Top 5 Most Versatile Feature Artists of 2017

2017’s was not only a prolific year for notable hip-hop projects, it was a defining year for rap on a global scale. Everyone’s talking about it; rap officially surpassing rock this past year as the most consumed genre in the United States was marked by Kendrick Lamar’s DAMN., the rise of Migos and the breakout success of half a dozen notable acts. And, as hip-hop continues to grow, and as the rest of pop culture becomes more flagrant in their attempts to ape our genre’s idiosyncrasies, it’s important we take note of the prominent artists in rap that are able to tackle the pop world while maintaining their integrity.

Branching out and/or breaking through to the mainstream has longbeen considered “selling out.” But that was back when we had no choice but to be marginalized. That was back when hip-hop wasn’t the most powerful platform in the medium. Nowadays, mainstream success isn’t reserved for the Vanilla Ices or MC Hammers. In 2017, crossover appeal comes in all forms: it can be gritty, it can be unfiltered and it can be politically charged.

Rappers talented enough to traverse various genres are trying to spread the good word of hip-hop. Sure, we’re sure they got a sizable bag to compensate their efforts, but when you’re able to jump from popular genre to genre and make the outsiders conform to hip-hop’s wave, you should be commended. The impact of that kind of reach and exposure shouldn’t be understated - it’s an important facet of sustaining rap’s prominence in the long run.

This past year, a handful of hip-hop artists proved to be exceedingly eccentric in their feature choices while still remaining true to their style. Regardless of the collaboration, these artists help make sure that rap’s impact isn’t marginalized and that we get our art out in front of as many people as possible. This is list is meant to emphasize and highlight some of these diversely talented artists.

5. Kendrick Lamar

Before Kendrick began being heralded as one of the greatest album artists in modern rap, he was a Feature King. Circa-2011, he was on any and every rap song, turning the most disparate of beats into his playground with grace and composure. Nowadays, he's not awarded as much leeway when it comes to adding cannon verses to his catalogue. Nowadays, every verse of his - no matter how inconsequential in the long run - is recognized, analyzed and critiqued. So, naturally, he's slowed things down a bit. Surprisingly, however, 2017 saw a reemergence of sorts of the old Kendrick. From Future, Travis Scott, Jeezy, Rich the Kid and YG Hootie to Vince Staples, Snoop Dogg, Rapsody and N.E.R.D., it would be an understatement to say Kendrick was strategic in his choices. He additionally worked with numerous artists outside of rap, including the likes of SZA, Thundercat and U2, further showcasing just how intelligently he's been using his platform to push rap into the forefronts of pop culture. 

Outside of, say, Kendrick Lamar, no one has had a bigger year in hip-hop than Migos.  But their appearances inside our genre are plentiful, outside of rap, the list of appearances for the Migos reads like a who's who of pop celebrity: Katy Perry, Sean Paul, Calvin Harris, Steve Aoki, Marshmello. Their success extended far beyond the genre and countless of the world's most popular artists called on one or more of the trio to in order to borrow their trademark sauce (or dab, or whatever the kids are calling it these days). 

For all the flack Travis often catches, it's hard to deny how much of an unstoppable force he's become in not only the rap community, but music at large. His best work in 2017 can be found on other people's projects, always readily lending his dark and atmospheric style. Everyone from SZA to CyHi & 2 Chainz wanted to work with him. Not only is he versatile, he even got another member on this list, Kendrick, to expand his palette a bit and hop on "Gooesebumps." After working with the likes of Frank Ocean, Major Lazer, and Tinashe this year, the stage seems to be set for his forthcoming collaborative effort with Quavo of Migos. 

If sheer volume were a factor, Thugger would be #1 on this list. No one can match this workhorse when it comes to output, even on a light year. However, what truly makes Thug so captivating, is his unrelenting propensity to experiment and stretch the limits of his artistry. This year was no different; even as he saw his biggest looks to date, he continued to represent the most daring aspects of modern rap. His flavorful collaboration with Camila Cabello, "Havana", is his highest charting song to date, "Heatstroke" saw him give Calvin Harris a show-stopping performance alongside Ariana Grande & Pharrell Williams, and guest spots like "We Ball," "Sacrifices," "Trap Trap Trap" and "Get Mines" had fans and nonbelievers alike claiming him to be one of the very best rappers of the year. 

Future has had a spectacular run these past few years. After his initial love/hate affair with mainstream success circa-Honest, he had retreated back to Atlanta in order to reset and reassess. It turned out to be the best decision he's ever made and gave Future the room to properly reinvent himself. Since his Monster mixtape, he's taken the pop world by force and has done so entirely on his own terms. He's #1 on this list not just because he worked with everyone from N.E.R.D., Calvin Harris & Ty Dolla $ign to freakin' Taylor Swift of all people this past year, but because it's only fair to trace rap's recent dominance on the charts to the headway Future's made since the days of "Turn On The Lights." The effect HNDRXX has had on opening up the ears & minds of the general public cannot be understated.