Some people prefer to refer to rap as art, while others think it’s better suited as a sport. Either way, rap is entertainment and there are a plethora of ways it can captivate a crowd. Sometimes it’s a great beat that does the job, other times it’s a perfect hook that turns the song into an uncontested classic. However, there’s nothing better than a great rap verse.
A great verse can come from anywhere, but it’s even more special when the guest artist can manage to deliver one on a song while outshining the artist who invited them on the record. There are numerous examples in rap’s history of rappers who had the spotlight stolen from them by their collaborators: Nas on “Live At The Barbeque,” Snoop on “Deep Cover,” Lil Kim on “Quiet Storm.” Sometimes it’s a sacrifice necessary for the song’s success, other times it’s just an unavoidable gap in talent. Regardless of the reason, these moments are worth celebrating, so let’s take a look back at nine moments when rappers got out-rapped on their own songs.
JAY-Z on Meek Mill’s “What’s Free”
When you land the coveted guest verse from JAY-Z, chances are the Brooklyn rap mogul will steal the spotlight from you to deliver a once-in-a-blue-moon message to the world. This is especially true in his post-4:44 era, where hearing him rap is increasingly rare, with one example coming on Meek Mill’s “What’s Free.” The track appears on Meek’s Championships, a strong welcome-back release following his controversial imprisonment in 2018. Meek, Rick Ross, and Jay all tackle the concept of “freedom” as Black men in their own way. Jay takes the cake here with a victory lap filled with snobby boasts of his business ventures at each turn, all while remaining humble enough to touch on Black enslavement and injustice.
Jay Rock on Kendrick Lamar’s “Money Trees”
It’s not often that someone manages to steal the spotlight from Kendrick Lamar, but his Black Hippy teammate Jay Rock did just that on “Money Trees.” The good kid, m.A.A.d city highlight is a mainstay in Kendrick’s tour setlists, thanks to Jay Rock’s energy-shifting third verse. Whether it’s “Gotta provide for my daughter ‘nem, get the f*ck up out my way, bish” or the show-closing “In the streets with a heater under my dungarees / Dreams of me gettin’ shaded under a money tree,” Jay Rock wastes no bar on the record. It’s why a line is rarely forgotten in the 15 years since that verse’s release.
Kendrick Lamar on Future & Metro Boomin’s “Like That”
One of rap’s most chaotic beefs kicked into high gear thanks to one verse that the entire world did not see coming. Kendrick Lamar, one of rap’s quietest stars, called for war with a surprise verse on Future & Metro Boomin’s “Like That.” The Compton native gave listeners just a few bars to get settled in before taking aim at Drake and J. Cole – more the former than the latter – in a verse that delivered body shots and swiped at the head. Lines like “F*ck sneak dissin’, first-person shooter, I hope they came with three switches” and “Motherf*ck the big three, n***a, it’s just big me” sent shockwaves through the industry. The feature was so cataclysmic that Future’s verse became an afterthought and… well, we all know what happened after that.
Nicki Minaj on Kanye West’s “Monster”
Nicki Minaj’s classic verse on Kanye West’s “Monster” is one of the rare occasions that the lead artist wanted the guest feature to steal the spotlight from them. Kanye pushed Nicki to improve her verse and be her most natural and best self alongside rap heavyweights Jay-Z and Rick Ross. “I made that girl rewrite her verse three times for ‘Monster,’” Kanye revealed in a 2023 tweet. Years prior, in 2017, Nicki reflected on the song and said that Kanye knew that the verse would be critically acclaimed and pushed her to be the best monster she could be on the song. “He felt this verse would end up being the talk of the album,” she recalled. “He wanted me to add more of that growling monster voice and I felt it was over kill. He wouldn’t give in. In the end, maybe he was right.” Almost 15 years later, “Monster” is still regarded as Nicki’s best verse ever.
