DAR Music: 7 Classic R&B Singles With A Guest Rap Feature
By @TrueGodImmortal
There are times when R&B and hip hop collide and join forces and most of the time, it works well. There are times where rappers utilize R&B singers on their songs and then there are the opposite, where the R&B singers seek out the rappers to contribute to their tracks. That happened a lot in the 90s and the first half of the 2000s and it spawned a number of great songs over those years. Today, we decide to take a look back at some of those classic R&B singles that featured a rap verse or two on it. Which songs do we pick for the list? Read on and find out.
*Mya featuring Jay-Z- Best Of Me (Remix)
-For me, the original "Best Of Me" was a classic with Jadakiss doing his thing and stealing the show. His verse should be featured here, however the remix or Part 2 as they call it was really the best version of the song and Jay-Z would manage to add yet another classic feature to his arsenal. The production is Trackmasters once again at their remix best, providing an old school drum pattern and sound that allows Mya to control the tempo and of course allows Jigga to seal his year even more with another top tier feature verse, well actually two top tier feature verses. Mya was present for the song, but Jigga owned it as expected.
*Total featuring The Notorious B.I.G.- Can't You See
-The most obvious choice I feel for this list. I mean, Bad Boy was the architect of perfecting the rap feature on the R&B song and I could have put the Ma$e and Biggie featured 112 classic on here, but to me, this Total single just packed a little more punch, plus it was not a remix. I didn't want to put too many remixes on the list, so I went with this classic Total song that jumps off with one of the most iconic Biggie opening lines and yet another classic feature verse for one of the greatest. Everything about this song from the beat to the hook to the lyrics to the feature verse is classic and this might be my favorite track on this entire list, or at least top 3 for me on this list.
*Brandy featuring Mase- Top Of The World
-One of Brandy's often overlooked singles because of how bouncy it is, this single featured a classic appearance from Ma$e who was at the top of his game at the time. Brandy was in her prime, and Ma$e was as well, as his verse was the highlight of the single alongside the hook. Brandy does her thing of course, but the appearance of Ma$e is what drives the entire single to me, and while this single didn't have the same success at the bigger songs in her career, it was without a doubt one of the better R&B meets rap singles of the era and in general.
*Case featuring Foxy Brown -Touch Me, Tease Me
-So, if there is one song that truly took things to the next level for Foxy Brown, it was this one. Sure, working with Jay-Z was key and her Blackstreet assisted single was a classic in its own right, but her verse alongside Case on this hit record showcased her ability to adapt. The booming production, Case and his vocals, the assist from Mary J. Blige on the hook, and the opening verse from Foxy sets the tone. The intro on the album version from Case and Foxy with Foxy talking is also pretty cool. Overall, this single would become the biggest hit of Case's career and stands as the most entertaining guest verse in Foxy's career.
*R. Kelly featuring Jay-Z, Boo, and Gotti- Fiesta (Remix)
-I try not to discuss remixes on these type of lists, but how can one forget the legendary opening verse from Jay on this track? The original wasn't extremely popular, but the remix went to higher heights on the strength of the Trackmasters beat that was faster paced and opening the song with the hottest rapper in the game at the time. This track would dominate radio airwaves following the release, and everyone quotes "after the show, its the afterparty" whenever this comes on. If anything, this remix isn't necessarily a classic on its own, it is made that by Jay's verse. Boo and Gotti deliver decent performances and R. Kelly is once again great at what he does, but the highlight of this track is and will always be Jigga.
*Blackstreet featuring Dr. Dre and Queen Pen- No Diggity
-So, we all know this song. Chances are, if you go to a throwback night at a bar or even a neutral bar that has a mixed crowd, you likely hear this song still. Blackstreet had no idea when they were creating this song that this would become THIS big, but it would take on a life of its own as the years went by. For me, I always enjoyed this song, and I think both Dr. Dre and Queen Pen brought some extra flavor to the track. Blackstreet would be responsible for many other hits in their career, but this one is probably their biggest and most infamous.
*Erykah Badu featuring Common- Love Of My Life (Ode To Hip Hop)
*Inspired by the movie Brown Sugar and of course the original hip hop anthem from Common "I Used to Love H.E.R.", this single would become another hit in the career of Badu, spending multiple weeks at no. 1 on the R&B charts and dominating on the radio. With Raphael Saadiq as the producer and one of the writers as well, you had three great minds in Common, Badu, and Saadiq working together to craft something special and that's exactly what occurs here. Common has a very solid verse and he helps add the true hip hop flavor to a song that is all abour appreciating the genre we all came up listening to. Much like the other singles on this list, "Love Of My Life" shows the marriage between R&B and hip hop can be a beautiful thing.
