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Mixes

Celebrate Hip-Hop’s Birthday In A BIG Way With These 40 Mixes

Earlier this week, on August 11, Hip-Hop celebrated its 49th birthday. Now deemed a holiday, August 11 honors the 1973 date that DJ Kool Herc and his sister Cynthia Campbell hosted a Back To School Jam at 1520 Sedgwick Avenue's rec center in New York's Bronx borough. Approaching 50 years... Read more

A New Mix Blends Benny The Butcher & J Dilla To Perfection

Every February, Hip-Hop Heads remember J Dilla. Producer/MC James Yancey was born on February 7, 1974, and passed away just days after his 32nd birthday, on February 10, 2006. Around the country are official and unofficial Dilla events, with many of the artists who best knew Jay Dee paying tribute.... Read more

This Mix Tunes Through De La Soul’s 3 Feet High And Rising, Sample By Sample

More than 30 years ago, De La Soul released its debut album, 3 Feet High And Rising. Produced by then-Stetsasonic member Prince Paul, the Tommy Boy Records LP became a benchmark of Hip-Hop music. While Posdnuos (aka Plug 1) and Trugoy (aka Plug 2) waxed poetic about life in Long... Read more

A New Mos Def & Al Green Mashup Brings Much Love & Happiness (Audio)

Mos Def (aka Yasiin Bey) and the Reverend Al Green are two voices that transcend genre. Al Green built a career in Southern Soul music. At the top of the 1980s, after chart-topping hits and platinum albums, he pivoted to Gospel. In recent years, Reverend Al made a return to... Read more

This Biggie & James Brown Mashup Mix Deserves B.I.G. Playback (Audio & Video)

Biggie Smalls and James Brown are both gone. However, the music from both world-class entertainers is indelible. In the '60s and early '70s, James Brown laid out a blueprint of Funk, Soul, and Rhythm & Blues that would become a foundation for Hip-Hop. The DJs who inspired young Christopher Wallace... Read more

DJ Jazzy Jeff & MICK Heat It Up For The 10th Straight Summertime Mix (Audio)

The legendary DJ Jazzy Jeff gets together with noted mixtape DJ, MICK, annually to drop a definitive mix to welcome the hot weather of July and August. Their Summertime Mixtape Volume 10 marks a full decade that they have been knocking out these season specific collections of jams. So, of... Read more

Nas’ Illmatic Turns 25. This New Mix Reminds Why It Might Be Hip-Hop’s Greatest Album

Twenty-five years ago today (April 19), Nas released the album that future generations will likely use to measure Rap greatness. At the age of 20, Nasir Jones delivered Illmatic, a 10-track coming of age reflection that pulled images from Rotten Apple-era New York City, emphasized dreams of being a Rap... Read more

A 300+ Song Mix Gives The Definitive History Of Southern Hip-Hop (Audio)

For more than 30 years, Rap music from the South has stood out. Many cities have their own sound, slang, and influences. During the 1980s and 1990s, many Southern Hip-Hop artists had to assert that their communities "had something to say" in the Rap music conversation. However, by the late... Read more

AZ Releases A Mixtape Of Freestyles & Guest Appearances To Remind His Legacy Is Strong

It may seem like the nearly decade-long wait for AZ's Doe Or Die 2 has lasted forever. However, the East New York MC has been putting out some appetizers to hold fans over for the main course, and he has done so on a consistent basis. Earlier this month, Ambrosia... Read more

A New Mashup Mix Perfectly Blends The Sounds Of Lauryn Hill & Nina Simone

One of Ms. Lauryn Hill's biggest inspirations is Nina Simone. With mirroring emotions through the soulful cries in their delivery, the presence of Simone's influence is undeniable throughout Lauryn's singing catalog. The Fugees songstress embraced the likeness of her artistry to the late musician not only in song, but also... Read more

This Mix Of 13 De La Soul Videos Is The Plug For 1 Of Hip-Hop’s Greatest Groups

2018 marks the 30th-anniversary of De La Soul dropping their debut single “Plug Tunin,” as well as the 25 year anniversary of their third album Buhloone Mindstate. Before the year ends, the celebration of one of Hip-Hop's most groundbreaking groups is not quite over. Tommy Boy Records (De La's record... Read more

This Mash-Up Mix Takes A Midnight Maraud With 36 Chambers (Audio)

Yesterday (November 9), Hip-Hop Heads celebrated the 25th birthdays of two landmark albums: A Tribe Called Quest's third LP, Midnight Marauders and Wu-Tang Clan's Enter The Wu-Tang (36 Chambers). On 11-9-93, many fans were eager to digest LPs that were likely shipped together from the same RCA Records distributor. Although... Read more

Cut Chemist Mixes 45 Songs Sampling A Beat That’s Relevant 45 Years Later

In the midst of this week's hectic midterm elections, beloved Jurassic 5 DJ, mix-master, producer, and solo artist Cut Chemist released an ultimate mix of songs that sample The Honey Drippers' 1973 song, "Impeach the President." The mix, cleverly titled Impeach The Precedent, rolls through 45 different songs within Hip-Hop... Read more

