Labor Day has dawned and it can now be considered official, summer is at a close. Sure the heat wave might hold for awhile, but the season will soon become Fall. With that said, we here at HotNewHipHop have compiled a list of the free-for-download mixtapes that defined this summer past. Our top ten are tapes you'll most likely be bumping year round, and are definitely worth the price of 0.00$.
Check out the 10 Hottest Mixtapes of the Summer by clicking on each image below. Feel free to share your top ten in the comment section as well!
Gallery 6
Meek Mill – Dream Chasers 2: Without question the biggest tape of the summer if you consider the reception it received. To date, no other tape has done the statistical damage that Meek was able to in 24 hours alone. As for the music, he didn’t disappoint the households he entered.
Dedication
Lil Wayne – Dedication 4: Although Weezy F Baby's fourth installment in the Dedication series received a pushback or two, Wayne delivered for fans just as summer was wrapping up, so we can't forget D4 on our list. It's packed with the metaphors and punchlines Lil Wayne is known for, over some of the hottest beats of the year.
Gallery 1
Lloyd Banks' – V6: Banks' tape was anticipated for some time, and it when it finally dropped, ears were not disappointed. Banks' proved he can do it without the help of 50 Cent. The tape had strong production and solid lyrics, proving just why he's called PLK.
Gallery 10
Slaughterhouse – On The House: More than just a clever title, this mixtape is still being enjoyed. Some believe it to be better than the album even, and since “Welcome To: Our House” is excellent, that’s saying a lot.
Gallery 11
Tyga – Well Done 3: The old adage works here perfectly, “the third time is a charm.” Not to say the two chapters before were lackluster, but this offering is by far his best yet. His ability to craft songs has grown immensely even if his subject matter hasn’t.
Gallery 9
Sir Michael Rocks – Lap Of Lux: One half of The Cool Kids and a Jet Lifer, Mikey Rocks is an interesting dude. His approach is stylized, poetic in part, and inviting overall. He’s a voice from another world, one with spaced out synthetics and smooth speech.
Gallery 7
Childish Gambino – Royalty: Donald Glover’s alter-ego continued to experiment. Though his acting career may be considered more popular, he has nonetheless proven himself as a rapper. “Royalty” packed a punch… literally.
Gallery 5
Joey Bada$$ – 1999: The end of the 20th century was a different time. The economy was cruising and the album sales were like the jewelry: platinum. Referencing a certain spirit from those days, Joey waxed poetic over an array of smooth beats.
Gallery 8
CyHi Da Prynce – Ivy League Club: G.O.O.D. Music’s secret weapon is ever establishing his creativity. This time he did so by founding a fictitious university and preaching from its metaphorical pulpit. Undoubtedly an artistic adventure fans both old and new appreciated.
Gallery 4
Clams Casino – Instrumental Mixtape 2: Having produced for Mac Miller, Rocky and most recently the A$AP Mob, Clammy Clams is certainly making a name for himself. On this second edition of his self-titled instrumental series he provided us with those reasons as to why.
Gallery 3
50 Cent – 5 (Murder By Numbers): Here's one final bonus on our 10 Hottest list. Set to be his fifth studio album, 50 chose to release this project for free instead. Be that as it may, the project was still solid, especially considering what it cost the consumer.