On the surface, the often clean-imaged Korean music industry might not seem like the best fit for the often raunchy and explicit hip-hop genre. However, there’s more to both than meets the eye.
Korean pop is highly adaptable, embracing trending sounds and styles, which allows it to resonate with both new and older audiences. It also serves as a form of soft power for South Korea, whose cultural influence has steadily expanded through music, TV, and film. With groups like BTS, Blackpink, Stray Kids, and TWICE making headlines, collaborations between K-pop and rap are mutually beneficial. The intensity of K-pop fandoms ensures that fans will actively support their favorite artists, resulting in high streaming numbers and free promotion in the Asian market for rappers. Meanwhile, K-pop artists gain Western exposure and the opportunity to connect with a more diverse, edgier fanbase.
K-pop has always been influenced by different music styles, but, for years, hip-hop and R&B have been some of the biggest sources of inspiration. Even as the genre expands—now accepting Thai and even African members, proving pop music can be a universal language—K-pop is specifically rooted in Black music styles and traditions.
With pioneering groups like Seo Taiji and Boys using training structures inspired by Motown, it makes sense that rappers are some of the collabs the K-pop industry has sought out. Bang Si-Hyuk, co-founder of HYBE, the entertainment company that launched global sensation BTS, even acknowledges that their music derives from Black Americans. In 2017, he said, “In terms of music, Black music is the base. Even when doing many genres like house, urban, and PBR&B; there’s no change to the fact that it is Black music.”
Rap music has a history of breaking barriers and taking risks, and many Korean artists grew up as fans of American hip-hop. K-pop collaborations with rappers go back to the early 2000s. But we really saw breakthroughs in the 2010s, when acts like Psy and BTS made waves by collaborating with legendary rap figures like Snoop Dogg and Warren G.
In recent years, these collaborations have become more common. For example, Tomorrow X Together teamed up with Coi Leray for “Happy Fools,” Stray Kids remixed Lil Durk’s “All My Life,” BTS leader RM worked with underground rapper Little Simz, and most recently, Jennie joined forces with rising rap star Doechii for her hit single “ExtraL.”
For K-pop idols, the success of songs in English or featuring prominent artists can be key to reaching audiences who may be hesitant to explore K-pop, or even serve as a gateway to recognition.
From solo artists to groups, spanning the early 2010s to today, here the best K-pop and hip-hop collaborations of all time.
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15.Twice Feat. Megan Thee Stallion, “Strategy”
Released: 2024
Over the last couple of years, Megan Thee Stallion has been in her East Asian music bag; last year, girl group Twice hopped on a remix of her Japanese-English hit “Mamushi.”
That song is blast. But it's the follow up “Strategy,” which came a couple of months later, that we want to highlight here. Megan’s rapping is swanky and self-assured. And the Neptunes-inspired track is so warm and charming, it sounds like it could soundtrack a summer barbecue.
14. J-Hope Feat. Don Toliver and Pharrell, “LV Bag”
Released: 2025
BTS' J-Hope has established himself as a solo force over the years, even headlining Lollapalooza in 2022.
On “LV Bag,” which features Don Toliver and Pharrell, he demonstrates his ability to adapt to a flashier, more commercial track style. This stands in contrast to the more soulful sounds of his earlier rap collaborations—think “on the street” with J. Cole.
Everyone delivers on this track. Don Toliver brings a bright, more rambunctious energy, while J-Hope comes with slinky, atmospheric vocals that reverberate like they're echoing through a club.
13.Jay Park Feat. 2 Chainz, “SOJU”
Released: 2018
Seattle-born artist Jay Park has long championed bridging the East and West, even launching several hip-hop and R&B labels in Seoul to spotlight artists who don't neatly fit the pop-centric K-pop mold. He also was the first Korean artist signed to Jay-Z’s Roc Nation, back in 2017.
The carefree anthem "SOJU" was Jay’s debut single under Roc Nation, leading to his English-language album Ask Bout Me. The track stands out as one of the album's strongest, with Jay and 2 Chainz rapping in a slow drawl, embracing a pluggnb-inspired soundscape.
12.BI Feat. Soulja Boy and Devita, “BTBT"
Released: 2022
BI and Soulja Boy? Sure why not. Though seemingly an unexpected collaboration, BI reached out to Soulja Boy primarily because he was a fan of his music.
