The nominees for this year’s Best Collab at the 2023 BET Awards show these artists still have us in a chokehold with their infectious bops. Some collaborations are expected but can take years to happen. Others happen almost immediately and capitalize on the momentum. However, the most celebrated collaborations are often completely unexpected ones, such as the surprise appearance from Mariah Carey and DJ Khaled on Latto's "Big Energy (Remix)." Not only are these records soundtracking our lives but their success becomes evident on the Billboard charts. With the BET Awards airing on Sunday, June 25, 2023, at 8 pm ET, we're looking into the Best Collaboration category.
“Big Energy (Remix)” - Latto & Mariah Carey Feat. DJ Khaled (2022)
This nominee for Best Collab at the 2023 BET Awards is a very successful one that had a grip on 2022. Latto’s 777 project displayed her versatility, from the intro songs that showcased her lyrical aggression to efforts like "Big Energy" which dominated radio and streaming services. A significant portion of the song's success came from the sample of Mariah Carey's "Fantasy." However, with both the instrumental and Mariah’s vocals on this remix, it propelled the song to further virality. Although it dropped in March 2022, it quickly became the song of the summer while landing in placements for commercials and movies. This song dropped in March but has quickly become a song fit for the summer. Latto’s success continues to ascend as more and more people tune in to her music.
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“Boy’s a liar Pt. 2” - PinkPantheress & Ice Spice (2023)
Both of these nominees for Best Collab at the 2023 BET Awards are products of internet success. PinkPantheress took TikTok by storm before eventually releasing her project, hell with it. Meanwhile, Ice Spice’s breakout single "Munch (Feelin' U)" went viral and she’s since dropped an EP titled Like..?, and secured a Nicki Minaj feature. However, when they joined forces on "Boy's A Liar Pt. 2," they released the most successful song in their careers. This collab brings the two rising artists together who come from the dance music and drill world - two of the most popular genres today.
“Call Me Every Day” - Chris Brown Feat. Wizkid (2022)
These two nominees for Best Collab at the 2023 BET Awards are from different musical worlds. Chris Brown has excelled in the R&B for well over a decade at this point. Meanwhile, Wizkid has helped bring the Afrobeats sounds to American airwaves to immense success. "Call Me Everyday" finds Chris leaning deeper into Wizkid’s sound, fusing the sounds of West Africa with his R&B sensibilities. While it is on the short side, the two artists use their time wisely. They don’t “trade bars” but their verses and hooks blend together seamlessly. This collaboration is one of the more low-key songs on the list tempo wise but Chris and the dancers in the video still execute choreography that compliments it.
“Can’t Stop Won’t Stop” - King Combs Feat. Kodak Black (2022)
King Combs is Diddy’s son which guarantees that he's practically free to sample the majority of the Bad Boy catalog. On "Can't Stop Won't Stop," King Combs gives the expected shoutout to the legendary label and even has a short spoken outro much like his father has done and continues to do today. The song uses the same sample from “Crush On You”, a hit by Lil Kim featuring Lil Cease and The Notorious B.I.G. Listeners have celebrated the track for its nostalgia and how the video looked fun for both artists involved.
“Creepin’ ” - Metro Boomin, The Weeknd & 21 Savage (2022)
Coming from Metro Boomin’s solo album Heroes and Villains, this is another hit record that banks off of nostalgia, thanks to the sample used. In fact, it’s almost a triple sample. The Weeknd interpolates the hook from Mario Winans’ “I Don’t Wanna Know” ft. Diddy and Enya, a song which samples The Fugees' "Ready Or Not." Meanwhile, 21 delivers a stand-out verse and Metro tweaks the iconic vocal sample melody without losing the essence of the original. "Creepin'" became an immediate highlight from Heroes & Villains and it's only right that it earned a nomination for Best Collab. Many listeners remembered the original song and appreciated how it was reimagined while still paying homage.
“F.N.F. (Let’s Go)” - Hitkidd & GloRilla (2022)
These nominees for Best Collab at the 2023 BET Awards created what was truly a hit. Dropping in May 2022, the song still gets heavy radio play and is still in many people’s rotation. This is another song where the music video went viral for a myriad of reasons. But, at the end of the day, it introduced GloRilla to a wider audience which resulted in her current reign as the Princess of Crunk. Her success led to her dropping a project titled Anyways, Life’s Great… - which is also nominated for Album of the Year at these awards.
“Tomorrow 2” GloRilla & Cardi B (2022)
GloRilla and Cardi B's nomination for Best Collab at the 2023 BET Awards comes as no surprise. The highly anticipated collaboration arrived shortly after Cardi's co-sign of GloRilla's original single, "Tomorrow," which landed on CMG's Gangsta Art. Cardi brings just as much energy as GloRilla for a show-stopping anthem.
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“WAIT FOR U” - Future Feat. Drake & Tems (2022)
Some songs truly feel inescapable. Such is the case with this nomination for Best Collab at the 2023 BET Awards. Future and Drake delivered one of the biggest hits of 2022 with "WAIT FOR YOU." The Toxic King and the self-proclaimed Certified Lover Boy flipped a sample from Tems' "Higher" for one of their most successful collaborations to date. Plus, the song’s music video was also the center of discussion amongst listeners because of how surprising it was. The video finds Drake and Future in a medieval setting complete with swords and armor - and yes, they’re wearing them. It’s only right that one of the biggest songs of the year has a video with a budget that matched its size.
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