Streaming services have made us a little spoiled. We have access to practically the entire history of music at our fingertips for a monthly fee. Back in the day, buying an album was a real financial commitment. There was a measure of faith in buying an album, hoping it was worth what you invested in it. The worst-case scenario was that the album was bad, despite having good singles or being an otherwise great artist. Sure, there was a way to get your free music, but you risked infecting your computer with a virus or downloading a file with a million tags. This is what made the renaissance of mixtapes during the blog era of the late 2000s and early 2010s so major.
After the enterprise moved online after DJ Drama got arrested for selling physical tapes, websites like DatPiff, Spinrilla, and MyMixtapes became pivotal. Rising artists would use them to get their music in front of people. Combine this with the power of different blogs, and superstars were created. We wouldn’t have the lauded ‘Big 3‘ without the impact of mixtapes and blogs. Consequently, Noisey has selected four projects to satiate nostalgia for a simpler time and to look back at the stars born in this era.
Four Mixtapes You Rushed to Download on Datpiff During the Blog Era
‘Kush and Orange Juice’ by Wiz Khalifa
Wiz Khalifa has one of the most fascinating careers in all of hip-hop. In one breath, people could dismiss him as a pop rapper who could do records for Fast and Furious soundtracks. After all, “See You Again” is unquestionably the biggest song of his career.
However, those who know more than the emotional ballads and “Black and Yellow” anthems know that Wiz Khalifa has a cherished discography of mixtapes. His trademark of weed smoke and good vibes made him a delightful listen, especially on records like “Mezmorized”. Kush and Orange Juice is an opus for anyone who spent their days lighting one up and playing a few games of NBA 2K.
‘Friday Night Lights’ by J. Cole
The blog era helped certify J. Cole as the hip-hop everyman. His humble demeanor has reached a point of comedy with some fans over the years. But mixtapes like Friday Night Lights were remarkably earnest and legitimized him as one of hip-hop’s elites early on.
Cole was always great at making the kind of coming-of-age projects that sounded like he still rode the bus and could go out and play a pickup game of basketball. His motto was hard work while grappling with the sobering realities of the world. Being able to wield all the dimensions of his humanity made him extremely relatable and a rapper people still hold close today.
‘Pilot Talk II’ by Curren$y
Curren$y had a second run and a renewed vigor thanks to his mixtapes during the blog era. After largely floundering in the 2000s on No Limit and Cash Money with no major albums to speak of, outlets like DatPiff gave him liberty. This Ain’t No Mixtape and Jet Files did well in getting the New Orleans rapper’s name out there, enough to get him on the XXL Freshman Class list.
However, it’s the lauded Pilot Talk series that certified him as one of the premier artists of the blog era. Pilot Talk II is the crown jewel of the series. Smooth, smoky records about weed and luxurious vintage cars. On “Famous”, his mission statement became abundantly clear. “You can ride, but hey man, watch my leather/’Cause b*****s get ejected in traffic from disrespecting a classic,” Spitta raps.
‘So Far Gone’ by Drake
Drake was arguably the biggest benefactor of the age of blogs and mixtapes. Initially, records like Comeback Season made him an underground darling, an everyman akin to Phonte and Kanye West. However, he was still largely regarded as that one guy in the wheelchair on Degrassi.
When Kanye’s 808s & Heartbreak was released, and the blog era took shape, something shifted in hip-hop. Gone were the days when you had to be gangsta to be viable in the mainstream. Instead, you could sing, you could get in touch with your softer side, you could make your records almost exclusively for women.
Insert So Far Gone, one of the defining mixtapes of the blog era. There, Drake could volley Santigold, Lykke Li, Jay-Z, and Kanye West remixes all on the same track list. He unabashedly got in touch with his emotions, his insecurities, his lust, and yearning. It was jarring but refreshing in a rap ecosystem that didn’t know how to blend the soft and the macho.
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