Been noticing in the hip hop sphere you have a lot of rappers this year being more blatant with saying “I’m releasing a mixtape” then in years past

For example, Ab-Soul’s Doeburger project, Doechii’s alligator project, and Kenny Mason’s upcoming angel eyes mixtape. Or even chance changing from “star line album” to star line mixtape.

Or they sound like mixtapes (j cole’s might delete later; gibbs’ you only die 1nce) where especially in the latter, niggas are literally rapping over extremely well known samples. There’s a version of freddie’s project on apple music that doesnt have the anniversary track so that must've been a late addition.

What do yall make of it? Is it artists trying to adapt to the sinking cost of music by “dropping stuff for the fans.” And does any of this stuff make any sense considering we dont have a datpiff type platform anymore that folks could drop these kind of projects on?

@Jim_Halpert_ very interested in what you think about this tbh

With streaming, there is 0 difference between a mixtape and an album anymore, been that way for 10 years

I mean just to differentiate the feel I guess? But streaming era blurred that line for good. The youngins that grow up now won't know how Datpiff was thee place for tapes and was special for that distinction.

i don't think artists making the distinction between album/mixtape/side project/etc. has been any more or less prevalent in this specific year than it's been in the past few years (the streaming age is the common and easy way to place it time wise).

It's all the same things nowadays, mixtape/album/whatever

If dudes really wanted to make a difference they'd stop uploading to streaming first and make their albums purchase-only for at least a couple weeks

mixtape rappers don’t even go on other ppls beats no more

i honestly havent noticed this ngl

Señor 16K was getting screwed over tho

Her Loss carried this vibe too

Mach/roc/nipsey truly was innovators

Freddie Gibbs just rapped over anniversary and cupid lmfao

Like,..it wasnt like no flips. He rapped over the loop

Artists could do what Logic did and drop a free tape on bandcamp

Or 454 did and release it on cassette/soundcloud/and youtube

It ain't a mixtape until a rapper is offering it on they website

The navy blue-gate

It feels like most rappers say it’s a mixtape nowadays as a defense almost like the project isn’t as serious or something.

It’s all the same in the streaming era anyway I guess

Where’s the “beat” at

Ooooh u talking bout other rapper’s beats I hear you

Like Smino (WHERE TF IS SAD 2) might be the last new guy trying to do that real mixtape s*** @Ron_James

Mixtapes basically turned into albums like 15ish years ago too

The definition is kinda lost and now people chase the feeling

We might gotta protest to release sad2

But most mixtapes were not as serious tho.

Big 3 era lowkey was where niggas started taking the “ mixtape “ serious doing majority original production on it.

Which looking back, was f***ing stupid to do lol

It’s the best case scenario they can do with things transitioning to Instagram where long form reels are normal compared to tiktok, which also does have long form content but a lot of people haven’t transitioned there from IG

This s***’s giving me a headache frfr lol

yep, this is what this is

the mixtape moniker makes even less sense considering these are often ambitiously produced projects with new/unique beats and rapping