It seems hip hop can't get a break. Every time things seem to start looking good, it takes some what of a blow. Although many have considered auto-tune "dead" (which the verdict is still out on that), it seems that the mixtape game will not be the focus of many rappers. First, Chamillionaire, who is praised for his mixtape series, has said that he is giving up on it. Styles P has also mentioned that he is not very interested in mixtapes, either and does not plan on releasing any. Fabolous also made comments regarding his thoughts on the mixtape circuit and he claimed that there is not much room for new mixtapes nowadays.

I have to say that I completely agree that the market is WAY oversaturated with mixtapes. As with everything else, people saw that something worked for one person and now the entire industry has to follow footsteps. I'm blaming this one on Lil Wayne (and that's not a bad thing). He was brilliant with the way that he put out mixtape after mixtape and made sure that he stayed relevant even after a ridiculous amount of delays with his album. Now it seems as if everybody wants to put a mixtape out every week. The problem is that people used to take mixtapes serious, just like that they used to do albums. But now, people just put them out because they think it will help them get a name. I have news for them, though: IT'S NOT WORKING!!!

The problem that I have with all of these trends is that people see them work for a small minority of people and don't even realize that it's not working for them. Have you noticed that all these people that are putting out songs pertaining to some dance do absolutely nothing when it comes to album sales? That all of the songs lacking substance and lyrical material helps them get one hit and then they fade into the background, never to be mentioned again. With the exception of somebody like a Soulja Boy, most of these people flop. Their goal is to get a ringtone, which can bring in profits, but if you only have one hot song, ringtone money isn't gonna take you very far. Even through all of this, the artists that are still succeeding and being successful are the ones that take pride in their music and care about what they are doing. Kanye West, Jay-Z, Lil Wayne (say what you want about him and his music, but I have to say that you can not question that he absolutely loves to make it), Nas (maybe not quite as much as the others, but still better than most), etc. These are the artists that are still surviving because they don't try to follow some sort of manual. They do what they love and it comes across as genuine.

Artists have become so focused on making a name and having one hit song, that it is starting to jeapordize an area in hip hop music that we used to consider very precious. Mixtapes used to be something that the true hip hop fans would look forward to. It was something that wasn't tampered with by the label. This was what the artists' wanted us to hear. It is what we were supposed to hear. Now, all we get is 1000 versions of the same, tired, recycled songs with a different DJ's name over it. Mixtapes have lost both their quality and their excitement. With what has happened with hip hop so far this year and what is to come, I see a bright future ahead, but it needs to come sooner rather than later becuase I don't want to mixtapes take a hit that they can't recover from. Albums are already suffering enough; don't take away the cheaper (sometimes free), often better than the album, material that the fans want to hear. I beg to all real artists, just hang in there a little while longer and the mixtape will become important again.

What do ya'll think about quitting on the mixtapes? Do you care? Is this a bad thing for the industry? What was the latest mixtape you bought/downloaded and were feelin'? Let me hear all your thoughts by either comment or email at straightouttahiphop@gmail.com


Peace.