Passing Me By

When music stars turn away hit records.

Michael Jackson/Justin Timberlake - Back in 2001, the king of pop Michael Jackson moon-walked his way pass a Neptunes production which later became Justin Timberlake's smash hit "Rock Your Body" off his debut album Justified.  (Photos from left: Frazer Harrison/Getty Images, Barry King/WireImage)

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Michael Jackson/Justin Timberlake - Back in 2001, the king of pop Michael Jackson moon-walked his way pass a Neptunes production which later became Justin Timberlake's smash hit "Rock Your Body" off his debut album Justified.  (Photos from left: Frazer Harrison/Getty Images, Barry King/WireImage)

Nicole Scherzinger/Rihanna - One lady's trash is another lady's treasure, literally. Former Pussy Cat Dolls lead singer Nicole Scherzinger recently spilled the beans about her passing up on Rihanna's mega-mash "We Found Love". Princess Riri  picked up the "Best Short Form Video" Grammy Award behind the hit song's visuals. (Photos from left: Frazer Harrison/Getty Images, Tim Whitby/Getty Images)

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Nicole Scherzinger/Rihanna - One lady's trash is another lady's treasure, literally. Former Pussy Cat Dolls lead singer Nicole Scherzinger recently spilled the beans about her passing up on Rihanna's mega-mash "We Found Love". Princess Riri  picked up the "Best Short Form Video" Grammy Award behind the hit song's visuals. (Photos from left: Frazer Harrison/Getty Images, Tim Whitby/Getty Images)

J.Cole/Nas - Roc Nation hot shot J.Cole learned the hard way that money talks and...well let's just say rest walks and becomes hits for other MCs. The "Power Trip" rapper failed to put his money where his mouth was, and let a No I.D. production slip through his fingers and turn into Nas' "Stay" from his Grammy nominated LP Life's Good. It's a cold cole world Jermaine. (Photos from left: Anna Webber/Getty Images/GettyImages)

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J.Cole/Nas - Roc Nation hot shot J.Cole learned the hard way that money talks and...well let's just say rest walks and becomes hits for other MCs. The "Power Trip" rapper failed to put his money where his mouth was, and let a No I.D. production slip through his fingers and turn into Nas' "Stay" from his Grammy nominated LP Life's Good. It's a cold cole world Jermaine. (Photos from left: Anna Webber/Getty Images/GettyImages)

J. Cole/Rick Ross - J. Cole also had first pick on Rick Ross' classic cut "Tears Of Joy", but failed to purchase the No I.D. production before the biggest bawse got his hands on it. Perhaps that's how Rozay came up with the song's title.(Photos from left: Jason Merritt/Getty Images, Craig Barritt/Getty Images)

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J. Cole/Rick Ross - J. Cole also had first pick on Rick Ross' classic cut "Tears Of Joy", but failed to purchase the No I.D. production before the biggest bawse got his hands on it. Perhaps that's how Rozay came up with the song's title.(Photos from left: Jason Merritt/Getty Images, Craig Barritt/Getty Images)

Passing Me By - One of the standout tracks from Kendrick Lamar's acclaimed major-label debut, good kid, m.A.A.d city, almost didn't come to be. Producer Scoop Deville recently revealed that his beat for "Poetic Justice," Kendrick's duet with Drake, nearly ended up with a very different artist: 50 Cent. "A couple artists wanted the record; I was playing it for a couple selective people at the time I was vibing with, like for 50 [Cent]," he told Q104.7 FM. But after Scoop and Kendrick collabed on "The Recipe," the beat ended up with the Compton MC. "I'm just happy it went where it went 'cus it was a special project." But finding a gem among another artist’s throwaway track is a common thing in the music industry. In fact, there have been a host of music stars who have benefited from the pickiness of others. Check out our list of hits that have...

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Passing Me By - One of the standout tracks from Kendrick Lamar's acclaimed major-label debut, good kid, m.A.A.d city, almost didn't come to be. Producer Scoop Deville recently revealed that his beat for "Poetic Justice," Kendrick's duet with Drake, nearly ended up with a very different artist: 50 Cent. "A couple artists wanted the record; I was playing it for a couple selective people at the time I was vibing with, like for 50 [Cent]," he told Q104.7 FM. But after Scoop and Kendrick collabed on "The Recipe," the beat ended up with the Compton MC. "I'm just happy it went where it went 'cus it was a special project." But finding a gem among another artist’s throwaway track is a common thing in the music industry. In fact, there have been a host of music stars who have benefited from the pickiness of others. Check out our list of hits that have...

