subject: Popular Mixtape Artists and Pioneers [print this page] Popular Mixtape Artists and Pioneers Popular Mixtape Artists and Pioneers
In the music industry, one of the most popular ways for artists to gain audience support is through gaining online fans by either releasing demo videos or releasing mixtapes and demo EP tapes. The internet is the most convenient place for promotions mainly because information flies through networks all over the world in just a matter of seconds. Plus, promoting yourself online also saves these new artists or companies so much money. Thus, online homemade mixtapes have grown popular as both a promotional tactic of already established artists who want to keep their following intact and a stepping stone for new artists who want to get known easily. Though the years, there have been many Hollywood artists that have grown really popular through the use of mixtapes. The pioneers of the mixtape business for the hip hop genre were from New York City in the 70's, with Kool Herc, a popular hip hop rapper, as the front man. Most of these said artists come from the hip hop and clubbing genre, because the songs from these genre are easier to mix and mash up, and because this genre is where new music is always needed from. Latest mixtapes that were released by popular online music sites not only include new and remixed hits from popular artists like Akon, Nicki Minaj, Lady Gaga, and Jay-Z, but also a mix of new blood artists.While the trend before was to compile music by preference, the latest mixtapes are now more easily classified by popular genre. A good example will be the latest mixtape release from The Syndicate and DJ CapCom which features the hits from Eminem's newest album, Life after Recovery, remixed and auto-tuned to make it more suited for partying and clubbing. We now see that the latest mixtapes these days are a mix of the underground ghetto style and the electro-clubbing style. This is mainly attributed to the fact that DJs and MCs are the ones who started the whole trend as a way of promoting their work during the early 80's. They had to often recreate music and find ways to start mashed genres in order for them to be known in the clubbing business. One of the great brainchild of the innovations done by the MCs and the DJs in creating mixtapes is the new genre of ghetto-electro or the mixture of hip hop and rap with electronic style music that is fit for partying. Among the many mixtape artists and DJs who keep the mixtape business alive are DJ Drama, Tony Touch, DJ Rell, and DJ Scream. Often they team up and collaborate with famous artists like Plies, 50 Cent, and new artists who want to start a name for themselves. It is safe to say that the latest mixtapes these days offer the audiences a much more varied selection of music. There are mixtape types for everyone. There are, of course, the ever-popular hip hop and down south mixtapes featuring new music from both mainstream and underground rap leading the way for mixtape enthusiasts.
