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Treach Names His Top 5 MCs From New Jersey

On the most recent episode of Drink Champs, Naughty By Nature's Treach appeared as the guest. The Grammy Award-winning veteran MC discussed over three hours worth of topics. Last year, the NBN co-founder vented frustrations about Top 5 lists and their impact on Hip-Hop. “I don’t think a lot of... Read more

Missy Elliott Is The First Female Hip-Hop Artist Inducted Into The Rock & Roll Hall Of Fame

This weekend (November 3), Missy Elliott became the first female Hip-Hop artist to enter the Rock & Roll Hall Of Fame. The Virginia veteran MC/producer appeared at Brooklyn, New York's Barclays Center, where she was presented the honor by her "Fast Car" collaborator Queen Latifah. The presenter credited Missy Elliott... Read more

Native Tongues vs. The Juice Crew: The Greatest Rap Crew Competition

In recognition of Hip-Hop’s 50th anniversary, BET Digital, in partnership with Ambrosia For Heads, is celebrating the culture by hosting a bracket-style competition that allows you to determine Hip-Hop’s greatest crew. Rather than having “experts” tell you who is the greatest of all-time, this is your opportunity to collectively make that... Read more

Hip-Hop Legends From The Last 50 Years Gave The Most Iconic Tribute Ever

Last night (February 5), the Grammy Awards celebrated Hip Hop's upcoming 50th birthday. LL Cool J, one of the culture's first superstars, introduced the special concert, in which he also performed. During the presentation, LL pointed to August 11, 1973, and the Bronx back-to-school jam at a rec center, made... 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

JAY-Z Is Inducted Into The Rock & Roll Hall Of Fame By More Than 40 Stars

JAY-Z, LL Cool J, Foo Fighters, The Go-Go's and a host of other music legends were inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame on Saturday, October 30. Footage and many of the details from the illustrious night leaked in real time and the days that followed. Hip-Hop owned... Read more

MC Lyte, Lil Kim, Monie Love & Rapsody Celebrate Queen Latifah (Video)

2021's BET Awards were a celebration of Black women from start to finish. The 3+ hour show was hosted by Taraji P. Henson and featured performances and appearances by Issa Rae, Megan Thee Stallion, Andra Day and more. It also revealed to the world that Cardi B was expecting her... Read more

Rapsody Details Making Eve & Describes The Big Response To 1 Of 2019’s Best LPs

In late August, Rapsody released her Eve album. The North Carolina native's third full-length raised the stakes on a critically-acclaimed discography with a profound concept. Across 16 songs, Rapsody celebrated Black women with namesake titles, open to varying interpretations and connections. Whether they were clear-cut tributes or loose homages, the... Read more

Rapsody’s Eve Is 1 Of The Year’s Best Albums In Any Category

In terms of receipts from paying dues, Rapsody possesses suitcases full of them. Her career dates back to an inconspicuous debut on 9th Wonder's Dream Merchant 2 interludes a dozen years ago. That look came after years of studying under the famed producer, long before she ever touched one of his beats... Read more

Rapsody & Latifah Unite As Two Generations Of Hip-Hop Queens (Audio)

Today (August 23), Rapsody released her Eve album. The North Carolina MC's first project since the 2017 Grammy-nominated Laila's Wisdom keeps the conceptual style going. Rap' titled each of the 16 songs after great Black women in history, ranging from "Afeni" to "Michelle" to "Maya." The Jamla/Roc Nation affair involves... Read more

Bahamadia Makes A Statement For Gender Equality & She Will Not Be Ignored (Video)

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania Rap veteran Bahamadia has been busy making music since her Gang Starr co-signed 1996 debut album, Kollage. Since then, she has been featured alongside the likes of The Roots, Jedi Mind Tricks, and Erykah Badu. Two years ago, Bahamdaia produced an entire EP, Dialed Up 2, strictly through... Read more

De La Soul Recall The Origins Of The Native Tongues & The MC Who Started It (Video)

Earlier this month, De La Soul's episode of Drink Champs featured an extensive and newsworthy preview. N.O.R.E. and DJ EFN released the part of the discussion where Posdnuos, Dave, and Maseo addressed their ongoing, and sometimes public negotiations with Tommy Boy Music surrounding the digital revenue and rights to the... Read more

Queen Latifah’s New Venture Puts Ladies First & Behind The Camera

Early in her career, Queen Latifah was known for her skillful rapping and singing. The Flavor Unit standout splashed onto the scene with her debut album, All Hail The Queen. Nearly 30 years later, Queen Latifah's work in entertainment could never be pigeonholed, as the now mogul found her career... Read more

The Native Tongues Had Mad Flavor. This 6-Hour Mix Celebrates All The Ingredients (Audio)

There are not many collectives that have had as much impact on Hip-Hop, and on music in general, as Native Tongues. Although they never released an album as a unit, this extended family started in the late 1980s with seminal groups Jungle Brothers, A Tribe Called Quest, and De La... Read more

Finding The GOAT Group: Brand Nubian vs. Jungle Brothers. Who Is Better?

