Joe Budden says he thinks that Drake is getting paid to promote Sexyy Red as the two have posted themselves hanging out on social media numerous times in recent months. Discussing the relationship between the two on his podcast, Budden remarked: “You think he just likes being around Sexyy Red that much? I could name some more people. And this is what I don’t understand about you f*cking Drake stans.”
When Hollywood Unlocked shared the clip on Instagram, Drake fans came to his defense in the comments section. “Drake like strippers and hood females this ain’t new,” one user wrote. Another added: “Sexyy Red just seems like a genuine person maybe he really do love her vibe.” Others sided with Budden: “Facts.. and yall fall for it because it works. This man sit here and promotes the most hood and ratchet black women, while chillin with his yt Baby mama, and yt child learning 3 languages and painting picasso.”
MIAMI GARDENS, FLORIDA – JULY 21: American rapper Sexyy Redd performs onstage during day one of Rolling Loud Miami at Hard Rock Stadium on July 21, 2023, in Miami Gardens, Florida. (Photo by Jason Koerner/Getty Images)
Sexyy previously collaborated with Drake alongside SZA on his single, “Rich Baby Daddy.” The song peaked at number 11 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart. The two later teamed up for a music video for the track, which features the actual birth of Sexyy’s second child as her water broke on set. She also joined Drake on his It’s All a Blur Tour as an opening act.
With every generation, there are a handful of artists whose talent, reach, and story mark themselves as timeless achievements and souls. Without question, Amy Winehouse is one of the 21st century’s most important exponents in this regard. Her influence ushered in revitalizations of vocal flair, vintage aesthetics, and raw, emotive storytelling and character portraits in popular music. The London singer encompassed so much: powerful songwriting, carefully crafted and intent-driven releases, production that is deeply appreciative of the wide-ranging musical canon, and a truly resonant voice in every way. So it’s no surprise that her love of hip-hop, and so many other genres, drove much of her artistry.
Furthermore, the culture certainly returned the favor, and continues to do so to this day. As recently as October 2023, U.K. rapper Skepta sampled Amy Winehouse’s vocals from her 2006 song “Tears Dry On Their Own” on his aptly titled house cut, “Can’t Play Myself (A Tribute To Amy).” So many rap subgenres and communities appreciated her work: classic boom-bap exponents, Atlanta trap pioneers, Long Beach genre-benders, and some of the biggest artists in the game in general. Across these six picks (in no particular order), the late legend’s legacy lives on through artists and art forms that she championed like few others.
“Tears Dry On Their Own” Dungeon Family Remix – Organized Noize (Released 2011)
Speaking of Skepta’s treatment of this Back To Black cut from 2006, frequent Outkast collaborators -– and some of the best producers out of the South -– also gave it a spin. Amy Winehouse’s vocals, instead of pairing with retro instrumentation with a peppier step, ride over heavy kicks, chopped-up piano melodies and background vocals, and sharp snares, crafting a DJ Screw-esque effect. Of course, this is exactly the type of beat that the Dungeon Family perfected back in the 1990s and 2000s. Despite the aesthetic change, the contralto vocalist’s croons and swells sound even more spotlit and passionate here.
Sure, the mixing quality of this version is a little off, probably because of how its distribution methods have aged. Big Boi originally posted this remix on a website after she passed, and YouTube re-releases of it hit your ears with a lot of fuzz. Bizarrely, though, it adds to the atmosphere of this Amy Winehouse reimagining in a contemporary context. Much like the soul and R&B that inspired so much of her greatness (and that she and frequent production collaborators Mark Ronson and Salaam Remi sampled), it sounds like an unearthed vinyl that becomes a gem for a crate-digger years later, crackling through the speakers with all the passion its performer holds.
“Kush Is My Cologne” – Gucci Mane ft. Bun B, E-40 & Devin The Dude (2009)
Moving over to one of the six-time Grammy Award winner’s most popular songs, Back To Black‘s opener, “Rehab,” is one of her most iconic hooks and instrumentals. Even Gucci Mane took a liking to it, and on his 2009 album The State vs. Radric Davis, he interpolated the chorus for one of his verse lines. “Kush, purp, strong dro, What I need cologne for? They tried to send me to rehab but I said ‘No, no I won’t go,’” he raps on the record. It’s certainly one of the most tonally conflictive but curious examples on this list.
