3 of the Greatest and Most Surprising One-Off Live Collaborations in Music History

While music has its different genres, cultures, and tonal backdrops, at the end of the day, it is all the same, a series of sounds arranged based on rhythm, key, and melody. We often forget this fact, and as a consequence, we believe certain musicians can’t play with other musicians because of the large space that separates their styles. However, music and music, and it often all blends quite nicely in unexpected ways. With that in mind, here are three of the greatest and most surprising one-off live collaborations in music history.

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Jay-Z & Phish

Yes, you are reading that title correctly, the notorious jam band and rap music mogul Jay-Z collaborated during a live performance together. This performance is as if Limp Bizkit and Yo-Yo Ma were to join forces on stage; the two juxtapose each other that much. Though juxtaposition usually highlights the art’s greatest attributes.

On June 17, 2004, Jay-Z made a surprise appearance with Phish at Keyspan Park in Brooklyn, NY, during the first night of their breakup tour. With the help of Phish, Jay-Z performed “99 Problems” and “Big Pimpin’”.

Eminem and Elton John

One of, if not the most memorable of live performances in Grammy history is when Eminem and Elton John took the stage in 2001 to perform Eminem’s controversial “Stan”. The performance was a big deal due to the figures, of course, but what also made it notable is the fact that Eminem faced controversy due to the accusations of homophobic language within the lyrics.

The implementation of John is phenomenal, to say the least. Thanks to his inclusion, a level of classic rock is infused into the track, a level that many thought would be impossible. However, back to our original point, music is music, and if one tries hard enough, certain styles and notes can fit into anything. This collaboration is living proof of just that.

James Brown and The Dave Matthews Band

Dave Matthews Band concerts have a ton of groove as is. Now, imagine just how amplified that groove was when the legendary pioneer of funk, James Brown, joined them on stage. Needless to say, a heart attack brought on by an increased heart rate in this moment would be totally expectable and justifiable.

In 2002, James Brown joined the Dave Matthews Band on stage at Madison Square Garden and performed a rendition of “Get Up (I Feel Like a Sex Machine)”. While Brown certainly was the center of attention, his act was supplemented and supported by Matthews and the rest of the band.

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