“Finding the GOAT Group,” the fourth installment of Ambrosia For Heads’s 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, including the possibility for write-in candidates, to... Read more

Dave East Sets It Off With A Single That Rings The Alarm (Audio)

Dave East has become one of the most prolific artists of the last five years, especially on the level he has reached. After last year's Def Jam debut Paranoia: A True Story, Dave kept the momentum going by linking up with DJ Holiday and dropping his Karma mixtape a few... Read more

Busta Rhymes, Black Thought & MC Lyte Give A Knockout Tribute To LL Cool J (Video)

Earlier this month, LL Cool J became the first Hip-Hop artist to be celebrated as a Kennedy Center Honoree. Last night (December 27), the full ceremony aired on CBS, and LL’s tribute was one fit for a GOAT. While it is customary to have a celebrity introduce honorees at these... Read more

Lauryn Hill Celebrates Queen Latifah With A Blazing Performance Of Ladies First (Video)

Just over a week ago at the Revolt Music Conference, Queen Latifah was the recipient of the annual Jimmy Iovine Icon Award. Named after the record mogul, recently showcased in The Defiant Ones documentary, who helped shape the careers of Dr. Dre, Tupac, U2, Tom Petty, Will.I.Am and many more,... Read more

Queen Latifah & Jada Pinkett Smith Set It Off Again At The Box Office With “Girls Trip”

Films by Black directors, screenwriters, and casts continue to prove that diverse voices are Hollywood gold. With Straight Outta Compton, Hidden Figures, Moonlight, and Get Out still fresh in our memories, Girls Trip is continuing the recent streak of Black cinema breaking records, winning awards, and driving the conversation about diversity in film. Starring Queen Latifah, Jada... Read more

Queen Latifah Says Today’s Rappers Have Gotten Soft (Video)

Queen Latifah recently appeared on Ebro In The Morning. The MC-turned-actress-turned-producer reunited with the radio personality who says he once appeared on an episode of Living Single. In the candid conversation, Queen Lah recalled some career highlights. Queen Latifah Honors Hip-Hop’s Women Pioneers In An All-Star Showing Of U.N.I.T.Y. (Video)... Read more

Rah Digga Rates Nicki Minaj’s Bars With Brutal Honesty (Video)

For years, Rah Digga has been one of Hip-Hop's most respected lyricists and, perhaps, one of its most underrated, too. As such, she was a fitting guest on BET's "Rate The Bars" digital series where MCs are asked to read lyrics written by other artists and rate them. To make... Read more

DJ Premier Recalls The First Show Gang Starr Ever Did (Video)

Nearly 30 years into his recording career, DJ Premier actively tours across the globe. The iconic Gang Starr producer performs regular DJ sets, shows with PRhyme, jams with his band, and playing with other artists. Currently overseas with his artist Torii Wolf, Premier recalled the first time he took the... Read more

There Is No Hip-Hop Without Women. Every Day Is Ladies First (Video)

Throughout Hip-Hop history, there have been countless women who have helped carry a nascent culture into the mainstream. Not all of them do we know by name - the mothers, sisters, grandmothers, aunts, teachers, and others who encouraged a child to write rhymes, pursue her or his passion for music,... Read more

The Next 2 Hours & You Will Decide Whether This Native Tongues Documentary Gets Made (Video)

UPDATE: There are 2 hours left in the campaign to fund the Native Tongues documentary, Speaking In Tongues, and they are only $6,000 short. If you or anyone you know is so inclined, click here to support and help the filmmakers achieve their goal and bring this film to life.... Read more

A New Book Details The Rich Hip-Hop History Of NYC’s Latin Quarter Club

In No Half Steppin': An Oral and Pictorial History of New York City Club the Latin Quarter and the Birth of Hip-Hop's Golden Era, legendary musician, archivist, and activist Claude "Paradise" Gray shares over 175 color photographs and flyers. Along with Giuseppe "u.net" Pipitone, Paradise has provided scholars of Hip-Hop... Read more

Sir Jinx Speaks About Keeping The Production On Ice Cube’s Death Certificate True To The Game

