From being a rarity in the hip-hop game to the norm, mix-tapes are now a way for artists to get their name recognized; they're a way for an artist to release songs that didn't make the album but still deserve recognition and sometimes, mix-tapes are crucial for an artist to find their voice and make it stick out amongst the masses. At HNHH, we recognize that mix-tapes deserve recognition, especially in this day and age, and have listed the Top 20 MixTapes of 2012.
Consignment
HNHH's Twenty Hottest Mixtapes of 2012
20. Boldy James - Consignment
A bleak, joyless, gangster album that truly stood out in 2012, Consignment by Boldy James was an epic 26-track tape that had no skits or intros, just hard soul-sample boom-bap songs. Boldy's not the sort of rapper who cranks out one quotable punchline after another, instead he sinks deep into the track, creeping into your head and his lines stay there.
A long, sprawling angry tape, Consignment is completely listenable with no tracks to skip. "Snow Blowers" is chilly and withdrawn and is eerily reminiscent of Clipse's Hell Hath No Fury while "White Dresses" and "Shooter" make you want to play them on repeat. Consignment is its own little cold world and after listening to it, you kind of want to stay there.
Blue Chips
HNHH's Twenty Hottest Mixtapes of 2012
19. Action Bronson - Blue Chips
Action Bronson loves to team with just one producer for an album or mixtape. He worked with Tommy Mas for Dr.Lecter, Statik Selektah for Well Done, and El-P for Rare Chandeliers. But, the chemistry between Bronson and Party Supplies on Blue Chips was one of a kind. The former chef changed up his flow to go with Supplies' dope beats, riding the sweet, heavy baseline on "Steve Wynn," and then absolutely murdering the slow banger "Double Breasted." You can't skip a track on this tape as each is so heavily different from the others. It's a great piece of work and arguably, Bronson's best work to date.
Tell Ya Friends
HNHH's Twenty Hottest Mixtapes of 2012
Tell Ya Friends did exactly what it was supposed to do: it garnered a significant buzz for King Chip - previously known as Chip Tha Ripper - and rose him from the underground into the eyes of the mainstream. Always known as an affiliate of Kid Cudi, Chip went hard on this tape, especially on tracks like "Good Evening," "Out Here," "Stay Sleep" - on which he raps about always being overlooked as an artist despite all his releases. Easily one of 2012's best tapes due to Chips' rise from anonymity.
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HNHH's Twenty Hottest Mixtapes of 2012
What Freddie Gibbs does on this tape is stick to a tried and tested formula and he does it with such perfection that you can't help but admire the tape, which sounds like an album. From true, hard gangster songs to mindlessly entertaining songs about nothing, Gibbs brings to hip-hop what it already has and knows but he does it with such aplomb that it's now considered an anomaly in the game. Kudos to Gibbs to risking what's already been done but still gaining success from it.
Yellow Album
HNHH's Twenty Hottest Mixtapes of 2012
Sometimes, being the underdog can get tiring, especially in the rap game. Respect means nothing without universal fame and
Dom Kennedy understands this. With
Yellow Album, the world outside of Kennedy's cult following realized who he was and liked it. With
Juicy J and
Tyga, more commercial artists, jumping on "My Type of Party," Dom attracted fans of other artists to check him out while letting them understand what an all-Dom-everything original sounds like.
This mixtape is the best display of Kennedy's talents so far and will be remembered in years as his breakout release.
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HNHH's Twenty Hottest Mixtapes of 2012
15. Curren$y - Priest Andretti
The so-called "Stoner-rap" genre has become a bit of snooze-fest in recent times due to the familiarity and unoriginality laid out by the artists. Then along came
Curren$y and
Priest Andretti. Throughout the mixtape, he flows like the genre and his music has been classified as the epitome of stoner-rap, but what Curren$y does brilliantly in this tape is re-invent himself and thus reinvigorate a genre that was becoming a tad bit boring. A tape to sit back and enjoy, this isn't one you can bang out at a party but instead relax to after a hard days work.
