WTF is a mixtape????

[Relic]

Firstly, unless your older, if I pulled out a cassette you prolly gonna ask what the hell is that?
So the TAPE part is out, secondly, I used to think it was a cat doing they own lyrics over industry beats, I mean thats how we used to do it , back when we had 12"'s we had to use to have a beat to rap to.
But now adays FL is free pretty much and hell, audacity IS free so Im saying when I listen to some "mixtapes" these are FULL produced ALBUMS.
Case in point: Someone hit me with a copy of J-Coles Friday night lights "mixtape" and he just released an album.
Bullshit the first IS an album!! The tracks are all original and done in an expensive studio!!
So WTF is a "mixtape?" I mean shit Lil weezal puts out a "mixtape" like every ten minutes or something right?

Is it you arent signed to a major and it isnt distributed in stores so its classified as a mixtape?

 

[UNORTHODOX]

you're right, and basically yea. Mixtapes are what you call things you dont want to be albums.

Albums have connotation on quality, mixtapes are supposed to be lesser. It basically just a tag now.

 

[dacalion]

hahaha, I remember buying a "green lantern and FMF mixtape" thinking I was gonna hear some dope ass scratching and mixing only to get the tapes home and hear these cats screaming shouts outs all over the tape (annoying as hell)...lmao, then to top that they were only blending acapellas over other artists beats (thrill value of 0)...but yeah, the new stuff is a lot more these dayz.

 

[Fade]

To me, mixtapes are mixtapes! A DJ mixing new tracks or a scratch DJ going nuts. You're right though, it's so confusing today. Maybe we should coin our own term.

 

[thedreampolice]

I hate the entire idea of mixtapes. I just so lame anymore.

 

[Relic]

To me, mixtapes are mixtapes! A DJ mixing new tracks or a scratch DJ going nuts. You're right though, it's so confusing today. Maybe we should coin our own term.

That or take back the fuckin term mixtape!!
And make everyone go back to cassettes!

 

[DJ Excellence]

For the old skoolers : a bunch of songs that are blended and scratched.

For the youngsters: second rate songs that haven't made the "official" album.

 

[thedreampolice]

For the youngsters: second rate songs that haven't made the "official" album.

That is 100% dead on man!

It drives me crazy. If a song sucks, you should scrap it.

You may disagree, but this is one thing Kanye does really well. He knows what to NOT put out.

 

[LDB]

Judging by some of the comments some are too damn old (in the mind) to be seriously thinking about doing anything relevant in todays music industry....lmao

1) Mixtapes today can be classified as full albums depending on the artist. Most artist that I know who put out "mixtapes" do so because they are actually shopping albums to the majors but the majors have suggested that they put one out to create a bigger buzz for themselves. Maybe a song will become catchy enough to leak to the radio therefore giving the label a better reason to justify signing them.

2) Most of Weezy's mixtapes have freestyle type lyrics over the hottest club songs at the time. Why? To keep his name buzzing while he's finishing up his album or to get the public ready for whomever else is about to drop on Young Money.

3) You can either go on promo tours these days or drop a mixtape to get your audience excited about what's coming. Today it's nothing more than a promo/marketing tool. Artist like J.Cole probably would have never gotten the deal that they did without it! Usually when u drop one and get it to the right dj's you'll have a easy blue print to follow for your album depending on what ends up becoming hot in the streets or clubs.

I personally would run with it as oppossed to kicking dirty on the concept. There's a reason why there are so many of them. THEY WORK IN TODAYS MUSIC INDUSTRY!

 

[Fade]

LDB, you're right, but at the same time, it's not a tape, and there's mixing going on! LOL.

 

[DJ Excellence]

I think what Relic was saying is that compilations shouldn't be called mixtapes. That's all.

Judging by some of the comments some are too damn old (in the mind) to be seriously thinking about doing anything relevant in todays music industry....lmao

1) Mixtapes today can be classified as full albums depending on the artist. Most artist that I know who put out "mixtapes" do so because they are actually shopping albums to the majors but the majors have suggested that they put one out to create a bigger buzz for themselves. Maybe a song will become catchy enough to leak to the radio therefore giving the label a better reason to justify signing them.

