Since the earliest days of hip hop as a genre, rap duos have been a domineering force in the musical landscape. These two-man groups often form because of a symbiotic relationship between a vocalist and a producer, a pair of lifelong friends, or even a couple of siblings, offering some of the best chemistry in the highly collaborative field. In fact, some of the most iconic drum patterns, synths, and bars have been delivered courtesy of a few genre-defining duos, making groups such as EPMD, UGK, and Gang Starr as influential and dynamic as any classical composer. Today, rap duos are less common than they were during the golden age of hip hop, though every now and again a pair of elite MCs form like Voltron to continue providing modern classics to the masses.
So, now seems like as good a time as any to construct a list of some of the best rap duos in hip hop history, ranging from the founding fathers of the hip hop genre to those still delivering bangers to this very day. Without any further preamble, let’s run through a list of the best rap duos of all time, in no particular order, and give our flowers to the iconic MCs who helped to shape hip hop into the massive global industry that it is today.
Tha Dogg Pound
Most hip hop heads were first introduced to Tha Dogg Pound back in 1992, when the duo appeared on Dr. Dre’s historic debut solo record The Chronic. The duo, comprised of legendary MCs Kurupt and Daz Dillinger, were instrumental in bringing both The Chronic and Snoop Dogg‘s Doggystyle to life, before uniting for their own catalogue of instant West Coast classics. To date, these gangsta rap legends have dropped a grand total of 9 LPs, with their most recent effort W.A.W.G. (We All We Got) releasing under Death Row Records in May 2024.
While each of their albums have been regarded as classics, Tha Dogg Pound’s 1995 debut record Dogg Food is their best known body of work, having peaked at number 1 on the US charts, and amassed 2x platinum certification. Despite a few rumors that the group had split up over the last few years, Tha Dogg Pound’s recent outings should confirm that they are undeniably one of the best rap groups to ever rock a microphone.
DJ Jazzy Jeff & The Fresh Prince
Some hardcore hip hop fans may hesitate to give DJ Jazzy Jeff & The Fresh Prince their flowers, though a cursory glance at their discography and accolades would make you hard pressed to box them out of the discussion of best rap duos. Long before Will Smith was an A-list movie star with an occasional proclivity for slapping comedians, he topped the charts as a versatile rap act, aided by the funky fresh beats and inventive record scratches of DJ Jazzy Jeff. Together, this rap duo took home the first ever Grammy Award for Best Rap Performance, and inspired generations of MCs to take to the genre with massive hits like “Summertime” and “Parents Just Don’t Understand.” If you’re still not convinced, look no further than the infectious rhythms of the Fresh Prince Of Bel-Air intro music, which is probably already stuck in your head as you’re reading this.
Run The Jewels
For a more recent example of one of the best rap duos of all time, we have Run The Jewels, a raucous anti-establishment mainstay responsible for releasing 4 self-titled albums over the course of the last 11 years. Run The Jewels combines the talented vocals and sample chops of Brooklyn’s El-P with the brash lyricism of Atlanta’s own Killer Mike, resulting in a powerful combination that is sure to leave a lasting impact on the genre for decades to come. Run The Jewels, often shorthanded as RTJ, is a major hit amongst old heads and newfound rap fans alike, bridging the generational gap between millions of impassioned listeners. Rumors are currently circulating regarding the expectant release of a Run The Jewels 5 album, which would surely be a hit following Killer Mike’s impressive Grammy’s sweep for his recent solo album Michael.
City Girls
While the City Girls recently made headlines for amicably parting ways in search of new projects, their contributions to the hip hop soundscape cannot be overstated. This electrifying female duo hailing from Miami, Florida offered scene-stealing tracks such as “Twerk,” “Act Up,” and “F*** Dat N****,” which brought their unapologetic attitude and unique flavor to the Billboard Hot 100 charts. Even in a rap landscape with a plethora of impressive female artists such as Cardi B, Doja Cat, Ice Spice, and more, the City Girls managed to turn heads at bars, clubs, and parties for years to come. While it’s disheartening that this prolific rap duo has seemingly split, there’s no telling how a City Girls reunion could impact the culture of hip hop down the line.
