Anyone who’s listened to the Hamilton cast album knows just how well it comes across as a standalone album. The musical has been lauded for its incorporation of hip hop, but Lin-Manuel Miranda infused his work with music from the R&B genre as well. The influences of R&B and hip hop come to fruition in “Helpless,” a song describing the first encounter between Alexander Hamilton and his soon-to-be wife, Eliza.
The song comes full circle on the Hamilton Mixtape, with Ashanti on lead vocals and Ja Rule holding down the rapping part of Hamilton. Both artists offer a powerful vocal display, turning a Hamilton production into a legit R&B track.
While the full Mixtape album isn’t out until December 2nd, we can listen to this great version of “Helpless” below.