Linkin Park Shares the Rappers They Still Want to Work With

Linkin Park‘s Mike Shinoda has shouted out Doechii as one of his dream collaborators.

In a sit-down with Drink Champs, Linkin Park’s Shinoda and Joe Hahn rattled off a few of the biggest hip-hop figures they’d love to make music with. On Shinoda’s list was Wu-Tang Clan, Kendrick Lamar, Tyler, the Creator and André 3000. He then added Ms. Lauryn Hill and gave a special shout out to Queen Latifah. “She’s so confident and she’s not like selling sex,” Shinoda said around the 1:30 mark, adding, “She felt like a role model.”

Shinoda then realized the error of his ways and quickly added Doechii to the top of the roster. “Oh, Doechii. Why didn’t I say Doechii? … I should’ve said Doechii earlier.” After scrolling through his phone to jog his memory of female rappers, he then also added: “Doja [Cat]’s dope.”

If any of these collaborations do happen, it would hardly mark the first time LP teamed up with a hip-hop star. The band most notably linked with Jay-Z for a hit mash-up of “Numb / Encore” from their joint 2004 Collision Course EP. Linkin Park also later collaborated with Rakim for their 2014 single “Guilty All the Same” and Pusha T and Stormzy on 2017’s “Good Goodbye.”

Hayley Williams recently celebrated Doechii’s impact in a heartfelt tribute penned for Them. In the piece, the Paramore singer praised the Swamp Princess in part for her memorable performance at the 2022 BET Awards.

“Watching her on that stage, I had the same feeling I did the first time I saw Missy Elliott on MTV as a kid,” Williams said. “It was raw, bold, unmistakable talent — the kind that doesn’t wait for permission. She came out swinging, and I remember thinking, ‘Oh, she’s taking it. This is hers.’”

Watch the full Drink Champs episode below.