20 Examples Of Rappers Dumbing Down For More Sales

Kanye West ft. Jamie Foxx – “Gold Digger”

Producer: Kanye West & Jon Brion

The college dropout went from preaching about materialism and self-awareness to conniving hoes. And it worked. “Gold Digger” is one of the rare times when pop and rap music could endure a loving marriage.

Pastor Troy ft. Ms. Jade – “Are We Cuttin”

Producer: Timbaland

The fierce ATL rapper literally jumped off a building for this single’s video, which ironically summed up the notion to what he was doing with his career by recording it.

Bubba Sparxxx ft. Ying Yang Twins – “Ms. New Booty”

Producer: Mr. Collipark

After dropping an incredible album that nobody cared about, both Bubba and the Ying Yang Twins collaborated for their biggest hits to date while simultaneously turning themselves into caricatures.

Twista – “Give It Up”

Producer: The Neptunes

All Pharrell workings aren’t created equal. Twist and The Neps fizzled on this 2007 single that also copied Kanye’s “Gold Digger” video.

DMX – “Party Up”

Producer: Swizz Beatz

Although the overall quality of the 1999 hit is still debatable, X switched things up and attracted an audience that previously didn’t even know he existed.

Wale ft. Lady Gaga – “Chillin”

Producer: Cool & Dre

Wale pulled the ultimate no-no for his major label single in 2009: Releasing a song that your core fanbase will obviously not appreciate. He crashed, he burned, he lived, he learned because he released a No. 1 earlier this year.

J. Cole – “Work Out”

Producer: J. Cole

With all eyes on him for his 2010 debut album, Young Simba thought singing Paula Abdul was the move and ended up letting Nas down in the process. the record is still platinum, though.

Lupe Fiasco – Lasers (The entire album)

Is it ironic that the album Lupe Fiasco renounces is his highest-selling one to date? Does the buying public of Hip-Hop prefer inferior music?

Jay-Z ft. Foxy Brown & Babyface – “(Always Be My) Sunshine”

Producer: Daven “Prestige” Vanderpool

After the masses lamed out on the prophecy he supplied on 1996’s Reasonable Doubt, Jigga took the radio run a little too far with background dancers and a Bad Boy Records beat. He crashed, he burned, he lived, he learned.

Master P ft. Silkk The Shocker – “Bout Dat”

Producer: Carlos Stephens

On the brink of losing the war to Cash Money Records in 2000, Master P got his little brother to flex, rap about money, bling and cars alongside him. It obviously didn’t work.

Joe Budden – “Pump It Up”

Producer: Just Blaze

Slaughterhouse’s founder still lives in the shadow by his most well-known single which is the complete opposite of everything he stands for musically.

Ghostface ft. Missy Elliott – “Tush”

Producer: Dub Dot Z

By dropping the Killah and encapsulating name in his in strobe lights, the Wu-Tang Clan leader scored a U.S. Billboard Hot Dance Club Play No. 1 hit but also one his least favored singles.

Goodie Mob ft. Big Boi & Backbone – “Get Rich to This”

Producer: Organized Noize

What’s what’s good for the goose sometimes doesn’t fly for the gander. While Big Boi flossing on the glitzy 1999 jam made perfect sense, the four-man conscious set of Goodie Mob were seriously out of place.

David Banner – “Play”

Producer: Mr. Collipark

Remember when David Banner was conflicted? Following the success of the Ying Yang Twins 2005 hit “Wait (The Whisper Song),” the Mississippi rapper tried his hand and duplicating their success and won and lost at the same time.

Slum Village ft. Ms. Jade & Raje Shwari – “Disco (Remix)”

Producer: Timbaland

Back in 2002, saying “disco” and Slum Village in the same sentence was all but a criminal offense but they shot for the stars, ignoring their core fanbase with this oft-forgotten single.

Mobb Deep ft. 112 – “Hey Luv”

Producer: Havoc

After three untouchable albums of stacking bodies all over Queensbridge, the Mobb felt it was best to start running bubble baths for shorties and cuddling their fears away on satin sheets. Blame the “Takeover?”

T.I. – “Whatever You Like”

Producer: Jim Jonsin

Although the initial critics of the track have warmed up to it in recent years, “Whatever You Like” was released at a time period when people felt Tip should have been coming out more gutter and stoic, seeing he was about to do prison time for weapons charges.

Ja Rule ft. Christina Milian – “Between Me & You”

Producer: Irv Gotti & Lil’ Rob

Once 50 Cent’s archrival hopped out of that hot tub, his days of hollering “murda” were swapped for thug crooning to the ladies. This track launched a successful crossover career for a several years.

50 Cent – “21 Questions”

Producer: Midi Mafia

This is the most classic example of popularity selling a record and not the other way around. After debuting at No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 in 2003, it became the first song’s history to drop out the top 10 in the following week. A couple of weeks later, it wasn’t even charting. Somewhere, Ja Rule was staring a cabinet full of prescription pills.