Eric B. & Rakim
There’s a reason why Rakim is also known as The God MC, as his complex rhyme schemes and staggering vocal patterns are widely regarded as some of the most influential flows of all time. Effortlessly flowing over the grooving boom bap beats delivered by life-long friend and peer Eric B., Rakim has delivered the blueprint for artists such as Eminem, Jay-Z, Nas, and even The Notorious B.I.G. While Rakim has continued to rap through the year 2024, his highest watermarks generally come from his early work alongside Eric B, making them one of the best rap duos to ever exist. The pair even reunited on stage in 2018 for The Technique national tour in Baltimore, Maryland. Together they performed such groundbreaking hits as “Paid In Full,” “Microphone Fiend,” and “Don’t Sweat The Technique,” solidifying their place as one of the best rap duos of all time.
Mobb Deep
If you’re a younger hip hop fan, you may only know Queens, New York rap legends Havoc and Prodigy for their viral anthem “Shook Ones (Part II).” While this track, and it’s grimy, cold-blooded instrumental may have put Mobb Deep on the map for younger listeners, the rap duo have been responsible for revitalizing the brash New York influence of hip hop throughout the 1990s and early to mid 2000s. As the preferred collaborators of revered producers like The Alchemist and Q-Tip, Mobb Deep released 8 explosive studio albums before disbanding in 2017 with the tragic death of Prodigy.
In the years since their last release, Havoc has kept the group’s brand going strong. Still, there are rumors of another Mobb Deep project being in the works, which would utilize unreleased recordings from Prodigy’s back catalogue along with some vocal assistance from contemporary acts. While no release date or specific details have been given regarding the posthumous record, Havoc confirmed during a 2023 appearance on Talib Kweli’s People’s Party podcast “I’m actively working on a Mobb Deep album now, as we speak. [Prodigy’s] family blessed me with a bunch of vocals and soon as I leave here, I’m goin’ back to work.”
OutKast
From the moment you laid eyes on the title of this write-up, you surely had one iconic hip hop duo on the brain. Atlanta’s own OutKast, composed of Big Boi and André 3000, is perhaps the most highly favored, critically acclaimed, and commercially successful rap duos of all time. The pair, who remained active together from 1994 to 2006, released a total of 6 classic albums, each of which remain in heavy rotation for hip hop heads all around the globe. Their eclectic influences helped to set OutKast apart from their contemporaries, with some truly innovative and forward-thinking lyrical chops that inspired generations of rap artists to follow.
Today, André 3000 seems more interested in delivering a brand-new flavor of jazzy flute instrumentals than writing complex vocal passages, though he remains one of the most sought-after features on any rap artist’s discography. Likewise, Big Boi has seemingly settled into a behind-the-scenes role in the modern hip hop landscape, while occasionally popping up in television shows, feature films, and even a Super Bowl halftime performance back in 2019.
Clipse
Rounding out our list of the best rap duos of all time, we have the Virginia Beach sibling team Clipse, composed of Pusha T and No Malice. The real-life brothers came up in the late 1990s alongside A-list producers such as Pharrell Williams and Chad Hugo, and eventually grew to provide the dominant sound of hip hop in the early 2000s. From 1999 through 2009, the duo were responsible for releasing 4 unforgettable and inescapable LPs, which each saw high-ranking placements on the Billboard music charts. Around 2010, No Malice sought a major life change, and stepped away from music to focus on his devout Christianity. In his stead, Pusha T ventured into a thriving solo career, which saw him topping the charts on Kanye West’s G.O.O.D. Music label before taking over the venture as label president in 2015.
Recently, No Malice has slowly reintegrated into the hip hop scene, providing vocals on tracks such as Kanye’s “Use This Gospel” and Pusha’s “I Pray For You.” In 2024, Pusha T shocked the hip hop world, by announcing that his brother has finally agreed to return to the microphone for a full Clipse LP titled Let God Sort Em Out, which is expected to drop later this year.
