Buggin' Out II

You've already heard my rant on R&B rap remixes, so no need to ramble again.

Here are five of the best non-remix singer-rapper collaborations featuring Nas.

Allure f/ Nas: Head Over Heels
Produced by his buddies The Trackmasters, Nas guested on Allure's gold-selling Head Over Heels as a favor for a favor. But then, if you remember what the women from Allure looked like at the time, Nas probably appeared for more than just that one reason. His two verses, his specialty on this brand of song, travel from brag to baby love, with even a chuckle-worthy description in there, "the scent of weed getting all in your weave / I put out the trees / And crack the moon roof, only for you to breathe." (Nas' über-cowboy hat in the video is the real laugh though.)

Jon B f/ Nas: Finer Things
Although he apparently hates the label of "white boy soulster", it's a title that often comes up in any discussion of Jon B. However, to Jon B's credit, his music is less likely to be found on TRL than it is on a Sunday night "Between The Sheets" mix. What's more, as least in the case of his duet with Nas, 2001's Finer Things, he ensured that the song wouldn't meet the same formulaic fate as others in the genre. It's dynamic, organic, more than just studio tricks, and soulful. That organic feeling is especially essential, because while Nas' verses and Jon B's vocals make the song worthwhile, the interplay between the two performers, particularly with ad-libs, adds another element.

Jully Black f/ Nas: Material Things
God's Son's Heaven showcased some music business cynicism, "put a famous bitch on the hook, there you go with a platinum CD." Interestingly enough, on that track's hook there actually was a female singer, but her involvement came off as more artistically-inclined than for publicity's sake. Jully Black was the singer, and, for blessing him with her vocals, Nas reciprocated on Material Things. As one might expect from the song's title, Material Things deals with attraction in the midst of materialism; however, because of how both artists manage to avoid being overly trite, the cliché is, at worst, listenable, "was you every truly attracted? / Shaking your gluteus maximus - after / Any rapper with the flashiest chain."

Mary J. Blige f/ DMX, Nas: Sincerity
On certain editions of Mary J. Blige's Mary, the two-headed rapper saga Sincerity, featuring both DMX and Nas, found a home. Greatly contrasting the smooth sound of something like Finer Things, Sincerity is much more boom-bap, even being based around the all-time great Bob James Nautilus break. Lyrically, though Nas and Blige were once a couple, there's really nothing on Sincerity to suggest an extra special bond between rapper and singer. However, you do get a vintage Esco turn, with his dark rhymes matching the dank feel of the beat.

Ms. Dynamite f/ Nas: Afraid 2 Fly
The version of Afraid 2 Fly that appeared 2003's A Little Deeper featured a solo Ms. Dynamite over the track's aggressive string-laced production. While Nas had previously laid down his vocals, there was a problem working out clearance issues, and he was ultimately left out. Nevertheless, the original persists. Here the UK singer reflects on the hurt that death immediately stirs, but also how she's grown to see the process more as a release. On cue, taking some from his Eye For An Eye Freestyle, Nas raps, "I'm never gonna die, I've never heard of death / Energy can never be destroyed, only the flesh."

Allure f/ Nas: Head Over Heels
Jon B f/ Nas: Finer Things
Jully Black f/ Nas: Material Things
Mary J. Blige f/ DMX, Nas: Sincerity
Ms. Dynamite f/ Nas: Afraid 2 Fly