Erykah Badu Dedicates A Mix To Roy Hargrove & Shares A New Song That’s Money (Audio)

In the last week, a principal musician within the Soulquarians family passed away at 49 years old. Trumpeter Roy Hargrove, Jr. played on Common’s Like Water For Chocolate, D’Angelo’s Voodoo, and Erykah Badu’s Mama’s Gun. On the last of the three, the Waco, Texas native played on "Green Eyes" as... Read more

Happy Birthday Big Daddy Kane. King Asiatic Turns 50 Years Old (Video)

Earlier this year, LL Cool J and Rakim both celebrated their 50th birthdays. Today (September 10), another game-changing lyricist joins the party. Big Daddy Kane (aka Antonio Hardy) turns 50. This year also marks the 30th anniversary of Long Live The Kane. At 50, Kane's longevity is cemented. In terms... Read more

Snoop Dogg Joins DJ Green Lantern Behind The 1’s & 2’s To Blend Hip-Hop With Funk (Mix)

In his extensive career, Snoop Dogg has seemingly done it all. He has recorded countless albums and mixtapes, he has starred in numerous movies, shows, and launched web series. Meanwhile, Calvin Broadus has assumed various aliases and personas. He is many things: a G from Long Beach, a player that... Read more

The Native Tongues Had Mad Flavor. This 6-Hour Mix Celebrates All The Ingredients (Audio)

There are not many collectives that have had as much impact on Hip-Hop, and on music in general, as Native Tongues. Although they never released an album as a unit, this extended family started in the late 1980s with seminal groups Jungle Brothers, A Tribe Called Quest, and De La... Read more

DJ Jazzy Jeff & MICK’s 9th Annual Mix Means Summertime Is In Effect Mode (Audio)

DJ Jazzy Jeff and MICK (fka Mick Boogie) are back with the latest entry of their Summertime mix series. Since 2010, the two kings of party-rocking have linked up to release the annual 4th of July mixtape inspired by DJ Jazzy Jeff & The Fresh Prince's hit single. These mixes,... Read more

Drake Goes From 0 To 100 Over 9th Wonder’s Beats (Audio)

Hailing from Montreal, DJ Critical Hype has been perfecting the craft of blending for nearly a decade. His The Art Of… series of mixes has highlighted luminaries of the game such as Talib Kweli, Danny Brown, and Kendrick Lamar. Then, a couple of years ago he moved onto mash-ups and... Read more

J. Period’s New Mix Blends Verses From OutKast With The Sounds Of Wakanda (Audio)

J. Period has made some of the best, most conceptual, and musically-moving mixtapes of the last 15 years. That gift has led the New York City-based California native to work up close and personal with Black Thought, Ms. Lauryn Hill, Nas, Q-Tip, and others. Having now earned a #1 album... Read more

This Mix Takes JAY-Z’s Most Powerful Lyrics & Blends Them Into A New Masterpiece (Audio)

Throughout the ages, many DJs have created mixtapes that artfully honor JAY-Z's vast catalog. In November, MICK and Chi Duly imagined a world in audio where Jay and DJ Premier expanded upon their stellar 1990s collaborative chemistry. The resulting 7:18 is a one-hour crowd-pleaser, placing new and old Hov' verses... Read more

Black Milk Creates 1 Funky & Electronic Mix. He Unveils Some New Music Too. (Audio)

Black Milk came into the game as a hungry, young producer in the Slum Village camp. He was lucky enough to place two beats on Slum Village’s 2002 album, Trinity (Past, Present and Future). However, by the next Slum album, Detroit Deli, in 2004 he had production credits on almost... Read more

DJ Spinna’s Moving 90-Minute Mix Teaches Black History, In Audio

DJ Spinna is well known for his massive record collection, varied musical tastes, and extensive mixes. This Brooklynite has refused to be pigeon-holed and has created essential mixtapes and compilations that focus on a wide variety of genres including Hip-Hop, Soul, Funk, Deep House, Jazz, Post-Disco, R&B, and more. He... Read more

Sade & Mobb Deep Get Mashed Up By J. Rocc For One Quiet Storm (Audio)

Sade has music that works for just about any mood. Beat Junkies founder, JayLib member, and Soundbombing, Vol. 2 co-host J. Rocc grasps this fact and melded her soulful melodies with the rugged flow of Mobb Deep in Thug Ballads. He combines the right Sade instrumental back-drops and vocals with just... Read more

DJ Jazzy Jeff’s 1-Hour Holiday Mix Puts Heads In The Spirit…To Move (Audio)

For the last eight years, DJ Jazzy Jeff & MICK have given music Heads one of the treats of the warm months, with their Summertime mixtape series. Now, the Grammy Award-winning DJ/producer has just what the people need for the holiday season. West Philadelphia's star mix-master hits Heads off with... Read more

A Near 500-Song Mix Showcases The Magnificent History Of West Coast Hip-Hop (Audio)

