Beyonce’s Best Hip-Hop Collaborations
Queen Bey shook the world at midnight last night, dropping her new self-titled fifth solo album out of absolutely nowhere, complete with 18 music videos and features from hubby Jay Z, Drake and lil baby Blue Ivy. The new album is steeped in the kind of gritty Houston sound that permeated her last single "Bow Down," and delivers a distinctly hip-hop vibe with some areas where she's unmistakably rapping over the syrupy beat. While we are still trying to process the entirety of BEYONCÉ, here's a breakdown of some of the Queen's most memorable hip-hop collaborations, from working alongside Jay to breaking it down with Missy. Happy Bey Day. —Dan Rys
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Check Out Our Beats Playlist Of Beyonce's Best Hip-Hop Collaborations Right Here
"Back To Black," Beyoncé featuring André 3000
Album: The Great Gatsby Soundtrack
With Jay Z helming the score, Beyoncé and 3 Stacks collaborated for this Amy Winehouse cover, which slows things down and lacks some of the bite that Winehouse's sassy original captured so well. But hey, any time you can grab the Queen and pair her with maybe the greatest Southern rapper to ever do it, you jump at the chance. André isn't rapping so much as lending his drawl to the track, but we're gonna toss this in anyway.
"'03 Bonnie And Clyde," Jay Z featuring Beyoncé
Album: The Blueprint 2: The Gift And The Curse
One of the most iconic songs of the power duo's relationship, this track showed up on The Blueprint 2 and became Bey's first Top 10 hit. Kanye kindly flipped Tupac's "Me And My Girlfriend" while Jay and Bey spun an outlaw tale of reckless love.
"Soldier," Destiny's Child featuring T.I. and Lil Wayne
Album: Destiny Fulfilled
Grabbing two of the hottest rappers in the game at the time—both of whom would only get bigger—this track peaked at No. 3 on the Billboard Hot 100, and was just about everywhere at the end of 2004. The video was as star-studded as the song, with Bow Wow, Ice Cube and a pregnant Solange all popping up to help celebrate.
"Upgrade U," Beyoncé featuring Jay Z
Album: B'Day
I mean, this video with Beyoncé writhing around in the water makes it hard to focus on the song at hand. One of two tracks on Bey's sophomore solo set that features Jay ("Dejá Vu" is the other), the track is a confident banger, and Jay's verse is rapped with the authority of a man at the top of his profession. And then, again, there's the video. Bey-utiful.
"Check On It," Beyoncé featuring Bun B and Slim Thug
Album: B'Day
Taking it back to her roots, Beyoncé recruits two H-Town legends in Bun B and Slim Thug as she sings the hook in between the sparring verses. One of many times where she'll flash her hometown pride.
"Ego (Remix)," Beyoncé featuring Kanye West
Album: I Am...Sasha Fierce
A remix of a bonus track off Bey's third album, the appropriately-titled "Ego" pairs Kanye rapping a little tenderly over the piano-based beat before Beyoncé comes in and brings the track back home. Also contains maybe one of the most Kanye line that Kanye has ever spit: "My ego is my imaginary friend."
"Hip-Hop Star" featuring Big Boi and Sleepy Brown
Album: Dangerously In Love
Though she's had two recent collabs with André 3000, Big Boi was the first OutKast star Beyoncé tapped, inviting him and frequent ATL collaborator Sleepy Brown onto this track off her debut solo album. The beat is similar in style to the type of straight-ahead, side-steppin' grooves that Big would make his own on his own solo albums later in the decade, but this one leads the way.
"I Been On (Remix)," Beyoncé featuring Bun B, Slim Thug, Z-Ro, Willie D and Lil Keke
Album: N/A
The B-Side to "Bow Down" was a chopped and screwed gem to begin with, but then it got the remix treatment with a who's who of Houston All-Stars, from Bun B (UGK), Willie D (Geto Boys) and Slim Thug to Lil Keke and Z-Ro. Feel the syrup flow through your veins.
