to the nineties, kicking hot lyrics over a super-jazzy sample. You may recognize the sample from when Biggie and Jay-Z murdered it on Puff Daddy's Young G's: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qmYks8YKOZU Here's the original--On The Hill by Oliver Sain: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o-MSeohFtnM&feature=player_embedded... Read more

Rewin(d) – AFH Samples (Video Playlist)

We recently posted a documentary about sampling so it seems fitting to make this week's playlist one dedicated to some classic samples. You'll find music sampled by Jay-Z, Dr. Dre, A Tribe Called Quest, Kanye West, DJ Quik, Biggie, 2Pac, Snoop Dogg, Eminem, Redman, Black Moon and more. The tracklist... Read more

It’s a slow day for new hip-hop so we take matters into our own hands. Check out this playlist of some classic joints.

Each Thursday night, we will be bringing you a different playlist to ease you into the weekend.  This week's is full of old gems.  You'll hear joints from Common, Wu-Tang Clan, De La Soul, Snoop, Biggie, Outkast, Gang Starr, Nas, The Roots and others.  Just press play, sit back and... Read more

There's a reason why Faith Evans and Biggie got married. She has hip-hop in her blood. In her latest song They Wanna Know ft Ras Kass she rips Nas' One Love track. Check it out.

Ras Kass verse is just aiight but Faith makes up for it: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p8Lra0lW-Z0 Click here to download. Here's the classic Nas joint: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3yKDMrX8LlY And, in case you missed Faith singing over Biggie's Everyday Struggle, check this out.  ... Read more

Wow. Faith Evans MURDERED her version of Biggie’s classic Everyday Struggle. She didn’t even need Raekwon’s verse (but it didn’t hurt).

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HaXkcHmaFE0 Click here to download. Here's Biggie's track, in case it's been a while: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rogvlB2SP4k And, in case you're interested, here's the original track Biggie sampled, Either Way by Dave Grusin: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pADrZfzPrAY&feature=player_embedded#!... Read more

Bad Boy Records made the East Coast relevant again in rap music, making it the 3rd most important hip-hop record label in history.

#3 Bad Boy Records While East Coast Rap music was never quite completely dead, there is no question that from mid-1992 to mid-1994 commercial hip-hop was dominated by the West Coast, primarily by Death Row Records (more on that later...).  It was not until Sean "Diddy" Combs was fired from... Read more

Let's Go!!! – Playlist

Old school hip-hop playlist guaranteed to get you hyped. Tracklist below. Click here to play. Notorious B.I.G. – Who Shot Ya? Jay-Z – Rock Star Lil Cease ft. Lil Kim and Puff Daddy – Play Around Big Pun – Glamour Life Mase ft. Puff Daddy – Can’t Nobody Hold Me... Read more