When a remix is created, it’s in hopes to re-spur an interest in that particular song as far as the original goes. Also, it’s a great way for big artists to feature alongside each other on a popular hit track.
With the recent release of Kendrick Lamar‘s “Bitch, Don’t Kill My Vibe (Remix)” featuring the one and only Jay-Z, it was questionable what to anticipate. One thing is for sure – it stirred up a lot of talk throughout the hip hop community. While we aren’t here to talk about this track specifically, it sparked an idea on the HHSE team because we’ve noticed this isn’t the first time a remix was so talked about and dissected and its featured artists pitted against each other as far as lyrical skill goes.
Well today, we are here to present to you The Hip Hop Speakeasy’s list of “Best Show-Stealing Guest Spots On A Remix.” Members of the HHSE team chose a very notable remix and claimed that it was arguably one of the illest guest verses on a remix of all time. Check out the list and let us know if you agree or disagree! This list is in no particular order, just five of the best guest spots on a remix featuring the title of the track and the artist who killed it.
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5. “Flava In Ya Ear (Remix)” – [The Notorious B.I.G.]
“The shit is depressin’, pathetic, please forget it”
The famous lyrics above were uttered by The Notorious B.I.G. in his verse for the classic remix of Craig Mack’s “Flava In Ya Ear.”
Stepping up on a pedestal, Biggie shows up any and all emcees who he feels are lesser. Similes and metaphors like “More guns than roses” and punchlines such as “my style you’re admiring, don’t worry, UPS is hiring,” create an entire verse constructed on pure, lyrical slaughter. Every bar, every verse is superbly impressive and B.I.G. does more than outshine the original artist on this song, he straight makes this his own.
– Stone
4. “Diamonds From Sierra Leone (Remix)” – [Jay-Z]
Released in 2005 and eventually winning a Grammy, “Diamonds From Sierra Leone” is one of the most well known collaboration between the two rap giants, Kanye West and Jay-Z. Although it was released on Kanye’s Late Registration, there’s no question which of the two all-stars shine in this song.
Kanye begins the song by talking about his research on the topic, yes, but he seems to stumble over every quatrain. The topic changes, tactless lack of rhyme, and lack of composure shows that he spent much more time on producing than rapping. Jay-Z, on the other hand, comes off as much more composed and each quatrain flows one into another. His rhymes are tight and they flow in the stream-of-consciousness style that Jay-Z is so known for. In this track, he made it clear that he is the more tactful and intelligent of the two emcees. Fortunately, this wasn’t the last we would hear from the two – as the future would bring much better material from both.
– BC
3. “Throw Some D’s (Remix)” – [André 3000]
This remix of “Throw Some D’s” features André 3000, Jim Jones, Nelly, Murphy Lee and The Game, each taking a verse, alternating with the original Rich Boy hook. Each one of them delivers a stellar performance but the show-stealer here is André 3000. He paints a picture with his words and turns a somewhat comical song into something that is slightly more profound and in depth.
“Ain’t a hood n**** but a n**** from the hood/
See mama stayed on me so I turned out pretty good.”
André still retains that sense of humor though in lines like this:
“Yeah, yeah ya partner got away/
but now he vegetable-like/
So I sent his mom and dad a whole case of V8.”
André 3000 comes through on this track like a pro, staying faithful to it’s somewhat ridiculous hook while simultaneously adding a hint of depth and introspection.
– Copper Tony
2. “It’s All About The Benjamins (Remix)” – [The Notorious B.I.G.]
Who remembers the fact that this is actually a remix? The original was improved by throwing on Styles P, as well as Bad Boy elites Lil’ Kim and The Notorious B.I.G. A hip hop classic in its own right, each artist had a pretty great verse, but it was Biggie that completely blew away all others on this track with his dominating feature.
Filling up his verse with multi’s, clever metaphors and straight heated bars, B.I.G. leaves every other artist on this song in the dust. Granted, each rapper had rhymes that attributed to this song’s classic status, but no one did it like Biggie. Rhyming over an insane beat switch-up:
“I been had skills, Cristal spills/
Hide bills in Brazil, about a mil to ice grill/
Make it hard to figure me, liquor be, kickin me/
In my asshole, uhhh, undercover, Donni Brascoe,”
It was clear that nobody came close Christopher Wallace after hearing that.
– Stone
1. “Renaissance Rap (Remix)” – [Lil Wayne]
Q-Tip’s “Renaissance Rap (Remix),” off of The Renaissance, featuring Lil Wayne, Raekwon and Busta Rhymes showcases Lil Wayne outshining Q-Tip on his own song. Wait what? You heard me. Lil Wayne’s verse features amazing wordplay, flow, delivery and punchlines.
This song really showed Lil Wayne’s strong side as an MC. Anytime Lil Wayne is featured on another artist’s song, he doesn’t usually outshine them, but this time he most certainly does. I would attribute Wayne’s surprisingly strong verse to the fact that he was motivated as he was doing a song with a myriad of phenomenal lyricists. After listening to this song, honestly I was surprised because I thought Raekwon’s clever rhymes would top Lil Wayne and outshine Q-Tip. It turned out that Lil Wayne’s sharp delivery topped Raekwon, however, as well as outshining the other featured artists, and more importantly Q-Tip on his own song in the process.