4Eva N A Day
HNHH's Twenty Hottest Mixtapes of 2012
14. Big K.R.I.T - 4Eva N A Day
15-tracks deep,
4Eva N A Day affirmed
Big K.R.I.T's as the King of the South with his potent lyricism, deep rhymes, and an unbreakable will to be different. K.R.I.T decides to get personal on this tape, revealing a softer side of his southern swag, while also taking jabs at music executives, ex-girlfriends, and other artists. Another tape that sounds more like an album, Big K.R.I.T's position at the top cannot be questioned after this tape.
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HNHH's Twenty Hottest Mixtapes of 2012
12. Joey Bada$$ - 1999
When
Joey Bada$$ released the video for "Survival Tactics," it was hard to believe that he was still a teenager. The potential for him to be the next great New York lyricist was there to see on the video and with the release of his
1999 mixtape, he delivered on his potential, proving that he isn't all hype. With a street delivery and a vernacular that makes people twice his age blush, Joey lets loose on "Waves" and "FromdaTomb". Most of the album, including "Hard Knock" feels like it belongs in 1994 - the year he was born - as its eerily reminsceient of '90's hip-hop with its sample-driven, boom map beats."
If you crave '90's hip-hop and believe the genre to be dead, this mixtape will change your mind.
Murder By Numbers
HNHH's Twenty Hottest Mixtapes of 2012
11. 50 Cent - Murder By Numbers
Though
Murder By Numbers wasn't the commercial success
50 Cent would have hoped for, it still remained musically, a strong mixtape that showed what 50 has in store for the future. Even though it clocks in around 30 minutes, it feels like a short film that's a teaser for a full-length project from 50. Hopefully he delivers it soon.
ROYALTY
HNHH's Twenty Hottest Mixtapes of 2012
10. Childish Gambino - ROYALTY
If you combined all the haters for other rappers in the game, you would still have less than the ones unfairly hating on Donald Glover aka
Childish Gambino. Considered "too hipster" or "weak" or just "plain joke-rap" that all changed with the release of his summer mixtape, Royalty. The members of Wu-Tang and Black Hippy saw the talent of Childish Gambino and assisted him on tracks like "American Royalty" and "Unnecessary." At times though, Childish needs no help as he goes hard, addressing his hates, his past troubles, and everyone on tracks like "We Ain't Them," and "Shoulda Known." The mixtape is an eclectic mix of music and it does not disappoint.
Hopefully the mixtape propels the rapper to the recognition he didn't receive after his stellar debut album, CAMP.
On The House
HNHH's Twenty Hottest Mixtapes of 2012
Easily one of the two best hip-hop groups out there right now, this quartet are amazing lyricists that bounce off each others energy stupendously. And it's none more so evident than on a mixtape that to most was better than their album.
On The House showed
Slaughterhouse's versatility when it came to switching up individual flows to suit the beat while giving each MC enough time on the mic for their individuality to shine through. Throughout the rape, each MC is a verbal assassin, making you rewind to the start of each verse to let each line soak in before the next one hits you with a punch. A mixtape that deserves every recognition it gets, it's definitely another step in the right direction for this quarter of talented artists.
Trap God
HNHH's Twenty Hottest Mixtapes of 2012
This mixtape is on this and other lists for one simple reason:
Gucci Mane decided to go outside his comfort zone. For a rapper who isn't open to change, especially in a tried and tested formulaic rap method,
Trap God was a huge evolutionary change for a rapper that was starting to become an insignificant joke.
Trap God allowed Gucci to flirt with an unfamiliar flow and less-than-comfortable rhyme scheme while sticking to production and beats that were classic Gucci. He was in a considerable rut and it's great to see a rapper climb himself out a hole and with his tape, Gucci did exactly that.
