Rappers need to stop putting out mixtapes and focus more on albums

[Demon]

Rappers want you to hear their shyt, thats why they put out mixtapes.They can't get budgets for albums any more because hip hop fans don't support their artists. Its not even worth it for the labels unless you're Eminem or some shyt.

nikkas will stan someone hard on some homo shyt, but will only download their album and never buy it


Basically...hip hop fans aint shyt we are the worst supporters of any genre

 

[mr.africa]

won't make a difference!!!

can get an album for free on the net, just like you can get a mixtape for free on the net.

hip hop 'fans' have to become supporters again.
the mind set has to change (and also the quality of the music has to get better)
it is what it is!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[ManBearPig]

Rappers are better off putting their best material on albums to make it a prestige piece of art that will be remembered.

U complaining for nothing.

If anything, mixtapes help get rapper get their shyt straight.

Rapper dont have control of their release dates like i said. If they wanna put out some shyt then let them

 

[Wild self]

How many of these tracks have been heard? Sad that you put up a track and only a handful of people will hear it. Which defeats the purpose of making it in the first place.

U complaining for nothing.

If anything, mixtapes help get rapper get their shyt straight.

Rapper dont have control of their release dates like i said. If they wanna put out some shyt then let them

 

[Wild self]

They support your album if you drop GREAT music and tour often. Cole did it. Wale did it. They built their fan base organically. Only people that have a hard time doing so now are the ones that drop too much music and the ones that make shytty songs strictly for radio play. The lane is wide open for the next generation, but many heads in here still believe that it's still 2008 where lyrical dudes are still shunned.

Rappers want you to hear their shyt, thats why they put out mixtapes.They can't get budgets for albums any more because hip hop fans don't support their artists. Its not even worth it for the labels unless you're Eminem or some shyt.

nikkas will stan someone hard on some homo shyt, but will only download their album and never buy it


Basically...hip hop fans aint shyt we are the worst supporters of any genre

 

[Street Knowledge]

I think these days alot of rappers just should not put out an album at all. Like What's the point? Eat off of guest verses, release singles, put out a hot mixtape, and tour/do shows on the strength of all of that...then rinse and repeat.

Why take the risk of an album? I feel like if you're not going to do a real, cohesive album than don't do one at all. Look at most of the albums that have "flopped", Whats the formula? A batch of 6 month old tracks that we're already tired of, plus a ton of shameless guest appearances where in many cases I'm not even sure they like the nikkaz who they put on their albums. One for the club, one for the ladies, one for the thugs, and one introspective one.

No cohesiveness at all, just a random assortment of easily forgettable tracks. Frankly I'm not even trying to hear that shyt anymore, so I'm definitely not going to be paying to hear it.

 

[mr.africa]

won't make a difference!!!

can get an album for free on the net, just like you can get a mixtape for free on the net.

hip hop 'fans' have to become supporters again.
the mind set has to change (and also the quality of the music has to get better)
it is what it is!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[Astronomer]

They support your album if you drop GREAT music and tour often. Cole did it. Wale did it. They built their fan base organically. Only people that have a hard time doing so now are the ones that drop too much music and the ones that make shytty songs strictly for radio play. The lane is wide open for the next generation, but many heads in here still believe that it's still 2008 where lyrical dudes are still shunned.

All your posts are dead-on in this thread. People don't realize that scarcity creates demand. I know it's an accepted thing to say "If you go away for 6 months or a year, folks will forget you" but there's absolutely NO proof of that.

It's the reason every Kanye or Drake album is an event. It's the reason an Andre 3000 or Jay-Z guest verse is an event. Because they're rationing out what they feed the public. A Gucci Mane, Yo Gotti, Meek Mill, even a Ross, Wayne, or TI mixtape don't really cause huge waves these days because they're overfeeding the public/streets... Folks are like "no more, let me digest this last meal first!"

That doesn't mean disappear for 5 years, but you don't see the same level of degradation of sales numbers in genres where people don't give their music away for free. shyt, even seemingly washed up or R&B artists like TGT and Jaheim do better numbers than most of these rappers when they drop because they ain't putting their shyt out for free.

That being said, I agree that NEW artists NEED to first offer their music for free, so that there are absolutely no barriers to people discovering/hearing their music... But once they get signed OR even just get a huge buzz after their first free album/mixtape, it needs to be paid-for albums only (Anyone can put an album on iTunes, etc without a label).

The producers of the product need to retrain the consumer to think that their work is worth something. Folks that are going to pirate will pirate, and that's fine, but at least you're not telling them that you're just giving it to them and the work is not worth anything to you.

