15 Recent Rap Bonus Songs We Can't Believe Didn't Make The Regular Tracklist

Hundreds of rap singles are released every year, and not all of them are successful. But recently, as rappers have continued to cram as many songs onto a CD as possible, we have seen some of those singles regain a second life as a “(Bonus Song)”, a parenthetical used to bring back failed singles, stray remixes, and other b-sides, as well as full-on smash singles that didn't fit into the album's overall sound.

For some of these tracks, they might have just not fit in the context of the album, pushed into the bonus section only to become the album’s biggest single. Others are singles that never really popped off like that, but still had enough core fans that it warranted a spot somewhere on the album. Others are left-field remixes. But a little time has shown that maybe those songs should have made the final cut. This is, after all, the iTunes era, where a bonus track could become a Top 10 hit or eventual fan favorite.

These are the 15 Recent Rap Bonus Songs We Can't Believe Didn't Make The Regular Tracklist.

Written by David Turner (@dalatudalatu)

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Album: The State Vs. Radric Davis
Producer: Fatboi

Before the vile twitter screeds, the face tattoo, and burning every musical bridge he had established in his decade-plus career, Gucci Mane was gonna be a pop star. And the opening single that was leading him towards stardom was "Wasted." Though Gucci Mane had a minor hit in 2005, it was his 2008-2009 mixtape run that made him a force in the rap game. "Wasted" originally featured his then partner OJ Da Juiceman, but when the song eventually crossed-over on to radio station, OJ was dropped and replaced with Plies. 

Album: Cole World: The Sideline Story
Producer: J. Cole, Elite

J. Cole had already established a fanbase through his mixtapes by the time he debuted his first single, "Who Dat." Although the marching stomp and lyrical acrobatics of "Who Dat" made an impression on mainstream rap fans who hadn't heard Cole's music before, the single didn't make it past No. 93 on the Billboard Hot 100 and essentially left Cole's career stalled out for about a year. He eventually released the Kanye West sampling hit "Work Out" as a single and saw the successful release of his debut album, Cole World: The Sideline Story. However, that song was the type to let Nas down, whereas "Who Dat" was the witty wordplay we expected from Cole.  

Album: Sir Lucious Left Foot: The Son of Chico Dusty
Producer: DJ Cutmaster Swiff, Big Boi

OutKast might finally be reuniting this year, but in 2010, people were still wondering if the duo would ever get back together. In the meanwhile, Big Boi released his long delayed debut album, Sir Lucious Left Foot: The Son of Chico Dusty, and although none of the singles really popped off like that, the bonus cut "Shine Blockas" should have. With an "I Miss You Part I and II" sample, it was the sonic cousin of the beloved UGK and Outkast hit "Int'l Players Anthem (I Choose You)." The remix even recalled that song by recruiting Bun B and Three 6 Mafia member Project Pat.

Album: No Mercy
Producer: TrackSlayerz

By the end of the 2000s, T.I. was juggling two very different personas. On one side was the rapper who crafted hit singles like "Whatever You Like" and "Live Your Life" and starred in Chevrolet ads, the other side was a rapper's rapper who couldn't stop getting arrested. So, after getting out of prison in spring 2010, instead of trying to go pop again, Tip went back to rapping. And not just serviceable rapping either. He rapped with an intensity that had started to get lost as more pop singers began to overshadow his songs. Since this declaration, T.I. has never gotten that big pop hit again, but he has maintained his skills as a top notch rapper. 

Album: Pink Friday
Producer: Kane Beatz

Once the video for "Super Bass" came out, the immediate question was: "Why was this relegated to a bonus track?" "Super Bass" became the biggest single from Pink Friday, eventually peaking at #3 on the Hot 100 chart. The bubblegum sweet production, the love drunk lyrics, and even the release date at the top of April were a perfect combination for an eventual summer smash hit. Nicki's has had more explicit attempts at pop and has rapped with more striking focus, but "Super Bass" will be a hard single for her to top. 

Album: Flockaveli
Producer: Joshua "SouthSide" Luellen

Thought not his biggest single, Waka Flocka Flame's "Hard in the Paint" set the template a new decade of aggressive rap music, thanks to Lex Luger's overwhelming synths and Waka's aggressive rapping. But don't sleep on "Luv Them Gun Sounds," one of the earliest Southside on the Track beats. It was originally featured on Waka's Salute Me or Shoot Me series, full of gun shots blaring and alarms ringing. It ended up an iTunes bonus track for Flockaveli, which continues to stand as of the most holistically complete major label rap albums of the decade.

