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JAY-Z & Biggie Battled But It Wasn’t A Fair Fight

JAY-Z & Biggie Battled But It Wasn’t A Fair Fight

For more than 25 years, Hip-Hop fans have debated who is better between The Notorious B.I.G. and JAY-Z. Both men’s names are perennially heard in conversations about who is the greatest MC of all-time. For them, however, there was something bigger than Hip-Hop: Brooklyn. Fans have not been the only... Read more
July 9, 2023 Food for Thought, Throwback
Lil Wayne Names His Top 5 & Missy Heads The Pack

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
May 7, 2022 Video
Cordae Freestyles Over Biggie’s Beat & Blacks Out

Cordae Freestyles Over Biggie’s Beat & Blacks Out

As 2022 gets underway, Cordae has delivered the freestyle to beat. Approaching his star-studded sophomore album, From A Bird's Eye View, releasing tomorrow (January 14), Cordae swung by the L.A. Leakers to demonstrate his skills. From the top, he warns that there should be a two-month waiting period before another MC... Read more
January 13, 2022 Video
Joell Ortiz Names His Top 5 Brooklyn MCs

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
November 23, 2021 Exclusive, Interview, Video
RZA Explains Why Tupac Was More Dangerous Than The Notorious B.I.G.

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
October 16, 2021 Video
Chucky Thompson, Producer Of Hits For Biggie & Nas, Has Passed Away

Chucky Thompson, Producer Of Hits For Biggie & Nas, Has Passed Away

Legendary Hip-Hop and R&B producer Chucky Thompson has died. Moments ago today (August 10), Young Guru confirmed the news. Thompson worked for over 30 years in music, producing hits including The Notorious B.I.G.'s "Big Poppa," Craig Mack's "Flava In Ya Ear (Remix)," and Nas' "One Mic," along with an extensive... Read more
August 9, 2021 News
Pusha-T Bodied Features In 2019. He Keeps The Trend Going Over DJ Shadow Production

Pusha-T Bodied Features In 2019. He Keeps The Trend Going Over DJ Shadow Production

Following last year's Grammy nomination for DAYTONA, Pusha-T has been a Rap role-player in 2019. He appeared on lauded albums by Freddie Gibbs & Madlib, Benny The Butcher, GoldLink, and YBN Cordae. At the same time, Push' released a collaboration with Lauryn Hill, plus reunited with brother NoMalice for Kanye... Read more
November 20, 2019 Audio
Craig Mack Has Passed Away At The Age Of 47

Craig Mack Has Passed Away At The Age Of 47

MARCH 15 UPDATE: The New York Times has confirmed that Craig Mack was 47 years old at the time of his passing. The Colleton County coroner reports that the rapper died of "natural causes." ORIGINAL MARCH 13 STORY: Craig Mack, the artist who, with his single “Flava In Ya Ear,"... Read more
March 13, 2018 News
See The Evolution Of Hip-Hop From 1979 To The Present In 30 Minutes (Video)

See The Evolution Of Hip-Hop From 1979 To The Present In 30 Minutes (Video)

Over the years, there have been a number of vehicles that show the transformation of Hip-Hop from its inception to the present. The vast majority of these tend to be either hyper-kinetic mashups that showcase 2-3 second snippets of songs, or exhaustive documentaries that unfold over hours, showcasing years of... Read more
November 18, 2017 Video
A Study Identifies Words That Make Each MC Unique. Here’s What Defines Some Of The Best.

A Study Identifies Words That Make Each MC Unique. Here’s What Defines Some Of The Best.

