A Brief History of the Success of Collaborative Albums in Hip-Hop

From 'Paid in Full' to 'Watch the Throne,' here are eight of the best collaborative hip-hop albums of all time.

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Complex Original

Image via Complex Original

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Sometimes, two minds are better than one. Hip-hop’s rich history of legendary collaborations provides plenty examples of it. While most of the artists in the rap hall of fame are there for their solo careers, the duo—either two rappers or a rapper and a DJ/producer—has yielded some of the most important records since hip-hop’s inception. We’re talking collabs from EPMD and Pete Rock & CL Smooth, to Clipse and Black Star.

Measuring success can take on many forms—some intangible, like cultural impact, and some quantifiable, like platinum plaques. We decided to revisit the collaborative projects that yielded the best and most successful LPs in hip-hop history. 

Eric B. and Rakim ‘Paid in Full’ (1987)

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DJ Jazzy Jeff and the Fresh Prince ‘He’s the DJ, I’m the Rapper’ (1988)

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Gang Starr ‘Moment of Truth’ (1998)

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Mobb Deep ‘Murda Muzik’ (1999)

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Outkast ‘Speakerboxxx/The Love Below’ (2003)

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UGK ‘Underground Kingz’ (2007)

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Jay Z and Kanye West ‘Watch the Throne’ (2011)

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Future and Drake ‘What a Time to Be Alive’ (2015)

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