Album: Take Care
Producer: T-Minus

Take Care had plenty of successful singles, from "Headlines" to "HYFR (Hell Yeah Fucking Right)." So that "The Motto" was left behind for deluxe version made sense, as the Bay-Area influenced track didn't exactly fit into the triumphant dour mood of the album. But, that minimalist Bay sound along with label mate Tyga's "Rack City" foreshadowed the rise of what is now called "Ratchet Music"—minimalist West coast tracks that borrowed from L.A.'s Jerkin music to the San Francisco's Post-Hyphy work. Drake even got Mac Dre's mother to appear in the video to show that obviously he knew the culture he was borrowing from.

Album: Watch the Throne
Producer: Lex Luger, Kanye West

"H.A.M." was as hyped up as a single could possibly be. After all, when we heard Kanye West and Jay Z were teaming up for an album, the expectations went through the roof. But when the first song off Watch The Throne finally did arrive, it seemed to fall flat, as Jay and Kanye just didn't sound right over Lex Luger's trap sound. But maybe we were being too harsh. Revisiting "H.A.M." now—without having to read tweets about how lackluster it is—lets you enjoy the song for the odd turn up anthem that it is. Still, the song didn't really fit the album, and didn't really become a hit, so it was regulated to bonus song status. 

Album: TM:103 Hustlerz Ambition
Producer: Drumma Boy

The formula for a successful Young Jeezy single has never really changed in nearly a decade: A booming beat and an arena anthem-ready chorus. The sad legacy of "Lose My Mind" is revealed in the song's closing where he says that "TM 103 is coming soon." Originally released in the spring of 2010, the song was a successful opening song, but that album didn't end up coming out until the very end of 2011, after a number of far less successful singles. Luckily unlike cuts that didn't gain traction and have been mercifully forgotten by time, "Lose My Mind" still got its place on Thug Motivation 103—even if it was tacked on at the end.

Album: Dreams and Nightmares
Producer: Jahlil Beats

It might not have become a big chart hit, but "Burn" was one of the hottest songs of 2012 (no pun intended). Meek and Big Sean showed surprising chemistry as they played off each other's personalities perfectly. Meek was rough and aggressive while Sean was witty and charming. Meanwhile, the Jahlil Beats produced track was the perfect soundtrack for a rap riot. 

Album: good kid, m.a.A.d city
Producer: T-Minus

Black Hippy is one of the few modern day rap collectives where nearly rapper can stake a claim to being someone's favorite rapper. Any time they come together, it's a special occasion. But it was especially high-profile when they remixed the biggest hit to come from any member of the crew. "Swiming Pools" allowed each rapper to briefly describe their relationship with alcohol. Although it might seem like a drinking anthem for some, this remix furthers the complicated feelings about consumption that ran through the original.

Album: O.N.I.F.C.
Producer: The Invasion

Wiz Khalifa's second album O.N.I.F.C. didn't have a smash single, as his debut album had in "Black and Yellow." Instead, it had a lot of decently performing songs. "Bout Me" wasn't an official single from the album, but the West Coast-tinged track still found a way onto late evening radio mixes. Featuring "Like Whaaat" star Problem and HBK head honcho Iamsu!, the song sounded like any number of recent Ratchet minimalist tracks. But, while Wiz Khalifa's zoomed out persona can sometimes leave a song forgettable, Problem and Iamsu! are two rappers who, in a couple of lines, convey an incomparable amount of energy and excitement, which is exactly what this song needed. 

Album: Finally Rich
Producer: Young Ravisu

Some of this can be attributed to his youth, but Chief Keef has been swerving in and out of different musical lanes since he first got attention with his "Bang" video. In 2011, it was Waka Flocka-derived aggressive music; in 2012 he looked to be on the way to being a hit maker, with "Don't Like" and "Love Sosa." 2013 found his music retreating from pop friendliness. "Citgo" isn't as poorly recorded or as mindless as Bang 2. Nor is it a "Hate Being Sober," with a strong, memorable hook. Instead, "Citgo" was mush-mouthed slurring as distinctive rapping. But, whatever Keef might lack in comprehensibility, his charismatic presence in this particular ATV-heavy video is impossible to deny.

Album: Hall of Fame
Producer: Key Wane, Young Chop

After the success of his debut album, Finally Famous, and appearances on G.O.O.D. Music's "Mercy" and "Clique," "Guap" seemed poised to continue Big Sean's winning streak. Produced by Key Wane and Young Chop, the song's steel drums and tropical joy helped elevate Sean's usual overeagerness. Despite being released in the fall and putting the video out in December, this was a song for warmer days. That might be why it failed catch on as a single and barely ended up on the album.

Album: Nothing Was the Same
Producer: Key Wane

Drake released a lot of music in 2013 that didn't even end up on his third album, Nothing Was the Same (we still mess with "The Motion," though!). "Started from the Bottom" was the first hit from the album, and "Hold On We're Going Home" was the pop smash, leaving "All Me" somewhere behind. The all-machismo, self-obsessed chest-beating single didn't end up on the final tracklisting of NWTS, but has still proven to be a popular single, even without breaking the Top 40.