Macadelic
HNHH's Twenty Hottest Mixtapes of 2012
7. Mac Miller - Macadelic
He might be an independent artist but you can't deny
Mac Miller being an important figure in modern day hip-hop. On the back of his successful No.1 debut album,
Blue Slide Park, the Most Dope general didn't let fans forget him quickly by releasing the free digital release
Macadelic. With appearances from Kendrick Lamar, Juicy J, and Lil Wayne, along with production from the likes of Clams Casino and I.D. Labs, it was an impressive track list. Expectations were high and Mac delivered with a fine body of work from "Loud" to "Clarity." Whether you want to party or chill, this mixtape has it all.
V6
HNHH's Twenty Hottest Mixtapes of 2012
V6 will be remembered as the release that propelled Lloyd Banks' career back to relevancy. After dropping off the map for a few years, Banks became virtually forgotten, but with this hard-hitting street music, Banks is once again remembered as the phenomenal lyricist and MC that he is. Though beefs with other rappers, most notably 50 Cent, have clouded the tape this year, other rappers should watch out as Lloyd is clearly coming back to his best.
SOUL Tape II
HNHH's Twenty Hottest Mixtapes of 2012
5. Fabolous - SOUL Tape II
Simply put, this was a dope mixtape that showcased
Fabolous' skills on the mic, reminding everyone how strong of an MC the Brooklyn-born rapper can be. Though the features are prominent through and help the tape chug along, it's Fabolous' solo tracks where he pours everything out when you really get hooked in and can't stop listening.
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HNHH's Twenty Hottest Mixtapes of 2012
In 2011, no one was bumpin'
Big Sean because no one gave him true respect then the G.O.O.D Music singles "Mercy" and "Clique" came out and opinions changed. Everyone started going back through his discography and could see the signs of his growth as the years progressed. And he finally delivered on his potential with
Detroit, a mixtape that affirmed Big Sean's position in Kanye's label, and the potential that the Chicago rapper saw in Sean.
Full of wit, idiosyncrasies, and a modern flow, Detroit took a lot of people by surprise. "RWT" and "Mula" are the stand-out tracks on the tape but despite the complexities of his rhymes, Big Sean still has a lot of people to win over to get the throne he one day will sit on.
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HNHH's Twenty Hottest Mixtapes of 2012
3. Rick Ross - Rich Forever
This was one of the years best mix tapes of the year because it was clearly one of
Rick Ross' best albums released for free as a tape. Virtually shutting down the internet and putting the game on pause in early 2012,
Rich Forever was a treat to listen to from start to finish. Hits from "High Definition" to "Keys to the Crib" mixed in with smoky songs like "Stay Schemin," Rich Forever might be Ross' best piece of work to date. Shutting down the industry and the internet takes a true piece of work and Ross did exactly that with this "mixtape."
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HNHH's Twenty Hottest Mixtapes of 2012
2. Wiz Khalifa - Taylor Allerdice
What makes
Taylor Allerdice so good is that it relates to the average individual, not in the context of
Wiz Khalifa's raps, but instead inspirational as he gives you the feeling that you can do the same as him as long as you smoke enough weed and talk shit. The production throughout the mixtape helps as it isn't glossy, unlike
Rolling Papers, and the raps are ruthless rather than pandering pop verses.
Though Wiz presents himself as an obscenely rich young man who spends 30 grand a night on champagne, he does it with such charm and modest raps that you can't help but aspire to be like him. His stoner charm truly shines through in this mixtape, making it simultaneously inspirational and relatable.
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HNHH's Twenty Hottest Mixtapes of 2012
1. Meek Mill - Dreamchasers
Meek Mill used to be anonymous; you had no idea who he was, knew some of his songs, maybe. But, overall, no one really knew who Meek was. That all changed in 2012 when he dropped
Dreamchasers 2 which, anchored by a few hits, was the reason everyone got to know Meek Mill.
Meek proves on this project that he's a wholly capable solo artist, one who can compete fearlessly alongside the most revered artists in hip-hop. He shows up Drake on "Amen", goes bar for bar with Big Sean on "Burn", and Kendrick Lamar on "A1 Everything." Dreamchasers 2 is when Meek Mill entered the game and expect him to be in the game for a long time.
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