Chemistry Experiment: Best Hip Hop Duos

The other day, as I was “working,” I came across a meme someone posted to a social media site.  This is a regular occurrence for me because I use social media to break the monotony of my days.  This particular meme displayed the faces and names of four hip hop duos.  It was pretty clear that the person who crafted the meme wanted people to rank the duos in terms of lyricsl prowess, overall skill and chemistry.  The groups of emcess included, in no particular order: Nas and AZ, Redman and Method Man, Raekwon and Ghostface Killa, and Styles P. and Jadakiss.  Each duo undoubtedly brings a unique element to the table, but there is one duo that stands out to me above the others.  Below, I will discuss my thoughts.

Redman and Method Man:

It is no secret that Red and Meth are two very talented emcees who have authored some truly classic music together.  Individually, each emcees is respected and Method Man is one of the only emcees who can  say that he out-rhymed the late, great Notorious BIG on a track (Refer to “The What”).  The one thing I like most about this duo is their willingness to have fun on the microphone.  Although they are both super talented, I never had the sense that either emcee took himself too seriously.  My favorite Red and Meth song is “How High.”

Styles P. and Jadakiss:

These two emcees are two of my favorites.  Because they are in a group together, I have heard them on so many tracks over the years.  Jadakiss is the more well known of the two emcees, but quietly, in many circles, Styles ia actually regarded as the better emcee.  With so many hits under their belts, it is very difficult to choose just one song.  However, if I had to choose one song, that song would be “We Gonna Make It.”  I still remember where I was and what I was doing when this song was released. 

Raekwon and Ghostface:

Rae and Ghost are undeniably two of my favorite emcees.  They embody what the golden era of hip hop sounded like.  They also have a very interesting chemistry when they rhyme together.  You can almost see Rae finishing Ghost’s lines, and vice versa.  These two are truly in sync with each other, and I think that can be attributed to the fact that they are good friends outside of the booth.  It is nearly impossible for me to choose just one song that encompasses all that this duo is, however, if I had to choose a song,  it would be “The Heist.”  Both Rae and Ghost are at their best on this track.

Nas and AZ

Escobar and Sosa.  Of all of the duos listed above, this is the best one to me.  They collaborated numerous times over the years and each time was pretty magical.  Nas is arguably the greatest hip hop artist ever.  And, in many circles, AZ is considered the most underrated emcee ever.  My favorite Nas and AZ song is “Mo Money Mo Murder.”  This song is the prequel to many of the gangster inspired stories that were told during the 90s and early 2000s.

Peace