Every hip-hop fan knows the canonical classic mixtapes in the genre and culture. There’s Section.80 by Kendrick Lamar, Kush and Orange Juice by Wiz Khalifa, Pilot Talk by Curren$y, and So Far Gone by Drake are some of many all-time projects from the blog era alone. That doesn’t even account for the days where Lil Wayne was proving he was the best rapper alive or 50 Cent was hosting G-Unit Radio. You used to have to get your tapes out of the trunks of cars if you wanted what was hot.
However, there are many classic mixtapes that can often go overlooked in history for a variety of reasons. Sometimes, they’re just not on streaming services for copyright issues. People got comfortable with the easy convenience of having it on Spotify and Apple Music. Consequently, if it wasn’t readily available, it risked being forgotten entirely.
Moreover, some mixtapes get tossed aside by other classics in their catalogue. Then, it’s as if the others don’t exist at all. But in the spirit of remembering projects that might go forgotten otherwise, we highlighted three classic projects fans desperately need to revisit.
Three Fantastic Mixtapes That Fans Absolutely Need to Revisit
The Champ is Here by Jadakiss
Jadakiss embodied the true spirit of hip-hop on his The Champ is Here tapes. The rap game was founded on competition and he viewed himself as the heavyweight champion of the world due to his barrage of punchlines. DJ Green Lantern gassed him up constantly throughout the project like a cornerman coaching him into another round. Mixtapes like these proved to be exhibition for Jadakiss, giving him firm arguments in the best rapper alive conversations with Lil Wayne and Jay-Z.
Chapter 16 – Late Night F**kin Yo B***h by DJ Screw
There’s so much Houston hip-hop history that only locals and diehard rap fans know about through YouTube uploads and physical copies of DJ Screw mixtapes. Rappers you may have never heard of would get their careers off the grounds through freestyles on his projects. Moreover, certain songs took on new contexts completely due to the chopped and screwed nature of Screw’s mixes.
Some of his most inspired works came from reworking R&B slow jams through his syrupy vision. Chapter 16 – Late Night F**kin Yo B***h is dedicated completely towards turning a hot and raunchy anthems into molasses. Teddy Pendergrass’s hefty voice goes even deeper on “Love TKO” and Screw lets you savor Janet Jackson’s intimate whispers by chopping them on “Any Time, Any Place”. Chapter 16 acts as the most approachable Screw tape for anyone unfamiliar with his style because he operates with tried-and-true classics in R&B.
Verda Terrace by Curren$y and DJ Drama
Frequently, Curren$y fans will cite his classic Pilot Talk mixtapes or Covert Coup with The Alchemist as his opuses. However, that fact constantly undermines some of his equally strong material during his historic blog era run. Take Verda Terrace, Spitta’s answer to yacht rock where he breezily raps with a blunt in hand and sand in his feet.
DJ Drama’s endearing hype-man antics makes the chill time energetic, keeping listeners from lounging too deep into the record. Quietly, we can point to Verda Terrace as the blueprint for Tyler, The Creator’s effort at a Gangsta Grillz tape in 2021 with Call Me If You Get Lost.
Photo by Ben DeSoto/Houston Chronicle via Getty Images
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