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Rick Ross/Bow Wow  - Bow Wow inadvertently let a good thing go when he allowed a track from the Beat Bully to wilt away as the background for a webisode of himself working with Meek Mill in the studio. Somehow though, the instrumental made its way to Mill's boss, Rick Ross, who used it for "Stay Schemin'." The song became one of the most popular tracks off Ross's Rich Forever mixtape. (Photos from left: Jason Merritt/Getty Images, John Ricard / BET)

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Rick Ross/Bow Wow  - Bow Wow inadvertently let a good thing go when he allowed a track from the Beat Bully to wilt away as the background for a webisode of himself working with Meek Mill in the studio. Somehow though, the instrumental made its way to Mill's boss, Rick Ross, who used it for "Stay Schemin'." The song became one of the most popular tracks off Ross's Rich Forever mixtape. (Photos from left: Jason Merritt/Getty Images, John Ricard / BET)

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Lil Wayne/Rick Ross - Rick Ross’ single “You the Boss” seems tailor-made for the husky MC who regularly refers to himself as the “Bawse.” But Young Money’s Nicki Minaj, who appears alongside Ross on the track, revealed that she originally wrote the song's hook for her boss, Lil Wayne, two years ago.(Photo by Gregg DeGuire/PictureGroup)

Jay-Z/Pusha T - "N***as in Paris" almost never happened. Pusha T recently told Sneeze magazine that Kanye West tried to give him the Hit Boy-produced beat but he passed because he wasn't in the right state of mind to record over it. T says doesn't regret his decision because he probably wouldn't have attacked it the same way Jay-Z and Ye did.(Photos from left: Vince Bucci/PictureGroup, Brad Barket/PictureGroup)

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Jay-Z/Pusha T - "N***as in Paris" almost never happened. Pusha T recently told Sneeze magazine that Kanye West tried to give him the Hit Boy-produced beat but he passed because he wasn't in the right state of mind to record over it. T says doesn't regret his decision because he probably wouldn't have attacked it the same way Jay-Z and Ye did.(Photos from left: Vince Bucci/PictureGroup, Brad Barket/PictureGroup)

Jay-Z/Joe Budden - In 2002 Just Blaze offered a track driven by a futuristic soul loop to Jay-Z and the rest of the Roc-A-Fella family. The Roc passed on the song that would become “Pump It Up,” the debut hit by New Jersey rapper Joe Budden, who is currently signed to Eminem’s Shady Records as one fourth of the group Slaughterhouse.(Photos: Christopher Polk/Getty Images for Clear Channel; WENN.com)

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Jay-Z/Joe Budden - In 2002 Just Blaze offered a track driven by a futuristic soul loop to Jay-Z and the rest of the Roc-A-Fella family. The Roc passed on the song that would become “Pump It Up,” the debut hit by New Jersey rapper Joe Budden, who is currently signed to Eminem’s Shady Records as one fourth of the group Slaughterhouse.(Photos: Christopher Polk/Getty Images for Clear Channel; WENN.com)

J. Holiday/Chris Brown - Singer/songwriter The-Dream originally wrote J. Holiday’s Billboard smash “Bed” for Chris Brown. Breezy passed and Holiday rode the hit all the way to #5 on the charts in 2007.(Photos: Frazer Harrison/Getty Images; Kevin Winter/Getty Images)

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J. Holiday/Chris Brown - Singer/songwriter The-Dream originally wrote J. Holiday’s Billboard smash “Bed” for Chris Brown. Breezy passed and Holiday rode the hit all the way to #5 on the charts in 2007.(Photos: Frazer Harrison/Getty Images; Kevin Winter/Getty Images)

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Bad Girls Club - Britney Spears (left) and Rihanna back each other up during the 2011 Billboard Music Awards in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Ethan Miller/Getty Images for ABC)

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Britney Spears/Rihanna - In 2007, songwriters Christopher "Tricky" Stewart and The-Dream wrote and produced Rihanna’s monster hit "Umbrealla" with pop singer Britney Spears in mind only to have her say no. Rihanna said yes, Jay-Z added a verse and the rest is pop music history.(Photo: Ethan Miller/Getty Images for ABC)

Christina Milian/Rihanna  - Rihanna’s first #1 Billboard single, "S.O.S." was initially written for her former label-mate Christina Milian. The fast-paced dance song was an international hit and helped solidify Rihanna’s career while the decision to pass has haunted Milian.(Photos: fafotos/elevation/PictureGroup; M Vaudrey/PictureGroup)

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Christina Milian/Rihanna - Rihanna’s first #1 Billboard single, "S.O.S." was initially written for her former label-mate Christina Milian. The fast-paced dance song was an international hit and helped solidify Rihanna’s career while the decision to pass has haunted Milian.(Photos: fafotos/elevation/PictureGroup; M Vaudrey/PictureGroup)

