2018 Year End Lists Chapter 3: Guest Verses Of The Year
As long as there has been rap music there has been a great spirit of collaboration and picking the right guests can make or break a song just on the verge of being great.
In this list we look at 10 artists who take to other peoples songs and command your attention with spectacular guest verses that go far to make some of our favorite songs of the year tick.
10. J. Cole "Off Deez" by JID
J. Cole had himself a year for features. With standout spots on hookups with Anderson .Paak, 6LACK and Jay Rock just to name a few, but he hits it out of the park on this verse well worth mentioning in one of the most technically sound rap songs of the year. JID and Cole trade off proving both their sharp lyricism and excellent flows in a track that comes at you fast and refuses to let up.
9. Saba - "Ace" by Noname
Saba has proven himself a renaissance man in 2018 and his contribution to this Chicago rap posse cut is yet another entry into the building case that Saba is one of the best of this half of the decade. Matching Noname's lyrical prowess is a feat well worth congratulating on its own but the energy and technical skill he puts on top of it is well enough to latch on to this list. Huge honorable mention goes to Benjamin Earl Turner's breakthrough standout verse on Part Of Me as well.
8. Kendrick Lamar - "Tints" by Anderson .Paak
So maybe some of us here may have out reservations about Tints and whether it is worth all of the hype, but this is a features list and one thing that unquestionable is that Kendrick brings it on this song. He is consistently charismatic, high energy, hilarious and fits in perfectly with the summery beat and tropical style, a sound we aren't used to him hopping over very much. Kendrick just further proves he is one of the most talented and versatile modern MCs in the game today.
7. Joey Badass - "Infinity (888)" by XXXTENTACION
Most of us rolled our eyes at the idea that Joey would be collaborating with X in February of 2018, and then the two MCs showed us what for when they teamed up for an already legendary remix of Jay Rock's Kings Dead beat. But they had even more in store for us on Infinity. Their chemistry is fantastic and both MCs are cutting and ruthless in between being hilarious and relatable, even though they both came from very different places at the start of 2018 they teamed up here for one of the best bangers of the latter half of X's career on this one.
6. BIA - "Miami" by Kali Uchis
Miami is a song about successful women, warm weather, beautiful beaches and sexy people. The combination of Bia and Kali Uchis is a winning one that perfectly fits the songs vibe and BIA's contribution in the songs tale end adds a lot to what was already a spectacular track, shooting it into the pop music stratosphere.
5. Lil Uzi Vert - "Shoota" by Playboi Carti
Playboi Carti and Lil Uzi are a winning formula. Carti's album Die Lit is nearly an hour of dark, heavy and mesmirizing trap, so when Lil Uzi's characteristically cartooney voice and a bright flash of horns show up on the intro to Shoota it immediately stands out. The song is one of the brightest on the entire album and there doesn't seem to be any other MC alive that both shares such a strong chemestry with Carti and delivers so well on the songs particular sound. This is a far cry from Uzi nearly ruining Bad & Boujee in our recent memory and good for him, he brings it on this track.
4. Denzel Curry - "Kill Us All" by The Neighborhood
Denzel Curry is certainly not an artist with a strong enough feature record to be on lookout for this list on namesake alone, and The Neighborhood is definitely not an artist we would expect a pop rap fusion banger to come out of left field from, but here we are. Denzel handles the intro to the song in excellent fashion riding a boomier beat than fans of the band are used to through a series of silly double entendres and violent metaphors, but its truly his performance that sticks it here on the list. After some less capable rappers falter later on in the EPs tracklist its a testament to Zel's adaptability to be so great on this track.
3. Drake - "Sicko Mode" by Travis Scott
Now that Sicko Mode has been one of the most successful, viral and universally acclaimed songs of 2018 it seems obvious that this pairing would work. Travis, Drake and Swae Lee absolutely bring it but the surprising highlight it Drake's return to the song in its second half where he propels it from trap banger to crossover radio anthem with catchy and topical bars delivered in the way only he does. Drake added some BIG misses to his feature list in 2018 but Sicko Mode was at least one completely undeniable hit.
2. Kanye West - "Cops Shot The Kid" by Nas
Much like what land at #3 this is simply the execution of some incredible planning and an absolutely perfect formula. Kanye both produces and features in the socially conscious hip-hop anthem and absolutely shines beside Nas in both regards. Matching him in quality of flow and quotable lyrical moments every part of this song is great but Kanye absolutely brings it here amidst a year where he churned out fantastic features with Travis Scott, 6ix9ine, Pusha T and XXXTENTACION just to name a few.
1. Goldlink - "Black Balloons" by Denzel Curry
Everything about Black Balloons is fantastic from top to bottom behind the scenes and Zel himself, which is a testament to just how dominant and fantastic Goldlink's contribution to the song is to stand out above all else and every other competitor. This is the music that all the D.C. insiders told everyone was coming from Goldlink and its finally arrived. Silky smooth flow, great lyrics, attention commanding attitude he is perfect paired with Curry and his mix into the song is expertly executed. Though it may not enter the rap canons as one of the most commercially successful partnerships ever the sheer perfection of the execution of this song top to bottom is well enough to deserve taking our top spot, congrats Goldlink.