However, we’d be remiss not to mention Jay-Z and Pharoahe Monch’s remixes of “Rehab,” each of which came out around 2008 and warrants a listen. Unfortunately, none of these tracks knew how Amy Winehouse’s career would tragically end. As such, it’s strong whiplash to listen to any version of this song today, yet it doesn’t take away from its potency, its resonance, and its quality as a composition and performance. Also, it’s a reminder that music can affect lives for many different reasons than why lives affected its creation, and few artists can ever transcend their context like this.
Here we have one of the most subtle instances of sampling on the list: a simple drum beat that’s distorted, echoed, and manipulated to make it a hazy, lo-fi driving force. Lil Ugly Mane doesn’t rap on “vpn,” as this is an album (2021’s volcanic bird enemy and the voiced concern) where he goes into more singing, trip-hop inspirations, and a lot of genre and timbre experimentation. So what’s the drum beat that he takes from? It’s from Amy Winehouse’s “You Know I’m No Good” (also off Back To Black), on which Homer Steinweiss is on the kit.
Perhaps the most important thing to remark about “vpn” as it relates to “You Know I’m No Good” is how it’s able to communicate the slightly despondent, melancholy, yet hopeful tone of the original. Lyrically, both artists play a lot with how their inner demons inform their relationships, and they make you feel that push-and-pull with their deliveries. Amy Winehouse’s contributions are as musical as they are personal, as many saw their own troubles reflected in her confidence and honesty. There’s also a great remix of the original featuring Ghostface Killah, which should be another gem for you to add to your queue.
“Half-Time” – Flatbush Zombies Ft. A$AP Twelvyy (2015)
Coming off the New York trio’s non-streaming 2015 EP expansion, Day Of The Dead, this track samples Amy Winehouse’s “Half Time” (with drums courtesy of none other than Questlove) released posthumously on the 2011 project Lioness: Hidden Treasures. With glistening keys, an easy-going but crisp drum beat, and dense staccato bass, this is a classic East Coast boom-bap treatment. Each MC on here flows incredibly well, and the dreamy instrumental evokes the original’s themes of a passion for music. We’re repeating ourselves here, but it’s the truth: few artists could represent this fervor more than the Frank superstar.
Not only that, but this is also one of the most musically complex examples on this list, albeit a simple technique in the grand scheme of things. “Half-Time” switches between loops of two different parts of “Half-Time” to build its progression. A slowdown towards the end makes the dream feel even woozier, and it makes us wonder what amazing collaborations could’ve come from Amy Winehouse and the contemporary lane of sample-based and genre-fusing hip-hop artists. Like everything that was ever great, it leaves us wanting a little more.
Now, for what might be the most unique sample choice here, we have Vince Staples’ excellent and experimental 2017 album, Big Fish Theory. On the frantically percussive but atmospherically calming cut “Alyssa Interlude,” the Long Beach MC -– rather, the track’s producer “Zack Sekoff” -– samples an Amy Winehouse interview with Tim Chipping from 2006. “That’s like a real drug, isn’t it?” she says of love. “So when it -– when it didn’t come together, I was just like… you know? It really hurt. But I needed enough distance from it so that it wasn’t, like, raw emotion anymore. But not enough -– enough distance that I’d forget. I’m quite a self-destructive person, so I guess… I guess I keep giving myself material.”
Emotionally, this is a powerful moment considering the English icon’s personal struggles with addiction and mental health. It also means a lot to Vince Staples, as she inspired his 2016 EP Prima Donna and uses this interview to complement his romantic feelings for someone who is no longer there. “A true artist can make you feel both their sorrow and their happiness,” he said of Amy Winehouse’s Back To Black, one of his favorite albums, during a TIDAL Magazine interview. “You feel all of these emotions back to back and transform them into these stories without noticing the shift. Definitely someone who was gone too soon. R.I.P.”
“Cherry Wine” – Nas Ft. Amy Winehouse (2012)
Yeah, we know this isn’t a sample, but we can’t talk about Amy Winehouse and hip-hop without bringing up her strong bond with Nas. He was her crush, as portrayed in her track “Me and Mr. Jones,” and they met up thanks to the producer of “Cherry Wine” and collaborator-in-common, Salaam Remi. This cut, released on Esco’s 2012 album Life Is Good, resulted from a lot of back-and-forth work together, of which they had a lot before she tragically passed. Eventually, the “Valerie” hitmaker’s demo vocals for the song surfaced (which technically makes it a sample), and the Queens legend could pay fitting tribute to his birthday twin. They were born on September 14 exactly a decade apart.