2) Most of Weezy's mixtapes have freestyle type lyrics over the hottest club songs at the time. Why? To keep his name buzzing while he's finishing up his album or to get the public ready for whomever else is about to drop on Young Money.

3) You can either go on promo tours these days or drop a mixtape to get your audience excited about what's coming. Today it's nothing more than a promo/marketing tool. Artist like J.Cole probably would have never gotten the deal that they did without it! Usually when u drop one and get it to the right dj's you'll have a easy blue print to follow for your album depending on what ends up becoming hot in the streets or clubs.

I personally would run with it as oppossed to kicking dirty on the concept. There's a reason why there are so many of them. THEY WORK IN TODAYS MUSIC INDUSTRY!

 

[LDB]

I think what Relic was saying is that compilations shouldn't be called mixtapes. That's all.

My comment was based on Relics and other comments.

If we want to get EXTREMELY technical on the term "mixed tape", original mixed tapes where not sold in stores or made by dj's or artists.

They were made by everyday Joes sitting at home (or on park benches with there boom box) listening to the radio mix show dj's do there thing and recording it. I know I use to catch the train from Maryland to Jersey on the weekends when i was in the Army just to get in range of NY's radio stations to make "mixtapes" to send home to my boyz before there was "internet radio".

 

[LouBez]

Yall got a baaaaaaad case of the 30's man! Damn newfangled mixtapes aint even tapes!

 

[Krazyfingaz]

It still boggles me that people call CDs and even Mp3 albums mixtapes lol. I guess "Mix Cd" and "EP" is just too much like right. If it dosnt have a REAL DJ i.e. cutting scratching and blending your songs, its not a real mix.......tape.

 

[dacalion]

cosign! what we think of as a mixtape is more up north-ish and what all these cats are doing is more of a southern thing.

 

[Relic]

..Wait LDB has this right on.. The explanation , yet also something I need to debate on this.
Look Coles shit is an actual full fledged album.. And its a good one, Cole REALLY didnt need anyone if he was making ish like that.. No seriously, thats a good ALBUM.
I think its SICK that the INDUSTRY says its a "mixtape" if they didnt do it..
Look we was doing this BEFORE the "Industry" and actually most of us prolly only need the distrubution end to have the shit sold in Wallmart or something.
Seriously I dont even care what Billboard says any more, not sure if I ever did.

Anyway his "Album" is now taking heat cuz NOW he is industry handcuffed or some shit.
Point being , I had people comin to me back in the 06 while we doin an albumsaying we should make it a mix tape, I was confused and dropped them then , and now it has all come home as a concept, so keep the discussion going.
Lou.. I got a GOOD case of the 40's goin on and I still get carded so hiphop is hiphop, the discussion keeps it real.
Phil- Im str8 agreeing with LDB he gets what Im saying.
I guess the real diff is that you prolly given something away for free or for less than industry standard price cuz you aint signed and people wnt pay for it because the local channel one hasnt told them to yet, and shruggin and sayin "Well... this is just our mixtape" KNOWING its bangin and selling yaself short

 

[thedreampolice]

My view is more from the creation of art stand point.

If you want to have a legacy, you put out only your best stuff. Good music is good music no matter what the label. But when you think mix tape, quality is NOT the first thing you think of. Certainly there are exceptions, but that's what they are exceptions.

 

[Fade]

I agree with DP.

I actually think mixtapes (by today's standards) are pointless. Release your best material, not just stuff to put out there. Sure, some will argue that they're great for this or that but..... ya.

 

[UNORTHODOX]

That is 100% dead on man!

It drives me crazy. If a song sucks, you should scrap it.

You may disagree, but this is one thing Kanye does really well. He knows what to NOT put out.

For the old skoolers : a bunch of songs that are blended and scratched.

For the youngsters: second rate songs that haven't made the "official" album.

This isnt 100% true, alot of mixtapes are better than the album they supposed to hype. Its all promo

 

[UNORTHODOX]

Yall sound real detached. The BEST artists by todays standards release mixtapes that alot say are better than their album. Its just promo, I'll give you 15 songs to get my name on the blogs and make me relevant then I drop the album while people are checkin for me and I can get interviews off the easy. Simple.