DAR Hip Hop: 8 Classic Hip Hop Remixes
By @TrueGodImmortal
In both R&B and hip hop, remixes are an essential part of the genre. While the remix isn't as prevalent now as it once was, once upon a time, the remix was everything to a listener. Hearing a different spin on an already existing song was exciting, as artists would bring in new production, new verses, altered hooks, and even other artists to make their remix just right. In hip hop, the remix became a huge deal more as the 90's went on and even carried over into the 2000s. Today, we wanted to take a quick look back at some of the most classic remixes in the hip hop genre. Which remixes make our list? Read on and find out.
*Craig Mack, The Notorious B.I.G., Rampage, LL Cool J, Busta Rhymes- Flava In Your Ear (Remix)
-The most infamous remix of them all perhaps. Craig Mack was essentially a one hit wonder in a sense, but that has more to do with Bad Boy not promoting him the right way. However, this song broke through and made the B.I.G. Mack connection even more viable. This Easy Mo Bee produced banger allowed for Mack to rap alongside a number of great artists, and while Busta was a highlight, the person who stole the show was of course none other than Biggie. Big showcased his skill on a whole different level, dominating the track from the jump with his smooth flow and great lyricism. There is only one dark spot on this classic remix and it comes from LL, who seems more concerned with making strange sounds and spitting average bars than keeping up with the others on the song. Despite the LL mishap, this remix is a classic and quite possibly my favorite on the list. I can't think of a more iconic hip hop remix honestly, which says a lot.
*50 Cent featuring Mobb Deep- Outta Control (Remix)
-This is quite possibly the greatest remix that wiped out the existence of the original. Simply put, this remix was so good, most people know little about the original even though it was on an album that sold over 12 million copies worldwide. If I said play 50 Cent's Outta Control record, this is probably the song you would play for me instead of the original. Simply put, this song was amazing and features one of my favorite piano melodies in hip hop. The hook is the best part of the track, as 50 easily flows over the melody with an infectious groove and despite the verses not being anything too special, everything works here. 50 hasn't done too many remixes of his own songs, but this is easily the best he's done.
*De La Soul featuring Jungle Brothers, Monie Love, Queen Latifah, Q-Tip, Phife Dawg- Buddy (Native Tongue Decision)
-The concept of a remix is to take an existing song and make it better. Leave it up to the Native Tongues crew to take a laid back De La jam and turn it into one of the greatest remixes ever. The original was smooth and features a few Native Tongue appearances, but the remix, known as the Native Tongue Decision version brings in the entire crew pretty much. This is one of the most notable remixes in the hip hop landscape and probably one of the first of its kind truly. This remix set the tone for many others I believe, and while posse tracks were common (to an extent), the remix posse cut hadn't hit its stride yet. This remix definitely paved that path. I still don't know who came with the best verse on here (too close to call), but regardless, this is a classic period.
*M.O.P. featuring Busta Rhymes, Remy Ma, Teflon- Ante Up (Remix)
-I mean, of all the remixes on this list, this is clearly the most gutter of them and we would have it no other way. Busta at this time was still the high energy artist who could liven up any track and many people were not aware of who Remy Ma was like that, so this remix worked in a number of ways. From Busta getting the vibes right starting the song off right to the classic Remy verse that put more eyes on her, this entire remix was something special. When Remy goes "wish I could bring Pun back", the energy shifts instantly in the song, and this stands as perhaps her greatest guest verse and maybe her best verse ever. Busta didn't have to do much besides set the tone and there aren't too many better than him at doing so. Regardless, this remix is one of my all time favorites and easily a classic.
*Puff Daddy featuring The Notorious B.I.G., Lil' Kim, The LOX- It's All About The Benjamins (Remix)
-This is a remix that does very little except add Kim and Biggie to it. The original was just Puffy and The LOX, but when they added in Kim and Big, it went to an entirely different level. Puffy has a simple verse to open the track, while Jadakiss and Sheek deliver solid showings on this remix, but the true stars of this track are the two new additions in Kim and Biggie. Kim is aggressive with her rhymes and her flow, leaving the listener with a few quotables throughout her verse, and the song gets carried home by the beat change up and Biggie delivering one of his smoothest guest verses. The production on this track has a lot of knock to it, which explains why the song was such a banger, but the most important part song isn't the verses or the beat, it is the uncredited hook added in by Missy Elliott, which makes the song even more iconic.
