We live in a strange time. The lines between mixtapes and albums continue to blur for better or for worse. Rappers are dropping albums for free and are asking for $10 for a mixtape. It’s almost as if rappers call their albums mixtapes simply to protect themselves if things don’t go as per plan. Last night, most of us were tuned in to OVO Sound Radio where Drake and Future’s much awaited What A Time To Be Alive was streamed back to back. It was being called a “mixtape”. It went up on iTunes for retail and thousands of people probably paid the price with no problem. One week later, it will be available on other oultets like Spotify. In the long term, what does this mean for Hip-Hop? It’s crucial to discuss it.
The basis of mixtapes for so long was that they allow the artist to have a certain sense of freedom. Far too often have we seen the situation where a rapper drops their latest album only for it to disappoint. It feels like watered down version of the person we were initially introduced to and fell in love with through a mixtape or two and lacks the flare we expected. The ideal body of work for an artist is one which feels like a mixtape but people are willing to pay for, right? These tapes give rappers the freedom to sample anything they want without having to seek permission, thus not limiting their creativity. Or do they?
In 2012, Mac Miller was sued by Lord Finesse for a whopping $10,000,000 over K.I.D.S. cut ‘Kool Aid & Frozen Pizza’ which used the same instrumental as Finesse’s ‘Hip 2 Da Game’ from 17 years prior. Most were shocked that there was even a right to sue in this situation. With a bit of digging, we found that performing mixtape songs live technically means using them to generate profit. That suit in particular may have ended with an undisclosed settlement which neither party went into detail about but the damage had already been done. Frank Ocean, Wiz Khalifa and Curren$y have all been the victims of legal trouble for sample clearance issues on mixtapes in the past few years.
If a rapper is forced to clear samples on a project and then puts that project up for sale, what exactly makes it a mixtape?
We spoke to Tony G, head of A&R at G-Unit Records for some insight on industry practices these days. “It all depends on the producer and which project/tape the song is for. In a traditional mixtape sense where we put out a body of work for free, it’s more of partnership with the producer rather than a business transaction. So we make sure to be on the same page and get permission from the producer and proper credit is given across the board.” He continues, “I don’t ever recall a producer not being excited to be part of a 50 Cent project especially since 50 is known for giving a lot of producers their first big break and placement. If we do however at any point sell the tape, then we would do the proper paperwork and give an advance fee to the producer.”
We also decided to hit up Syk Sense, producer of Drake’s ‘6 God’ with Boi-1da and co-producer of ‘Know Yourself’. As you know, both If You’re Reading This It’s Too Late and What A Time To Be Alive are dubbed mixtapes even though they are up for sale, so who better to receive some clarification from? Here’s what Syk had to say about his production credits on the former tape. “I’ve been compensated pretty well for my contribution. Not only have I gotten paid but it’s opened doors for my career beyond my wildest dreams.”
The idea that a mixtape is of lesser quality than an album is a sad misconception. Even if it may have been the case up until very recently, future generations of music fans and critics alike will no longer judge an artist’s career solely off of their album discography. And why should they? That being said, the streaming service that truly wins between, TIDAL and Spotify could simply be the one with a vast discography of mixtapes available at the touch of a finger. The receptions to tapes like So Far Gone, The Warm Up, Da Drought 3 and even Future’s recent Monster, Beast Mode and 56 Nights have seen to it. They have all been primary factors in cementing the respective rappers’ place in the game for an extensive period. If you put less effort into music you know you’ll release for free, we’d rather not receive any music at all.
Part of the reason for this careless perception of tapes lies in the fact that after reaching new heights in their careers, most rappers stray away from dropping a free body of work for the public. We forget that in 2007 just months before Graduation hit stores, Kanye West dropped Can’t Tell Me Nothing, a free digital-only release. Why it’s rarely discussed is because it consisted of some snippets, some Kanye West features and remixes, and some appearances by G.O.O.D. Music affiliates like GLC and Common. It felt more like a compilation of throwaways that was rushed together rather than the masterpiece standard which his albums are held to. The exception to the rule would be Lil Wayne who still drops mixtapes frequently, but some would argue that Wayne’s quality of music has decreased.
Another reason that we don’t hold mixtapes to as high of a standard as we should is because old mixtape tracks are often used for artists’ studio albums. It would be very odd for a rapper to use a song from a previous album on their latest album, so why do we think it is fine for him/her to use the successful mixtape tracks on albums? Over time, moves like these have contributed to the degradation of mixtapes.
And then there’s the case of EPs. More and more artists are releasing EPs these days on retail. These 5-6 song projects give artists a chance to test waters with their fans without the pressure of album sales and the success of singles, while also giving them the chance to end a drought. On top of that, they get the opportunity to monetize their material instead of just throwing it out there and getting nothing in return.
G-Unit recently did that with two back to back EPs after reuniting last year: The Beauty Of Independence and The Beast Is G-Unit. Adds Tony: “The attention span of the consumer is getting shorter and shorter, you can listen to a million different records a day with the internet. So even though you might have a buzz, it doesn’t mean kids want to listen to a tape with 18 records and a DJ shouting all over it. An EP can showcase your range and sounds as an artist and at the same time not overwhelm or bore the consumer. Sometimes less is more.”
The release of Drake and Future’s What A Time Time To Be Alive last night has evoked this conversation even more. Some may say that just because it’s up for sale, doesn’t mean we should go ahead and call it an “album”. But others debate that since there’s a considerable price tag of $9.99 on it, it is not correct to call it a “mixtape” anymore. Both arguments are valid but in the back of our heads, we all really know how and what a proper studio album is supposed to feel like.
Many argue that Drake’s If You’re Reading This It’s Too Late is essentially an album done in a non traditional way but would you hold aura around it in the same regard as his other studio albums like Thank Me Later, Take Care and Nothing Was The Same? Probably not and that’s where the ambiguity comes in.
Perception is everything. Will we have higher standards for a collection we paid our hard earned money for versus one we received as a free download? Yes, we will. And that changes everything when we judge a project on the tag of an album or a mixtape.
So is What A Time To Be Alive an album or a mixtape? Or is the music industry soon going to formally adopt the term “project” for instances like these which are only going to take place more frequently from hereon.
Let us know your thoughts.
– by Akaash Sharma & Navjosh