What’s more is that she had previously sampled his 2002 song “Made You Look” on her 2003 release “In My Bed,” both produced by Salaam Remi. Back to “Cherry Wine,” though, Amy Winehouse longs for her soulmate (whom many interpret to be the Illmatic lyricist), as he goes over what he wants in a woman. It’s tender, soulful, well-paced, sonically pristine, and an evocative display of chemistry and appreciation. “We’re just so thankful that her people were so understanding that, you know, this was our homie,” Nas told Power 106 in 2012. “They let us rock out with her music on the album. So, we got love for Amy forever. That’s our sister. Love her.” We’re forever thankful for what these artists did to honor Amy Jade, and even more thankful for what she saw in hip-hop.
Finesse2tymes has taken to social media to explain why he ended up selling the same verse to two separate artists. He says one of them failed to pay for the proper clearance of the track and simply put it out anyway. In turn, Finesse2tymes decided to sell the verse to another artist.
“You can’t get mad if I wanna sell my product to somebody else that you ain’t paid for,” he argued. “You know what I’m saying? Like, if you ain’t paid for it and he paid for it. He paid to get it clear. I can do what I wanna do with my verse. How you gonna tell me what I can, what I can’t do with my verse? When you go buy a verse, every rapper, every independent rapper, every up-and-coming rapper, everybody that know me, you know what I’m saying? They know I f*ck with them. I work with budgets and everything. You know what I’m saying? I might want 50, 60, you know what I’m saying, for the verse. You from the street, I might tell you man, ‘Give me 30.’”
WASHINGTON, DC – JULY 15: Finesse2tymes performs live onstage during Broccoli City Festival Day 1 at RFK Stadium on July 15, 2023 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Brian Stukes/Getty Images for The Recording Academy)
From there, he adds: “But this also a business. This a business. So, you know, if you gonna come get you a verse in a video, you gotta make sure you take care of the business side too. You can’t just do the verse in the video and then put it out. That ain’t how it go. You gotta pay me for the clearance too. You can’t just put the video and the song out. So, basically if you don’t pay for the clearance, you really can’t even put it out.” Check out the full explanation below.
Finesse2tymes Explains How Two Artists Ended Up With The Same Verse
The drama began when TG Kommas came out to say he paid for a verse from Finesse2tymes for his song, “Can’t Pay For It,” but noticed the verse already appears on Fastmoney Ant’s track “All I Want.” Be on the lookout for further updates on Finesse2tymes on HotNewHipHop.
INSANO is the newest album from Kid Cudi. His previous release was 2022’s Entergalactic which was the soundtrack for his Netflix film of the same name. He also released a greatest hits compilation and re-released his first mixtape on streaming services. As far as his listeners are concerned, the last album of his that “counted” released in 2020. Cudi’s life had changed for the better in the past four years. Listeners were looking forward to seeing if the music reflected these changes. The features on this new album include some people he has worked with previously and some first-time collaborations. In this list, we’ll be discussing his chemistry with other artists on this album and how the song came out overall too.
This is the first of two features Travis Scott has on Kid Cudi’s INSANO. The two of them have made several songs together in the past. One of their biggest songs, “The Scotts,” was their debut single as a duo of the same name. However, the collab album has yet to release.
Their track on Cudi’s latest album, “GET OFF ME” showcases them on a haunting trap beat. Cudi attacks the track with energy before a vocal filter is added to his voice as he transitions into a more relaxed delivery. Travis uses a fitting flow in the song but doesn’t offer anything his listeners haven’t heard before. Things get a little more interesting on the track’s second half, where the duo trade verses with ad-libs and auto-tune-soaked vocals. These effects match the space-like atmosphere of the song well.
“WOW” (With A$AP Rocky)
Kid Cudi brought in another artist familiar with putting psychedelic elements in their music for this INSANO track. Kid Cudi and ASAP Rocky have a few songs together already. Their most recent one was actually on Rocky’s last album, 2018’s Testing. Their latest track, “WOW,” has a certain relaxed feeling to it as the melodic keys are subdued but Cudi’s vocals are still quite prominent. The hook isn’t the most elaborate but it is catchy. Rocky’s verse is effortless as expected as he smoothly flows over the production. He uses a rap-sung delivery in this portion, much like the one Cudi uses throughout the whole song.
