3 of the Greatest Feature Verses in Rap Music History

In rap music, the guest feature is a sacred thing. It has many functions—it can be a way to introduce a new artist to the world, get a big name on a song by an up-and-coming artist who is in need of some street cred, or make a big song even bigger. And over the course of rap music history, there have been some truly incredible features on songs.

Videos by American Songwriter

Here below, we wanted to explore three such examples. A trio of features on a trio of rap songs that have not only stood the test of time but that have raised the bar of the art form. Indeed, these are three of the greatest feature verses in rap music history.

[RELATED: 3 of the Best Rap Songs About New York City To Make You Feel Big Apple Pride]

“Life’s a B–ch” by Nas featuring AZ and Olu Dara from Illmatic (1994)

When people talk about the greatest feature verses on a rap song ever, this one always comes up. Not only does rapper AZ spit an incredible verse on the song but it seems to come out of nowhere—who is he? where did this come from? Not only may Illmatic be the greatest rap album ever (also one of the greatest debuts), but the fact the music from New York City rapper Nas was one-upped by a much lesser-known artist remains crazy. AZ has said writing the verse didn’t take long, either. It wasn’t some arduous creative process, more like he was touched by the rap gods. Also on the song is Nas’ father, cornet player Olu Dara. On the track, AZ raps,

Visualizin’ the realism of life in actuality
F–k who’s the baddest, a person’s status depends on salary
And my mentality is money-orientated
I’m destined to live the dream for all my peeps who never made it
‘Cause, yeah, we were beginners in the hood as Five Percenters
But somethin’ must’ve got in us, ’cause all of us turned to sinners
Now some restin’ in peace and some are sittin’ in San Quentin
Others, such as myself, are tryin’ to carry on tradition

“Renegade” by Jay-Z featuring Eminem from The Blueprint (2001)

Speaking of being one-upped, it’s not often that rap billionaire Jay-Z has been caught unaware. But on his song “Renegade,” Jay actually lets Detroit rapper Eminem get the best of him. It’s not as if the two were in direct competition or part of some battle. But Jay is considered one of the greatest artists in the genre, yet on this song the feature is significantly better than the host’s verse. Indeed, Eminem seems to rap circles around his cohort here. On the tune, Eminem offers,

Since I’m in a position to talk to these kids and they listen
I ain’t no politician, but I’ll kick it with ’em a minute
‘Cause see, they call me a menace and if the shoe fits, I’ll wear it
But if it don’t, then y’all’ll swallow the truth, grin and bear it
Now who’s the king of these rude, ludicrous, lucrative lyrics?
Who could inherit the title, put the youth in hysterics
Usin’ his music to steer it, sharin’ his views and his merits?

“Scenario” by A Tribe Called Quest featuring Busta Rhymes from The Low End Theory (1992)

When it comes to star-making feature performances, this may be at the top. While AZ’s verse on the Nas song above made him immortal, it didn’t exactly lead to a long career. But when Busta Rhymes was featured on Tribe’s song “Scenario,” it set him up for life and helped make his career, which is still going strong today. The lively song introduced Busta to a wider audience and now we all know his low, gravelly voice and his moniker, which is one of the best in music history. Indeed, on the tune, Busta raps,

Watch, as I combine all the juice from the mind
Heel up, wheel up, bring it back, come rewind
Powerful impact, boom, from the cannon
Not bragging, try to read my mind just imagine
Vocabulary’s necessary
When digging into my library
Oh my gosh Oh my gosh
Eating Ital Stew like the one Peter Tosh

Photo by Patrick Ford/Redferns