Songs Saved by a Great Feature
Many not-so-good songs have been created by artists and then saved by its feature. CommRadio's Arts & Entertainment department name those songs here.
“Monster” - Kanye West [feat. Jay-Z & Nicki Minaj]
“My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy” is undisputedly one of the greatest rap albums this decade. It also features some of the most iconic features the music industry has seen.
It would be easy for objectively good songs to go under appreciated within an album this legendary. There needs to be an element of the song that makes a listener want to return.
“Monster” is nowhere near a bad song. But the track would fall victim to the quality of the rest of the album if it weren’t for Nicki Minaj’s feature on the third verse of this track.
Both Kanye West and Jay-Z have solid verses, but Minaj significantly outshines them both. Her flow demands the listener's attention. Her lyricism and rap ability are highlighted to the best of her ability.
This feature is Minaj at her best, and while West and Jay-Z don’t have anything close to bad verses, “Monster” wouldn’t be the song it is today without Minaj’s iconic feature. - Sophia D’Ovidio
“New Choppa” - Playboi Carti [feat. A$AP Rocky]
One of the fan-favorite cuts from Playboi Carti’s self-titled 2017 album would not be as popular as it is without A$AP Rocky. It all comes down to a matter of substance and ultimately shows why balance is key.
Carti, at that time, was a bit of an undeveloped lyricist. He was only 20-years-old when this mixtape was released, and he was overall new to the rap game. However, years later, he is still known for his simplicity when it comes to his flows.
In this case, the repetition might be a little too overpowering, especially if he tackled this track on his own.
The phrase “new choppa” is said well over 60 times in both the verses and adlibs. Luckily, Rocky comes in and delivers one of his best verses to date. His fast-paced flow and clever wordplay completely transform the song into something magnificent.
He ends the verse by rapping, “Swipe, swipe, like I'm on a bus / It's A$AP and I ain't one to rush.” Even though this feature is about 30 seconds long, every second is counted for.
A$AP Rocky was also made for this beat. His vocal inflections are top-notch matching the lead synthesizer and drums. He is just too smooth with it. Maybe it was this track that impressed Rihanna so much. - Caelan Chevrier
“FEFE” - 6ix9ine [feat. Nicki Minaj & Murda Beatz]
6ix9ine is an artist known as a hip-hop troll due to his outlandish and rather immature appearance and his screaming that he considers rap music.
While most of his music is catchy garbage, featuring Nicki Minaj on his track “FEFE,” along with a few others, helped him release music that is somewhat worth listening to.
FEFE starts out with 6ix9ine actually singing rather than screaming, which is equally as bad. His voice on his verses is rather annoying and flat and this pairs horribly with the basic and barely competent lyrics.
However, the suffering through 6ix9ine is all worth it when Minaj gets on the track. She never fails to be charasmatic and glamorous through her vocals and lyrics.
When Minaj raps and sings, she is perfectly on beat and varies her voice, while 6ix9ine’s vocals in comparison are lackluster and come off as irritating. - Rachel Fisher
Sophia D’Ovidio is a first-year majoring in communications. To contact her, email sgd5184@psu.edu.
Caelan Chevrier is a second-year majoring in journalism. To contact him, email cjc6789@psu.edu.
Rachel Fisher is a first-year majoring in broadcast journalism. To contact her, email rlf5481@psu.edu.
About the Contributors
Caelan Chevrier
Third Year / Marketing & Journalism
Caelan Chevrier is a third-year student in the Smeal College of Business at Penn State University studying marketing and broadcast journalism with the goal of graduating with a bachelor’s degree in four years. His career goal is to spread informative, meaningful, and entertaining content across various platforms and to be a positive impact on the community. He has also spent time working at WWE in the communications department and writing for The Westport Local Press in his hometown of Westport, CT. If you’d like to contact him, email him at .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) or .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address).
Sophia D'Ovidio
First-Year /
Sophia D’Ovidio is a first-year from Allentown, New Jersey. She is now a communications (undecided) major at Penn State University. Sophia intends on pursuing a career in journalism. Sophia writes for the CommRadio Arts department.
Rachel Fisher
2025 /
Rachel Fisher is a second-year majoring in broadcast journalism. She is the DJ Coordinator of the Arts and Entertainment Department and an involved member, focusing on music and TV news. She is from Ocean, New Jersey, and is interested in singing, food, music, and audio production. Follow her on Instagram @rachelfisherrr_
