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The 25 Most Important Rap Albums Of Hip-Hop’s First 50 Years

Over the years, countless music lists have laid out the "Greatest" of a particular category–album, artist, song, etc. These lists often cite vague criteria and then lay out what they claim to be objective rankings. But, they are subjective. At Ambrosia For Heads, we have generally provided opportunities for the people... Read more

Black Sheep’s $750 Million Lawsuit May Take Down The Music Business

One of the greatest Hip-Hop super crews is undoubtedly the Native Tongues. The New York City collective, reportedly masterminded by The Jungle Brothers' Baby Bam, would grow to include De La Soul, A Tribe Called Quest, Queen Latifah, Monie Love, Leaders Of The New School, Black Sheep, Chi-Ali, The Beatnuts,... 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

Joey Bada$$ Has Released The Best Album Of His Career

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

Joey Bada$$ Celebrates Capital STEEZ With Some Of His Best Work

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

A Tribe Called Quest & Eminem Are Nominated For The Rock & Roll Hall Of Fame

Following an incredible 2021 that saw LL Cool J and JAY-Z inducted into Cleveland, Ohio's Rock & Roll Hall Of Fame, Hip-Hop stands to make an encore in '22. A Tribe Called Quest and Eminem are among the nominees for the induction—which will be confirmed in May. The legendary Queens,... Read more

Ghostface Killah Recalls Making His Ironman Album 25 Years Later

Yesterday (October 29), Ghostface Killah's debut album Ironman turned 25 years old. In honor of the milestone, the Wu-Tang Clan MC partnered with his former label, Sony Records, with a special video vignette that revisits the RZA-produced Hip-Hop classic from 1996. In the interview, the Staten Island MC says, "[Ironman]... 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

B-Real Details How He Developed 1 Of Hip-Hop’s Most Distinctive Voices (Video)

Guru famously proclaimed "It's mostly the voice" on a Gang Starr song of the same name. Like the late, great Keith Elam, Cypress Hill and Prophets Of Rage member B-Real has one of the most recognizable voices in music. The Los Angeles, California veteran raps with clarity and a nasal... Read more

Nas’ Illmatic Turns 25. This New Mix Reminds Why It Might Be Hip-Hop’s Greatest Album

Twenty-five years ago today (April 19), Nas released the album that future generations will likely use to measure Rap greatness. At the age of 20, Nasir Jones delivered Illmatic, a 10-track coming of age reflection that pulled images from Rotten Apple-era New York City, emphasized dreams of being a Rap... Read more

R. Kelly’s Record Label Has Pressed Mute & Told Him To Get To Steppin’

After more than 25 years and over 15 albums, R. Kelly and his record label have reportedly parted ways. The breaking news comes (January 18) after RCA/Sony Records sources confirmed the development to Billboard. The label recently removed the Chicago, Illinois singer from its website roster. The move comes two weeks... Read more

Who Had The Best Rap Album Of 2018 (Battle 7): Saba vs. Travis Scott

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

This Mash-Up Mix Takes A Midnight Maraud With 36 Chambers (Audio)

Yesterday (November 9), Hip-Hop Heads celebrated the 25th birthdays of two landmark albums: A Tribe Called Quest's third LP, Midnight Marauders and Wu-Tang Clan's Enter The Wu-Tang (36 Chambers). On 11-9-93, many fans were eager to digest LPs that were likely shipped together from the same RCA Records distributor. Although... Read more

A New Documentary Shows Why Wu-Tang Is Forever For The Children (Video)

For Hip-Hop devotees across the globe, today (November 9) is annually marked as one of the most notable throughout the genre’s history. Twenty-five years ago today, A Tribe Called Quest and Wu-Tang Clan simultaneously offered up the groundbreaking efforts of Midnight Marauders and Enter The Wu-Tang (36 Chambers). The legend of November 9 will... Read more

The Story Of How ODB Recorded His Verse For Mariah Carey’s Remix Is Fantastic

In 1995 Mariah Carey scored her ninth #1 single with "Fantasy." From her fifth album, Daydream, the song offered a nod to Grandmaster Flash and The Furious Five, by sampling The Tom Tom Club's "Genius Of Love," a staple from New York City's Downtown scene a dozen or so years... Read more

Finding The GOAT Group Championship: A Tribe Called Quest vs. Wu-Tang Clan. Who Is Best?

