In the dynamic world of hip-hop, the tantalizing prospect of rap supergroups has often sparked excitement and speculation among fans. The idea of powerhouse emcees joining forces to create an unparalleled musical force is undeniably appealing. However, as history has shown, not all collaborations come to fruition. In this exploration, we delve into the realm of missed opportunities and unrealized potential, shining a spotlight on 14 rap supergroups that, despite the buzz and anticipation, never quite made it to the studio to deliver a full-fledged album. From iconic names aligning to unexpected unions, these unfulfilled partnerships remain a captivating chapter in the unwritten book of hip-hop collaborations.
The List of 14 Rap SuperGroups That Never Made An Album
1. DOOMSTARKS
Inspired by the sounds of MF Doom’s Special Herbs instrumental albums, Ghostface’s team contacted Nature Sounds, an independent rap label with ties to Doom. They inquired about the possibility of the metal-faced rap villain producing tracks for Ghost’s upcoming project. This led to a unique collaboration, tentatively named Swift & Changeable, where Ghost would rhyme over Doom’s beats. Despite quickly completing four songs, only “Angelz,” a Charlie’s Angels-themed track, made its official release on Doom’s Born Like This album last year. Unfortunately, the promising early tracks, featuring Ghost introducing pirate slang like “walk the plank” to rap, remain unreleased.
So, what happened? MF Doom marches to his own beat, spending his days cultivating a noticeable beer belly and orchestrating his infamous live show antics. Meanwhile, Ghost is in a race against time to produce enough material to break free from his Def Jam contract. In essence, the case is closed.
2. The Commission
A high-budget hip-hop adaptation of a mafia film, The Commission was initiated by The Notorious BIG. Assuming the role of casting director, he outlined his ideal cast in the opening of “What’s Beef?” In this vision, Big envisioned himself as Frank White, Jigga as Iceberg Slim, Lil’ Cease from Junior M.A.F.I.A. as Caesar Leo De Janeiro, Lance ‘Un’ Rivera as Uncle Paulie, and Puffy securing the role of P Diddy. The only woman in the concept, Chali Baltimore, had to stick with her original rap name, inspired by Geena Davis’ character in The Long Kiss Goodnight.
What occurred? On March 9th, 1997, BIG fell victim to a drive-by shooting. Following Raekwon’s Only Built For Cuban Linx…, which satisfied fans’ appetite for mafia-inspired narratives in the preceding two years, The Commission project lost momentum. However, Jigga allegedly went on to stab Rivera in 1999.
3. Center Edge Territory
This entry is among the most surprising on this list. Curren$y, Mos Def and Jay Electronica crossed paths at Dame Dash’s multifaceted space, DD172, which served as an art gallery, recording studio, and performance venue in 2009. They quickly formed a connection, reportedly collaborating on six songs. Curren$y stands out as one of the most prolific artists of his generation, surpassing Mos and Jay Elec’s combined song releases with his numerous mixtapes and EPs in the past two years.
However, various factors contribute to the uncertainty surrounding this collaboration. Mos Def’s recent travel challenges, coupled with the legal issues surrounding Curren$y’s music from the DD172 era, raise doubts about whether we’ll ever get to hear the recorded tracks. Adding to the complexity is Jay Electronica’s enigmatic personality, making the likelihood of this collaboration materializing quite low.
4. Mac and Brad
Throughout their entire careers, Scarface and Beanie Sigel have earned immense respect in hip-hop, both for their insightful lyrics and authentic street credibility. When they collaborated on “Mac and Brad” from Sigel’s 1999 debut album, the evident chemistry between them left fans eager for more.
Following a decade of memorable collaborations, Scarface announced in 2012 their plan to release an album titled “Mac and Brad,” paying homage to their initial collaboration. Facemob outlined a process where each rapper would contribute six songs, exchanging them for the other to add verses, resulting in a robust 12-song LP. During an interview on MTV’s now-canceled Rapfix with Sway, Scarface even called Beans live on air, and Beanie affirmed, “It’s a reality now; you know our word is our bond. We said we gonna do somethin’, we gonna do it[.]” Unfortunately, they didn’t.
A year later, in a Fuse interview, Scarface stated that the album was not going to materialize, and little has been discussed about it since. Whether Beanie’s legal issues or other factors intervened is uncertain, but the unrealized potential of this hip-hop dream collaboration is a regrettable loss. We will never get to experience what these two legendary rappers had in store.
