Top 6 Artists You Want On Your Song (US Edition)

Although many of us love artists that can hold their own and acquire musical success: (through) Albums, EPs, songs etc. independently without the aid of a guest feature, it is also no secret that most artist collaborative songs have turned out to be our favorites. Whether it be anticipating an album track list just to know who will be featured, or the excitement we get from that surprise feature...It goes to show that being a sick artist goes beyond your own music, but also being able to grace your musical abilities on someone else's song is another thing.

So here are our top 6 feature artists, no matter who's song it is or if the song if you're not feeling the song as a whole, a feature from these artists makes it 10x better...

In no particular order:

Drake

"You Get Drizzy On a Track, He'll Put You On The Map"

The Canadian rapper's features hold a lot of weight, yes, due to his versatility and ability to slide on any beat of any given genre, but also because of his influence. Drake has helped many artists gain even more recognition than they may have had, with the likes of Migos, Dave, Wizkid, Smiley, Popcaan and many more. A Drake feature benefits both him and whichever artist, as it is a factor which has kept him relevant and successful till this day, and allowed other artists to widen their audience, sounds and platform. Now, back to Drake's artistry, the rapper is successful when collaborating with other artists as he is able to give something fresh and different, it's rare to have a Drake feature that sounds like the last. He is an exciting feature artist because we never know what to expect, are we getting R&B Drizzy?, chill rapper Drake? Or flexing, hardcore Drake?, We just never know.

Top Three Features:

1. Sicko Mode

2. Tuesday

3. I'm On One

Lil Baby

Ever since the success of his acclaimed album 'My Turn', Lil Baby has been unstoppable. Gravitating towards genres such as R&B and Gospel, becoming an in-demand artist. It seems as though everyone 'wants and needs' a Baby feature. 2021 has been his year of sitting with the heavy-weight features, so far. Lil Baby's verse on Drake's 'Wants and Needs' is a great example of his growth as an artist, with many people saying that Baby killed Drake on his own song proving that his hunger for success will never die. His embraced collabs on Kanye's 'DONDA', J.Cole's 'The Off-Season', Drake's 'Scary Hours 2' & 'Certified Lover Boy' as well as 'Space Jam: A New Legacy' movie track 'We win' ft. gospel singer Kirk Franklin, simply places the rapper as an exceptional feature artist.

Top Three Features:

1. Wants & Needs

2. Chanel (Go Get It)

3. 24

Nicki Minaj

As many of her fans say, "If it says feat Nicki Minaj, it's no longer your song, it's hers", and I couldn't agree more. Nicki lives up to her 'Queen Of Rap' title, making sure that she puts her all in everything, even if it is not her own music. Integrating her lyrical skills: wordplays, punchlines and sharp flows into songs when tapping in with other artists for their projects, brining that 'real rap'/ Hip-Hop essence. Everyone wants that Nicki feature, however, she is very selective with who she works with, a factor which makes her a strong feature artist and influential musician overall. Similarly to Drake, many artists benefit when Nicki is on their track; numbers and mainstream wise. The rapper has had international and genre-crossover success through her features with the likes of Karol G's 'Tusa', Little Mix 'Woman Like Me', and Stylo G 'Touch Down', just to name a few. Nicki effortlessly takes charge, making it that her verses are the most memorable and talked about just like her standout verse on Kanye West's 'Monster' which also featured rap icon Jay-Z.

Top Three Features:

1. Monster

2. Plain Jane Remix

3. I wanna Be With You

Future

Renowned as "one of the best trap artists of all time", Future continues to deliver timeless music, established through his unique sound which fit for any genre. The Atlanta rapper is without a doubt a certified feature artist who merges his homegrown trap flow and evolving Hip-Hop conventions with ease, enabling him to hop onto many songs with artists of all types of genres. Future's ability to dominate a song through both sang-vocals (usually heard in the chorus) and raps allows him to consistently captivate listeners, a great example of a versatile artist. Being versatile whilst still maintaining your principal music style is what shapes an artist to become a valuable asset to collaborative songs. This is why Drake and Future mesh well together as seen on their joint mixtape 'What A Time To Be Alive'. So, securing a feature from Future classes the song as a hit.

Top Three Features:

1. Love Me

2. Diamonds Dancing

3. Too Much Sauce

Chris Brown

Considered as the 'King Of R&B', just know that once those Chris Brown vocals are in, the song is a straight banger! Most rap songs need that R&B balance, which is where Breezy comes in. His unmatched vocals makes him the perfect feature artist. Chris is a proficient in music, he consistently brings the vibes through his tuneful and adaptable vocals, emphasizing his presence on any song he is featured on.

Top Three Features:

1. No Air

2. Show Me

3. Ayo

Ty Dolla $ign

Likewise to Chris Brown, singer-songwriter Ty Dolla $ign is another stapling feature artist in the industry, and at the same time an outstanding artist alone. It was his feature on YG's 'Toot It And Boot It' which earned him more recognition. Ever since, the singer has been on a roll with every song he touches becoming a hit and very much appreciated. As mentioned previously, rappers tend to feature singers in order to maintain that sentimental balance, and Ty Dolla $ign never fails in creating those intimate but bouncy feels.

Top Three Features:

1. You and Your Friends

2. Something New

3. After Dark

Words by Grace Zadi