Ever since Rakim and Jody Watley teamed up on “Friends” the collabo between the MC and the singer has become commonplace. But there are still lots of songs that for one reason or another didn’t get the light they deserved. This is a list of rewind worthy team-ups that flew under the radar.
Jill Scott /F Mos Def “Love Rain” (2)
This should not be confused with the remix that was a bonus track on the Words & Sounds CD. This version keeps the original beat and Mos goes in with one of the most potent spoken word performances put to wax.
Raphael Saadiq F/ Q-Tip “Get Involved”
Believe it or not there was a soundtrack to “The PJ’s” television show and this great collab between Q-Tip and Raphael Saadiq was on it.
D’Angelo f/ Eric Sermon and Redman “Dreamin Eyes” (Def Squad Remix)
This beat is a close relative to the joint E Sermon did with Too Short, “Buy You Some” but Redman and E double book-end D’Angelo’s musings with tight verses.
Eric Roberson f/ Phonte From Little Brother “Been In Love”
Both of these brothers are tragically slept on in the music biz and this is one of my favorites from Erro’s last CD, Left.
Davina f. Raekwon “So Good”
This just reminds me of hanging out on a New York fire escape in summertime. Pick your vice.
Common F/ Cee-LO “G.O.D”
This one from One Day It’ll All Make Sense definitely got overshadowed by he and Lauryn Hill’s “Retrospect For Life” but it was dope in its own right. I can almost forgive the sappy “Make My Day.”
The Roots f/ Jill Scott “Complexity”
Lost gem from the underappreciated “Phrenology.” Given how far away The Roots have moved from this sound lately I appreciate it even more.
Mary J Blige F/ Black Star “Beautiful” remix
This version flips the original on its head with less singing from Ms. Blige and two stellar performances from Mos and Talib.
Clipse F/ Bilal “Nightmares”
An unlikely union of coke laced bravado and painful neo soul.
Boyz II Men – Vibin’ (The New Flava)
Borrowing from the same formula as the popular “I Wanna Be Down” (Remix) Treach, Craig Mack, Busta Rhymes and Method Man gave us one more reason to love 1995.
