Rappers With the Best Chemistry

Whether it be with on hit records or album cuts, when paired together certain rappers do not disappoint. They create songs that make fans hope and pray for a collaborative project. The streets are still waiting for Beanie and Scarface to release an album together, and the same goes for Nas and AZ. Method Man and Redman gained second careers as actors when they decided to actually link up. Ghostface and Raekwon have a library of music together with more than a handful of classic verses to go around. As for the younger generation, A$AP Rocky and ScHoolboy Q do not miss. Check out who we picked for Rappers With the Best Chemistry.

DISCLAIMER: We purposely left groups off this list because a successful group should have chemistry. Although, we did include duos from groups like the LOX, Wu-Tang, etc.

Written by Angel Diaz (@ADiaz456)

Notable collab: “Bury Me in My Gucci”

You mad? Don't be. The streets have spoken. The story of these two is a story of wasted potential. Max B was the real star, but Bundles had this "I don't give a fuck" attitude that would've gotten him far in today's music climate. Unfortunately, Stack was murdered on his front steps and the Boss Don Biggavel​ is doing basketball numbers, so we can only wonder where ByrdGang would be today. However, they loved to record and left us with a number of mixtape cuts that cats still shoot dice to. Stack came with the introspective street raps while Max complemented him with infectious hooks and slick rhymes. Listen to "Bad by Myself" and reflect on what could've been.

Notable collab: “Scaling the Building”

Curren$y brings the best out of Wiz. Two of Wiz's best verses are on “Scaling the Building” and “Jet Life.” They're this generation's Meth and Red, but without the lyrical superiority. Wiz and Curren$y are just able to cultivate a sound that's best enjoyed while stoned. Curren$y knows how to pick a beat, and Wiz knows how to make a hit. They go together like a nug and a Raw.

Notable collab: “Ice Cream Freestyle”

Fat Joe hasn't been the same since Pun passed. Already with a solid career, Pun helped Joe get a second wind in the late '90s. He showed him how to make a hit, and both used their Bronx roots to strong arm the game. Joe was even in videos holding an umbrella for Punny, which showed he knew how his bread was buttered. Whether Joe received help or drew inspiration from Pun, he had to be on top of his game whenever he was on a track with the rap heavyweight. Now Joe raps like he's from Miami. Pun would've never let that happen.

Notable collab: "Believe Me"

These two couldn't be more different. Lil Wayne is from New Orleans rap royalty and has remained relevant in multiple eras, whereas Drake is an actor turned rapper from Canada who just so happens to be sitting on rap's throne whether you want to admit it or not. Wayne doesn't have to rap anymore because of Nicki and especially because of Drake. The former Degrassi star really knows how to make a song. Along with his producer, 40, he has created a sound and brand that is becoming unmistakable. Wayne and Drake have many tracks together, but Drizzy's influence is apparent on "Believe Me," the best record they've recorded together at this point.

Notable collab: “Hands on the Wheel”

These two haven't missed yet, and they're just getting started. Both aren't superior lyricists, but both know how to make a hit record. All of their collabs have an undeniable bounce to them. Both are a part of two of rap's most consistent cliques, and it's exciting to see them being able to make hit records that aren't marketed in that way. The tracks they've collabed on aren't “official singles,” just album cuts that are undeniable. “Hands on the Wheel” will get any party jumpin', and “Brand New Guy” will make you smack somebody.

Notable collab: "I'm Ready"

"Jimmy. I'm a get you up outta 5H," Cam proclaimed on "That's Me," Killa's most underrated and probably best offering to date. S.D.E. was prophetic. The Diplomats became a movement on that album, and as time goes by their group's named is mentioned among the greatest in rap's young history. Juelz was the apprentice, where as Cam and Jim were equals, even though the former was the superior rapper. But what Jimmy lacked in lyrical ability he made up for in swag. Both he and Cam were able to carry a track just by talking shit over it. They came up together, and that factor was impossible to ignore on tracks like "I'm Ready" and "Come Home With Me." You can feel the pain in those verses. They were able to tap into the sorrow and remember when things weren't always platinum. They created something immortal in Dipset, and no matter what happens, they'll always have that moment in time.

Notable collab: “Mac and Brad”

Back and forth, back and forth. Beanie was always able to bring Mr. Scarface out of Facemob. By the time they linked up, Scarface's place as a legend was set in stone. In comes Beans, a street poet with the same ability to tell the harsh truths of ghetto life while also being a lyrical acrobat. Their chemistry was apparent from the start. On their first collaboration, “Mac and Brad,” the two vibed like they knew each other for years, and in theory they did. Both came from the gutter and have been around people of their ilk their whole lives. Real recognize real, as they say.