*Mobb Deep featuring Lil' Kim- Quiet Storm (Remix)
-This was an excellent song, and I'm just speaking on the original version of it. The original was a classic with Prodigy spitting heat over this dark yet slightly endearing production. Prodigy sounded like the P we all knew and loved on the original version, but it would be the remix that truly changed the way the group was perceived and their commercial success. Their first two albums hadn't broke through, despite being hip hop gems, and it would be their third album that saw them deliver their biggest hit. Adding Lil' Kim to the song and giving Havoc a verse on the remix took this to the next level, though I am personally partial to the original. The remix boasts what is quite possibly tje greatest Lil' Kim feature verse ever. For that alone, and the fact that this remix took the Mobb album beyond platinum status, it is a truly classic remix.
*G-Dep featuring Ghostface Killah, Keith Murray, and Craig Mack- Special Delivery (Remix)
-So, many of us remember G-Dep right? Bad Boy was in need of a new hitmaker with Shyne out of the picture and they would turn to Puffy again, but also G-Dep, who would deliver a solid single for the radio with the original version of this track. The remix wasn't anything too special for the most part, but it still had some great elements to it. The beat didn't change, but you can hear Puffy doing adlibs in the background, giving it that 90's Bad Boy feel, along with verses from Ghostface Killah, who steals the show, a funny verse from Keith Murray, and an out of place but still enjoyable verse from Craig Mack. This remix wasn't the greatest of them all compared to the others on the list, but it was easily one lf the most entertaining remixes ever, earning it a classic label.
*Method Man & Mary J. Blige- I'll Be There For You/You're All I Need To Get By
-Quite possibly the greatest remix of all time. The original song "All I Need" was gritty, but still a great listen, however the remix would take things to a different level. I think this might be the greatest form of a hip hop ballad ever, and the chemistry displayed by Meth and Mary on this song is beyond anything we had seen in hip hop thus far. Mary and her vocals, Meth and his honest lyrics, the easy to identify samples, along with the overall feel of the song made it a spectacular listen and most people don't even remember the original. That's exactly what a remix should do: wipe out your memory of the original and the remixes listed here do that to the highest power.
-True
In both R&B and hip hop, remixes are an essential part of the genre. While the remix isn't as prevalent now as it once was, once upon a time, the remix was everything to a listener. Hearing a different spin on an already existing song was exciting, as artists would bring in new production, new verses, altered hooks, and even other artists to make their remix just right. In hip hop, the remix became a huge deal more as the 90's went on and even carried over into the 2000s. Today, we wanted to take a quick look back at some of the most classic remixes in the hip hop genre. Which remixes make our list? Read on and find out.
*Craig Mack, The Notorious B.I.G., Rampage, LL Cool J, Busta Rhymes- Flava In Your Ear (Remix)
-The most infamous remix of them all perhaps. Craig Mack was essentially a one hit wonder in a sense, but that has more to do with Bad Boy not promoting him the right way. However, this song broke through and made the B.I.G. Mack connection even more viable. This Easy Mo Bee produced banger allowed for Mack to rap alongside a number of great artists, and while Busta was a highlight, the person who stole the show was of course none other than Biggie. Big showcased his skill on a whole different level, dominating the track from the jump with his smooth flow and great lyricism. There is only one dark spot on this classic remix and it comes from LL, who seems more concerned with making strange sounds and spitting average bars than keeping up with the others on the song. Despite the LL mishap, this remix is a classic and quite possibly my favorite on the list. I can't think of a more iconic hip hop remix honestly, which says a lot.
*50 Cent featuring Mobb Deep- Outta Control (Remix)
-This is quite possibly the greatest remix that wiped out the existence of the original. Simply put, this remix was so good, most people know little about the original even though it was on an album that sold over 12 million copies worldwide. If I said play 50 Cent's Outta Control record, this is probably the song you would play for me instead of the original. Simply put, this song was amazing and features one of my favorite piano melodies in hip hop. The hook is the best part of the track, as 50 easily flows over the melody with an infectious groove and despite the verses not being anything too special, everything works here. 50 hasn't done too many remixes of his own songs, but this is easily the best he's done.
