The mixtape was unknown to many prior to 2000. Mixtapes have grown from being unknown to a staple of hip hop and of album promotion. To some mixtapes have become our favorite "albums" from artist....With the end of this decade...Mixtapes have taken a seat as being an essential part of Hip Hop and Now R&B
Heres the List: (Most start with number 1 and List down....What the hell for?)
Honorable Mention:
Lil Wayne- No Ceilings
Ripping some of this year's favorite beats. Lil Wayne along with the assistance of Young Money delivered something to bump in October. Wayne continued to display his wit on tracks with little remorse. Sounding better on some tracks than the original arist. To me "Single" is the best damn song on this mixtape and might be one of the best songs of the year for real.
Fav Song: Single
Lupe Fiasco- Enemy of the State: A Love Story
Lupe has been ghost since the release of "The Cool". And BOY! were we glad that he is back. He told us Happy Thanksgiving with a release that confused us. One track?? What the hell?? Lupe was short and to the point with a release slighty under 23 minutes in length. Ripping a Radiohead beat and spitting better than Diddy on "Angels Remix" (of course! are u surprised?) Apparently "Friend of the People" is supposed to drop on Christmas...with like 3 days to see. We will see if we get our stockings stuff with another Lupe mixtape this year.
Fav Song: All The Way Turnt up
5:
The Cool Kids: Gone Fishing
I've been following these guys since I heard Black Mags on a commercial. Witty as all hell. The Cool Kids delivering what some may call a hipster mixtape with beats to make every amateur producer jealous and every professional producer want to step their game up. Gone Fishing was the perfect summer mixtape as i rode around Pittsburgh slapping "Popcorn" habitually. With funny ass words of wisdom from the homie GLC. This was a full production full with displays the bright future of Chuck Inglish and Mikey Rocks from the D(Detroit) and the Chi respectively. You can play Gone Fishing whenever and I promise your mode will lighten.
Fav Song: Broadcasting Live
4:
Wiz Khalifa- Flight School
PITTSBURGH STAND THE FUCK UP!!! Wiz added to his already growing catalog of mixtapes with the perfect smokers mixtape, released just in time for 4/20. Flight School gave everyone an anthem and new ringtone for the spring, summer and maybe the fall and winter. With crazy production from Pittsburgh's own Johnny Juliano and Sledgren, Wiz gave us 22 tracks of bangers. A sunday cruise soundtrack on "Take Away" and a mid week motivator with "I'm Good" & "Hollywood Hoes" Displaying substance and lyrical growth as well as the ability to bring us from space (Star Power) and dropped right back to the sky and put us in school with Flight School. Anyone in their 20s with an ear for music could easily love this mixtape.
Fav Song: Material & Dreamer
3:
J. Cole- The Warm Up
The highly anticipated mixtape from the young gun endorsed by Jay-Z did NOT disappoint. "Can I Live" left me with a tear in my eye. "Grown Simba" had be wanting to take over the world! "Lights Please" had me questioning the standards of every female I know. "I Get Up" became my Good Morning song and "The Badness" had my asking how old is this dude?? Needless to say everything else in between will touch you in one way or another. With nothing but soulful production and your and my favorite beats there isn't a dull moment on this 22 track homerun hit served up by Jermaine Cole from "Fayettenam" (Fayetteville as called by others). This was a mixtape dropped in the summer that won't really hit your head until the fall. If you haven't heard this mixtape..Your lunchin..Go buy it now. It will give you a new hope for the future of hip hop. On a side note: i met J. Cole during my school's homecoming (Howard if you didn't know) This dude is still hungry and humble...a dangerous combination. I expect big things from homie.
Fav Song: Knock Knock & Dollar and A Dream II
2:
Wale & 9th Wonder- Back to the Feature
DC!!! You (we) have arrived!!! Accept and appeciate it!!! And forget everything else. 9th wonder blesses us with nothing but the best when it comes to beats. This feature heavy mixtape delivers the type of shit you prayed would be on your ipod. With everyone from Beanie Sigel to Jean Grae (who I have a huge hip hop crush on), Wale still is able to paint us a picture of who he is and why hes here. Speaking on various situations he shows us his versatility which continue to be seen on his debut album. I can't say enough about this mixtape but I was sad that it ended and when it did...I just started that joint over! No Bullshit (w/ my DC accent) which is very believable. Damn is the magic number 22? Wale and 9th told a story on this mixtape. I love the title and the cover! A huge back to the future fan i'm glad this mixtape was as good a the movie. It amazes me that people still haven't heard Wale. I had to put my bro Golden on this mixtape and I believe he now fucks with Wale. Foralin even dug up Memphis Bleek on a soulful sample heavy jam! Whatelse can you ask for? Maybe backing from LRG? Guess what? This shit got it too!!!
Fav Songs: Goodbye (feat. Jean Grae) , Rather Be With You (Vagina is for Lovers) (feat. Curren$y & J. Cole) & Wonder Why (Feat. Big Sean, Ken Starr & Mike Ponser)
1:
Drake- So Far Gone
The only mixtape that was suggest be released as an album and guess what?! It was released as an album months later and still sold big units. I had heard Drake prior to this mixtape but this dude showed me something...Hes not going anywhere soon. As you can see as he joined forces with the must emulated male and female in Hip Hop (Wayne & Nicki) Drizzy gives you his story. Not too deeping but deep another. Lust for Life says shit we've always felt! What a way to open up a mixtape or i mean album...whatever..yall know what i'm tryna say. You can play this at 6am (which I did on the way to batting practice) or 2am (by yaself or with someone else..which i did too) Rapping and singing successfully is something that we don't see happen very often. But Jimmy...lol does it. And good too!! Sampling Pete Bjorn and John on a break up song to a song talking about the strained relationship with his father. Drake tells you why hes so far gone...well kinda. This mixtape got me thru a very pressing time this year for several reasons but i'm glad i was able to get through it. Thanks to this mixtape and prayer and an Iron Will. "Lets Call it Off" has me calling it off with my girl (with good reasoning of course) and "Successful" increased my hunger as well as almost blew out my speakers and also found its way on the top 50 played songs on my itunes. Give Drake the belt! As the Outro from the mixtape plays...sounding like your walking through a 5 star hotel lobby at noon. I love it! You gotta love! If you haven't heard this yet...I question your love for music...not even hip-hop at this point.
Fav Song: Lust for Life, Lets Call It Off(feat. Pete Bjorn & John) & Sooner Than Later
This is my list...and no one elses....your have your opinion and i have my many...agree to disagree and keep it moving. Period
Stay tuned for my Top 5 Hip hop albums of the year and Top 5 albums of the year.
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