why aren't there more grime mixtapes?

S

simon silverdollar

Guest
i was talking about grime with a friend the other day and he was saying that, compared to hip hop, the 'mixtape culture' (if it can even be called that) in grime is incredibly slow moving-

apparently even really big hip hop artists like g unit bring out around 5 mixtapes a year or something.

so, i was just wondering why there are so few grime mixtapes out. i mean, there's demand for them, and from what logan says on the grime/US hip thread, they're pretty lucrative for the MCs- as well as helping bring MCs to wider attention- look what happened to bashy and doctor after their mixtapes came out.

yet, it still seems to be the case that MCs only really intend to bring out a few mixtapes (before the fabled album that they've been working on comes out), and when mixtapes are released, they trickle out at a slow rate. some, or even most, really big grime MCs don't even release mixtapes at all.

why don't grime MCs just bang out a mixtape every few months- they've got the lyrics, they spit them every week on radio, there's new beats coming out all the time, and they stand to make money from mixtapes- what's holding them back?
 
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luka

luka

Well-known member
have you seen that mixtape shop simon? i think its on petticoat lane. with all the us mixtapes. its quite good in there. but anyway i agree. more mixtapes.
 
B

bun-u

Trumpet Police
gumdrops said:
maybe they havent got enough bars to fill up 5 mixtapes a year.
Click to expand...

I dunno about that, D Double for one has got more bars than the bloody west end…

I reckon as these fabled ‘album deals’ disappear so we’ll see a lot more mixtapes hitting the road

I also think it’s a mistake for artists or record companies to worry too much about mixtapes affecting sales…they’re for two different audiences and the heat on the road created by mixtapes can help album sales to the mainstream market. Relentless seemed to have blocked circulated of the 5 Creeper mixtapes in the worry that it might’ve diverted attention from ‘in at the deep end’….but (in hindsight) I’m sure it would’ve done the opposite - helped keep up their street credibility at a time when their crossover hits around were perhaps testing this
 
G

gumdrops

Well-known member
most mixtapes are hit and miss though. even aim high hasnt been flawless. (i dont care if i never hear flowdan on that missy elliot beat ever again, for instance). mixtapes often seem a bit off the cuff to the point of little effort being exerted.

mixtapes are good to hear MCs on other peoples beats but most grime mixtapes are even more of a mixed bag then hip hop ones as they seem pretty set on doing hip hop on them (even roll deep did this on creeper). id personally be more interested in more mixtapes like rinsessions.
 
M

mms

sometimes
that cheap cd place down past selectadisc on berwick street has a suprising number of us and uk mixtapes - i saw a 'hip house' one down there the other day.
 
G

gumdrops

Well-known member
not quite a mixtape in the mould of creeper etc, but plasticmans released a cd from FWD. i really like it. its number 2 in their series apparently (would like to know what number 1 was if anyone happens to know...)
 
F

Fiddy

Well-known member
bun-u said:
I dunno about that, D Double for one has got more bars than the bloody west end…

I reckon as these fabled ‘album deals’ disappear so we’ll see a lot more mixtapes hitting the road

I also think it’s a mistake for artists or record companies to worry too much about mixtapes affecting sales…they’re for two different audiences and the heat on the road created by mixtapes can help album sales to the mainstream market. Relentless seemed to have blocked circulated of the 5 Creeper mixtapes in the worry that it might’ve diverted attention from ‘in at the deep end’….but (in hindsight) I’m sure it would’ve done the opposite - helped keep up their street credibility at a time when their crossover hits around were perhaps testing this
Click to expand...

the lack of Creepers isn't to do with Relentless. It was Wiley's project and he still think he'll get them out... eventually.
 
B

Blackdown

nexKeysound
gumdrops said:
not quite a mixtape in the mould of creeper etc, but plasticmans released a cd from FWD. i really like it. its number 2 in their series apparently (would like to know what number 1 was if anyone happens to know...)
Click to expand...

Youngsta did the first one.
 
J

Jezmi

Olli Oliver Steichelsmein
Well it seems that more of them are coming out and are in 'the pipeline' -- which is kind of the problem as well. I remember hearing about Ears mixcd towards the end of last summer -- now it's supposed come out in 'a few weeks'
But I think this will be the next stage of development of the scene, which has more quality lyricists than before. Personally I don't think this scene, a few years back, could provide a healthy string of mix cds -- but now.... :)
It would be nice to be able to pop by uptown or independence and ask the guys 'whats new, what do you recommend? aah that last one you sold me was shit/ace' instead of F5ing the webpages
 
L

Logan Sama

BestThereIsAtWhatIDo
One every other month with a free mix the months in between.

Starting end of Jan/Early Feb with: "Logan Sama Presents: The Business"

So start saving your pennies.

Logan Sama, aka Slap Your Favourite DJ etc etc etc
 
T

Tactics

BBP!
mms said:
that cheap cd place down past selectadisc on berwick street has a suprising number of us and uk mixtapes - i saw a 'hip house' one down there the other day.
Click to expand...

was that shop called Black Dog music?
 
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