The result is “BTBT,”a track driven by an Afrobeat drum pattern and mellifluous, airy vocals from BI and Devita that transport the listener into a trancelike state.
Soulja Boy’s brash rap verse catches the beat while still staying in tune with the sultry mood of the track. While dancehall and Afrobeat influences have crept into more K-pop songs, “BTBT”stands as one of the most successful, executing the fusion of sounds with finesse and avoiding the trap of sounding like a caricature.
11.RM Feat. Wale, “Change”
Released: 2017
BTS' RM and Wale both have a history of making socially conscious music. So it’s fitting that their 2017 collaboration, appropriately titled“Change,”is a politically charged song—one that addresses issues relevant to both the West and East.
In the song, Wale tales a confrontational stance, rapping lines like, “Hated by alt-rights and racist police,” and “When it's time to vote, the people turn to mannequins.” Meanwhile, RM is more somber, rapping, “Oh, fuck the school / All we got is mad teachers and some visible classes / Divided spaces, and forever-lasting stresses.”
While the song is heavier than most on this list, there remains an uplifting spirit—the chorus is literally “The world is gonna change”—that makes it one of the stronger rap and K-pop collabs in recent memory.
10.Monsta X Feat. French Montana, “Who Do You U Love?”
Released: 2019
Monsta X stands out from other K-pop boy groups. While many groups have a cookie-cutter image, Monsta X has maintained a darker edge, using that energy to their advantage while appealing to Western audiences.
However, for their biggest hit in the West, "Who Do U Love?," they take a different approach and smooth things out. The track features vocal runs that give a subtle nod to Michael Jackson, while French Montana delivers a lighthearted verse filled with pop culture references that are oddly dated but still charming ("Used to post up in New York, like Marcus Camby / My two tings fighting, like Monica and Brandy").
9.Lisa Feat. Future, “Fxck Up the World”
Released: 2025
Lisa's “Fxck Up the World” highlights the singer's more unpredictable and independent creative instincts. The track is carried by a frantic trap-infused beat, setting the stage for Future to dominate. This is Future’s first K-pop song, and his malleable style ends up being a perfect fit for a song that's sessionally a party girl anthem.
8. BTS Feat. Megan Thee Stallion, “Butter” (Remix)
Released: 2021
BTS and Megan’s first official collaboration almost didn’t happen. Before its release, there was a court battle just to get the song out, due to Megan's label troubles interfering at the last minute.
“Butter” was already a No. 1 smash hit, thanks to its high energy and sunny disco beat. But Megan fits perfectly on the track, dropping quotables for days, including:
"I remember writing flows in my room in college,Now I need global entry to the shows I’m rocking.”
7.Blackpink Feat. Cardi B, “Bet You Wanna”
Released: 2020
Cardi B openly admitted to struggling to keep her verse clean on Blackpink’s “Bet You Wanna.” To be honest, we couldn’t tell. Jennie, Jisoo, Rosé, and Lisa meshed perfectly with Cardi, providing a bop that is one part contagious, one part fierce.
The song has a modern, electronic, hyperactive beat, but with drums that feature a soulful undercurrent. And like the best K-pop songs, it has a flirtatious energy that is manifested in Cardi’s frank—but non explicit verse—where she raps:
"Cardi a good catch, but you gotta chase me
Grab my waistline, but don't ever waste me
Turn on "Please Me," but don't ever play me."
6.Psy Feat. Snoop Dogg, “Hangover”
Released: 2014
Psy’s breakout hit "Gangnam Style" may have started as a novelty, but it played a pivotal role in introducing many American listeners to K-pop when it took the world by storm in 2012.
His 2014 follow-up, "Hangover," is just as comedic and lighthearted as its predecessor. But it's also just a much better song, one that has showcased real staying power, partially due to the song's "A Milli"-inspired cadence. (It was even memorably used a couple of years later in Marvel’s Black Panther.)
As the title suggests, "Hangover" is about letting loose with nonstop drinking, and Snoop Dogg serves as a cool contrast to Psy's high-energy excitement, adding a laid-back vibe that complements the track perfectly. Though not as meteoric as "Gangnam Style"—the first video to hit 1 billion views on YouTube—"Hangover" represented Psy's attempt to expand his audience beyond Korea with a slightly different sound.