*De La Soul featuring Jungle Brothers, Monie Love, Queen Latifah, Q-Tip, Phife Dawg- Buddy (Native Tongue Decision)
-The concept of a remix is to take an existing song and make it better. Leave it up to the Native Tongues crew to take a laid back De La jam and turn it into one of the greatest remixes ever. The original was smooth and features a few Native Tongue appearances, but the remix, known as the Native Tongue Decision version brings in the entire crew pretty much. This is one of the most notable remixes in the hip hop landscape and probably one of the first of its kind truly. This remix set the tone for many others I believe, and while posse tracks were common (to an extent), the remix posse cut hadn't hit its stride yet. This remix definitely paved that path. I still don't know who came with the best verse on here (too close to call), but regardless, this is a classic period.
*M.O.P. featuring Busta Rhymes, Remy Ma, Teflon- Ante Up (Remix)
-I mean, of all the remixes on this list, this is clearly the most gutter of them and we would have it no other way. Busta at this time was still the high energy artist who could liven up any track and many people were not aware of who Remy Ma was like that, so this remix worked in a number of ways. From Busta getting the vibes right starting the song off right to the classic Remy verse that put more eyes on her, this entire remix was something special. When Remy goes "wish I could bring Pun back", the energy shifts instantly in the song, and this stands as perhaps her greatest guest verse and maybe her best verse ever. Busta didn't have to do much besides set the tone and there aren't too many better than him at doing so. Regardless, this remix is one of my all time favorites and easily a classic.
*Puff Daddy featuring The Notorious B.I.G., Lil' Kim, The LOX- It's All About The Benjamins (Remix)
-This is a remix that does very little except add Kim and Biggie to it. The original was just Puffy and The LOX, but when they added in Kim and Big, it went to an entirely different level. Puffy has a simple verse to open the track, while Jadakiss and Sheek deliver solid showings on this remix, but the true stars of this track are the two new additions in Kim and Biggie. Kim is aggressive with her rhymes and her flow, leaving the listener with a few quotables throughout her verse, and the song gets carried home by the beat change up and Biggie delivering one of his smoothest guest verses. The production on this track has a lot of knock to it, which explains why the song was such a banger, but the most important part song isn't the verses or the beat, it is the uncredited hook added in by Missy Elliott, which makes the song even more iconic.
*Mobb Deep featuring Lil' Kim- Quiet Storm (Remix)
-This was an excellent song, and I'm just speaking on the original version of it. The original was a classic with Prodigy spitting heat over this dark yet slightly endearing production. Prodigy sounded like the P we all knew and loved on the original version, but it would be the remix that truly changed the way the group was perceived and their commercial success. Their first two albums hadn't broke through, despite being hip hop gems, and it would be their third album that saw them deliver their biggest hit. Adding Lil' Kim to the song and giving Havoc a verse on the remix took this to the next level, though I am personally partial to the original. The remix boasts what is quite possibly tje greatest Lil' Kim feature verse ever. For that alone, and the fact that this remix took the Mobb album beyond platinum status, it is a truly classic remix.
*G-Dep featuring Ghostface Killah, Keith Murray, and Craig Mack- Special Delivery (Remix)
-So, many of us remember G-Dep right? Bad Boy was in need of a new hitmaker with Shyne out of the picture and they would turn to Puffy again, but also G-Dep, who would deliver a solid single for the radio with the original version of this track. The remix wasn't anything too special for the most part, but it still had some great elements to it. The beat didn't change, but you can hear Puffy doing adlibs in the background, giving it that 90's Bad Boy feel, along with verses from Ghostface Killah, who steals the show, a funny verse from Keith Murray, and an out of place but still enjoyable verse from Craig Mack. This remix wasn't the greatest of them all compared to the others on the list, but it was easily one lf the most entertaining remixes ever, earning it a classic label.
*Method Man & Mary J. Blige- I'll Be There For You/You're All I Need To Get By
-Quite possibly the greatest remix of all time. The original song "All I Need" was gritty, but still a great listen, however the remix would take things to a different level. I think this might be the greatest form of a hip hop ballad ever, and the chemistry displayed by Meth and Mary on this song is beyond anything we had seen in hip hop thus far. Mary and her vocals, Meth and his honest lyrics, the easy to identify samples, along with the overall feel of the song made it a spectacular listen and most people don't even remember the original. That's exactly what a remix should do: wipe out your memory of the original and the remixes listed here do that to the highest power.
-True
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