Today, popular musicians are able to work beyond their respective fields. Just because an artist starts out in hip-hop, that doesn`t mean they won`t venture into the world of R&B, or even rock or country music, in some cases.
Pop stars and world-famous musicians don`t just stick to the recording booth, either. They try their hand at clothing collections, eSports, acting, and more. If fans are interested, then a savvy celebrity is, too. After all, their brand is often built on their ability to stun and please fans.
When it comes to hip-hop artists specifically, many partner up with similar musicians to deliver albums like Jay-Z and Kanye West`s Watch the Throne or MF Doom and Madlib`s Madvillainy. But as hip-hop became more popular in the late 90s and early 2000s, those partnerships became even more varied.
Some of them delivered on hit mashups, while others fell flat. Let`s take a closer look at some of hip-hops weirdest joint projects in the past two decades.
Nicki Minaj & Justin Bieber
2012 “Beauty and the Beat”
As one of the most seasoned and respected hip-hop artists active today, Nicki Minaj often finds her way into headlines. Whether making cheeky comments or beefing with other artists, she`s not afraid of the limelight.
She`s not afraid of pop music crossovers, either. In fact, much of her career has come from crossover hits like Superbass. However, her 2012 mashup with Bieber on ”˜Beauty and the Beat` didn`t just fall flat””it crashed and burned.
Lil Wayne & Donald Trump
2020 Endorsement
Hip-hop artists partnering with elite businesspeople isn`t anything new, which makes Lil Wayne`s endorsement of Trump in 2020 unsurprising. What`s less certain is what Lil Wayne expected out of the relationship given Trump`s catalogue of business losses and a tenuous overlap of their fanbases.
Kanye West & Kim Kardashian
2012-2021 Marriage
Though not technically a business partnership, the long-term relationship between Kanye West and Kim Kardashian bled over into the musician`s career frequently. Though kept separate, their Yeezy and KKW brands often benefitted from cross-appeal from fans.Â
Kim, as either a brand, muse, or romantic partner (or even all three), also appeared in West`s video for ”˜Bound 2` back in 2013. Over the course of their relationship, they were seen with fellow musical power couple, Jay-Z and Beyonce. Earlier this year, Kim filed for divorce.
Snoop Dogg & Martha Stewart
2016 “Martha & Snoop`s Potluck Dinner Party”
Though partners like Jay-Z and Beyonce (and even Kim and Kanye), have been regarded as dynastic artists in the music industry, Snoop Dogg & Martha Stewart are close behind. The friends and business partners first teamed up in 2008 when Snoop appeared on her cooking show.
Following a few appearances on her show, Snoop and Stewart delighted fans with their Twitter exchanges. Eventually, their friendship blossomed into multiple business ventures, including a candle collection from Snoop, before launching their own show on VH1 in 2016, titled ”˜Martha & Snoop`s Potluck Dinner Party`.
Nelly & Tim McGraw
2004 “Over and Over”
Some ideas don`t get enough credit in their time. Today, country and hip-hop mashups are becoming popular via artists like Lil Nas X, developing into a specific country rap genre. Back in 2004, Nelly and country singer Tim McGraw took a chance with ”˜Over and Over`.
Some turned up their nose at the song; it wasn`t country enough, nor was it considered rap. Nelly, from the Midwest, called on the country singer to deliver something new. However, though the song became a major hit, their groundbreaking partnership didn`t help launch a new genre””at least not right away.