5.Jennie Feat. Doechii, “ExtraL”
Released: 2025
Doechii is experiencing an incredible breakthrough moment since releasing her Alligator Bites Never Heal mixtape last year. In February, she became only the third woman to win the Best Rap Album award at the Grammys.
So, it’s no surprise that Jennie was an early fan who recognized Doechii’s talent and sought out a collab. "ExtraL" is a rambunctious track with playful, back-and-forth girl power energy. The song is powered by catchy mantras like “Do my, do my ladies run this, ladies run this” and “Girls looking good and they got they own money.”
Both Doechii and Jennie prove they aren’t confined by genre—they are artists who can seamlessly blend braggadocious rap and melodic singing, creating a song that’s not only a banger but also empowering in its own way.
The single serves as a memorable introduction to Jennie’s debut album, Ruby, which also features other hip-hop collaborators like Dominic Fike, Childish Gambino, and Mike Will Made It.
4.J-Hope Feat. J.Cole, “on the street”
Released: 2023
J-Hope, like many rap fans who appreciate lyrical depth, has been a long-time admirer of J. Cole. Before their collaboration, J. Cole had already given his blessing for BTS to release their song "Born Singer," which samples Cole’s track of a similar name.
What’s interesting about the song is the deference J-Hope shows to Cole. The North Carolina rapper takes the lead with a reflective, almost philosophical verse. On the song he raps:
"I got a friend smart as fuck, but he stupid as hell
He swear that God ain't realSince it ain't no way to prove it his self
As if the universe ain't enough
As if the volcanoes ain't eruptAs if the birds don't chirp
As if a trillion nerves don't work in the human body"
In contrast, J-Hope handles the chorus and delivers a tight, concise verse that complements Cole. The track is notably more laid-back than many other K-pop releases, and it stands out as one of the more lyrically focused selections on this list. Don’t let anyone tell you K-pop fans don’t crave deep storytelling in their songs, too.
3.G-Dragon Feat. Missy Elliott, “Niliria”
Released: 2013
There was a time when G-Dragon was arguably the biggest Asian pop star in the world, a figure known as much for his music as for his influence in the fashion world. His breakout moment in the West came in 2013 with the release of his sophomore album, Coup d'Etat.
The standout song from the album was "Niliria," which features rap legend Missy Elliott. The song is unique in how it blends the modern with the classical, taking an unconventional Korean folk song and adding some modern hip-hop flair.
Not only was the collaboration a banger, but it also showed how much of a visionary Elliott was, stepping into the Korean pop space early. There's a reason why, back in 2013, it made our list of 50 best songs of the year.
2.Diplo, CL, Riff Raff and OG Maco, “Doctor Pepper”
Released: 2015
CL, aka “The Baddest Female,” has masterfully balanced flashing confidence with moments of genuine vulnerability throughout her career. While she first gained attention as the leader and main rapper of the punk-inspired group 2NE1, she made a number of efforts to break into the Western music market in the 2010s.
“Doctor Pepper,” her EDM-inspired collaboration with Diplo, Riff Raff, and the late OG Maco, stands out as one of her more successful attempts. Part of the song’s appeal lies in its carefree, wild nature, a stark departure from the more polished sounds of K-pop.
This raw, unfiltered vibe starts with the song's origin: CL wrote it during a creative burst while drinking, you guessed it, some Dr. Pepper soda. The result? A catchy earworm, bolstered by the edgier, grittier contributions from Riff Raff and OG Maco.
1.Jungkook Feat. Latto, “Seven”
Released: 2023
"Seven," the debut solo single from BTS' Jungkook, was a smash right out of the gate.
Extending beyond the fanatic ARMY fandom, the song broke a Spotify record for the fastest song to reach one billion streams—and, you know what, we can see why. The track is a delight, carried by a bright, UK garage soundscape which gives Jungkook the space to showcase a more mature side of his personality. (The chorus for the explicit version is quite vulgar.)
The song’s theme might seem a little goofy at first—it’s about being hung up on a lover every day of the week—but Jungkook’s powerful vocals deliver desire in a way that’s digestible and witty. While Latto delivers a high-energy, flirtatious verse that’s technically impressive for a summertime hit.
And then there’s the cinematic music video, which features Jungkook thirsting after an uninterested lover—played by Korean actress Han So-hee—in a humorous, melodramatic style. When you put all those factors together, it’s hard to imagine a K-pop and rap collaboration being more effective than this one.