Kaytranada's 10 Best Rap Collaborations

We have to start with one of Goldlink's best tracks—"Sober Thoughts." GoldLink was already picking up lots of buzz for the excellent The God Complex, but "Sober Tohughts," still the most popular song on his Soundcloud, helped proper him to the next level of notoriety.

The two are a match made in heaven—GoldLink's rapid lyrical flow perfectly complements Kaytra's smooth, old-school vibes. "Sober Thoughts" was instrumental in cementing Kaytranada's presence in the rap game; he has since been part of many more amazing collaborations.

No one saw this latest rap collaboration coming, not even my psychic grandma—and she loves Gibbs. Who would've thought that Indiana's finest, Freddie "Babyface Killa" Gibbs, would work with the Haitian-Canadian prince Kaytranada?

The fact that Gibbs, a very selective rapper, chose to spit fire over Kaytranada's beat speaks volumes about Kayta's reputation and skills as a producer. "My Dope House" kills on every level, with Gibbs' signature deep voice, a catchy chorus, and Kaytranada's hard-hitting, bouncy backline.

"Wimme Nah" is the ultimate feel-good track that celebrates Chicago rapper Vic Mensa's success as an established rapper.

His energetic flow and triumphant lines such as, "I feel like Michael Jordan statue in my city now," are anchored by Kaytranada's rising synths and smooth drum hits. You can't help but feel excited for Vic as he chants about his supportive fans, "cause they wimme nah!"

Mick Jenkins is a breath of fresh air for hip-hop, so it's very exciting to see him collaborating with the equally innovative Kaytranada.

"Rain" was an easy choice to feature because of the beautiful sample of Ann Peebles "I Can't Stand the Rain" (which was also used in Missy E's "Supa Dupa Fly"). Depicting a visual image of the gritty streets of Chi-town to listeners, 23-year-old Jenkins effortlessly weaves around Kaytranada's buttery smooth kicks.

This track is serious, man! Kaytra and Marvel Alexander had a total of three songs together on Marvel's underrated Don't Die Yet album but "Popcorn" easily stood out. Eerie, gutter, and Quentin Tarantino are the first words that come to mind when trying to describe this track. It's easy to picture these raw, ridiculous synths in the background of classic horror movies such as Psycho or The Shining.

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Kaytranada is known for his upbeat, smooth, and dancey vibes so it's always a welcoming change when he goes straight heavy. "Funeral" is such a filthy production that Kaytra's brother Louis-P and GoldLink had no choice but to bring their A game to keep up.

With orchestral sampling from the Evil Dead, Kaytranada outdid himself with a flurry of complex strings, hi-hats, and kicks. A fantastic track off the Celestics (a.k.a. Kaytranada and Louis-P) debut album, Supreme Laziness.

Iconic East coast hip-hop duo Mobb Deep really surprised fans on their eighth studio album, The Infamous Mobb Deep, when they teamed up with Kaytranada for "My Block."

The new school producer served the old school rappers a brilliant, '90s influenced beat reminiscent of MPC-God J Dilla's smooth brilliance. You can't help but head-bob to this classic hip-hop number.

“5pagez” was the debut solo track from JaySwifa, who is also a member of rap trio Fly Union, and it’s a smooth slow-jam which sees the Ohio native both singing and rapping over a twinkling, bass-heavy beat. Kaytranada kept things smooth and laid-back for this one—perfect for summertime cruising.

Kaytranada and Vic Mensa are growing into a formidable pairing, as Mensa comes with enough energy and personality to still own Kaytra's bouncy, party starting beats. "Drive Me Crazy" is a little less straight danceable, but still thumps hard during the choruses while dropping into gentler, hazy sections for Vic to sing the hook. And that little guitar solo towards the end? Killer.

The Celestics got tough for their collaboration with Waldo, employing some truly evil strings and sparse, cutting percussion for "173." The Michigan rapper spits some sneering lines over the unconventional production from Kaytranada and Louie P, pre-empting the dark, brooding rap that was just starting to come out of Chicago when "173" was first released.