Half of these songs will be on our Songs Of The Year list coming out in a few days! Can you guess which ones? Tune in and find out.
In this list we look at 10 artists who take to other peoples songs and command your attention with spectacular guest verses that go far to make some of our favorite songs of the year tick.
10. J. Cole "Off Deez" by JID
J. Cole had himself a year for features. With standout spots on hookups with Anderson .Paak, 6LACK and Jay Rock just to name a few, but he hits it out of the park on this verse well worth mentioning in one of the most technically sound rap songs of the year. JID and Cole trade off proving both their sharp lyricism and excellent flows in a track that comes at you fast and refuses to let up.
Saba has proven himself a renaissance man in 2018 and his contribution to this Chicago rap posse cut is yet another entry into the building case that Saba is one of the best of this half of the decade. Matching Noname's lyrical prowess is a feat well worth congratulating on its own but the energy and technical skill he puts on top of it is well enough to latch on to this list. Huge honorable mention goes to Benjamin Earl Turner's breakthrough standout verse on Part Of Me as well.
8. Kendrick Lamar - "Tints" by Anderson .Paak
So maybe some of us here may have out reservations about Tints and whether it is worth all of the hype, but this is a features list and one thing that unquestionable is that Kendrick brings it on this song. He is consistently charismatic, high energy, hilarious and fits in perfectly with the summery beat and tropical style, a sound we aren't used to him hopping over very much. Kendrick just further proves he is one of the most talented and versatile modern MCs in the game today.
7. Joey Badass - "Infinity (888)" by XXXTENTACION
Most of us rolled our eyes at the idea that Joey would be collaborating with X in February of 2018, and then the two MCs showed us what for when they teamed up for an already legendary remix of Jay Rock's Kings Dead beat. But they had even more in store for us on Infinity. Their chemistry is fantastic and both MCs are cutting and ruthless in between being hilarious and relatable, even though they both came from very different places at the start of 2018 they teamed up here for one of the best bangers of the latter half of X's career on this one.
6. BIA - "Miami" by Kali Uchis
Miami is a song about successful women, warm weather, beautiful beaches and sexy people. The combination of Bia and Kali Uchis is a winning one that perfectly fits the songs vibe and BIA's contribution in the songs tale end adds a lot to what was already a spectacular track, shooting it into the pop music stratosphere.
5. Lil Uzi Vert - "Shoota" by Playboi Carti
Playboi Carti and Lil Uzi are a winning formula. Carti's album Die Lit is nearly an hour of dark, heavy and mesmirizing trap, so when Lil Uzi's characteristically cartooney voice and a bright flash of horns show up on the intro to Shoota it immediately stands out. The song is one of the brightest on the entire album and there doesn't seem to be any other MC alive that both shares such a strong chemestry with Carti and delivers so well on the songs particular sound. This is a far cry from Uzi nearly ruining Bad & Boujee in our recent memory and good for him, he brings it on this track.
4. Denzel Curry - "Kill Us All" by The Neighborhood
Denzel Curry is certainly not an artist with a strong enough feature record to be on lookout for this list on namesake alone, and The Neighborhood is definitely not an artist we would expect a pop rap fusion banger to come out of left field from, but here we are. Denzel handles the intro to the song in excellent fashion riding a boomier beat than fans of the band are used to through a series of silly double entendres and violent metaphors, but its truly his performance that sticks it here on the list. After some less capable rappers falter later on in the EPs tracklist its a testament to Zel's adaptability to be so great on this track.
3. Drake - "Sicko Mode" by Travis Scott
Now that Sicko Mode has been one of the most successful, viral and universally acclaimed songs of 2018 it seems obvious that this pairing would work. Travis, Drake and Swae Lee absolutely bring it but the surprising highlight it Drake's return to the song in its second half where he propels it from trap banger to crossover radio anthem with catchy and topical bars delivered in the way only he does. Drake added some BIG misses to his feature list in 2018 but Sicko Mode was at least one completely undeniable hit.
2. Kanye West - "Cops Shot The Kid" by Nas
Much like what land at #3 this is simply the execution of some incredible planning and an absolutely perfect formula. Kanye both produces and features in the socially conscious hip-hop anthem and absolutely shines beside Nas in both regards. Matching him in quality of flow and quotable lyrical moments every part of this song is great but Kanye absolutely brings it here amidst a year where he churned out fantastic features with Travis Scott, 6ix9ine, Pusha T and XXXTENTACION just to name a few.
1. Goldlink - "Black Balloons" by Denzel Curry
Everything about Black Balloons is fantastic from top to bottom behind the scenes and Zel himself, which is a testament to just how dominant and fantastic Goldlink's contribution to the song is to stand out above all else and every other competitor. This is the music that all the D.C. insiders told everyone was coming from Goldlink and its finally arrived. Silky smooth flow, great lyrics, attention commanding attitude he is perfect paired with Curry and his mix into the song is expertly executed. Though it may not enter the rap canons as one of the most commercially successful partnerships ever the sheer perfection of the execution of this song top to bottom is well enough to deserve taking our top spot, congrats Goldlink.
Half of these songs will be on our Songs Of The Year list coming out in a few days! Can you guess which ones? Tune in and find out.
