Another Golden Age for Hip hop

[labelplant]

The golden age of hip hop albums may have been 93-96 or in the late 80s but in this day and age where we move on to the next thing so fast, the mixtape "golden age" was much quicker, lasting just over 2 months.
On October 31st, 2011 2 Chainz dropped T.R.U REALigion. The next day A$AP Rocky's Live.Love.A$AP was made available for free online. That set off the 67 day period I consider the mixtape golden age. Both mixtapes are considered classics already and on January 5th, 2012 Rick Ross capped off this incredible run of free Internet releases with Rich Forever, which is considered by some the best mixtape ever. Future's Astronaut Status and Juicy J's are two other "classics" of this short era. Fabolous' There is No Competition 3: Death Comes in 3s, Yo Gotti's January 10th, Freddie Gibbs' Cold Day in Hell and te Waka Flocka & French Montana joint venture - Lock Out, are just some of the other excellent releases in this period.
Do you agree with my assessment or perhaps you would extend the period to include stuff like Taylor Allderdice, Trap Back and Back From the Dead. Maybe even include the entire 2012?
Or would you go back in time for the greatest time period for mixtapes? Maybe 2009/2010, when artist like Drake with So Far Gone and Wiz Khalifa (Kush & OJ) first made it popular to release full length albums for free online under the guise of a mixtape? Maybe 05/06 when Wayne started the Dedication series, Jeezy dropped Trap or Die and Gucci Mane was just starting his celebrated mixtape career? Or even 2002 when 50 Cent and the Diplomats first popularized the concept of artistsakin their own mixtapes as album appetizers? Perhaps some other period?

 

[ISO]

tough to pinpoint the golden era of mixtapes

 

[dre]

01-03

Clue, Kay Slay, 50, Dipset and them

Plus these new mixtapes arent "mixtapes" anymore they're just free albums. How often does an individual artist's mixtape sound different than their album would anymore...a lot of people seem to go harder on mixtapes

 

[SpacelySprockets]

Golden Era of mixtapes were in the early 2000s when nikkas would cop them for $5 on the corner or at the barbershop

 

[Ziggiy]

Mixtapes kept the genre alive from 05-11 when the mainstream was dropping mostly trash. Also the mixtape as album phenomena started during this period. Lil Wayne, Saigon, Drake, J.Cole, Midget Sean, Lupe Fiasco, Childish Gambino, Camp Lo, Elzhi, Game, Wale', Kendrick Lamar, Pusha-T, Fabolous, all dropped some classic material. Even heavy weights like Nas and Scarface dropped official mixtapes during this period.

The mixtape "era" of this time period made SUPERSTARS out Drake, Cole, and K.Dot. And paved pivotal lanes for Wale', Midget Sean, and Childish Gambino.

An STRONG argument can also be made that Lupe, Drake, Cole, Fab, Wayne, K.Dot and Elzhi dropped bonafide classics during this time, all as mixtapes.

 

[JuvenileHell]

Mixtapes kept the genre alive from 05-11 when the mainstream was dropping mostly trash. Also the mixtape as album phenomena started during this period. Lil Wayne, Saigon, Drake, J.Cole, Midget Sean, Lupe Fiasco, Childish Gambino, Camp Lo, Elzhi, Game, Wale', Kendrick Lamar, Pusha-T, Fabolous, all dropped some classic material. Even heavy weights like Nas and Scarface dropped official mixtapes during this period.

The mixtape "era" of this time period made SUPERSTARS out Drake, Cole, and K.Dot. And paved pivotal lanes for Wale', Midget Sean, and Childish Gambino.

An STRONG argument can also be made that Lupe, Drake, Cole, Fab, Wayne, K.Dot and Elzhi dropped bonafide classics during this time, all as mixtapes.

No mention of 50 cent?

But I agree with the rest, especially the last part. Elzhi deserves special mention too. Elmatic is probably the best tribute rap album I've ever heard

 

[BrothaZay]

early 2000s was a golden age, not just for the music, but for the culture in general.

 

[Poitier]

The next day A$AP Rocky's Live.Love.A$AP was made available for free online. That set off the 67 day period I consider the mixtape golden age. Both mixtapes are considered classics already

 

[ISO]

You just can't get off this mans dikk can't you? Great mixtape, heavily downloaded, critically acclaimed, unique sound, Peso and Purple Swag were played on the radio, came out of nowhere at a time when no one was coming out of NY and it was just established vets.

 

[Ziggiy]

No mention of 50 cent?

But I agree with the rest, especially the last part. Elzhi deserves special mention too. Elmatic is probably the best tribute rap album I've ever heard

Forgot about 50. Thing is 50 already blew up by 05. Pretty much everyone else I mentioned MADE their careers dropping a classic mixtape or two during this period. 50's legendary mixtape hustle took place mostly before this

 

[labelplant]

Lol actually I mean I was kind of serious but I was kind of trying to make a parody of a Complex article. But I do believe that those 2 months were real potent as far as mixtapes

 

[mortuus est]

Mixtapes today are not like the mixtapes from the early/mid 2000's

when i listen to cassidy or dipsets mixtapes or even g units i want to hear kiler bars on everyones beats, these new so called mixtapes are just mini albums tbh

 

[How Sway?]

I agree 1000% percent that mixtapes now are like albums. Nah fukk dat they ARE albums. The only difference is that they're free. Weezy seems to be the only one who spits on other people's beats but he's an established VET in thte game.