Every rap fan has their dream collaboration. Anyone even remotely passionate about hip-hop will daydream about artists finally working together. They’ll have an idea of the kind of music an artist makes and fantasize about it accordingly. Rap is the perfect genre for it, too. All the varying styles, regions, and perspectives could make for some fascinating combinations.
Consequently, Noisey cobbled together six different dream rap collaborations with artists across different decades and parts of America. All of it comes together to show the fullest capacity that hip-hop could reach when operating at its peak.
Six Dream Hip-hop Collaborations We Wish We Could’ve Heard
The Notorious B.I.G. & Project Pat
Before Biggie died, he really wanted to dissolve the East Coast vs West Coast beef. Moreover, he envisioned hip-hop with no borders at all. Regional styles and differences were to be embraced rather than shunned. It was beautiful, communal, and would’ve radically altered the state of hip-hop.
Biggie also had a dexterous enough flow where he wouldn’t have sounded out of place on a variety of records. Imagine if he took Jay-Z’s spot on the Juvenile “Ha” remix. Mannie Fresh drums were born for a rapper like Biggie to try and juggle. However, a collab with Project Pat would’ve been a dream come true. On a song like “If You Ain’t From My Hood” or “Out There”, the Brooklyn rapper would’ve been challenged to alter his stylistic approach to match Pat’s acrobatic flow. If Biggie could hold his own with Bone Thugs-N-Harmony, he would’ve had a ball on Three 6 Mafia’s haunting production.
Tupac & A Tribe Called Quest
Similar to Biggie, before Tupac’s death, he was angling to work with a lot of different artists. Lots of simple misunderstandings caused artists like De La Soul and A Tribe Called Quest to miss out on breaking bread with Pac. For the latter, it started when the “California Love” rapper started performing mid-way through Tribe’s acceptance speech at the 1994 Source Awards.
Naturally, this could’ve been viewed as a slight, but Tupac never intended it to be viewed that way. During a conversation on Drink Champs, Q-Tip shared, “Ali saw Pac, Pac was like, ‘Yo, I never meant no disrespect. I love y’all n****s! Is you crazy?’” Then, they all met in L.A. and planned to air a public truce on MTV. However, Tupac died before he ever got the chance. Hard not to imagine how beautiful he would’ve sounded on Q-Tip production.
Max B & Kanye West
Beyond the interlude on The Life of Pablo, Max B and Kanye West never crossed paths. In fact, apparently, Ye had no clue who the Wave God was despite using his lingo. But there was a universe where, through Max B’s association with Dipset and Kanye’s association with them and Roc-a-Fella, they would’ve made music together. The Harlem crooner would’ve been incredible on a Kanye soul flip. We already have proof through Pete Rock’s “We Roll”, which flips Kool & The Gang’s “You Don’t Have to Change”. Max B was malleable to any kind of production, and Kanye knew how to tap into an artist’s superpowers.
Mos Def & MIKE
MIKE feels like a spiritual extension of Mos Def in his prime. There’s a warmth and soulfulness to his records that echo Black on Both Sides and Black Star’s debut album. MIKE’s gigantic, bear-like voice would’ve been like a warm hug on records like “Love” or “Brown Skin Lady”. The same idea goes vice versa as well. Imagine Mos Def approaching “Ipari Park” or the howling Venna saxophone on “U think Maybe?” If Yasiin Bey ever wanted to rap more often, there’s an abundance of artists who still carry his torch like MIKE.
G Herbo & Jadakiss
G Herbo is one of the only rappers still harnessing the energy of the mixtape era. Radio and YouTube freestyles are still vital to hip-hop, where rap is sport and you battle in cyphers. This was bread and butter for Jadakiss back in the day. His work with The Lox, his solo albums, and the DJ Green Lantern-hosted The Champ Is Here mixtapes are filled with gems for rap obsessives. Naturally, the two would fit seamlessly together.
The pair already shares a mutual love and respect for one another. When Herbo released “Feelings”, a flip of the Jadakiss classic “Feel Me”, they shared a massive hug. Moreover, when Lil Herb released, Jada and Fat Joe reacted emphatically to songs “Fallen Soldiers” and “1 Chance”. It’s evident that G Herbo and Jadakiss are cut from the same cloth. As a result, a collaboration between them could’ve resulted in a classic.
Future & 8Ball & MJG
Future is one of the only rappers who knows how to keep the original spirit of trap music alive. Despite people trying to put artists like Travis Scott in a bubble, trap music isn’t just dark 808s and hi-hats. It holds a lot more context, reflected in artists like T.I., Young Jeezy, and Gucci Mane. Some of the earliest renditions come from artists like UGK and 8Ball & MJG.
Future still wields this original energy, despite the shift. In records like The WIZRD, the Atlanta legend hones street coming-of-age with the dangerous survival that permeates trap music. As a result, records like “Comin Out Hard” by 8Ball & MJG would’ve fit Future like a glove: soulful, southern, and blisteringly real.
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