In 2014, data scientist Matt Daniels released a comprehensive study that stirred up intense discourse in the Hip-Hop community. The analysis dissected over 35,000 lyrics to determine which MCs had the most extensive vocabularies in their rhymes. Now, Daniels has returned with another deep dive into Hip-Hop linguistics, and this... Read more
September 26, 2017 Lifestyle
Watch 40 Years Of Hip-Hop History In 4 Minutes In A Mind-Blowing Mashup (Video)

Watch 40 Years Of Hip-Hop History In 4 Minutes In A Mind-Blowing Mashup (Video)

It ain't nothin' like Hip-Hop music...Over the last 40 years, there have been few forces in pop culture with more impact than Hip-Hop. Like Rock & Roll before it, the music and lifestyle shaped an entire generation and has had untold influence around the world. The Rub: The History of... Read more
June 5, 2017 Video
Save This Biggie Mural By Signing A Petition To Make It A Landmark

Save This Biggie Mural By Signing A Petition To Make It A Landmark

UPDATE: Nia Raquelle, who created the petition, has taken it down. She has issued the following statement: "At the request of Spread Art NYC, the community organization that owns the rights to the mural, I am taking this petition down. The organization has stated they are working on a solution... Read more
May 20, 2017 News
Faith Evans Releases Rare Footage Of Tender Moments With Biggie In Her New Video

Faith Evans Releases Rare Footage Of Tender Moments With Biggie In Her New Video

On May 19, Faith Evans will release her new album, The King & I. Featuring a number of rare vocals from The Notorious B.I.G., the project is fashioned as a duets album between Faith and her late husband. After prior singles featuring Jadakiss and Snoop Dogg, Faith has released the... Read more
April 21, 2017 Video
Diddy Explains Why Prince Refused To Be On Biggie’s Life After Death (Video)

Diddy Explains Why Prince Refused To Be On Biggie’s Life After Death (Video)

Today (March 25) marks the 20th anniversary of the release of The Notorious B.I.G.'s album, Life After Death. Released just two weeks after he was killed in Los Angeles, the album served as a bittersweet tribute to the MC the world had just lost. For inhabitants of NYC, and likely... Read more
March 25, 2017 Video
Faith Evans & Biggie Celebrate Both Coasts On Collabos With Jadakiss & Snoop (Audio)

Faith Evans & Biggie Celebrate Both Coasts On Collabos With Jadakiss & Snoop (Audio)

Faith Evans had a momentous year in 2016. She and Lil Kim made peace, she joined Puff Daddy on a nationwide Bad Boy & Family tour, celebrating 20 years of the venerable label, and she announced she would be releasing a new collaboration album featuring her vocals alongside rare verses... Read more
February 1, 2017 Audio
The LOX Say Biggie Took Shots At Them On Their Own Record (Video)

The LOX Say Biggie Took Shots At Them On Their Own Record (Video)

The LOX recently spoke about the first record they ever released for Bad Boy Entertainment. Titled "You'll See," the song was released in 1996 and contained a guest verse from the label's flagship artist, The Notorious B.I.G. Appearing on Genius' ongoing series My First Song, Jadakiss, Styles P and Sheek Louch... Read more
January 23, 2017 Video
Mary J. Blige, Faith Evans & More Recall The Making Of Biggie’s One More Chance Remix (Video)

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
January 11, 2017 Video
Shia LaBeouf Transforms Into The “#1 MC In Hollywood,” With A Monster Freestyle (Video)

Shia LaBeouf Transforms Into The “#1 MC In Hollywood,” With A Monster Freestyle (Video)

Many things come to mind when the name Shia LaBeouf is mentioned. "MC" is not one of them. For years, LaBeouf has been a fixture in Hollywood as an actor and director, who has been involved in major film franchises such as Indiana Jones, Wall Street and, of course, Transformers.... Read more
November 12, 2016 Video
What’s The Greatest Opening Line In Hip-Hop History? Here Are 50 (Video)

What’s The Greatest Opening Line In Hip-Hop History? Here Are 50 (Video)

Hip-Hop is built on debates. Who is the greatest MC of all-time? What's the best album? What's the best song? The arguments are endless and often simultaneously the source of great entertainment and great agita. There have been several lists that aim to settle these matters, and The Peak has released... Read more
September 2, 2016 Video
Andre Harrell Explains How Heavy D Became The Foundation For Uptown Records (Video)

