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The MCs who've held it down for the mixtape game this year ...
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The DJs, the up-and-comers, the instant collector's items ...
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Big-Money Heavyweights (DJs): The DJs who've had the greatest impact so far in '04.
All-Star Selection: "The Evil Genius" Green Lantern
Scouting Report: The beauty of a Green Lantern mixtape (if you don't know by now) is that they feel like motion pictures. He'll revitalize old freestyles by blending them with one of his original beats and turn it into a street thumper (Jadakiss' original version of "The Champ Is Here"). Not only that, but Green has major juice: No other DJ can call 50 Cent, Eminem, Snoop and Busta Rhymes to hit him with an original freestyle, then go to the studio and produce a brand-new track for Jay-Z.
The Highlight Reel: The Champ Is Here, Invasion Part 3: Countdown to Armageddon, Countdown to Armageddon Part 2
All-Star Selection: Whoo Kid
Scouting Report: The "Haitian Barry White" has the luxury of spinning records on tour for the G-Unit, so you know finding material for his mixtapes isn't a problem. The guys are getting offstage? Skip the afterparty, let's go to the studio we have on the tour bus and record. When he wasn't putting together G-Unit freestyles from one of their G-Unit radio CDs, he saved time and just recorded their show for a mixtape (Summer Jam XI). Look out for Whoo Kid's new ventures with Nas and Tego Calderon.
The Highlight Reel: G-Unit Radio series, The New Mobb Deep, The Revival
All-Star Selection: Big Mike
Scouting Report: Young Big Mike has become the beast from the East, terrorizing the circuit with his releases — just check his track record on Mixtape Monday. He's aligned himself with D-Block and other DJs like Envy and Tape Masters Inc., while still always finding a handful of exclusives every time he comes out.
The Highlight Reel: Dead or Alive series
All-Star Selection: Envy
Scouting Report: Envy repped for the streets while still showcasing the art. A gig as one of the co-hosts of New York's Hot 97 morning show with VH1's own Miss Info didn't stop Envy from staying on his mixtape grind. Plus, he has one of our favorite signature calls, "Envy, Envy, Envy."
The Highlight Reel: The Big Game 2004 Parts I and II, New York Mixtape Massacre Parts I and II, Envy's R&B series
Best Of The Rest
Kay Slay: Kay stayed immersed in drama. When he's not trying to get Fat Joe to speak about the Rucker or beefing with his former label Columbia about the mishandling of his second officially released LP, Streetsweeper, Vol. 2: The Pain From the Game, Slay-from-around-the-way stayed in the studio making mixtapes. Ah maaaaaaan!
Drama: Everyone in the South knows about Drama's Gangsta Grillz series. He's had everyone from the Third Coast, from Lil Jon to Big Boi, serve as host, and now he's working on a new mixtape with Bun B of UGK. Now New York players like P. Diddy have latched onto the down-bottom mixtape king. You can also catch Drama onstage DJing for T.I.
Vlad: Here's a fun fact — Vlad is the mastermind behind the heavily rotated collaboration between Dr. Dre, Game and Jay-Z called "Get Your Money Right." The Butcher, as he calls himself, incorporated an obscure Jay verse from the mid-'90s, lyrics from Dre that have never been released, and then passed it off to Game for some brand-new raw to add to the track.
Mike Love: Chicago's Mike Love remained the heart of the Midwest mixtape game, showcasing a bevy of new talent from his hometown, like Bump J and the Goon Squad. Having his own radio show on the Windy City's WGCI, where he plays a mixture of hits and exclusives, also keeps the love going for Mike.
Clue: It's ironic that a man who's logo is a question mark is the face of the mixtape game, but hey, that's hip-hop for ya. A label, a gig as host of MTV's "Direct Effect," production on his upcoming LP and a myriad of other ventures have kept Clue from dropping as frequently as he used to. Nonetheless, he remains the most recognizable name in the game. Cluemanatttttttti!
Smallz: His series of mixtapes, Southern Smoke, says it all. The kid keeps the heat coming. Leap-frogging over many of his competitors in 2004, Smallz made sure we kept pumping artists from the dirty dirty out of our stereo systems.
We're Here Now: MCs And DJs That Have Broken Through
- Saigon
- Sickamore
- Paul Wall
- DJ Kool Kid
- Stat Quo
- Pitbull
- Tape Masters Inc.
- DJ LT. Dan
- Jae Millz
- Clinton Sparks
Let Me In: MCs And DJs On The Rise
- Stack Bundles/ A-Team
- Team Jedi
- Sunny
- Sly Boogie
- GLC
- Rob-N-Hood
- DJ Warrior
- Papoose
- DJ Rondevu
- Stimuli
- German Luger
You've Heard Their Beats All Over The Streets (As Well As On The Charts)
- Lil Jon
- Alchemist
- Kanye West
- Just Blaze
- 9th Wonder
Singers Getting Plenty Of Love On The Streets
- Usher
- R. Kelly
- Akon
- Nate Dogg
- Nina Sky
Street Dreams: Mixtapes That Became Instant Collector's Items
- Jadakiss, Green Lantern and Big Mike's The Champ Is Here
- The G-Unit's G-Unit Radio Part 5: All Eyez on Us
- DJ Green Lantern's Invasion Part 3: Countdown to Armageddon
- Danger Mouse's The Grey Album
- "Smack" DVD series
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