Top 10 Guest Verses of all Time

There's nothing worse than a plethora of featured artists ruining the flow of an album. However, on the flipside, there is also nothing better than a guest who just rips up a track. These performances really can boost an album, if used effectively. Consider it like having a good 6th man on the bench. You don't want him playing the whole game, but you want him to bring energy when required, to keep everyone on their toes. Who is the greatest artist at performing these feats (pun intended)? Probably Busta. That kat comes with energy and spits many of his best verses while featuring on tracks. But what are the greatest individual guest performances in the history of hip-hop? Here are ten that I think are ill, although of course everyone's list would be different. 2 Rules: no R&B jawns with female singers where a rapper is featuring to do the verse/verses; Ghostface appearing on a Raekwon track doesn't count as a guest verse.

1. Busta Rhymes (A Tribe Called Quest - Scenario)
This gotta be number one though, right? Everyone knows this verse. And not only was it hot, it was the first real introduction to many people of Busta Rhymes.
2. AZ (Nas - Life's a Bitch)
Again, everyone knows this shit. He just keeps flowing and spits knowledge after knowledge. For example: "In actuality, fuck whose the baddest / A person's status depends on salary" Oh, you flip-flopped the rhyme pattern in an illmatic way. That is fucking sick.
3. Ghostface (GZA - 4th Chamber)
An ill track, and an ill opening verse to it. "Why is the sky blue? Why is water wet? Why did Judas rat to the Romans while Jesus slept?" Who could forget that line? Or when he starts taking us through a history lesson, talking about the dark ages and Ghengis Khan and shit. This verse sets the tone, and the following verses live up to this first one. Mission accomplished.
4. Common (Blackstar - Respiration)
"It's deep, I heard the city breathe in its sleep / Of reality I touch, but for me it's hard to keep" And so ends one of the most amazing verses you'll ever hear. Common wraps up this classic song perfectly. Theres not much more to say other than that if you haven't heard this song you are fucking sleeping and should hear it prompto.
5. Dr Dre (Tupac - California Love)
Dre on a top 10 verses list? Word em up son. I put this here, cos it's hard to ignore. Everyone knows Dre's verse. There must be a reason. It is pretty ill. I don't care if it was ghost-written. Dre rides this beat expertly and really sets it up for Pac's 2nd verse assault.
6. Method Man (Notorious B.I.G. - The What)
You're the only guy to feature on one of the greatest hip-hop albums of all-time? You better fucking bring the goods. And there were no disappointments. Method Man probably showed Biggie up on this track, if anything...
7. Eminem (Jay-Z - Renegade)
Just like Eminem did on this track. It's just some incredible rhyming, all while really proving a point: fuck all ya'll hypocritical old cunts who lay blame at hip-hop (namely Eminem) for the world's problems. "And I got nothing to do but make you look stupid as parents / You fucking do-gooders: too bad you couldn't do good at marriage (ha-ha!)"
8. M Sayyid (Viktor Vaughn - Never Dead)
This is a great storytellin track. M Sayyid perfectly complements Viktor Vaughn's science-lab themed anecdotes. They tag-team their way through school bullies, time-travel and never-dead roaches in a short-story of epic proportions. And in the end, everything is just as it was at the beginning...my number 1 requirement for an ill short story.
9. Stricklin (Masta Ace - F.A.Y.)
This verse just makes you sit up the first time you hear it. "Wait, is he actually dissing himself? Did he just say the hip-hop lifestyle isn't all that? Um...is he admitting he is broke as fuck?" Yeah. He is. And it's refreshing. And Strick's style makes it all the more enjoyable to listen to.
10. Talib Kweli (Mos Def - Know That)
This is just tag-team fire right here. The beat is just begging for a guest to come and rip it up. And Kweli does just that. "MCs imitate the way we walk, the way we talk / you cats spit lyrically awkward, no spiritual thought / ...plus your flow a little bit off" That's just a line picked at random and it's fucking sick!