Andre Harrell Explains How Heavy D Became The Foundation For Uptown Records (Video)

While record labels like Def Jam and Bad Boy are often celebrated for their contributions to music, and rightly so, the company that bridged the two is often overlooked. Uptown Records was founded in 1986 by Andre Harrell, one half of the Rap group Dr. Jekyll & Mr. Hyde, and... Read more
July 31, 2016 Video
Lil’ Kim Explains In Detail What Led Up To Rich Homie Quan Forgetting Biggie’s Lyrics

Lil’ Kim Explains In Detail What Led Up To Rich Homie Quan Forgetting Biggie’s Lyrics

On Monday night (July 11) Lil' Kim was among those celebrated at the return of Hip-Hop Honors. For more than 20 years, the Brooklyn, New York representative has amassed a platinum solo career, along with acclaimed work with Junior M.A.F.I.A. The onetime protege of The Notorious B.I.G. would win Grammy... Read more
July 15, 2016 Audio
Here’s What Biggie Would Have Sounded Like On Kanye West Tracks (Audio)

Here’s What Biggie Would Have Sounded Like On Kanye West Tracks (Audio)

Last week, a Kanye West beat tape surfaced from 1997. While Kanye would land placements on records by Foxy Brown and Jermaine Dupri a year later, he had yet to break through in '97. Still, the beats contained on the tape showed the promise of what was to come from... Read more
June 1, 2016 Audio
The Notorious B.I.G.’s Hologram Is Coming Soon, With The Blessing Of His Family & Friends

The Notorious B.I.G.’s Hologram Is Coming Soon, With The Blessing Of His Family & Friends

Last month, Faith Evans announced that she was working on a duets album of music with The Notorious B.I.G. The revelation was shocking, in that it was believed that there were not many remaining unused vocals of B.I.G., after the posthumous releases of Born Again and Duets: The Final Chapter.... Read more
April 11, 2016 News
Joey Bada$$ Carries On Tradition For Brooklyn And Biggie (Audio)

Joey Bada$$ Carries On Tradition For Brooklyn And Biggie (Audio)

Today (March 9) marks 19 years since the world lost The Notorious B.I.G., but his legacy remains as strong as ever. His music stands the test of time as some of the greatest Hip-Hop ever recorded, and he has influenced countless artists since. One MC who has steadfastly carried on... Read more
March 9, 2016 Audio
Imagine Losing the Right to Biggie’s Record Deal Over a Dice Game. Bonz Malone Speaks (Video)

Imagine Losing the Right to Biggie’s Record Deal Over a Dice Game. Bonz Malone Speaks (Video)

Bonz Malone has one of the most distinguished pedigrees in Hip-Hop journalism. In addition to the screenwriting and acting accolades he's amassed for films like Slam and Brooklyn Babylon, he is an author and has written for Vibe, Spin and The Source. After his stint at The Source in the... Read more
August 13, 2015 Video
Usher Says Meeting and Being Around Biggie Made Him More Driven (Video)

Usher Says Meeting and Being Around Biggie Made Him More Driven (Video)

While there are elements of Hip-Hop in Usher's music, in listening to the R&B superstar one might not guess that The Notorious B.I.G. was one of his biggest influences. However, in a recent interview with Montreality, he spoke at length about how meeting Biggie changed his life. When asked if... Read more
June 9, 2015 Video
Can An MC Be Considered The Greatest of All-Time After 5 Years? This Short Film Says YES (Video)

Can An MC Be Considered The Greatest of All-Time After 5 Years? This Short Film Says YES (Video)

“Can it be that it was all so simple then?” The nostalgia effect is a strong one in Hip-Hop, and causes us not only to look back with optimistic revision, but also, at times, prevents us from embracing the greatness of late. It is not uncommon to hear someone argue... Read more
May 8, 2015 Video
Nas & AZ’s Illmatic Collabo Was Supposed to Be Over Juicy. Hear What Could Have Been (Audio)