Lupe Fiasco/B.o.B - B.o.B rode this Bruno Mars-assisted hit "Nothin' On You" to international fame in 2010, but he wasn’t the first MC to get a shot at the track. Atlantic Records originally wanted Bobby Ray’s label-mate Lupe Fiasco to use the song for his third album, Lasers.(Photos: Chris McKay/Getty Images; Kevork Djansezian/Getty Images)

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Lupe Fiasco/B.o.B - B.o.B rode this Bruno Mars-assisted hit "Nothin' On You" to international fame in 2010, but he wasn’t the first MC to get a shot at the track. Atlantic Records originally wanted Bobby Ray’s label-mate Lupe Fiasco to use the song for his third album, Lasers.(Photos: Chris McKay/Getty Images; Kevork Djansezian/Getty Images)

Mary J. Blige/TLC - Mary J. Blige and Ja Rule reached #12 on the Billboard Hot 100 with the 2002 hit "Rainy Dayz" , which was originally intended for TLC. The song's lyrics feature references to TLC's single "Waterfalls" and album CrazySexyCool.(Photos: John W. Ferguson/Getty Images; Scott Gries/ImageDirect/Getty Images)

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Mary J. Blige/TLC - Mary J. Blige and Ja Rule reached #12 on the Billboard Hot 100 with the 2002 hit "Rainy Dayz" , which was originally intended for TLC. The song's lyrics feature references to TLC's single "Waterfalls" and album CrazySexyCool.(Photos: John W. Ferguson/Getty Images; Scott Gries/ImageDirect/Getty Images)

Beyoncé/Fantasia - Fantasia can never replace her opportunity at the certified multi-platinum single “Irreplaceable.” The smash single from Beyonce’s B’Day album became one of the best-selling singles in 2007.(Photos: Eamonn McCormack/Getty Images; Frank Micelotta/Fox/PictureGroup)

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Beyoncé/Fantasia - Fantasia can never replace her opportunity at the certified multi-platinum single “Irreplaceable.” The smash single from Beyonce’s B’Day album became one of the best-selling singles in 2007.(Photos: Eamonn McCormack/Getty Images; Frank Micelotta/Fox/PictureGroup)

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Pink/Christina Aguilera - Pink passed up on the chance to record the Grammy-winning single "Beautiful". Christina Aguilera recorded this empowering track on her 2002 album Stripped and in 2004 won a Grammy for the massive hit.(Photo: REUTERS/Mike Blake)

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Pink/Christina Aguilera - Pink passed up on the chance to record the Grammy-winning single "Beautiful". Christina Aguilera recorded this empowering track on her 2002 album Stripped and in 2004 won a Grammy for the massive hit.(Photo: REUTERS/Mike Blake)

Deborah Cox/Patti LaBelle - Selective music great Patti LaBelle has a history of passing up on a good thing. Ms. Patti passed on the Deborah Cox 1998 R&B hit “Nobody Suppose to Be Here” as well as “Rush” by Paula Abdul and “If You Don’t Know Me” by Harold Melvin & the Blue Notes.(Photos: Moises De Pena/PictureGroup; David Livingston/Getty Images)

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Deborah Cox/Patti LaBelle - Selective music great Patti LaBelle has a history of passing up on a good thing. Ms. Patti passed on the Deborah Cox 1998 R&B hit “Nobody Suppose to Be Here” as well as “Rush” by Paula Abdul and “If You Don’t Know Me” by Harold Melvin & the Blue Notes.(Photos: Moises De Pena/PictureGroup; David Livingston/Getty Images)

Chante Moore/SWV  - Chante Moore must have felt weak-kneed after she passed up on the R&B ballet “Weak” and watched 1990s R&B greats SWV take the single to No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 in 1993.(Photos: Lamond Goodloe/PictureGroup; Frazer Harrison/Getty Images)

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Chante Moore/SWV - Chante Moore must have felt weak-kneed after she passed up on the R&B ballet “Weak” and watched 1990s R&B greats SWV take the single to No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 in 1993.(Photos: Lamond Goodloe/PictureGroup; Frazer Harrison/Getty Images)

Fantasia/Keyshia Cole - Fantasia let this single go and probably wished she could have it back after Keyshia Cole turned the passionate cut into a 2007 hit."Let It Go" was nominated for a Grammy in 2008 and sold over one million copies in the U.S.(Photos: Brad Barket/PictureGroup)

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Fantasia/Keyshia Cole - Fantasia let this single go and probably wished she could have it back after Keyshia Cole turned the passionate cut into a 2007 hit."Let It Go" was nominated for a Grammy in 2008 and sold over one million copies in the U.S.(Photos: Brad Barket/PictureGroup)