The rappin'/singin' sensation Drake has the industry on lock with his debut album, "Thank Me Later," which features him both rapping and singing throughout the album. His first two singles, "Over" (a rap cut) and "Find Your Love" (an R&B song), showcase his multiple talents.
Nicki Minaj
Nicki Minaj's single "Your Love" is a representation of both her rapping and singing talents. The Young Money femcee shows off her singing chops on the hook.
Lil' Wayne
Wayne may not be a singer, per se, but he's taken a risk with his music by recording a rock album that features him singing, sort of.
Lauryn Hill
One of the best to ever do it, Lauryn Hill racked up Grammys with her solo debut, "The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill." The album was a blend of Lauryn's skillfully-crafted rap lyrics and flawless vocals.
Queen Latifah
Female rap veteran Queen Latifah sang the hook to the song "Come Into My House" from her first album. She made the full transition to singing when she released a jazz album.
Missy Elliott
Missy Elliott is a triple threat. The singer/rapper/songwriter is one of the most talented females in R&B/hip-hop.
Kanye West
Kanye West stunned critics when he dropped his album, "808s & Heartbreak," which the rapper singing on every track. The songs became hits.
Nelly
Nelly rose to success quickly with his own brand of sing-songy rap. There wasn't a real distinction between his rappin' and singing, but rather a blend of the two to create a unique style.
Snoop Dogg
Snoop Dogg isn't looking to release an R&B album, but his love for the R&B genre always comes out in his rap music. Singing his own hooks for songs like "Sensual Seduction," the West Coast rapper can hold a note too.
Eve
Eve surprised her fans when she sang the chorus to "Love Is Blind." Before that, few knew that the Ruff Ryder female had a singing voice to go along with her rap skills.
Ja Rule
Diehard rap fans clowned Ja Rule when he first started singing the hooks on his songs in that raspy Ja voice, but once the songs started breaking records on the charts, there wasn't anything anyone could say.
Eminem
When it comes to rappers who sing their own choruses, Eminem is someone who should not be forgotten. The rapper doesn't always sing his choruses, but when he does it usually makes for a hit record.
Mos Def
It's no surprise that rapper turned actor Mos Def decided to try his hand at singing. But when he took the risk, he went all the way. Mos Def created the rock band, Black Jack Johnson.
50 Cent
Though 50 Cent clowned Ja Rule for singing on records, he sang a few choruses of his own. 50's formula for hit records became those where he found himself singing on the hooks.
The Notorious B.I.G.
Much like Snoop Dogg, Biggie may not have been serious when he sang, but The Notorious B.I.G. made sure to incorporate that R&B feel into his hardcore raps. Biggie sang a few lines on his record and even recorded an entire song "Player Haters" of him singing.
Cee-Lo
If you weren't a Goodie Mob fan, then you probably didn't know that Cee-Lo Green of Gnarls Barkley started out as a rapper. "Crazy" was a huge crossover hit, establishing Cee-Lo as a true artist with mainstream appeal.
Q-Tip
Q-Tip reinvented himself as Kamaal the Abstract, when he experimented with his music, and started singing.
Diddy
Diddy is like a chameleon. He went from dancer to executive to rapper to his latest form, a singer as part of the group Dirty Money.
No comments:
Post a Comment