Nas & AZ’s Illmatic Collabo Was Supposed to Be Over Juicy. Hear What Could Have Been (Audio)

Though the sample has now been used countless times, Heads will forever associate the deep bass line and knock from Mtume's "Juicy Fruit" with The Notorious B.I.G.'s "Juicy" flip on his debut album, Ready to Die. However, a lesser known fact is that the song was originally supposed to be... Read more
April 22, 2015 Throwback
Fabolous Has Been a Bad Boy on These 90s Beats. Check His Latest Freestyle (Audio)

Fabolous Has Been a Bad Boy on These 90s Beats. Check His Latest Freestyle (Audio)

The recent onslaught of MCs rapping over 90s beats has, in most cases, been a welcomed homage to what many consider to be the Golden Era. Jadakiss, Styles P, Lloyd Banks and Tony Yayo are among the many to have refreshed a track over the last few weeks. Fabolous also... Read more
April 18, 2015 Audio
Finding the GOAT: These MCs Are Going to Round 4

Finding the GOAT: These MCs Are Going to Round 4

The polls have closed and, after a fiercely competitive and unpredictable Round 3, there are only 21 MCs remaining in the quest to name Hip-Hop's greatest MC, as determined by you. Since Round 1 began in September, more than 200 MCs have been considered and millions of Hip-Hop fans have... Read more
April 12, 2015 Fresh
Rapsody Drops a Thunder Clap Freestyle Over Biggie’s Who Shot Ya (Video)

Rapsody Drops a Thunder Clap Freestyle Over Biggie’s Who Shot Ya (Video)

Rapsody's profile has taken on new heights over the last few weeks after her inclusion as one of only two guest MCs on Kendrick Lamar's To Pimp a Butterfly album. Now, she and Kendrick have something else in common as each has dropped rough and rugged freestyles over The Notorious... Read more
April 10, 2015 Video
Big Daddy Kane Names His List of the Greatest MCs of All-Time. Who Made the Cut? (Video)

Big Daddy Kane Names His List of the Greatest MCs of All-Time. Who Made the Cut? (Video)

"Me, KRS and Rakim changed the whole way people rhymed..."--Big Daddy Kane Big Daddy Kane is widely considered to be one of the greatest MCs of all-time and, for many, he is the GOAT. So, when Kane speaks about his list of Hip-Hop's best lyricists, it takes on a different... Read more
March 24, 2015 Video
Ever See Eminem’s Lyrical Explosion on This Classic Biggie Beat? (Video)

Ever See Eminem’s Lyrical Explosion on This Classic Biggie Beat? (Video)

Here's a look back at a young Eminem going absolutely berserk on the classic "Kick in the Door" beat that DJ Premier produced for The Notorious B.I.G.'s debut album, Ready to Die. Although it's unclear when the footage was recorded it looks to be from the early 2000s. Marshall appears... Read more
March 21, 2015 Throwback
Kendrick Lamar’s Full Biggie Freestyle Tribute is 7 Minutes of Madness Over 4 Biggie Classics (Video)

Kendrick Lamar’s Full Biggie Freestyle Tribute is 7 Minutes of Madness Over 4 Biggie Classics (Video)

Yesterday (March 9th), iconic LA DJ Big Boy hosted Kendrick Lamar as his first guest on his new show on Real 92.3 FM. Given the anniversary of The Notorious B.I.G.'s passing, Big Boy had Kendrick freestyle over some of Biggie's classic tracks and released a snippet. Now, the full interview... Read more
March 10, 2015 Video
Raekwon Explains Ghostface’s Biggie Diss on The Purple Tape. Goes Deep on Wu History (Video)

Raekwon Explains Ghostface’s Biggie Diss on The Purple Tape. Goes Deep on Wu History (Video)

