Rapper and Producer Duos We'd Love to See

There seems to be a new rap album with one sole producer every month, with a majority of them being great listens. These types of link-ups allow the rapper and producer to really grow with each other, finding the best ways to make their styles mesh. Here at Okayplayer, we dreamed up some rapper/producer collab albums that haven’t happened yet. Anything can happen when you get two talents in one place; once they get on the same page, they can cook up a classic. Read below for four teams we’d get in a perfect world.

Drake/Nicholas Craven

Drake has long fashioned himself as a fan of underground rap, without straying away as he became a global superstar. Evidenced by Drake’s Conductor Williams-produced song “8am In Charlotte,” he’s comfortable with sample-heavy, underground rap beats. While imagining an entire project between Drake and Conductor is too on the nose, Drake doing the same with Nicholas Craven is a little more interesting. Nicholas Craven’s production style is more understated, which would be a solid fit for Drake. Nicholas Craven’s sense of pace and use of empty space makes his beats memorable (such as his work on Boldy James’ “Straight As”), which would work well for Drake. This also satisfies the (somewhat unfair) demands for a full hip-hop album from Drake.

Roc Marciano/Conductor Williams

This match up is two of the best talents in their lanes. Conductor Williams is pretty much the current “it” guy in underground rap, while Roc Marciano is the ever-present pioneer of that very world. Conductor Williams’ ear for turning loops only he could sniff out into incredible beats, falls right into Roc Marciano’s world. Roc’s detached and matter-of-fact flows over those gritty Conductor beats is a match made in heaven. Now, for a rapper known for making and rapping over minimalist beats, there may be some push back about his fit with Conductor. Roc Marciano is incredible on “bigger” sounding beats, so Conductor Williams could surely create the right soundscape.

Megan Thee Stallion/Southside

Creatively, Megan Thee Stallion and Southside could absolutely find a middle ground. Southside is a living legend because he is a trap producer who can do any style. Looking through his history, Southside can manipulate his sound to fit around whoever is in the booth; a good example of this is Roddy Ricch’s “Thailand.” The production fits Roddy so well, that it isn’t even obvious it's a Southside beat. On Megan’s end, working with Southside isn’t a stretch due to the kind of beats she got famous for. The early part of her career was her rapping over the kind of beats the legends of Houston’s past would’ve jumped on, with her breakout hit “Big Ole Freak” fitting right into that world. Rapping on Southside’s beats would push Megan in a different direction creatively, because his work is like all of Atlanta rap’s history summarized, then put through a futuristic filter. They could create something special.

Freddie Gibbs/TM88

In Freddie Gibbs’s nearly 20 year career, he has gone through multiple creative eras. His early career sound was more Bone Thugs adjacent, he went full trap rap on Freddie, made dark street rap on You Only Live 2wice, and rapped on everything for his 2022 album $oul $old $eperately. His level of technical skill makes him a good fit for someone as unique as TM88. Known for his distinct sounds and drum patterns, TM88 has the gift of having a sound all his own. There aren’t too many producers who are as willing to take bold risks as TM88 is; that alongside a rapper with flows on flows like Freddie is an impressive combo. Freddie is pretty open-minded about his choice of beats, and you really never know what direction TM88 is going in. This partnership would get Freddie on futuristic beats, and arm TM88 with a rapper who can find the pocket in any beat.