“TOO DAMN HIGH” (With Lil Yachty)
Lil Yachty’s last album was a large departure from his previous music and was met with a myriad of reactions. In this song, the biggest moment of his guest verse comes at the beginning as he uses a unique vibrato technique that his listeners have previously heard. Outside of this opening, his verse unfortunately offered no redeeming factors to the already mediocre song.
“AT THE PARTY” (With Pharrell Williams & Travis Scott)
When this song from INSANO was announced, Kid Cudi listeners were quite excited. With features from two artists he had already made very well-received songs with, they were sure this would be a highlight. As expected, Pharrell produced the track. The pace of it is slower than some probably expected which allows for all the sounds he implemented to be heard with ease. A very fitting space-like melody is at the forefront with other otherworldly noises popping in and out. Pharrell handles the hook with a subdued delivery that serves as the connecting thread between the tales of partying Cudi and Travis tell. Cudi weaves in some bars about his positive mental state while Travis focuses on a flow switch while keeping his subject matter consistent.
“X & CUD” (With XXXTentacion)
This is one of the most divisive songs Kid Cudi put on INSANO. Posthumous verses are already something listeners have very strong opinions on and they must be handled with respect. In this case, many listeners feel like the song should have never been made. It does not feature a posthumous verse, but it does sample the song “Orlando.” X released this song in 2017 on his album 17. Considering how prominent the elements from the original song are in Cudi’s version, calling this a “remix” may have been more fitting but likely equally panned.
“SEVEN” (With Lil Wayne)
Lil Wayne is a GOAT and seeing his name on the tracklist for Kid Cudi’s INSANO got many excited. It also made people wonder which “version” of Wayne would be appearing. Listeners know he can do verses filled with double and triple entendres and other creative word gymnastics. They also know sometimes he will go the route of a melodic rap verse and this is what he did on this song. His appearance was short and while it had a very small amount of wordplay, it was nothing that could compare to some of his other recent prime-form verses.
Kid Cudi turns down the hype on this track from INSANO. His first verse here is more in line with the introspective lyrics people have praised him for across the years. Thug’s verse is very short and while it does have a nice flow, it seems to be a large departure from the route Cudi took. However, the two trade bars on the second portion of the song and this is where they truly get on the same page. Their melodic flows mirror each other well with some background vocalizations from Cudi enhancing the guitar like melody that plays throughout the whole song.
What was your favorite feature from Kid Cudi’s INSANO album? Let us know in the comments section.
Benny The Butcher says he’s got collaborations with Nas, Meek Mill, Scarface, and more that he’s sitting on. He discussed the never-before-heard songs during an interview on The Breakfast Club, last week.
“I got a record with Meek [Mill] that nobody never heard,” he said. “And I actually did the record with Meek like a week before I did the record with Drake, y’know what I’m saying? I got a record with Nas the world never heard […] Hit Boy produced it. It’s clearing these records — that’s what it is. It’s the next level of the business. I got a record with Scarface, The Mekanix.” They’d be far from the first time Benny has teamed up with high-profile rappers. He’s previously dropped songs with J. Cole, DMX, and more.
Benny The Butcher Attend Def Jam’s Post-Grammy Celebration
WEST HOLLYWOOD, CALIFORNIA – FEBRUARY 05: Benny the Butcher attends Def Jam Recordings Post-Grammy Dinner Celebration at Catch LA on February 05, 2023 in West Hollywood, California. (Photo by Johnny Nunez/WireImage)
He once collaborated with Drake for a song that still hasn’t been released. While he referenced the track in the earlier comments, he spoke more at length about his struggle to get it out during an interview with Joe Budden on Conversation Lovers Only, last year. “I was pissed, I’m not gonna lie, I was pissed, man,” he admitted at the time. “It’s a fucking Drake record! It was surely my biggest record … And the record’s just sitting in my pocket.” He also made it clear he has no issue with Drake over the situation: “That’s the biggest artist in the world so I understand his release schedule might be hectic or he might have people that be like, ‘We can’t drop that right now because we doing this.’ I understand that.”
Benny The Butcher Discusses His Unreleased Collaborations
Elsewhere in his appearance on The Breakfast Club, Benny discussed the current state of Griselda, as well as his feud with Freddie Gibbs, and much more. Be on the lookout for further updates on Benny The Butcher on HotNewHipHop.
