8 Bizarre Music Collaborations That Were Surprisingly Successful

5. Nelly And Tim McGraw - "Over and Over"

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n3htOCjafTc Whether or not you were a fan of popular country or Southern hip hop in 2004 (or rather inexplicably, both), chances are good that you remember hearing this strangely entrancing duet on the radio and not being able to turn it off. It wasn't necessarily that you wanted to listen, but you needed to, because this is the type of thing that typically precedes warnings about an impending apocalypse. Up until then, Nelly was best known the emcee with a slight drawl who wore Air Force Ones and liked it to be Hot in Herre, whereas Tim McGraw was, well, basically the exact opposite of Nelly. The combination was like mixing chocolate and jam: puzzling to think about, but too interesting to immediately spit out. To be fair, this wasn't so much a mixture of country and hip hop as it was a straight-ahead pop song with some twang and a good beat. Both musicians toned down their respective roots--there are no mentions of trucks or sneakers to be found--compromising on a sound that wouldn't alienate either fan base. The results made it apparent this was the right call, hitting number 1 on the UK charts. Unfortunately, it also inspired many more rap/country hybrids, ultimately claiming responsibility for Nelly's attempt to recreate the magic with Florida Georgia Line down the road. So its legacy is iffy at best.