Present day Hip-Hop relies heavily on serial albums. From The Blueprint to Detox, there is momentum in many great artists' catalogs that keeps the listener engaged while threading a concept. Twenty five years ago this week, Ice Cube released Death Certificate. This platinum album followed 1990's AmeriKKKa's Most Wanted solo breakout,... Read more

A New Documentary Promises To Tell The Whole Truth About Native Tongues (Video)

The Native Tongues posse is one of the most influential yet enigmatic groupings in Hip-Hop, and some would argue their influence extends far beyond. Indeed, the crew embodies ideas that exist outside of music, stretching into philosophy, politics, fashion, and more. Generally considered to be comprised of core members A... Read more

Bumpy Knuckles Discusses Why He Dissed The Entire Music Industry On “Industry Shakedown” (Video)

Sixteen years ago, Bumpy Knuckles (a/k/a Freddie Foxxx) released The Industry Shakedown. While the album was the Long Island, New York MC/producer's sophomore effort, it was never intended to be so. Instead, the work produced by DJ Premier, Pete Rock, Diamond D, and The Alchemist was a monstrous attack on... Read more

Big Sean, Chance The Rapper & Jeremih Channel-Surf Into Living Single (Audio)

In the last 24 hours, Jeremih released his Late Nights: Europe mixtape. An extension of 2015's Late Nights album, the freebie was reportedly supposed to feature "Living Single," featuring Big Sean and Chance The Rapper. In the end, that not happen—allegedly due to clearance issues surrounding Sean (though both are... Read more

Queen Latifah Honors Hip-Hop’s Women Pioneers In An All-Star Showing Of U.N.I.T.Y. (Video)

Last night (July 11), Hip-Hop Honors returned to television, with a special dedication to the ladies. Queen Latifah was one of the honorees of the evening. The MC-turned-actor-turned-singer returned to her late 1980s and early 1990s catalog of hits from the burgeoning days of the Flavor Unit. One of the... Read more

For The First Time Ever, A Major Awards Show Will Exclusively Celebrate Female MCs

It's been six years since the last Hip-Hop Honors television special aired, but that's not the only reason why the return of the broadcast on July 11 is making headlines. For the first time ever, the Vh1 special will feature a lineup of honorees consisting entirely of women whose contributions... Read more

Vh1’s Hip-Hop Honors Is Returning & Celebrating The Ladies First

It's been six years since Vh1 aired its "Hip-Hop Honors" television special, but that's not the only reason why the return of the broadcast on July 11 is making headlines. For the first time ever, it will feature a lineup of honorees consisting entirely of women whose contributions to music... Read more

Queen Latifah To Play Master P’s Mom In Upcoming Biopic

Master P is moving forward with his biopic. The No Limit Records founder and multi-platinum rapper from New Orleans, Louisiana has announced an Academy Award-nominated actor (and peer) attached to the King Of The South: The Ice Cream Man film: Queen Latifah. Speaking with HipHopDX, Percy Miller confirmed the casting.... Read more

The Clothing Line That Sparked A Cultural Revolution Is Coming Back But It Needs Your Help

UPDATE: The Kickstarter campaign to re-launch the AACA brand ends at 9AM EST tomorrow (April 18). The campaign is seeking to raise $100K, and is currently at $84,253. To donate, click here. Before Phat Farm, FUBU, Rocawear or any of the other iconic urban fashion wear brands, there was an... Read more

Celebrate International Women’s Day with Queen Latifah, MC Lyte, TLC, & More (Video)

March is Women's History Month, and as we get closer and closer to the presidential election in the United States, the likely reality of the country electing its first female president is a topic of excited discussion. Furthermore, 2020 will mark the centennial of women's suffrage in the U.S., making... Read more

A Documentary On Organized Noize Looks At The Genius & Drama In The Dungeon (Video)

Organized Noize is one of the most impactful musical groups of the last 25 years. The Atlanta, Georgia-based trio of Sleepy Brown, Rico Wade, and Ray Murray would be deeply responsible for the mainstream (and critical) success of Outkast, TLC, Goodie Mob, and a litany of other acts, ranging from... Read more

Naughty By Nature Reunite With Queen Latifah On A Song Filled With Love (Video)

The ties between Naughty By Nature and Queen Latifah run deep. When NBN first got their start, it was fellow Jersey native Latifah who helped guide them, along with her Flavor Unit management team. Treach, Vin Rock and Kay Gee would go on to record with the Queen on their... Read more

Nearly 25 Years Ago, KRS-One & Friends Urged Us to Heal Ourselves. Have We? (Video)

