First things first, this is the first RRC that I've done since my big list for Complex of the Best Rap Remixes Since 2000, so if you haven't seen that yet check that out, I worked my ass off on that.

"Act Right (Remix)" by Yo Gotti featuring Young Jeezy, IAMSU! and YG
I love the original, but throwing a 2nd West coast dude on it for a remix seems kinda pointless, althoguh I do like IAMSU!'s verse on this more than YG's, so there's that.
Best Verse: n/a
Overall Grade: B

"Ain't Worried About Nothin' (Skeemix)" by French Montana featuring Game, Problem, Dizzy Wright and Crooked I
Now this seems a little arbitrary, a West coast remix of the summer's big New York record (which sounds like a Southern record), but whatever. It's nice, I guess, Game does some of his embarrassing chameleon shit but I dunno who he's biting, Crooked I slaughters everyone else on the track. Dig that artwork, though, hahaha the Edward Snowden face.
Best Verse: Crooked I
Overall Grade: B-

"#Beautiful (Remix)" by Mariah Carey featuring Miguel and A$AP Rocky or Young Jeezy
These are just 2 of 5 different official "#Beautiful" remixes Mariah released, along with an espanol version ("#Hermosa," which is pretty good) and two dance mixes, but I'll just cover the rap remixes. The first one maintains the beat from the original song, which doesn't really seem primed for a guest rapper, least of all A$AP Rocky, plus Miguel's ad libs all over the track are kind of annoying. The remix with Jeezy, however, was produced by DJ Mustard and has his whole twist on the beat, which looks really strange on paper but sounds kind of fantastic. Also Mariah lays some new vocals on the track that sound good.
Best Verse: Young Jeezy
Overall Grade: C / B+

"Give It 2 U (Remix)" by Robin Thicke featuring 2 Chainz and Kendrick Lamar
This is one of those times when 'remix' is a semantic distinction, because a few months ago Robin Thicke played this song during a radio interview and both 2 Chainz and Kendrick were on it, but once it was officially released, it was just Kendrick on the single and the version with 2 Chainz was a remix bonus track on the deluxe edition of the album. What's even funnier is that Thicke said he's a 2 Chainz fan and sent him the record himself, and then Kendrick was the guy the label wanted. Hearing either of these guys on this ridiculous Dr. Luke track is kind of fun, but Kendrick handles it better, which surprised me since I've never liked his guest verses on clubby stuff like "Fuckin' Problems" and "How Many Drinks." 2 Chainz is maybe just too awkward for his own good here.
Best Verse: n/a
Overall Grade: C

"Let Me Find Out (Remix)" by Doe B featuring T.I. and Juicy J
I didn't know this record before Tip and Juicy jumped on it, so I just think of it as a dope posse cut, but the original was hot just anyway and the remix is pretty great, I wish this had been bigger on the radio.
Best Verse: Juicy J
Overall Grade: A

"Let Nas Down/Made Nas Proud (Remix)" by J. Cole featuring Nas
This is maybe not so much a remix as a response song but J. Cole apparently knew about it before it dropped, so it's official enough to me (which makes it worse, really, like he was really engineering behind the scenes to put a positive spin on this embarrassing-ass song). Nas kills it and raps circles around Cole, but the whole thing leaves a bad taste in my mouth, like this dude was just humblebragging that Nas had complimented him in the first place, and then baited Nas into complimenting him again on a bigger more public scale. Fuckin' fanboy rap.
Best Verse: n/a
Overall Grade: B

"Like Whaaat (Remix)" by Problem featuring Wiz Khalifa, Tyga, Chris Brown, Tyga and Master P
Problem referenced Master P on the original record, so he's just returning the love on this remix, which otherwise features a bunch of overexposed motherfuckers I'd be happy to never hear rap again. It's hilarious how Master P is still hated on by clueless people as 'the worst rapper' but he can rap so much better than a bunch of current stars on something like this.
Best Verse: Master P
Overall Grade: C

"Satellites (Remix)" by Kevin Gates featuring Wiz Khalifa
Fucking Wiz Khalifa, this was never my favorite Gates song or anything but he really ruined this shit, his verse is almost as bad as the one on the "Bugatti" remix.
Best Verse: n/a
Overall Grade: F

"Versace (Remix)" by Migos featuring Drake
This remix was pretty divisive, on Twitter I made a joke that half my timeline was mad that Migos did a record with Drake and the other half was mad that Drake did a record with Migos. I don't really care that much about either of 'em, but it's undeniable that Migos wrote a hit and it's always kinda lame to me when an established star just kinda jumps on a record like this as it's on the come up and just overshadows it in the public perception of the song, like the shit with Kanye and "I Don't Like." And Drake just sounds kinda dorky jacking their flow on this.
Best Verse: n/a
Overall Grade: B-

"The Way (Remix)" by Ariana Grande featuring Fabolous
I think they kinda messed up by not having a remix with one of Big Pun's old homies like Fat Joe and/or Diddy or someone else from Bad Boy to play on the "I got a bad boy" line in the chorus. But I can't complain, because I'm so happy that one of the best pop jams of the year finally has a version without Mac Miller on it, and Fabolous is as good as it gets for rap & B collabs anyway.
Best Verse: n/a
Overall Grade: B+

"We Can't Stop (Remix)" by Miley Cyrus featuring Khia
This song is still the worst shit on earth to me, and pretty much the only way it could get more clownish is if they put Khia on it, so congratulations Miley I guess. It's at least nice to hear Khia do the "la di da di we like to party" homage without the bizarre emphasis on random syllables that Miley does, though. But when is Miley gonna kick a verse on the remix to Meek Mill's "Believe It"?
Best Verse: n/a
Overall Grade: D

"Work (Remix)" by Iggy Azalea featuring Wale
LOL at this post ending with a trilogy of white girls looking for street cred, the game is outta control. I already confessed a few months ago that I actually fuck with this song, but Wale seems like an odd fit for this remix, other than the fact that he already chanted "work work work work" on his old song "Bait," which of course he gets back to callback to, along with the on-the-nose "I'm just watching Iggy pop" line that of course he would say. His verse actually ain't bad until he starts doing this weird drawl halfway through, though, then it's just embarrassing.
Best Verse: n/a
Overall Grade: C-

This entry was posted on Sunday, August 04, 2013 at 10:58 AM. You can skip to the end and leave a response.