Wildcard 1: Nas & Lil Wayne (Rich Boy - Ghetto Rich (Remix))
This one is like double trouble. Or quintuple trouble...Polow da Don provides a stunning soundscape here, Rich Boy laces it quite nicely, John Legend croons out a beautiful hook...and then (on the remix) here comes Lil Wayne. It's one of them serious Weezy verses. "I could never never win an Oscar, cos I don't know how to act / Saw my first million dollars, and I don't know how to act / Then the second million came, then more came after that / then more came after that...hurricane after that...Dayum! / And ya'll saw the aftermath, and in my hood we don't front so I do give back..." etc. And then Nas has an ill verse that just fits the melancholy introspective beat so well. "Then the homies on the block with the stacks of money / Then these beautiful bitches was bending backwards for me / The lames put the rap game in the casket slowly [sound of casket closing] / Man I don't give a fuck...this is rap to me"
Wildcard 2: Outkast (UGK - International Playa's Anthem)
Both Andre and Big Boi bookend this UGK hit, and they both come with some great shit on this track. Andre is genius: "Then I CCed every girl that I'd see see around town." While Big Boi let's it rain on those ladies living nicely off child support: "Better prepare ya for the C support / She supposed to spend it on that baby but we see she don't...Send her in to outer space, I know he wish he could / Cuz he payin' 20K a day, that bitch is eating good"

MVP Thoughts

Two friends...one MVP award. Who will get it?

The NBA regular season is almost over, and major attention turns to the announcement of individual awards. In this day and age, when a player's legacy can oddly seem more important than a team's, everyone starts talking about the MVP award. History shows that it goes to a key player on an elite team. That would make there 3 candidates...Dallas' Dirk, Suns' Nash and Spurs' Timmy. Sorry Kobe, if last year's efforts couldn't win you the MVP, I don't think this year's slightly less amazing numbers (only just) will win it for you. Your team just doesn't win enough, it seems. Also special shout-out to Carlos Boozer, whose numbers have been phenomenal. Your team hasn't won enough either...also everyone mentioned already happens to be from the West. My east coast MVP would goto Chris Bosh.

• Tim: Big Tim has had yet another great year. The consistency he has shown throughout his career is nothing short of amazing. He never really improved his numbers that much cos they started so high anyway. And while his minutes have been down a bit in recent years he has still kept up the high production. Its no wonder his Spurs just keep having winning seasons. The guy is a top-5 shot blocker, top-5 rebounder, top-20 scorer and top-10 FG%. He'll also through in the most assists of any centre in the league (truthfully this year Brad Miller averages 0.1 assists per game more, but he has played far less games). Oh yeah and the Big Fundamental has started every game this year too. Your damn right he should be considered for the MVP. All that said, the Spurs have only really clicked since after the Rodeo Trip. They have not had it all their own way this year. This thus puts Duncan below the other two.
  
• Dirk: The best player in the best team, Dirk is probably favourite for the award right now. The guy has advanced his reputation as a match-up nightmare even further this year. He does everything in balance. He will drive-in on you, OR shoot the mid-range jumper on you OR post you up OR pop a 3 on you (less these days which has improved his variety) OR dish to a team-mate in a better position. His opponent would rarely have any clue what he'll do each time he gets the ball. He has great trust in his supporting cast. More often than not, he, and they, deliver. That is why they were pushing 70 wins this year. Oh, and those people who say "call him Irk cos he has no D"? You wish you had D like Dirk.
  
• Nash: While all of the above is true, there is this guy Nash. Sure, in 2005 Shaq deserved the MVP. Last year, it was Kobe who deserved it. Nash scooped both. This year though, Nash fully deserves the title. His numbers are this year pushing into the unheard-of category. While some marvel that he increases his team-mates stats, I marvel at his very own stats. The guy dishes out 2 more assists per game than the league's second best-assisting player, the excellent MIP-candidate Deron Williams. He averages 3 more assists per 48 minutes (15.6) than second best TJ Ford. He is clearly the best passer in the game: no one would deny that. But then if you add his shooting skills on top of this, it makes for a simply perfect Point Guard. He shoots 53% from the field, 47% from behind the arc, and pours in 19 PPG. Oh yeah, let's not forget his exemplary foul shooting too.
  

"Yeh, but his D sucks!" That is far from true. Its not as good as his offense, true, but Nash is no slouch on the defensive end. Sure, he isn't as athletic as many of his opponents but he does put everything in on defense which is a lot more than can be said of many other players in the league. This year I have seen him make many clutch defensive plays. Pheonix have improved their D big time this year and Nash is no different.

So why Nash over Dirk?

Well, first off, I believe his numbers are more impressive than Dirk's. Secondly, the dude is clutch. That is very important to me. I have seen Dirk hit some clutch shots. I have also seen Dirk pass the ball at the end of games and rely on someone else to make the big play. With Pheonix, you know Nash will be involved somehow when it counts...with a killer pass, a huge 3, or even a defensive stop. Adding it all up, Nash is a real leader and has been more valuable to his team's success this year than Dirk has...

All this said, I believe Dirk will be named the MVP. And good luck to him. If I was casting a vote however, I would go with his former team-mate and good friend Nash. I'm sure both will be happy whoever wins it.