Don't Sleep: Necessary Notables

Indie LP: Return of 4eva

Headliner: Big K.R.I.T.

Key cameos: TBD

Essential info: Big K.R.I.T.'s highly anticipated mixtape Return of 4eva was set to drop on Tuesday (March 22), but hours before its scheduled debut the Mississippi-bred artist's manager sent a message over Twitter announcing that the project's release was being pushed back until this Monday.

You can't blame the newly minted XXL cover star -- he along with 10 other artists were selected to grace the front of the annual Freshman edition of the magazine -- for taking his time: He's producing, mixing and mastering each of the recordings himself.

K.R.I.T. says he actually got his passion production via MTV.

"I couldn't afford beats," he told Mixtape Daily. "I was 13 and I couldn't afford to go to the studio and I couldn't afford to pay for beats. So "MTV Music Generator" came out for PlayStation and that was it. I was like, 'I done made it.' I recorded to a karaoke machine, looping the 'MTV Music Generator' beat and that was the start. I was like, 'I could make my own beats and rap? I can mass produce music on my own, I'm good.' And that's where it began."

Other Heat This Week

» Pusha-T - "Fear of God"

» Mac Miller - "Best Day Ever"

» The DJ KL - "Nate Dogg: All Doggs Go to Heaven"

» Soulja Boy - "1Up"

» Frank Ocean - "Nostalgia, Ultra"

For other artists featured in Mixtape Daily, check out Mixtape Daily Headlines.