In off-years and in between albums, artists (rappers) should just focus on features and dropping a single or two that isn't attached to any album/project, but keeps them present on radio/clubs/streets and allows them to maintain their fan-base and continue to make money performing.

This would only work if everybody(artists) bought into it though.

Mixtapes are mainly beneficial for:
Introducing brand new or unsigned artists
Discovering new producers (but on the flip-side it devalues what hip-hop producers get paid and IMO devalues "hip-hop beats" in general)
Putting out songs with samples that are too expensive to clear

Just my 2 cents.

 

[Wild self]

All your posts are dead-on in this thread. People don't realize that scarcity creates demand. I know it's an accepted thing to say "If you go away for 6 months or a year, folks will forget you" but there's absolutely NO proof of that.

It's the reason every Kanye or Drake album is an event. It's the reason an Andre 3000 or Jay-Z guest verse is an event. Because they're rationing out what they feed the public. A Gucci Mane, Yo Gotti, Meek Mill, even a Ross, Wayne, or TI mixtape don't really cause huge waves these days because they're overfeeding the public/streets... Folks are like "no more, let me digest this last meal first!"

That doesn't mean disappear for 5 years, but you don't see the same level of degradation of sales numbers in genres where people don't give their music away for free. shyt, even seemingly washed up or R&B artists like TGT and Jaheim do better numbers than most of these rappers when they drop because they ain't putting their shyt out for free.

That being said, I agree that NEW artists NEED to first offer their music for free, so that there are absolutely no barriers to people discovering/hearing their music... But once they get signed OR even just get a huge buzz after their first free album/mixtape, it needs to be paid-for albums only (Anyone can put an album on iTunes, etc without a label).

The producers of the product need to retrain the consumer to think that their work is worth something. Folks that are going to pirate will pirate, and that's fine, but at least you're not telling them that you're just giving it to them and the work is not worth anything to you.

In off-years and in between albums, artists (rappers) should just focus on features and dropping a single or two that isn't attached to any album/project, but keeps them present on radio/clubs/streets and allows them to maintain their fan-base and continue to make money performing.

This would only work if everybody(artists) bought into it though.

Mixtapes are mainly beneficial for:
Introducing brand new or unsigned artists
Discovering new producers (but on the flip-side it devalues what hip-hop producers get paid and IMO devalues "hip-hop beats" in general)
Putting out songs with samples that are too expensive to clear

Just my 2 cents.

 

[coose]

Another thing thats being over looked too in this thread. Mixtapes arent "Mixtapes" any more. Before 50 Cent changed the game we use to get actual mixtapes different artist all on a clue tape,kay slay Big Mike ect. Now everyone is putting out a whole mixtapes of themselves even if a known DJ is attached to it. I remember a point when 50 had a different song on everybody mixtape and certain DJ's had exclusives. Even with the internet I think there is still a need for those type of mixtapes to build buzz for an album for established artist and it seems like that lane is dead right now. The all in "mixtapes" that are really underground albums should be for the new unestablished dudes before they release there first real album.

 

[vaudevillevillain]

albums cost more money to make, that rappers don't have

 

[nieman]

albums cost more money to make, that rappers don't have

Funded by their hustla-homie/relative, or even a group of homies. If you can produce a mixtape, you can produce an album.

 

[JXNZ]

IT REALLY AINT NO DIFFERENCE NOW A DAYS...A MIXTAPE IS AN ALBUM...CRENSHAW...YELLOW ALBUM..RICH FOREVER...COVERT COUPE...CABIN FEVER...HOW FLY...SO FAR GONE...THOSE SHYTTIN ON ANY RETAIL ALBUM THAT YOU CAN PROBABLY THINK OF IN THE PAST 5-6 YEARS...THE GAME IS MUCH DIFFERENT NOW...BY THE WAY....DAP THIS POST IF YALL LOOKIN FOR SOME DOPE MUSIC TO VIBE TO...ILL DROP MMY MIXTAPE LINK IN YALL PROFILE....CRACK ALL THE WAY THROUGH

 

[vaudevillevillain]

Funded by their hustla-homie/relative, or even a group of homies. If you can produce a mixtape, you can produce an album.

have you ever made a mixtape or album?

 

[mr.africa]

from rappers perspective: how many b-level(or lower level) rappers have released mixtapes and toured of it. a good number.

and they are eating good by the way.

releasing an album seems to involve all kinds of politics.

remember j.cole's situation around 2009!!!

why would rappers wait years until the label greenlights shyt.

NOW from a fans perspective, i agree that less is more. i'd be more excited about certain artists releases if they were not releasing shyt every three months!!!!

but that still will not cure the real problem: fukkED UP HIP HOP FANS

we talk about wanting quality albums, but then won't support. we will download shyt!!!!

it is what it is!!!!!