The video really says it all, but I will just give my two cents. Now, I will say that I, probably along with anybody else, really knows the full extent to what is going on behind the scenes or what really triggered this lawsuit, so I'm am writing strictly based off of what I am seeing in the video. I don't really know if this was the decision of Lil Wayne, Cash Money, or who but, I don't understand why this is happening. I'm not even sure if this is a personal thing, but regardless of who it came from, whether it is personal or business, it shouldn't be happening. As it is stated in the video, mixtape DJs, especially Drama, held down Lil Wayne which allowed to establish all of the success he had up to this point. Honestly, I wasn't ever really checking for Weezy that much until he dropped Dedication 2 and then I was looking for all the mixtapes.

The real reason I decided to do this blog though was not to bash on Wayne, but to talk to all MCs out there. Regardless of whether you are already established or you are just coming up, mixtapes and mixtapes DJs are your FRIENDS!! As much as Wayne and 50 Cent might claim that they started the mixtape game, mixtapes have been around long before either of them. However, they are some of the first that realized how much buzz and publicity artists could get by dropping multiple mixtapes and for that they do deserve credit because they mastered marketing themselves through the mixtape game. This is the reason why I can't understand the backlash against the people that helped generate all the hype around him and sell 3 million records.

Mixtapes have been the way for artists to break into the game and establish a name for themselves. It has always been known that these mixtapes will probably generate little to no income, which is why they are cheaper in retail stores, (a lot of times) free on the internet, and "for promotional use only." All mixtapes are supposed to do is to keep fans interested in the artist until he/she drops an album. Sometimes that is all an artist has when they are unsigned. However, signed artists put them out just to let people know that they are still around, what they can expect from the next album, and to stay relevant until their official release comes out.

Mixtapes are an extremely important tool in the hip hop community, and on some occasions (some times often) a mixtape can be better than the official album. On mixtapes, artists are able to be free from all label influences and instructions. They put out any type of song that they want and allows fans to hear certain songs that maybe the artists wanted them to release that they otherwise weren't able to. The DJ Drama and Aphilliates raid a few years ago was completely unnecessary and so is this backlash against mixtape DJs. Let's just remember that  mixtapes have helped keep signed artist relevant and have helped  to usher in many new MCs. Hip Hop is starting to resurrect itself. Let's not hurt it by turning our backs on something that has helped build us. This goes for any and all MCs.

What do you think about the lawsuit? Do see many of these happening in the future?  Any mixtapes you're checking for in particular. What's one of your favorite ones (of the millions that are out there lol). Holla at me. Comment or hit me at straightouttahiphop@gmail.com.


Peace.

*Update: DJ Drama has said that there isn't/has not been any tension between him and Wayne and he is sure that this will be worked out without any issues between the two. So at least we know that this was not a personal attack, but I still don't understand it. However, I will throw the disclaimer out again that I don't know the full story, but from face value, there's no point to it. It's a business, though.