Hip Hop and rock are alike in the sense that both genres were built on rebellion and, perhaps most importantly, the desire to express oneself. However, the two couldn’t feel more like opposites in terms of beats, bars, and aesthetics. That being said, they’ve collided more often than you might think.
One of the earliest and most iconic crossovers came in the ’80s, when Run-D.M.C. and Aerosmith collaborated on “Walk This Way.” The track gave the Hip Hop trio their first-ever Top 5 hit on the Billboard Hot 100, while also breathing new life into the rock band's career. Fast-forward a couple of decades, and you’ve got Linkin Park, who’ve worked with everyone from JAY-Z and Rakim to Pusha T and Busta Rhymes. With the growing popularity of rage music and the alt-ification of almost every genre, rap-rock is simply no longer a novelty.
On that note, REVOLT looked back on 13 of the best Hip Hop and rock crossovers. Take a look below.
1. “Numb / Encore” by Linkin Park and JAY-Z
“Numb / Encore” isn’t your typical crossover, considering it’s essentially a mashup of two of Linkin Park and JAY-Z’s biggest records. Still, the formula worked so well that other artists have followed suit (see “What’s My Age Again? / A Milli” by blink-182 and Lil Wayne). Each artist brings something new to the table here— from the revamped instrumentals on “Numb” to Chester Bennington’s vocals intertwining with JAY-Z’s verses. Luckily for us, Hov and Linkin Park went on to drop an entire EP full of songs just like Collision Course.
2. “Take What You Want” by Post Malone, Ozzy Osbourne, Travis Scott
Post Malone has the rap-rock formula down to a science (just look at the numbers "rockstar" pulled in), so it's no surprise that the Travis Scott and Ozzy Osbourne-assisted "Take What You Want" fits right into his wheelhouse. The two rap-adjacent stars trade verses about betrayal and letting go, while Osbourne delivers a soaring chorus that only intensifies as the electric guitar and drums swell near the end. There are several moments where Hip Hop and alt-rock overlap on Malone’s third studio album, Hollywood’s Bleeding, and this collaboration might just be the most powerful example of it.
3. “TYG” by Megan Thee Stallion and Spiritbox
After tapping Spiritbox for the rock remix of “Cobra,” one of her most personal tracks to date, it only made sense that Megan Thee Stallion would reunite with them. On “TYG” (aka “Test Your Gangsta”), the Hot Girl Coach and Courtney LaPlante prove just how confrontational — and, frankly, badass — they can get over Bankroll Got It’s production. It’s everything you could ask for, and then some.
4. “Werewolf” by Lil Uzi Vert and Bring Me The Horizon
Lil Uzi Vert has always been something of an enigma in rap, especially considering how much they love experimenting with different sounds. On “Werewolf,” their rock curiosity reaches a peak with the help of Bring Me The Horizon. What’s perhaps most impressive is that the Philadelphia star doesn’t water it down for rap fans. Instead, they meet the rock band on their turf — resulting in one of the more exciting cuts in 2023’s Pink Tape.
5. “Shame” by System Of A Down and Wu-Tang Clan
For the very few who needed convincing that Wu-Tang Clan’s “Shame On a N**ga” could function as a rock song, System of a Down’s 2000 cover put those doubts to rest. Renamed simply “Shame” for obvious reasons, the cover features Serj Tankian reworking Ol’ Dirty Bastard’s verses — and, more controversially, the hook. As a bonus, we even get an unheard verse from RZA himself.
6. “Good Goodbye” by Linkin Park, Pusha T, and Stormzy
By the time “Good Goodbye” dropped, Linkin Park had already mastered the rap-rock crossover. So, instead of reinventing the wheel, they simply invited two lyricists from opposite sides of the globe: Pusha T and Stormzy. “Goodbye, good riddance / A period is after every sentence,” King Push spits. Although Hip Hop fans don't get really any rap contributions until about halfway through, the wait is absolutely worth it.
7. “Play Me” by Korn and Nas
It takes a lot not to get swallowed up by rock’s aggressive production, but on Korn’s “Play Me,” Nas holds his own. Over roughly three minutes, the Queensbridge legend delivers bars about doing “sick stuff” to his collection of adult films and keeping the chrome close. It's undoubtedly one of Nas' most provocative performances — and honestly, there’s no better place for it than a nu-metal record like this.
8. “Walk This Way” by Run-D.M.C. and Aerosmith
“Walk This Way” is a classic — and given its history, technically it’s one of the oldest tracks on this list. With some convincing from Rick Rubin, Aerosmith — who were fresh off the lukewarm reception of their reunion album Done with Mirrors — joined Run-D.M.C. in the studio to re-record it together. The Hip Hop trio’s version soared to No. 4 on the Hot 100, proving once and for all that rap and rock were, in fact, compatible.
9. “GERONIMO” by Trippie Red, Travis Barker, and Chino Moreno
Rage music is arguably the most rock-adjacent form of Hip Hop, so it makes perfect sense that one of the subgenre’s pioneers, Trippie Redd, would take the leap. On “GERONIMO,” the Cleveland rapper enlisted Deftones’ Chino Moreno and Travis Barker — who, fittingly enough, handled production on all the rock-inspired tracks from Neon Shark vs Pegasus.
10. “Let It Rock” by Kevin Rudolf and Lil Wayne
Kevin Rudolf was relatively unknown when “Let It Rock” dropped. In fact, it was his debut single— and he landed Lil Wayne as a feature, no less. “Because when I arrive, I, I'll bring the fire / Make you come alive, I can take you higher,” Rudolf wails on the electrifying alt-rock anthem. Meanwhile, Weezy name-drops a slew of women before calling himself both a mechanic and a personal trainer, among other memorable boasts.
11. “The Mighty Fall” by Fall Out Boy and Big Sean
Although “The Mighty Fall” explores the idea that even the strongest among us can be brought down, Fall Out Boy and Big Sean sound anything but defeated. The band’s frontman, Patrick Stump, commands most of the song, paving the way for the Detroit rapper to come through with a show-stopping verse. With bars like, "They say I got screws missing, well hell, only when I'm missing you / And hell yeah I'm a d**k, girl, addicted to you,” Sean definitely didn't leave us hanging.
12. “The Omen” by DMX and Marilyn Manson
Flesh of My Flesh, Blood of My Blood is arguably one of DMX’s most spiritual and autobiographical albums, with much of it reading like a psalm about personal suffering and eventual resilience. Its darker tone also created the perfect space for an artist like Marilyn Manson to appear on “The Omen,” — though surprisingly, the rock legend only offers a sparse vocal contribution on the chorus. Speaking to Complex, Swizz Beatz said he intentionally left space for listeners to absorb their eerie chemistry: “I left the negative space in there so you could feel Marilyn Manson and X having their little crazy-a** moment.”
13. “Close Your Eyes (And Count To F**k)” by Run The Jewels and Zack De La Rocha
Yes, one of Run The Jewels’ biggest tracks features none other than Rage Against the Machine’s frontman, Zack de la Rocha. He lends his voice to the blisteringly titled “Close Your Eyes (And Count to F**k),” an anti-police anthem and a necessary middle finger to a corrupt system that often fails the people it claims to protect.