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2. 24hrs - "Stylist"
Who should do it: Young Thug
One listen to 24hrs' "Stylist," and you're hooked. The combination of the Atlanta singer's pitched voice and that fantastic piano loop have been enough to get him plenty of fans plenty fast, but a verse from Young Thug could take this into the stratosphere. It's these minimal beats that Thugger goes craziest over (see: "Good Times"), and "Stylist" fits the bill.
3. starrah - "rush"
Who should do it: Gucci Mane
The melody and production on starrah's "rush" meld to form a light and bubbly take on modern trap sounds and R&B style, and it works so well. It's the kind of beat that the newly free Gucci Mane would take to with gusto, and he'd provide ad-lib-heavy edge that would take this song to the next level.
4. Demo Taped - "Game On"
Who should do it: GoldLink
Demo Taped and GoldLink already work well together—the young Atlanta producer has credits on GoldLink's debut And After That, We Didn't Talk, but it goes deeper than previous collabs. Demo Taped's bouncy, danceable beats are fertile ground for GoldLink's own elastic raps, and a "Game On" remix could be perfect for the summer.
5. Lance Skiiiwalker - "Speed"
Who should do it: Black Hippy
This one feels inevitable. Lance Skiiiwalker is T.D.E.'s latest signee, and his songs are noticeably devoid of the rapping that has made the L.A. collective one of the most powerful forces in music. Maybe Skiiiwalker's future releases will feature more hip-hop, but for the moment, "Speed" sounds ripe for an extra verse or two. Jay Rock, ScHoolboy, Kendrick, and Ab-Soul would sound amazing over those hectic drums and fuzzy, shaky bass.
6. Ryan Hemsworth & Lucas - "From Grace"
Who should do it: Lil Yachty
Ryan Hemsworth's bright, playful production would provide the perfect backdrop for the red-beaded stylings of Lil Yachty. "From Grace" starts with a melancholy edge, but once the synths break out, it feels like Yachty should be right there alongside them, rapping about clouds and staying at the Four Seasons for all four seasons (twice).
7. Ty Dolla $ign - "Westside"
Who should do it: YG, Kamaiyah
Ty's "Westside" is the jam. It's a straight anthem, and should be playing out of every car cruising past with its windows down this summer. If the song isn't already in rotation, maybe a West Coast remix would give it a nice bump? Who better to ride this smooth DJ Mustard beat alongside Ty Dolla $ign than YG and Kamaiyah.
The two just collaborated on "Why You Always Hatin?" with Drake, but "Westside" calls for something smoother. YG can do party tunes as well as he can spit gangster shit, and we know Kamaiyah can kill it on a melodic from the excellent "How Does It Feel." This remix could be an instant West Coast classic.
8. James Blake - "Radio Silence"
Who should do it: Kanye West
One of the only disappointing things about James Blake's The Colour In Anything was its lack of a Kanye feature—Mr. West had recorded a verse for "Timeless," but it didn't make the final cut. Maybe it's time to right that wrong. The final third of "Radio Silence" is a towering storm of electronic production, providing some perfect opportunities for a Kanye howl.
9. Skepta Ft. Novelist - "Lyrics"
Who should do it: Danny Brown
Lyrics for lyrics, calm. And who better to bring quickfire spitting and high energy to a hyperactive beat than Danny Brown? We already know that he has no problem going in over the kind of production that would throw off a lot of American rappers (see: "Attak," "Handstand"), and this would be another great cross-Atlantic collaboration for Skepta.
10. Sami Baha ft. Kuedo - "Cataphract"
Who should do it: Kodak Black
Kodak Black is adept at delivering memorable melodies and dropping memorable lines in his easy drawl, and although the "SKRT" beat is bright and bubbly, he has proved on songs like "No Flockin'" that he also wins over more menacing production.
The horror house vibes of "Cataphract" could be a perfect match to the casual nihilism of some of Kodak's lyrics, and the beat has enough space for some more fire ad libs.
11. Kaytranada ft. Syd - "YOU'RE THE ONE"
Who should do it: Kendrick Lamar
Syd tha Kyd's presence on a Kaytranada track was surprising—The Internet's lead singer is usually heard over smooth, soulful beats, not vibrant electronica like this. But it works—her breathy delivery adds a helpful dollop of humanity to the proceedings, and leaves plenty of room for some of Kendrick's wisdom. untitled unmastered. was proof Kenny can go in over fast dance beats as well as anything else, and you can almost hear his verse already embedded: "two tears in a bucket I cry with ya..."
12. Khalid - "Location"
Who should do it: Tunji Ige
Philadelphia's Tunji Ige helped on the production for this beat, so he's already familiar with its ebb and flow. "Location" is chock full of the subtle plinks and plunks that Tunji uses so well in his own music—you know he'd find a couple of choice moments to stop everything completely and deliver a devastating punchline.
13. Jacquees ft. Birdman - "Ready"
Who should do it: 2 Chainz
Birdman is often best with one other rapper to balance him out. The original version of "Ready," off Jacquees' Mood mixtape, is great, but The xx sample is sparse enough that there's room for one more show-stopping performance. The existing verses go full throttle from the jump, so someone like 2 Chainz, who can slow things down and deliver a couple of quotables, would fit right in.
14. Radiohead - "Burn The Witch"
Who should do it: Anderson .Paak
Anderson .Paak's Malibu was further proof that he's much more than a rapper. The California drummer/singer/songwriter can pull a rabbit from just about any hat. From the smooth, smoky vibes of "Room In Here" to the disco-ball inflections of "Lite Weight," .Paak can flow over anything, and while Radiohead's "Burn The Witch" would certainly be a rhythmic and tonal challenge, it's nothing he hasn't encountered before—this pizzicato sound is something .Paak already conquered on his KRNE/Tokimonsta collab "Put It Down."
15. SBTRKT ft. The-Dream - "Good Morning"
Who should do it: Chance The Rapper
On Coloring Book, Chance The Rapper gave us another reminder of his versatility, tap dancing over sped up soul samples, jazzy live instrumentation, and straight dance party joints. He's also killed guest features on songs by such diverse artists as Justin Bieber, Skrillex, and Snakehips, but this one could be really special.
"You're the girl I'm gon' marry," The-Dream sings on "Good Morning," floating over SBTRKT's monumental synths, providing a thematic setup for Chance to get as deep or as joyous as he wants.
