This Mash-up of Kanye West and Sam Smith Was Meant to Be

The first brilliant take on Kanye West’s “Can’t Tell Me Nothing” was the brainchild of Zach Galifianakis, who brilliantly (and inexplicably) lip-synced the song while gyrating on a tractor. The second comes courtesy of Carlos Serrano, whose SoundCloud page is a tiny universe of creative mash-ups. Serrano layered West’s 2007 Grammy-nominated song over Sam Smith’s heart-wrenching ballad “I’m Not the Only One” to surprisingly successful results.

The simple piano melody and lilting strings of Smith’s track imbue the rap song with a sense of calm and resignation not found in the original. Does it work thematically? It’s definitely a stretch. One song is about money and bravado, and the other, about the victim of an unfaithful partner. But no matter, because the mash-up is all about the sonic blend.

Serrano’s mash-ups of TLC and Haim, The Notorious B.I.G. and Ellie Goulding, and Rihanna and Daft Punk are also worth a listen. The best musical marriages are often the least expected.

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