“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

There Are 2 Remaining In The Competition To Name Hip-Hop’s Best Group

“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 were pre-selected by a panel of experts, and one slot was reserved for a wild-card entry, including the possibility for write-in candidates, to ensure no... Read more

Finding The GOAT Group: OutKast vs. Wu-Tang Clan. 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: A Tribe Called Quest vs. Public Enemy. 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: A Tribe Called Quest vs. Run-D.M.C. 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

RZA Is Bringing O.D.B.’s Life Story To The Big Screen

A biopic spotlighting one of the most polarizing individuals ever to handle the microphone has officially been green-lighted. Whispers of a film presenting the peculiar life of Wu-Tang Clan’s Ol' Dirty Bastard have been swirling since 2016, and with Sony’s Colombia Pictures affirming the headway, enthusiasts of the Staten Island,... Read more

Finding The GOAT Group: Wu-Tang Clan vs. Cypress Hill. 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 for... Read more

Finding The GOAT Group: De La Soul vs. A Tribe Called Quest. 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 for... Read more

Finding The GOAT Group: Bone Thugs-N-Harmony vs. The Fugees. 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 for... Read more

Finding The GOAT Group: Cypress Hill vs. Naughty By Nature. 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: A Tribe Called Quest vs. Black Sheep. 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 (which has been determined), including the possibility... Read more

Finding The GOAT Group: The Fugees vs. Digable Planets. 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

Finding The GOAT Group: Cypress Hill vs. Das EFX. 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

Finding The GOAT Group: Bone Thugs-N-Harmony vs. Three 6 Mafia. 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

Who Had The Best Rap Album Of 2017 (Battle 7): JAY-Z vs. CyHi The Prynce

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

All Eyez On The Score: A Breakdown Of The Beef Between Tupac & The Fugees (Video)

On February 13, 1996, two of the biggest, and best-selling Hip-Hop albums of all time were released. That Tuesday, Tupac Shakur made his Death Row Records debut with double LP All Eyez On Me. The Fugees followed a tepid response to 1994's Blunted On Reality with a critical and commercial... Read more

Steve Stoute Explains Why He Took Nas From The Underground To The Mainstream (Video)

Music industry veteran Steve Stoute recently launched UnitedMasters, a company that allows musicians to market directly to their fans across digital platforms. The service promotes artists keeping their master recordings and provides resources for the modern market that once seemed reserved for major label acts. Stoute is the latest guest... Read more

Sway Makes His 5 Fingers Of Death Freestyle Challenge Harder But Dee-1 Keeps The Faith (Video)

Sway & King Tech's Wake Up Show made the freestyle a mandatory calling card for any MC who wanted to promote something. That tradition goes back to the '90s. In the 2010s, Sway In The Morning's 5 Fingers Of Death challenge is what keeps some MCs up at night. The stage has... Read more

CyHi The Prynce’s Gospel Is Designed To Help All Reach Their Dreams (Audio)

CyHi The Prynce's just-released “God Bless Your Heart" is the latest single from his debut LP, No Dope On Sundays due to drop this Friday (November 17). Along with a preview stream of the Sony release, the Atlanta, Georgia MC recently told NPR, “Even though it's rough in our neighborhoods,... Read more

Irv Gotti Says He Stopped Suge Knight From Releasing A Jennifer Lopez Sex Tape (Video)

In 2002, Irv Gotti produced two #1 remix singles for Jennifer Lopez. As a supplement to the actress-singer's quadruple-platinum J.Lo LP, she took a page from Mary J. Blige by releasing J To Tha L-O!: The Remixes. Like it's companion, the Epic Records remix album went to #1, featuring Hip-Hop guests... Read more

A Tribe Called Quest Are Releasing Their Own Line Of Sneakers For Kickin’ It (Video)

A Tribe Called Quest is a legendary Hip-Hop group which has had a major impact on fashion. In their earliest days, the group helped usher in a new era of afrocentrism and, in later years, as they moved, so did their listeners. A year later, Phife Dawg he had legions... Read more

Wyclef Jean’s Tiny Desk Concert Shows His In-Your-Face Guitar Skills (Video)

Following The Roots' appearance on NPR's "Tiny Desk" last week, another genre-bending Hip-Hop veteran hits the Washington, D.C. platform. Wyclef Jean, joined by his band and latest protégé vocalist Jazzy Amra, perform. The three-song jam session concert comes on the heels of Carnival III: The Rise and Fall of A... Read more

How Nas & De La Soul Battled For The Future Of Hip-Hop & Splintered It Forever (Video)

Last month, producer 9th Wonder remembered July 2, 1996's impact on the Hip-Hop community. During one of the biggest commercial booms of Rap albums, Nas released It Was Written the same Tuesday that De La Soul dropped Stakes Is High. Those two releases, coming from artists running in the same... Read more

Joey Bada$$ Turns His Amerikkkan Idol Into A 2017 Version Of JAY-Z’s Dead Presidents (Video)