After more than 20 years in Hip-Hop, Raekwon has some stories...lots of them. He sat down with Sway and had as deep of a conversation as you will ever hear from the Wu-Tang Clan killer bee. The OGs covered a lot of ground, starting with how the Wu changed the... Read more
February 28, 2015 Video
What If Biggie’s Warning Was a Real-Life Situation Happening to a Family? (Video)

What If Biggie’s Warning Was a Real-Life Situation Happening to a Family? (Video)

This one slipped through the cracks...Earlier in the year, the CatManCan Do Film Posse decided to do a short film based on a re-enactment of the lyrics to the Notorious B.I.G.'s "Warning." The catch? The song's conversation is held among a small town family in their kitchen and the bedroom... Read more
November 18, 2014 Video
Jadakiss Says He Knew He Made It When Biggie Co-Signed Him (Video)

Jadakiss Says He Knew He Made It When Biggie Co-Signed Him (Video)

Jadakiss recently guested on ESPN's Highly Questionable. The Lox MC spoke about a host of things including DMX's scary driving, partying with the Knicks (but partying harder with their opponents...), and knowing he had made it as an MC when he got the co-sign from The Notorious B.I.G. Check out... Read more
October 8, 2014 Video
Method Man, Diddy, Funkmaster Flex, Red Alert & Mister Cee Reflect on Ready to Die (Video)

Method Man, Diddy, Funkmaster Flex, Red Alert & Mister Cee Reflect on Ready to Die (Video)

September 13th marked the 20th Anniversary of The Notorious B.I.G.'s classic album, Ready to Die. Method Man, Diddy, Mister Cee, Funkmaster Flex and DJ Red Alert reflected on the album, 20 years later. Meth speaks on being the only guest on the album and the subterfuge required for him to... Read more
September 14, 2014 Video
Here’s a Blend of Biggie & Tupac Vocals Over Watch the Throne Beats (Audio)

Here’s a Blend of Biggie & Tupac Vocals Over Watch the Throne Beats (Audio)

For nearly 20 years, Tupac and The Notorious B.I.G. have been nearly inextricably linked. The 2 Hip-Hop heavyweights had an indelible effect on Hip-Hop and their deaths cast a shadow on the culture that lasted for years. September 13th provides another link between the two icons. The date marks the... Read more
September 13, 2014 Food for Thought, Mixes
Chris Brown’s Loyal Gets a Remix with The Lox and a Dash of Biggie (Audio)

Chris Brown’s Loyal Gets a Remix with The Lox and a Dash of Biggie (Audio)

Chris Brown's Loyal record has been all over the radio but it recently got the remix treatment from producer Ted Smooth. The new version plays like a Bad Boy reunion, with The Lox adding verses over the new track, which Heads will recognize as the instrumental for Biggie's I Got... Read more
May 13, 2014 Audio
AFH Celebrates Biggie Smalls with a Playlist of His Videos & Some Classic Freestyles (Video)

AFH Celebrates Biggie Smalls with a Playlist of His Videos & Some Classic Freestyles (Video)

We continue our all day celebration of The Notorious B.I.G., on the anniversary of his passing, with a playlist of some of his videos as well as clips of classic freestyles with Tupac, Nas, Lil Cease and more. Click play and reminisce on the life and legacy of Biggie Smalls... Read more
March 9, 2014 Playlists, Throwback
Bone Thugs-N-Harmony Pay Tribute to Eazy-E, Tupac & The Notorious B.I.G. (Video)

Bone Thugs-N-Harmony Pay Tribute to Eazy-E, Tupac & The Notorious B.I.G. (Video)

Which group in Hip-Hop has recorded with each of Biggie, Tupac and Eazy-E? That's correct...Bone Thugs-N-Harmony. The group recently paid tribute to each of the fallen legends by performing a medley of their collabos. Check out the video of Bone performing Foe Tha Love Of $, Thug Luv and Notorious... Read more
September 25, 2013 Video
NahRight’s 10 Classic Biggie Smalls Mixtape Cuts

