Gone are the days of USB plugs and bootlegged mixtapes. One stopping shopping has become the norm. Consumers are looking for convenience, and the streaming era has given us exactly that. Therefore, when pivotal albums are missing from our trusted service, be it Spotify, Apple Music, or Tidal, the added steps can prove a troublesome bridge to cross. Such has long been a reality for Mac Miller and Wiz Khalifa fans, who have gone without access to cornerstone projects like Faces, Kush & Orange Juice, K.I.D.S, and Cabin Fever for some time now.
Unfortunately, the relatively free-form approach to crafting a mixtape has led to many an uncleared sample, thus making the transition to streaming services more difficult than fans might hope. Luckily, it would appear that efforts are being made to facilitate the shift. Genius reports that Rostrum Records, which previously housed both Mac and Wiz alike, as revealed by close associate Eric “E. Dan” Dan of ID Labs. "At this point, Rostrum is basically going back and trying to release all of [Wiz & Mac's] mixtapes to streaming, or as many as they can, for obvious reasons,” he explains. “It goes beyond just, ‘let’s get this out to the public.’ There’s good money in streaming that stuff and most consumers would just prefer to have it available to them via their apps.”
Still, there are roadblocks, as laid out by Dan:
"They’re realizing is that the longer they wait, the harder it is to get clearances from everybody involved. Some of the producers on Kush & Orange Juice, for example, nobody knows who those guys are or where to track them down. The more time that goes by, the harder it is to find those people. Sometimes, it gets more difficult and you’ll have a longer wait… They’re starting to clear things and once they get to a point where everything is cleared, they’ll just release it.”
I don't know about you, but as somewhat of a completionist, the idea of a full discography is satisfying to say the least. Though it may still be a while to come, at least we can take solace in the fact that moves are indeed being made. I for one look forward to a future where Faces can be consumed on streaming services, and wish Rostrum best of luck in their endeavors. Read the full report at Genius.
What do ya'll think? Do you wish mixtapes were available on streaming services? I'm still waiting for 50 Cent's Guess Who's Back to surface...