Image via Complex Original
It’s may be hard to believe that John Mayer—up there with the Stetson hat over long brown locks—has a hip-hop bone in his body. But trust, he gets love in the rap community and has collaborated with some of hip-hop's heavyweights.
This week the reformed loudmouth released a humble yet stellar album, Born and Raised, that ranks right up there with his best work. To mark the occasion, Complex thought it’d be cool to highlight some of the work he’s done in the rap world. Keep clicking to hear John crooning with Common, freestyling during a show, and playing the guitar with Jay-Z.
Written by Brad Wete (@BradWete)
5. "Go!" with Common
For Common's classic 2005 Kanye West-produced Be album, John hopped on the mellow sex jam “Go.” His role wasn't exactly a huge one—simply singing “Go” throughout the song—still, it was a good look.
4. "Bittersweet" with Kanye West
Unfortunately, this record never found a proper home. The collaboration with Kanye was originally slated to appear on West's sophomore album, Late Registration, but never made the cut. In studio footage caught by MTV, West and Mayer play a piece of the song. Then Mayer, who jokes that people think he wears cheap stuff, compares his $40,000 platinum IWC Big Pilot watch to West's $15,000 Jesus piece. “Now go back and listen to 'Daughters,'” he says afterwards—referring to a hit single of his. “Bitches.”
3. Performing Digital Underground's "The Humpty Dance" at a Karaoke Bar
Mayer hit the Cafe Brass Monkey's Karaoke Night in Los Angeles to perform Digital Underground's 1990 classic, "The Humpty Dance.” He gets props for knowing most of the best parts by heart.
2. Valentine's Day Freestyle In Toronto
John's a musician first. But he's got jokes too. On Valentine's Day 2010 while performing in Toronto, he broke into a hilarious, random-ass rap about a chick that, um, tastes like dessert? You be the judge:
“Baby, you know/ You've got to know/ It's nothing against you/ But you smell like fried dough/ I'm about to let it go/ 'Cause it's Valentine's Day/ Don't you know/ And the more I think about it/ A powdered girlfriend made of funnel cake/ My heart's going to break…” It doesn't make much sense. Nonetheless, the rhymes, along with his rapper gestures, did make the audience laugh.
1. Performing "D.O.A" with Jay-Z at Madison Square Garden
Along with a star-studded bunch of surprise guests, Jay-Z brought John out to play guitar on his 9/11 Answer the Call charity concert at Madison Square Garden in 2009. John and Jay started with “U Don't Know." Then after briefly shredding through some of Jay's hits like “Dirt Off Your Shoulder” and “Run This Town,” the two launched into “D.OA.” It was pretty bad ass, to say the least.