Notable collab: “Definition”

Are they a group like OutKast, or do they fit the Meth and Red mold? We lean toward the latter. Black Star was a great collaborative effort, and they even teased a follow-up with some amazing Aretha Franklin-sampled tracks a couple years ago. Both are “conscious” rappers whose pro-black tones overshadow their actual skills on the mic, Yasiin especially. The artist formally known as Mos Def can still rap with the best while his counterpart continues to make something as good as their Black Star album.

Notable collab: “Raw and Uncut”

We wanted to put Jeezy and Hov on this list so bad, and although they might have more hits together, Jay had more chemistry with Beans. When Jigga stumbled upon Beans, he finally had someone he was around all the time who was able to spar with him on the mic. He lost that when Biggie passed. Beanie's bully mentality complemented Hov's boss raps perfectly. They went to war for each other when other crews stepped out of bounds, and the two tried to one up each other when they collaborated together making for some of the most classic Roc-A-Fella tracks to date. We wish these two would bury the hatchet and work together again.

Notable collab: “How High”

“How high? So high that I could kiss the sky. How sick? So sick that you could suck my dick!” Meth and Red took their friendship to new heights when they turned their chemistry on record into a lucrative career in Hollywood. They made a show, had a movie, and are legends among rap fans and stoners alike. They also released two decent collab albums 10 years a part. They've made a handful of classic records, but they are without a doubt the best performers on here. Seeing both of them live should be on any music lover's bucket list. There will be a lot of crowd surfing, a lot of weed smoke, and a lot of Redman making monkey sounds.

Notable collab: “Brooklyn's Finest”

Jigga and Biggie only have a couple records together, and those songs are classics. During this particular period Big was the King of New York, the Luciano to Jay's Lansky if you will. Both rappers were competitive and tried to out rap each other on both tracks but were still able to strengthen each other. “Brooklyn's Finest” is a prime example. The two go toe-to-toe over Clark Kent production, and when the smoked cleared, both giants stood over the NYC skyline without a scratch. "I Love the Dough" places two kids who grew up poor in a position to stunt, and they revel in it. And try not to run back "Young G's" 700 times whenever it comes on. Only heaven knows what The Commission would've done to the rap game.

Notable collab: “Nuthin' but a G Thang”

Yeah, Snoop and a bunch of other people more than likely wrote Dre's rhymes—so fucking what? Snoop and Dre made three undeniable classics: The Chronic (1992), Doggystyle (1993), and 2001 (1999). And they sounded brilliant on each and every one of them joints. Dre's funky beats and hard raps meshed perfectly with Snoop's pimpish braggadocio. These two had the West Coast on their backs and were the faces of rap's most powerful label until Suge helped 2Pac get out of jail in 1996, ultimately spelling the end of whatever chemistry the label had. Three years later, Dre and Snoop would work together again on the Doctor's second LP, 2001. They should be inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame together.

Notable collab: “Life's a Bitch”

Nas and AZ were once in a group. The Firm didn't work for various reasons, but in hindsight the album is pretty good. They've collabed sparingly since, most notably on “The Essence,” a song off AZ's Aziatic and on “The Flyest,” a track on Nas' Stillmatic. Fans are still pining for these guys. “Life's a Bitch” set the bar high, and they've been able to make lyrical masterpieces in its shadow. We still hope they make an entire project together.

Notable collab: “We Gonna Make It”

Their back-and-forth technique will be talked about for generations. The LOX have been the streets' finest ambassadors for nearly two decades. This selection is no swipe at Sheek, the group's towering bully. The Ghost and Kiss are just too good when they're on a track together. They were born to rap together. The back and forth on tracks like "We Gonna Make It" and "We Thugs" will make you catch a case for your righthand man without second thought. It's really amazing that the LOX are still together. They've survived decades of turmoil and arguably out-rapped legends on various tracks when the LOX were just pups in the game.

Notable collab: “Criminology”

Where do I start? Like Styles and Jada, and Cam and Jim, Ghost and the Chef are attached to a legendary rap group. And like the aforementioned duos, both work best together. Their coming out party happened on Raekwon's solo debut, Only Built 4 Cuban Linx, and the two continue to work well together. Both are the two most consistent members of the Wu-Tang Clan. Tracks like “260” and “Maxine” are perfect examples of their unrivaled storytelling and chemistry.