5. Juelz Santana and Lil Wayne
Hold on, Juelz, not so fast. What was once eagerly awaited by the rap community, the collaborative album “I Can’t Feel My Face” from Lil Wayne and Juelz Santana, never materialized. Jay-Z’s comeback from a brief retirement stirred up some discontent among the emerging generation of rappers, all vying for the seemingly vacant throne.
In 2007, as tensions flared between Dip Set and Hov, and Lil’ Wayne asserted himself as the best rapper alive, it seemed like the opportune moment to sideline the aging superstar. Unfortunately, as the saying goes, youth is often squandered on the young. Juelz and Wayne couldn’t seize an opportunity that, in hindsight, might have been more significant than either rapper realized at the time.
6. Heltah Skeltah
Fresh off a streak of three solo albums that solidified Ice Cube as a contender for the greatest rapper of all time and Dr. Dre, having revolutionized hip-hop with N.W.A. and The Chronic, the prospect of these former adversaries uniting to dominate the rap scene was thrilling news. The track “Natural Born Killaz” from the 1994 Murder Was The Case soundtrack served as a brutal testament to the duo’s skills, creating high expectations for their Heltah Skeltah album project.
So, what happened? Dre adopted a lackadaisical approach to album releases after his departure from Suge Knight’s Death Row, while Cube shifted his focus to showcase his acting talents. By the time Dre collaborated with Eminem, seasoned rap enthusiasts had resigned themselves to the fact that the anticipated Heltah Skeltah album would never see the light of day. (Note: The album titled Heltah Skeltah by The D.O.C., a frequent Dr. Dre ghostwriter, isn’t a remnant from the Cube and Dre project.)
7. 2Face
Putting aside the questionable name choice, the idea of pairing a fierce, just-out-of-jail Tupac with the seasoned, street-smart wisdom of Scarface from Geto Boys seemed like a potentially rewarding creative venture. This collaboration had the added potential benefit of Scarface bringing out more of Tupac’s redemptive side. Allegedly, studio sessions occurred when Tupac visited Houston.
So, what occurred? Tragically, Tupac’s passing left their collaboration incomplete. Some of Tupac’s lost vocals were resurrected by the label Rap-A-Lot for the subpar 2006 project “2Faces,” but Scarface has explicitly stated that he had no involvement in the release.
8. Fantastic Four
The ultimate conceptual “conscious” quartet, featuring Common, Talib Kweli, Pharoahe Monch, and The Roots’ Black Thought, promised to deliver a lyrically robust remedy to rap’s superficial mainstream extravagance. Who wouldn’t be intrigued by the prospect of an album filled with verses from gentlemen exuding the vibe of having worked at the local food co-op?
What transpired? Common hitched a ride on Kanye West’s journey into the mainstream and achieved his longstanding artistic goal of securing a bit-part in the film Terminator Salvation. As rap’s morally upright lyricists found themselves drawn to the allure of a lavish lifestyle akin to Jay-Z’s, Monch attempted a crossover by donning an Elvis persona in a video, while Black Thought settled for a role as a rapping sidekick on Late Night with Jimmy Fallon.
9. Child Rebel Soldiers
Back in 2007, the collaboration of Kanye West, Pharrell, and Lupe Fiasco was the most stylish and creatively intriguing concept in hip-hop. With their combined production and rapping skills, along with a generous serving of unchecked ego, CRS appeared poised to create a classic album. Lupe even hinted to Billboard that “whoever is going to pay is going to pay a whole hell of a lot,” though this statement might have pertained more to their vintage Japanese denim clothing allowance than any advance they were expecting.
So, what unfolded? The certified superstars Kanye and Pharrell appeared to lose interest in continuing to provide Lupe with financial support. However, optimistically, the group’s MySpace page still declares, “CRS is coming!” One can’t help but imagine that Lupe is the one holding the login details.
10. Black Hippy
Comprising Kendrick Lamar, Schoolboy Q, Ab-Soul, and Jay Rock, all label mates at TDE, this collective from the West Coast has been delivering compelling music since 2009. Despite each member having a unique style and approach, it’s the remarkable chemistry among them that elevates them into a formidable ensemble.