When you look at many lists of the most underrated rappers of all time, one name that pops up more often than most is AZ. Moreover, you probably know him best as Nas’ good friend who has stellar features on his 1994 classic Illmatic. However, the New York MC has a whole host of amazing solo material, cutting verses, intricate wordplay and technical ability, a lot of charisma, impeccable storytelling, and a true dedication to the art and craft of hip-hop. It’s a quality that made him reflect on how the industry moves, and how the effects of fame and money is something that he either took advantage of or strayed away from. Now, the 51-year-old joined Drink Champs recently to break it all down.
Furthermore, AZ spoke to N.O.R.E., DJ EFN, and company about his most well-known work, that being his Nas collabs. He went over some stories with his comrade, and also brought up how this was what truly introduced him to the world of rap for profit. In addition, the “Respect Mines” lyricist also explained how this early phase led to the formation of the group The Firm with Esco, Foxy Brown, Cormega, and Nature. Overall, he has a lot to look back to when it comes to the genre’s prime, and it’s from a uniquely humble perspective.
But how did AZ stay firm through it all, whether during his ’90s run or his contributions to the industry today? Well, he explains that competition, the search for money, and one’s ego are things to trust with skepticism. To elaborate, these are all things that drive artists to be better, to act smarter, to work harder, and to help each other reach their peak levels of potential. But it’s also a dangerously slippery slope that can lead to a lot of evil, too, and it’s something that the Doe Or Die II wordsmith is well aware of.
Meanwhile, if you want to listen the Bed-Stuy native these days, check out his latest tape, Truth Be Told. What did you think of his Drink Champs guest spot? Let us know in the comments section below. For more news and the latest updates on AZ and the popular interview show, stay logged into HNHH.
Kanye West and Lil Durk have not given us much material together. However, when they have, it has been special. One of those moments landed on Ye’s 2021 record, Donda. “Jonah,” one of the more emotionally deep cuts on the record, was certainly a slept-on moment in the tracklist. Then, of course, we have one of the most controversial songs of the year, “Vultures.” Some people are vibing with it, while others are disappointed in the final product. It is due mostly because of Kanye’s most talked about bar on the single.
“How I’m anti-Semitic? I just fucked a Jewish b****,” has been the talk of the town. The track was also getting a lot of people upset due to the fact that Durk was left off on the initial release. The Chicago drill rapper was pretty upset about it, according to Revolt. He said on an Instagram Story, “Be lucky I’m humble. Look at it as your blessing.” While some were mad at Kanye for not including Durk, we now have more background as to why. Durk’s label, Alamo Records, has had issues with the GOOD Music label before.
In fact, it dates back to when Durk was going to release a Kanye-assisted version of Almost Healed. Because of this, it seems that Ye is looking to buy out his Chicago friend’s contract. According to TMZ Hip Hop, Alamo Records CEO, Todd Moscowitz, also refused to clear an additional track this is going to be Kanye’s next album, assumedly with Ty Dolla $ign. Revolt says there has not been much movement in getting this done at the moment. However, if this does go through, we could get tons of new music from these two.
What are your initial thoughts on Kanye West looking to buy out Lil Durk’s contract with Alamo Records? Do you think this will get done? If so, are you hyped at the possibility of even more collaborations between these two Chicago artists? What is your favorite song from these two? We would like to hear what you have to say about all of this. With that in mind, be sure to leave all of your hottest takes in the comments section below. Additionally, always keep it locked in with HNHH for all of the latest breaking news around Kanye West and Lil Durk. Furthermore, stay with us for everything else going on around the music world.
Kanye West’s newest turbulent album rollout is well underway, or so we hope anyway. Two albums are in the works right now. One of those is a collaboration tape with Ty Dolla $ign, and the other is his solo album. It is safe to say the music world is excited to hear what he has in store. A few days ago, the Chicago artist, had some pictures floating around social media. If you have been keeping tabs on all of the nuggets coming out, you would know that Ye has been in Saudi Arabia working on his album.
A Twitter (X) account shared some shots of his stunning and peaceful studio in the desert. The minimalist feeling to the setup has us excited for what the LP could sound like. Now, we have a little bit more clarity on the direction he wants to go in. According to HipHopDX, a former collaborator of Kanye’s, revealed a big piece of information. This news also comes from Twitter and his name is Fat Money. He worked on Donda 2 and also has worked other big producers in rap.
