Someone please explain to me the deal with "mixtapes"

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Is a mixtape just something that is unofficial, and leaked for fans?

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pretty much. basically it's a promotion tool to sell more records when they drop an actual 'album'

Right now mixtapes are basically free albums released by rappers to hold their fans over until their real albums drop. And of course their real albums aren't nearly as good as their mixtapes because the label gets involved with the albums and not with the mixtapes

Mixtapes were a lot more fun when they were hosted by DJs like DJ Drama and rappers would take other artists songs and make their own versions of them. That changed after DJ Drama was raided by the RIAA

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mixtapes actually end up being better then the actual album a lot of the time IMO

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absolutely

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rappers would take other artists songs and make their own versions of them.

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I knew of a bunch back when Lil Wayne was doing his like this. But now it just seems like every rapper is doing one. I wasn't sure if it grew to replace regular albums.

It's pretty much been covered with the previous posts, but the mixtape gives the artist more creative control than the studio albums. A lot easier to get samples used in the songs cleared for a mixtape, too.

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mixtapes actually end up being better then the actual album a lot of the time IMO

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I agree.

My favorite of B.o.B's mixtapes is "B.o.B vs. Bobby Ray". I think it's better than either of his two albums. And his other 7 or 8 mixtapes will have 4 or 5 tracks apiece that are album-quality or arguably better.

B.o.B -- The Watcher

B.o.B -- Shoot up the station

B.o.B. (ft. eminem) -- things get worse

B.o.B -- No man's land

B.o.B -- not love

Mixtapes were those tapes you would make for the boy or girl you liked when you were in elem/middle school. It was all your favorite songs you recorded off the radio at just the right time.