The juxtaposition of Kendrick’s introspective lyricism, Schoolboy Q’s gritty gangsta rap, Ab-Soul’s abstract musings, and Jay Rock’s streetwise narratives forms a dynamic sonic tapestry. Although they haven’t yet released a full-length project, every collaborative track featuring the Black Hippy members becomes a significant event, underscoring their undeniable skill and harmonious collaboration.
11. All City Chess Club
In April, Lupe Fiasco, a perennial representative of nerd rap, tweeted about the All City Chess Club being in the studio, fueling speculation about a potential supergroup comprised mostly of XXL magazine freshmen. The lineup included Asher Roth, Wale, B.o.B., The Cool Kids, Charles Hamilton, Diggy Simmons, Blu, and J. Cole. However, their anticipated debut, the remix to Lupe’s ‘I’m Beamin’,’ has yet to officially surface.
So, what’s the story? The challenges of being part of the XXL freshmen class have meant that most of these artists have struggled to carve out time to advance their individual careers beyond the blogosphere, let alone engage in a collaborative project. Moreover, for new-wave rap artists primarily earning from brand sponsorships, divvying up the spoils of a pair of free jeans among nine members proves to be a logistical challenge.
12. Golden State Warriors
Weary of receiving critical acclaim but struggling financially, West Coast lyricists Xzibit, Ras Kass, and Saafir, once Tupac’s roommate, joined forces to create the Golden State Warriors. The intention was to pool their resources, maximizing impact and garnering support from each other’s fan bases.
So, what unfolded? Xzibit discovered that hosting MTV’s Pimp My Ride was more enjoyable than being an underrated rapper, while Ras Kass unfortunately took up the undesirable hobby of frequenting jail. Adding to their challenges, a letter from the NBA instructed the trio to cease or desist using the same name as a professional basketball team, further dampening their fledgling prospects.
13. Murder Inc.
Producer Irv Gotti initially brought together JAY-Z, Ja Rule, and DMX on Mic Geronimo’s 1995 track “Time to Build.” Despite all three eventually achieving superstar status, Mic Geronimo took the A-side spotlight in the collaboration since the mentioned legends had not yet released their debut projects.
The trio later joined forces for JAY-Z’s Hard Knock Life Tour. Then, in 1999, they graced the cover of XXL with the headline “Introducing Ja Rule, JAY-Z, DMX as Murder Inc.” As the group Murder Inc., they only released two songs: “Murdergram” and “It’s Murda.” Unfortunately, “ego” was cited as a significant factor by the parties involved, preventing the realization of a complete album.
14. Wu-Tang Clan vs. Boot Camp Clik
’93 ’til infinity alert! Demonstrating unwavering confidence in the raw, rugged, and often gritty sounds of early-’90s New York rap, these two formidable East Coast hip-hop forces are rumored to be gearing up for the ultimate supergroup spectacle. The prospect of B.C.C. soldiers spitting verses over RZA’s signature dusty production or Method Man and Buckshot exchanging blunted rhymes is undeniably enticing. Envisioning their live show is sure to evoke a sense of rowdy energy. If it materializes, this could potentially be the project to reclaim hip-hop’s spotlight from the South.
What’s Likely to Occur? The collaboration poses a logistical challenge: orchestrating unity among the 17 presumed members (16 living, and one brilliantly deceased individual in spiritual form) seems like an evident folly. A more feasible scenario: Underrated Wu members Masta Killa and U-God collaborate on an album with the prolific Price, with Buckshot handling production duties. Ghost and Raekwon contribute verses remotely for a track that gains popularity on the internet. Alternatively, an array of bedroom DJs might create their own Wu vs. B.C.C. mash-up mixtapes.
Conclusion
In the ever-evolving landscape of hip-hop, the notion of rap supergroups serves as a testament to the genre’s boundless creativity and collaborative spirit. While the allure of witnessing legendary emcees unite has fueled excitement, our exploration of 14 rap supergroups that never materialized serves as a reminder of the unpredictable nature of the music industry. Whether hindered by timing, conflicting schedules, or the complexities of collective creativity, these unrealized projects remain suspended in the realm of what could have been. Nevertheless, the very existence of these hypothetical unions adds a layer of mystique to the expansive tapestry of hip-hop history, leaving fans to wonder about the sonic magic that might have been created if these legendary forces had come together in the studio.
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