Mixtape announcement Archives

YG Returns To The Mixtape Series He Started In 2011

The first Just Re’d Up helped establish YG as a viable artist in 2011. Just Re’d Up 2 dropped when YG was on the cusp of becoming a mainstream star in 2013. The rapper hasn’t gone back to the series in over a decade, which could suggest a back-to-basics approach. The new single “Weird” supports this theory. YG takes aim at “weird rappers” on the track, with an instrumental that harkens back to his old sound. “You bitter-a*s n**gas be sweet, like Cheerios. Weird-a*s n**ga, you n**gas lame,” he raps. “When it’s smoke, don’t ever mention my name. You gon’ have me jeapoardizin’ my fame.”

The common reading of these lyrics is that he’s dissing Drake. The 6 God mentioned YG by name on “Family Matters,” and even though the mention was positive, it appears YG didn’t appreciate it. The fact that YG showed up to support Kendrick Lamar at the “Pop Out” show made it clear that he’s team K. Dot in the rap civil war. Other singles like “Miss My Dawgs” and the Spanish-flavored “KNOCKA” are set to appear on the Just Re’d Up 3 tracklist as well.

There’s an age-old question that pops up whenever a rap newcomer first comes across something like Lil Wayne’s No Ceiling projects: what’s the difference between an album and a mixtape? Moreover, there are many metrics that people might use to distinguish them: quality control, recording process, release methods, etc. A common thread across these discussions, though, is the vitality and importance of the mixtape to the hip-hop genre. Furthermore, these projects are often uninhibited, sometimes obscured by the passage of time, but forever influential and freeing for artists- if done well. Whatever era of hip-hop you look at, at least a good handful (if not a treasure trove) of killer mixtapes awaits.

However, the same era they thrived in is no longer what we see in the music landscape. Speaking of No Ceilings, Weezy himself said that it would be more difficult and less alluring to drop a mixtape in today’s day and age, what with sample clearances, overloaded release schedules, and so on. With all this history in mind, Paramount+ is taking a deep dive into the importance of the medium with the documentary MIXTAPE. Premiering exclusively on the streaming service on August 1 in the U.S. and Canada and on August 2 in other international markets, the film will explore how mixtapes breathed life into rap music.

Lil Wayne Performing At The 2023 ESPYs

Paramount Plus Mixtape Documentary — HOLLYWOOD, CALIFORNIA – JULY 12: Lil Wayne performs onstage during The 2023 ESPY Awards at Dolby Theatre on July 12, 2023 in Hollywood, California. (Photo by Kevin Mazur/Getty Images)

Of course, these aren’t exactly the kinds of mixtapes that Tunechi brought us, but rather those from the DJs and tastemakers of hip-hop. MTV Entertainment Studios produced MIXTAPE in association with Def Jam Recordings and a soundtrack will accompany it. Guests in the film include A$AP Rocky, Lil Wayne, DJ Drama, 2 Chainz, Funkmaster Flex, DJ Khaled, Fat Joe, Fabolous, Jadakiss, DJ Green Lantern, DJ Jazzy Joyce, KRS-One, and many more. In a press release, some of the film’s crew members remarked on its importance.

“Hip-hop is 50 years old and I can’t think of a better way to celebrate its journey and contextualize its evolution than through the story of the mixtape,” said director Omar Acosta. “Every voice in this film played a critical role, especially the DJs who, as KRS-ONE says beautifully in the film, risked everything to ‘bring us the music.’” “It’s an honor to be involved in this film and to help tell the real story of the mixtape, its origins, its impact, and its on-going relevance for the culture,” producer Tony Touch expressed. For more news and the latest updates on this documentary, come back to HNHH.

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