What we are saying is this message has some serious validity. Money says, “All I want for Christmas is for Ye to finish dis James Blake album…. The world deserve dis s*** smh.” This has the potential to be one of the best sounding albums in rap history. Both have a knack for creating some unique but amazing ear candy. James is a master at this. Just check out his latest record. Hopefully, this album comes sooner than later because it is shaping up beautifully.
What are your initial thoughts on this tweet that Kanye West is working with James Blake on his new album? If this is true, do you think Blake will sing, produce, or do both? Could this be one of the best duos in music? We would like to hear what you have to say about all of this. With that in mind, be sure to leave all of your hottest takes in the comments section below. Additionally, always keep it locked in with HNHH for all of the latest breaking news around Kanye West and James Blake, as well as everything else going on around the music world.
In case you haven’t already noticed, 2023 marks the 50th anniversary of hip-hop. Overall, this has led to an incredible celebration of the genre and the culture that surrounds it. With the culture receiving numerous honors, many are looking to secure some pieces of hip-hop memorabilia. Whether it be old records, sneaker collabs, or anything in between, there are a lot of collectibles for people to get into. Below, we are taking a look at seven that you should probably be paying attention to.
Firstly, we have this incredible Nas x Futura vinyl record. Essentially, these two decided to team up for a vinyl collection that features 12 essential hip-hop tracks. These songs span the entire history of hip-hop, and it serves as an amazing collector’s item. If you want to contain some pieces of history within music’s best physical medium, then look no further.
Secondly, we have our first pair of sneakers on the list. In 2019, Travis Scott and Jordan Brand delivered with the Air Jordan 1 High. This shoe is unique thanks to its backward swoosh and mocha coloring. Overall, this is the type of shoe that hypebeasts love. However, there are plenty of OG sneakerheads who love these as well. It just goes to show how great of a shoe it is.
Next up, we have the Air Yeezy in the tan “Net” color scheme. When Kanye West first got into sneakers, he was recruited by the likes of Nike. This is where he came through with his own line of Air Jordan-adjacent sneakers. Although the Air Yeezy 2 was more popular, you cannot deny just how iconic the OG Air Yeezy truly is. It is a product of its time, but it is still an incredible offering.
Subsequently, we are bringing you the iconic Supreme Gucci Mane t-shirt. This is a shirt that comes in a whole bunch of different colors. However, the best part of this is seeing Gucci Mane and his iconic career honored by the streetwear brand. It is just a solid shirt, and with Gucci wearing the Supreme box logo tee in the graphic, you get something that pays homage to both sides of the collab.
MF DOOM is a legendary artist whose legacy will never be forgotten. Following his passing, there have been numerous tributes to the artist, and rightfully so. In fact, his Nike SB Dunk High gained a significant amount of popularity after his tragic death. This is a shoe that contains MF DOOM’s logo, as well as some great black, charcoal grey, and red aesthetics. It is a shoe that looks amazing and serves as a great way to showcase your DOOM fandom.
Pharrell Williams x Adidas NMD Human Race “Chanel”
From there, we have the incredibly rare “Chanel” Human Race Adidas NMD from Pharrell Williams. Pharrell has come through with some truly incredible Adidas sneakers over the years, although this Chanel collab is special. Only a select few got their hands on these, and that will remain true for quite some time. After all, it costs nearly $20K to acquire them.
Lastly, we have the Eminem x Air Jordan 2. Em has done quite a few amazing Air Jordan collaborations over the years. However, his Air Jordan 2 is particularly unique. It also helps that the Jordan 2 has seen a resurgence over these past couple of years. Instead of his AJ4s, check out these instead.
Let us know which of these pieces of hip-hop memorabiliaare your favorite, in the comments section below.
The 2010s was a great time for collaborations in rap. Although releasing joint albums and seeing artists feature on records is a staple in hip hop, there was something about that era that made for epic releases. It was a time when SoundCloud rappers like Lil Yachty and Lil Uzi Vert were making their mark as they dominated the charts. And, of course, hitmakers like Lil Wayne and Drake continued their reign at the top of the charts. While there are several classics that emerged during this decade, we’re looking at 7 rap collabs from the 2010s that fans still consider some of the greatest to appear during that time. Let us know if your favorite is on the list.
