What's up with "Beat Tape"?

[Fade]

I was just thinking of how common it is to use the term "Beat Tape" when describing a beat maker's release. Even "Mixtape".

But why?

Neither of them involved actual tape.

But here's the main thing I realized:

Probably 90% of the beat makers and/or artists using those terms are so young they've never actually used and/or touched a tape/casette/vhs/etc.

I think we should come up with a new term.

 

[Drago Zetić]

It's an interesting holdover for sure. Even the term "mixtape" has changed multiple meanings - from someone's own "playlist" tape, to the old hip hop definition of a DJ's mix dubbed onto tape and then an artist's promotional project that's not really an album.

Not sure about how "beat tape" started out, but I would say probably in the late 90s when the first dedicated beat records were coming out (the Hydra Beats series for example).

I still watch tapes from time to time on the old tube TV, my parents used to record a lot of movies and some of them are even a bit hard to find online, plus I don't have to worry about getting the subtitle timing right.

I guess it's just something ingrained into the hiphop community, but it's slowly on its way out, especially mixtapes. For years there's been more emphasis on singles rather than mixtapes, which I think is great because most of the rap mixtapes and even albums I've listened to don't have all that many songs I'd listen to again.

Beat tapes are also declining, but there are always listeners out there dedicated enough to listen through longer projects like that. Plus more of us might call them something fancier like "instrumental albums" or whatever.

 

[Fade]

That's a good point about the singles. It seems that's the direction everything is headed, from full-on mainstream artists to even beat makers. I mean, you even stuff like someone saying "I got the whole thing on tape" when in fact it's just their phone. And "cell phone" should be on its way out as well since most people don't use it for the phone!

 

[thedreampolice]

Im working on a beat tape right now. It will be made 100% on an MPC2000xl. Mixed to tape with all outboard gear, and only available on cassette. Im not kidding. If its not on cassete it should not be a "beat tape" that's weird.

 

[Fade]

Im working on a beat tape right now. It will be made 100% on an MPC2000xl. Mixed to tape with all outboard gear, and only available on cassette. Im not kidding. If its not on cassete it should not be a "beat tape" that's weird.

I've seen others doing that, and it's interesting. I really miss cassettes! That shit was so convenient.

 

[2GooD Productions]

i dont even have a cassette player anymore

 

[thedreampolice]

That's kinda the point, is that its very exclusive to people who really want to hear it. I think cassettes will come back a little, nothing like vinyl has though.

 

[2GooD Productions]

for the really dedicated you can put it on an 8 track.
I dont think cassettes will be coming back, I lost my whole collection when my sister decided to put the bag of cassettes next to a big speaker. I did like the saturation of tape though, could get some really bassy recordings.
I think that idea of exclusivity comes at a cost to cutting your potential reach, is it really worth it, expecting your fans to have to go through the trouble of finding a cassette player when they have almost become obsolete

 

[Fade]

My next beat tape is going to be on a usb stick and it's just going to be Word documents.

 

[thedreampolice]

BAHAHA Touche'