NahRight’s 10 Classic Biggie Smalls Mixtape Cuts

To celebrate the 19th anniversary of the release of The Notorious B.I.G.'s Ready to Die album yesterday, NahRight put together a phenomenal piece on 10 Classic Biggie Smalls Mixtape Cuts. Here's what NahRight had to say about their entry #6: 6. “Freestyle” (off Puff Daddy and DJ S&S’s Bad Boy... Read more
September 14, 2013 Food for Thought
DJ Premier Discusses the Genesis of 10 Crack Commandments and More on The Combat Jack Show (Video)

DJ Premier Discusses the Genesis of 10 Crack Commandments and More on The Combat Jack Show (Video)

Would you believe the Notorious B.I.G.'s classic 10 Crack Commandments was originally a radio promo spot featuring Jeru Tha Damaja on NYC's Hot 97? You can hear DJ Premier discuss that on The Combat Jack Show and listen to the original Jeru version below. Props: NahRight Related: DJ Finesse –... Read more
July 1, 2013 Video
Notorious B.I.G. Tribute Mix (Audio)

Notorious B.I.G. Tribute Mix (Audio)

Salute to Biggie Smalls. He would have been 41 today. To celebrate his life, Mister Cee did a Notorious B.I.G. tribute mix. You can listen to it below. Related: DJ Finesse – B.I.G. over Premier (Biggie Tribute Blend Mix)... Read more
May 21, 2013 Audio
The Notorious BIG and Puff Daddy Perform in London (Video)

The Notorious BIG and Puff Daddy Perform in London (Video)

Unbelievably, it was 16 years ago today that we lost Biggie Smalls. To celebrate his LIFE, here's some rare concert footage of Biggie and performing in London. It looks like it was filmed for TV, so the video and audio quality are high. Warning: it will leave you wanting more...... Read more
March 9, 2013 Video
Lord Finesse – Crate Diggers + Playlist of His Songs & Productions (Video + Audio)

Lord Finesse – Crate Diggers + Playlist of His Songs & Productions (Video + Audio)

Lord Finesse may be one of the most slept on talents in hip-hop EVER. As a double threat MC/producer, he had a legendary run in the 90's, releasing acclaimed underground albums and producing tracks for artists like Big L, Biggie, Dr. Dre, OC, Fat Joe and more. Here's an interview... Read more
January 23, 2013 Playlists, Video
What makes an album a classic? Here are our criteria and 15 albums we think make the cut (with songs from each) (Food For Thought)

What makes an album a classic? Here are our criteria and 15 albums we think make the cut (with songs from each) (Food For Thought)

With the release of Kendrick Lamar's good kid, m.A.A.d. city album, many are using the word "classic" (including us--though we said "modern day classic"...more on that later) about a hip-hop album for the first time in a long, long time. No doubt, just the utterance of the "c" word is... Read more
October 26, 2012 Audio, Food for Thought, Throwback, Video
Yasiin Bey (pka Mos Def) – Bey

Yasiin Bey (pka Mos Def) – Bey

Here are some new verses from Yasiin Bey (pka Mos Def) over the John track in honor of the birthdays of Malcolm X and The Notorious BIG. Malcolm X was born on May 19th and Biggie would have been 40 today. Check out Bey.  Related:  Rare footage of Biggie performing... Read more
May 21, 2012 Audio
Here’s some extremely rare footage of Biggie performing with an assist from Jay-Z. Check it out below (Video)

Here’s some extremely rare footage of Biggie performing with an assist from Jay-Z. Check it out below (Video)

Courtesy of the legendary Ralph McDaniels (story below). Related: Notorious BIG Behind The Music (Full Video) Here's what Ralph McDaniels had to say about the video: “Every year, I had a birthday party,” said McDaniels. “I wanted to get B.I.G. to host [it], but really I wanted him to perform.... Read more
May 18, 2012 Video
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