“Right Above It” – Lil Wayne feat. Drake (2010)
It seems like either Drake or Lil Wayne were a part of all the biggest 2010s rap collabs. This one finds the two of them joining forces for the first single for Lil Wayne’s album I Am Not A Human Being. It is the first of multiple No. 1 songs Drake would appear on as the decade continued. Surprisingly, this one has Wayne on the hook, and Drake’s verse is the first thing heard on the song. There’s a certain triumphant feeling as Lil Wayne boosts himself and his label. The song’s horns add to this confident, triumphant feeling. This duo would continue to make music together as the decade progressed, with Drake paying homage to Wayne after years had passed for catapulting him to the level he is today.
“I’m On One” – DJ Khaled feat. Drake, Rick Ross & Lil Wayne (2011)
This 2010s rap collab featured several songs that combined multiple hitmakers. Posse cuts were much more common in the 2010s than they are today. This one was one of the biggest, spending 13 weeks at No. 1 on the Billboard charts. DJ Khaled built a name for himself through these cuts, and this helped him become a household name. The track also brought frequent collaborators Drake and Wayne together once again. The track runs nearly five minutes long as it features verses from all three rappers with Drake’s hook appearing after each one. The song’s semi-tranquil atmosphere adds to the nostalgia of anyone who had this one on their iPod back in the day.
“Mercy” – Kanye West feat. Big Sean, Pusha T, & 2 Chainz (2012)
The G.O.O.D Music collaboration album Cruel Summer was home to some of the biggest names. “Mercy” was the first single for it and introduced listeners to the grandiose concept the album was going for. The song samples “Dust A Sound Boy” by Super Beagle and features several members from the label. “Mercy”’s hook spurred the slang term “swerve,” which was a part of Big Sean’s contribution. Kanye, who is naturally credited first out of the five artists, did something unique for his portion of the song. The production completely changes during his verse as a sample of the Scarface theme plays over pulsing, club music-like production.
“I Don’t F*** With You” – Big Sean feat. E-40 (2015)
It’s always noteworthy when rappers from two different generations work together. This 2010s collab brought together one of the hottest artists of the decade with a rap legend. However, the track leans much more toward Sean’s era in terms of production, which came from DJ Mustard, Mike Free, and Kanye West. The song’s hook by Big Sean became an anthem of sorts, and its delivery style made it easy for audience members to sing along. Interestingly enough, the track’s beat was initially previewed in a song by Justin Bieber, but after poor communication through several channels, DJ Mustard gave it to Big Sean. The song originally spent three weeks at the No. 1 position, then reentered the same spot only a week later and spent six weeks there.
“Broccoli” – DRAM feat. Lil Yachty (2016)
Some 2010s rap collabs introduced people to a new artist, whether they were the lead or a feature. With this song, it introduced some people to both. “This song “Broccoli” was a part of the lane of rap where upbeat whimsical melodies were paired with trap drums. Dram and Lil Yachty used melodic flows that combined rapped and sung vocals. This delivery style would get even more popular as the years continued. The lightheartedness of the production pairs well with the ease of both artists’ verses and delivery styles. Amongst other fun bars, DRAM even weaves in a shoutout to Yachty towards the end of his verse. The track was the first No. 1 entry on the charts for both artists. It spent nine weeks in that position.
“Bad And Boujee” – Migos feat. Lil Uzi Vert (2017)
Seeing a group work with a solo artist is always exciting and this 2010s rap collab showed that Migos and Uzi were ready to go to the next level. After receiving a shout-out from Donald Glover during his Golden Globes acceptance speech in 2017, the single and trio were exposed to an entirely new audience. Soon after, the group performed the song on Ellen. Further, the track spent 12 weeks at the No. 1 spot on the Billboard charts. Following Takeoff’s tragic death, Offset and Quavo performed “Bad and Boujee” during a tribute at the 2023 BET Awards. Naturally, the song still holds up today as audience members cheered, rapped, and danced along.
This 2010s rap collaboration came at the end of the decade but was very important for the streaming era. The song spent ten weeks at No. 1 on the Billboard charts and has over 1.9 billion streams on Spotify. When the song was initially released, Drake’s feature was hidden. Compilation videos of people reacting to hearing his voice on the song for the first time were quite popular in 2018, with DJ Akademiks’ reaction becoming a meme. The song’s structure is quite unique, considering it is a single. There are two beat switches, and the track is over five minutes long. The music video, directed by Dave Meyers and Travis himself, is just as elaborate. There are a variety of scenes, camera tricks, and other creative effects used to make the video an audio and visual experience.
What are some of your favorite rap collab songs from the 2010s? Let us know in the comments section.
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