It was the early '90s and KRS-One had spearheaded the formation of H.E.A.L., a group of artists whose ideologies promoted knowledge, self-awareness, political involvement, and truth seeking. In fact, H.E.A.L. stood for Human Education Against Lies, and as KRS shared with Vibe back in 2012, the inspiration for H.E.A.L.'s formation... Read more

Queen Latifah Discusses Uplifting Women Through Positive Messages in Hip-Hop (Video)

It's been 8 years since Queen Latifah released her most recent solo album Persona, but her fans are still quick to acknowledge her enduring legacy, particularly when it comes to the empowerment of women within the Hip-Hop community. Now an Academy-Award nominated actress, the Queen won the Best Rap Solo... Read more

Big Daddy Kane’s It’s A Big Daddy Thing vs. Queen Latifah’s All Hail The Queen. 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

Queen Latifah & Mary J. Blige Ease Into “The Wiz” Remake

1970s remakes are all the rage these days. As Questlove partakes in an upcoming Roots remake starring Laurence Fishburne, NBC has revealed plans to remake The Wiz. Originally an adaptation in its own right (of The Wizard of Oz), the 1978 film was co-produced by Berry Gordy's Motown film division, and starred... Read more

45 King Recalls Early Days Of Queen Latifah & Jay Z, Reveals A Hit He Was Not Credited For (Audio)

In the canon of Hip-Hop producers, 45 King is among the most important. From break-beat compilations to remixes, seminal 1980s 12" singles, to Grammy Award-winning hits, the New Jersey-based DJ/producer born Mark James has nearly 30 years of highly-influential digging, sampling, and arranging. Whether Queen Latifah, Gang Starr, Eminem, or... Read more

Here’s a Tribute to Some of the Women MCs Who Raised Hip-Hop (Video Playlist)

Happy Mother's Day. Here's a video playlist celebrating some of the many women who helped to start and grow the culture of Hip-Hop. You'll see clips from pioneers like Sha Rock, Roxanne Shante, Ms. Melodie, Michie Mee, Sweet Tee, MC Lyte, Queen Latifah, Salt-N-Pepa and Monie Love. Take a look... Read more

Are Native Tongues Hip-Hop’s Best Collective Ever? Listen to This (Mixtape)

A Tribe Called Quest, De La Soul, Queen Latifah, Monie Love, Black Sheep, The Jungle Brothers...Each of these artists are legendary in their own right. When you combine them? You have one of the finest Hip-Hop collectives ever assembled, in Native Tongues. Here's a mix by DJ Ready that features... Read more

Finding The GOAT: Phife Dawg vs. Queen Latifah…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

Brandy, MC Lyte, Yo-Yo & Queen Latifah Perform I Wanna Be Down Remix (Video)

Nearly 20 years after the release of one of Hip-Hop's finest remixes, Brandy, MC Lyte, Yo-Yo and Queen Latifah reunited at the BET Hip Hop Awards for a sizzling performance of "I Wanna Be Down." You could feel the excitement in the building mounting as each MC took the visually... Read more

45 King, Chill Rob G & Lakim Shabazz Share Flavor Unit Memories, Talk 45’s Heart Attack & Collaborations (Video)

Two New Jersey Hip-Hop legends came together over 25 years after their first link. 45 King and Lakim Shabazz, the founder and one of the star MCs of the first wave of The Unit, respectively, did a new episode of 45's "Making The Beat." While playing some joints, the pair... Read more

UNITY: A Salute to the Women in Hip-Hop Vol. 2 (Video Playlist)

As we continue our celebration of the women in Hip-Hop, here's Vol. 2 of our UNITY video playlist series. You'll see videos from MC Lyte, Queen Latifah, Roxanne Shante, Salt-n-Pepa, Rapsody, Sweet Tee, JJ Fad, Heather B, Eve, Foxy Brown, Lil Kim, Lauryn Hill and more. Check it out. And,... Read more

Ladies First: Here’s a Mix in Celebration of the Women of Hip-Hop (Audio)

As we enter March, Women's History Month, today we celebrate some of the countless contributions to Hip-Hop by women, starting with this mix. You will hear music from MC Lyte, Queen Latifah, Lauryn Hill, Bahamadia, Foxy Brown, Lil Kim, Missy, Da Brat, The Lady of Rage, Jean Grae, Yo-Yo, Salt-n-Pepa... Read more

Here’s an Incredible Interview of Queen Latifah by Howard Stern…Oh, and She Says OutKast is Working on a New Album (Audio)

Queen Latifah sat down with Howard Stern for an hour+ long video and there is little ground they didn't cover-- Latifah's family life, her music and acting careers, her new talk show, past drug use...and, ever so briefly, Latifah, who used to manage OutKast, casually mentioned that the duo is... Read more