-True
There are times when R&B and hip hop collide and join forces and most of the time, it works well. There are times where rappers utilize R&B singers on their songs and then there are the opposite, where the R&B singers seek out the rappers to contribute to their tracks. That happened a lot in the 90s and the first half of the 2000s and it spawned a number of great songs over those years. Today, we decide to take a look back at some of those classic R&B singles that featured a rap verse or two on it. Which songs do we pick for the list? Read on and find out.
*Mya featuring Jay-Z- Best Of Me (Remix)
-For me, the original "Best Of Me" was a classic with Jadakiss doing his thing and stealing the show. His verse should be featured here, however the remix or Part 2 as they call it was really the best version of the song and Jay-Z would manage to add yet another classic feature to his arsenal. The production is Trackmasters once again at their remix best, providing an old school drum pattern and sound that allows Mya to control the tempo and of course allows Jigga to seal his year even more with another top tier feature verse, well actually two top tier feature verses. Mya was present for the song, but Jigga owned it as expected.
*Total featuring The Notorious B.I.G.- Can't You See
-The most obvious choice I feel for this list. I mean, Bad Boy was the architect of perfecting the rap feature on the R&B song and I could have put the Ma$e and Biggie featured 112 classic on here, but to me, this Total single just packed a little more punch, plus it was not a remix. I didn't want to put too many remixes on the list, so I went with this classic Total song that jumps off with one of the most iconic Biggie opening lines and yet another classic feature verse for one of the greatest. Everything about this song from the beat to the hook to the lyrics to the feature verse is classic and this might be my favorite track on this entire list, or at least top 3 for me on this list.
*Brandy featuring Mase- Top Of The World
-One of Brandy's often overlooked singles because of how bouncy it is, this single featured a classic appearance from Ma$e who was at the top of his game at the time. Brandy was in her prime, and Ma$e was as well, as his verse was the highlight of the single alongside the hook. Brandy does her thing of course, but the appearance of Ma$e is what drives the entire single to me, and while this single didn't have the same success at the bigger songs in her career, it was without a doubt one of the better R&B meets rap singles of the era and in general.
*Case featuring Foxy Brown -Touch Me, Tease Me
-So, if there is one song that truly took things to the next level for Foxy Brown, it was this one. Sure, working with Jay-Z was key and her Blackstreet assisted single was a classic in its own right, but her verse alongside Case on this hit record showcased her ability to adapt. The booming production, Case and his vocals, the assist from Mary J. Blige on the hook, and the opening verse from Foxy sets the tone. The intro on the album version from Case and Foxy with Foxy talking is also pretty cool. Overall, this single would become the biggest hit of Case's career and stands as the most entertaining guest verse in Foxy's career.
*R. Kelly featuring Jay-Z, Boo, and Gotti- Fiesta (Remix)
-I try not to discuss remixes on these type of lists, but how can one forget the legendary opening verse from Jay on this track? The original wasn't extremely popular, but the remix went to higher heights on the strength of the Trackmasters beat that was faster paced and opening the song with the hottest rapper in the game at the time. This track would dominate radio airwaves following the release, and everyone quotes "after the show, its the afterparty" whenever this comes on. If anything, this remix isn't necessarily a classic on its own, it is made that by Jay's verse. Boo and Gotti deliver decent performances and R. Kelly is once again great at what he does, but the highlight of this track is and will always be Jigga.
*Blackstreet featuring Dr. Dre and Queen Pen- No Diggity
-So, we all know this song. Chances are, if you go to a throwback night at a bar or even a neutral bar that has a mixed crowd, you likely hear this song still. Blackstreet had no idea when they were creating this song that this would become THIS big, but it would take on a life of its own as the years went by. For me, I always enjoyed this song, and I think both Dr. Dre and Queen Pen brought some extra flavor to the track. Blackstreet would be responsible for many other hits in their career, but this one is probably their biggest and most infamous.
*Erykah Badu featuring Common- Love Of My Life (Ode To Hip Hop)
*Inspired by the movie Brown Sugar and of course the original hip hop anthem from Common "I Used to Love H.E.R.", this single would become another hit in the career of Badu, spending multiple weeks at no. 1 on the R&B charts and dominating on the radio. With Raphael Saadiq as the producer and one of the writers as well, you had three great minds in Common, Badu, and Saadiq working together to craft something special and that's exactly what occurs here. Common has a very solid verse and he helps add the true hip hop flavor to a song that is all abour appreciating the genre we all came up listening to. Much like the other singles on this list, "Love Of My Life" shows the marriage between R&B and hip hop can be a beautiful thing.
-True
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