J. Cole on BIA’s “London”
Once upon a time, the music world was hard-pressed to find J. Cole rapping alongside another artist who wasn’t one of his Dreamville labelmates. Thankfully, those days are in the past as the Fayetteville native has come around to working with other artists in recent years. One of them, which probably stands as the most surprising pairing to date, had Cole alongside BIA for “London.” While BIA’s verse is one of the best in her discography, Cole swings for the fences and checks off every box on the list for must-haves for a verse. Slick metaphors? You got it. Impressive rhyme scheme? Yup. Switch up the flow? Multiple times actually. It’s no fault to BIA, but J. Cole hijacked the beat and made himself the star of the show.
Eminem on JAY-Z’s “Renegade”
The debate over who takes the crown on Eminem and Jay-Z’s “Renegade” is nearly as old as both rappers (kidding), but the majority has ruled in Eminem’s favor over the years. Don’t get me wrong: Jay and Em both deliver sharp verses on The Blueprint highlight aimed at the hypocrisy of their biggest critics. However, Eminem’s verses are a masterclass in maintaining an intricate rhyme scheme while still delivering a concise and straightforward message. From “Now who’s the king of these rude, ludicrous, lucrative lyrics? / Who could inherit the title, put the youth in hysterics” to “And I got nothin’ to do but make you look stupid as parents / You f*ckin’ do-gooders, too bad you couldn’t do good at marriage,” Em rips armchair pundits off of their high horse with a sharp verse before circling back for a second whacking with a later verse. Nonetheless, the song remains a classic record in both rappers’ discographies.
Kendrick Lamar on Big Sean’s “Control”
Before “Like That,” there was “Control.” The first of Kendrick Lamar’s two industry-shaking verses came back in 2013 on a Big Sean record meant for his sophomore album Hall Of Fame. While the song’s official release was halted by sample clearance issues, “Control” still managed to do irreversible damage in the rap world (see: the connection between “Control” and “Like That”). Kendrick’s verse simultaneously showed love to some of rap’s most talented lyricists, while also promising to “murder” them and “make sure your core fans never heard of you.” It elicited a laundry list of responses from both artists that were and weren’t mentioned on the record. Kendrick’s verse was so powerful that it towered over Jay Electronica and Big Sean’s verses, with many saying Sean got “washed” on his own song. This perception also fueled a rift between Kendrick and Sean (see: “No More Interviews” & “The Heart Pt. IV”). Talk about collateral damage.
André 3000 on UGK’s “Int’l Players Anthem (I Choose You)”
When you talk about classic rap verses, you’d be remiss and labeled as damn near ignorant to leave off André 3000’s “Int’l Players Anthem (I Choose You)” verse off the list. As the leadoff batter on the track, 3 Stacks set the bar high with a blissful tale of his decision to put an end to his player ways and settle down with one woman. There’s a seemingly never-ending supply of memorable lines on this song, whether it be “Wetness all around me, true, but I’m no island / Peninsula maybe” or “Spaceships don’t come equipped with rearview mirrors,” or the classic closer, “Keep your heart, Three Stacks, keep your heart.” Whichever line it is that’s your favorite, there’s no doubt that the verse as a whole is a rap fan’s favorite. Just check how the crowd reacts to it at the next party or concert you go to, in case you forget.
Doechii on Isaiah Rashad’s “Wat U Sed”
The funniest thing about the “industry plant” claims that get levied against Doechii is that we were all there to see her coming-out party, that being on Isaiah Rashad’s 2021 record “Wat U Sed.” The song followed the viral run of “Yucky Blucky Fruitcake” single and brought her to the big stage where she made the most of her verse and stole the show with a wonderful display of charisma and personality. The balance of fun and witty duality of Doechii is present in lines like, “Get ahead like you a geek” while her creative freedom shines in the opening bars of her verse. The Doechii we hear here isn’t that much different than the Doechii that won the Grammy Award for Best Rap Album for Alligator Bites Never Heal, and if you’ve been paying attention to her since this verse you’d know that this standout verse would lead to the equally lit era she currently stands in.
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