Joey Bada$$ is fast at work promoting his 2017 sophomore album. All AmeriKKKan Bada$$ is the Brooklyn, New Yorker's second consecutive #5 debut. While stopping by the BBC, the Pro Era front man performed LP closer "AMERIKKKAN IDOL." The DJ Khalil (of Self Scientific) cut features such strong lyrics as "Now you tryna... Read more

Wyclef Jean Explains Why Country Music Is The Original Gangsta Rap (Video)

Last week, Wyclef Jean released Carnival III: The Rise and Fall of a Fugee. The orator uses a storyteller's title on his eighth album. There have been ups and downs to the man who represents Haiti, Brooklyn, and north New Jersey. However, things are great for him right now. In addition... Read more

While Some Throw Shade At Joey Bada$$, He’s Still Shinin’ (Video)

The past week has been a controversial one for Joey Bada$$. Prior to the total eclipse, the Brooklyn MC was outspoken about the furor over special glasses to watch the eclipse, tweeting "Am I crazy for watching the eclipse today w no glasses? I've sungazed before and afterwards saw colors... Read more

Busta Rhymes & Snoop Dogg Take A$AP Ferg’s Song To A New Level (Video)

A$AP Ferg is a student of the 1990s Rap scene. It's in his fashion, his cars, and his frequent choice of features—and more importantly, in his lyrics. Whereas A$AP Rocky was deeply influenced by UGK and Three 6 Mafia, Ferg has openly stated his influence from acts like Wu-Tang Clan,... Read more

Cold 187um Claims Dr. Dre Jacked His G-Funk & Names Songs To Prove It (Audio)

This week, The Defiant Ones docu-series is telling Dr. Dre's story. Twenty-five years ago, the N.W.A. co-founder released his solo debut, The Chronic. The first album on Death Row Records is credited for galvanizing G-Funk, a type of sample-based sound in Gangsta Rap that propelled the sub-genre into the MTV/Top... Read more

MC Eiht Explains Why His Beef With DJ Quik Was Unlike Any In Rap & Why It Ended (Video)

Last year, MC Eiht detailed ending his beef with Compton, California rival DJ Quik for Vlad TV. Following the high profile 1990s killings of Rap peers Tupac Shakur (who Quik worked closely with) and The Notorious B.I.G., the two men met at BET, where after years, they squashed a violent... Read more

Finding The GOAT Producer: Dr. Dre vs. DJ Muggs. Who Is Better?

“Finding the GOAT Producer” begins. The third installment of Ambrosia For Heads’s annual battle series features Hip-Hop’s greatest producers vying for the #1 spot. Thirty producers were pre-selected by a panel of experts, and two slots will be reserved for wild-card entries, including the possibility for write-in candidates, to ensure no deserving... Read more

Nick Grant Has The Respect Of Hip-Hop’s Greats Because He’s Earned It (Video)

Last Friday (January 13), Nick Grant released his debut album, Return of the Cool. However, as his latest music video indicates, he has been a student of Hip-Hop for years in the making. "Luxury Vintage Rap" finds Nick in a hoodie, in a grimy corridor of a falling apart house.... Read more

Stillmatic Turns 15. Here’s A Look At Nas’ Return To His NY State Of Mind (Video)

Fifteen years ago today (December 18), Nas released his fifth album, Stillmatic. At a time before popular Rap stars were making albums into series and franchises, Nasir Jones flashed back to his 1994 debut. In the seven years since, the MC had two #1 albums, and gone platinum many times... Read more

Ghostface Killah’s Ironman Showcased A Rap Superhero & The Man Behind The Mask (Video)

Twenty years ago tomorrow (October 29, 1996), Ghostface Killah released a seminal solo debut album in the form of Ironman. To that point, four Wu-Tang Clansmen (GZA, Method Man, O.D.B., and Raekwon) had all stepped to the front with solo efforts, spreading their creative darts across Rap's board. As the... Read more

Pras Details Being Caught In The Middle Of Lauryn Hill & Wyclef’s Problems (Video)

N.W.A., A Tribe Called Quest, and the Goodie Mob all parted ways at critical periods of fame. Compared to The Fugees, however, perhaps only Outkast can claim to have disbanded at such commercial heights. Following 1996's The Score sophomore album, Lauryn Hill, Wyclef Jean, and Pras would apparently disband. Save... Read more

Dr. Dre Reportedly Threatens Legal Action To Prevent The Michel’le Biopic From Airing

On October 15, Lifetime is scheduled to air made-for-TV film Surviving Compton: Dre, Suge & Michel’le. The biographical film is centered around Michel'le, who was a late 1980s and early 1990s R&B star on Eazy-E's Ruthless Records. Later on, Michel'le moved with producer Dr. Dre, The D.O.C., and their manager... Read more