"Irreplaceable (Remix)," Beyoncé featuring Ghostface Killah
Album: B'Day
The song that made millions of people's driving directions thousands of times more enjoyable, ("Which turn do I take up here?" "To the left, to the left!") got a much-appreciated guest verse from one of hip-hop's greatest-ever storytellers, Ghostface Killah. The dynamic between the two—Bey pushing the man away, Ghost trying to talk things out—improves an already-iconic take.
"Lift Off," Jay Z and Kanye West featuring Beyoncé
Album: Watch The Throne
A propulsive track off one of the most polarizing albums of the year sees Bey backing up her homeboys by crushing the hook and setting the tone for the intergalactic heights that WTT strove for. If you're gonna have less than a handful of guest spots, the ability to call on Queen Bey certainly doesn't hurt.
"Party," Beyoncé featuring Kanye West, J. Cole and André 3000
Album: 4
For a track that saw Kanye dropping the word "Swag-u," this one was one of the biggest singles off her fourth album. With a beat and a hook that was made for backyard summer parties such as the one in the video, it was maybe most notable as the long-awaited collaboration between Bey and 3 Stacks, which was replicated with their cover of "Back To Black" earlier this year. Kelly Rowland made a fun cameo as well.
"Crazy In Love," Beyoncé featuring Jay Z
Album: Dangerously In Love
The track that established Beyoncé as a bona-fide solo star, this was the lead single off her debut Dangerously In Love and made everyone who wasn't already in love with her fall head over heels. There aren't many who can use Jay Z as their hype man, but then again no one has ever accused Beyoncé of not knowing how to make a statement.
"Fighting Temptation," Beyoncé, Missy Elliott, MC Lyte and Free
Album: The Fighting Temptations: Music from the Motion Picture
Coming out of the Fighting Temptations movie, this all-star posse cut features some of the best females to ever do it, with Missy at her ferocious height and Beyoncé coming into her own as both a solo performer and an actress. MC Lyte and Free don't sit this one out, either.
"Summertime," Beyoncé featuring Diddy
Album: The Fighting Temptations: Music from the Motion Picture
Another cut from the Fighting Temptations film, this song follows the Grease formula of summer love, and is usually taken as a metaphor for Bey's burgeoning romance with Hova. Diddy rides the flow effortlessly, providing the simple rhymes that define the very best songs of the summer.
"Dance For You (Remix)," Beyoncé featuring T.I,
Album: 4
A remix of a bonus cut off 4, the track highlights T.I., at the top of his powers after getting out of jail on his gun charges. Tip brings a Southern flavor that definitely improves the original, drawling over the relatively slow production and spinning a tale of love and luxury. Get it, Tip.
"Dejá Vu," Beyoncé featuring Jay Z
Album: B'Day
The opening track on Bey's second solo album, it opens with the Queen summoning the drums and her boyfriend to the production. Jay gets the first verse—an unusual move—but Bey's sultry vocals soon come in and take over on the horn-laced track.
"Part II (On The Run)," Jay Z featuring Beyoncé
Album: Magna Carta...Holy Grail
Bey pops up in a bunch of different spots on Jay's Magna Carta...Holy Grail, but her turn on this track sets the eerie tone to what is otherwise the followup to "'03 Bonnie and Clyde" and follows the same theme, of the two being madly in love and running from everything else.
"Drunk In Love," Beyoncé featuring Jay Z
Album: Beyonce
The record that was the theme song to every bad drunk decision you made this year, "Drunk In Love" was astronomical hit and easily was a standout on Beyonce's self-titled album. Top it off with the video and you have a song that will be played on a lot of fans iPods for a while.
"Mine" Beyoncé featuring Drake
Album: Beyonce
Drake teams up with Beyonce for the first time for a quality record
"Flawless (Remix)," Beyoncé featuring Jay Z
Album: Unknown
For the first time, these two huge superstars appear on the same track together. After years of wondering why haven't these two made a song together, Barbz and the Beyhive can rejoice together.