West Coast Hip-Hop is incredible. So many of its pioneers are still making albums, doing shows, and adding to their legacy. As a tribute to the Left Coast immense contributions to Hip-Hop, Take It Personal Radio has compiled a four-part episode dedicated to gangsta and underground Rap classics from the... Read more

This Mix Salutes 1987’s Def Jam Tour With LL Cool J, P.E., Eric B. & Rakim and Whodini

By 1987 Def Jam Records had solidified a foothold in the Hip-Hop music landscape. While labels like Sugar Hill, Enjoy, Jive, and Profile Records had released some truly incredible singles, Russell Simmons and Rick Rubin's three-year-old outfit was fast embracing the Rap album format. Moreover, they had a diverse roster—in... Read more

Some Of Royce 5’9″ & Black Thought’s Best Work Is Side By Side In This Killer Mix

In the last two decades, two of Hip-Hop's most extraordinary MCs are The Roots' Black Thought and Slaughterhouse's Royce 5'9". Each rapper puts their working-class cities in the bars about survival, pain, addiction, and perseverance. These great minds have come together before, such as PRhyme's "Wishin' II," Statik Selektah's 2014... Read more

The Music Of Common & Stevie Wonder Is A Perfect Match In This Mash-Up Album (Audio)

Amerigo Gazaway is the sort of musical innovator whose work is nothing short of remarkable. He has forged a path entirely his own through ingenious mash-up projects dating back several years: 2011's Fela Soul, featuring the works of Fela Kuti and De La Soul; 2014's Yasiin Gaye, the marriage of Yasiin Bey/Mos... Read more

A New Mix Tells Rakim’s Story Through His Spoken Words & Music (Audio)

Friday (July 7) marked a major milestone for Hip-Hop. Eric B. & Rakim's debut album Paid In Full celebrated its 30th birthday. With the event, Eric and Rakim reunited at the Apollo Theater for their first concert together in approximately 25 years. In support of the anniversary, more than 20... Read more

DJ Jazzy Jeff & MICK’s Summertime 8 Mix Gets The Cookout Party Started (Audio)

2017 marks eight years since DJ Jazzy Jeff and MICK (fka Mick Boogie) started their Summertime series. From jump, these became some of the best things to look forward to in 2010s Hip-Hop. True to the sets of each acclaimed DJ, these mixes flex Hip-Hop, R&B, Rock, Funk, Jazz, and... Read more

This 6 Hour DJ Premier Tribute Takes All Other Mixes Out With The Fader (Audio)

DJ Premier has had a busy June. After years upon years in the making, he and Year Round Records released MC Eiht's Which Way Iz West album. Furthermore, Preemo, Brady Watt, and the rest of The Badder Band toured the States for the first time. With PRhyme 2 confirmed to... Read more

DOOM & Sade’s Mash-Up Bond Is No Ordinary Love. SADEVILLAIN 2 Strikes (Audio)

Last March, DJ/producer Seanh made one unlikely pairing that sounded sweet to so many music Heads. Sadevillain blended MF DOOM (care of Madvillain) with Sade, bringing the soaring voice of the "No Ordinary Love" songstress to the nimble rhymes of the "Dead Bent" MC/producer. As the modern proverb suggests: "If... Read more

J. Period Releases A Mix Of Mashups & Classics Celebrating 23 Years Of OutKast (Audio)

Today (April 26), OutKast's debut album Southernplayalisticadillacmuzik turns 23 years old. The 1994 full length introduction of Andre 3000 and Big Boi was one for the ages. Deemed the "Best New Artists" at the following Source Awards, 'Kast raised the profile of Atlanta, Georgia's contributions to Hip-Hop simply by creating... Read more

Drag-On Releases His 1st Project In 10 Years, As The Ruff Ryders Reunite (Audio)

Later this month (April 21), the Ruff Ryders are reuniting in their native of New York City. While DMX, Swizz Beatz, Eve, and The LOX have always been the flagship artists within the R.R. management and label, the Ryders have long boasted a deep roster of talent. At times, names... Read more

Just Blaze Makes Classic Breakbeats Sound Brand New In A Jamming Mini-Mix (Video)

Just Blaze is a producer's producer. The New Jersey native DJ-turned-beat creator has made hit records for Jay Z, Ghostface Killah, Fat Joe, and others using some of the same break-beats and samples that helped get Hip-Hop music started. Moreover, through work for Fabolous, Freeway, and Saigon, Just has brought... Read more

Celebrate DJ Premier’s Birthday With A 5 Minute Megamix Of His Greatest Hits (Audio)

Today marks the birthday of one of Hip-Hop's most beloved figures. DJ Premier turns 51 years old on March 21. For nearly 30 years, the Prairie View, Texas native-turned-bona fide New York musician has been making Heads nod, along with causing their faces to scrunch up, and air-scratch with their... Read more

This Classic Raekwon Mix Is Scalding Hot. Even The Chef Says So. (Audio)

Raekwon is just less than a month away from his album, The Wild (March 24). The ICE H20/Empire project has rolled out two singles in "This Is What It Comes To" and the G-Eazy-assisted "Purple Brick Road." Those records feature the backbones of samples that Rae' is known for, since... Read more

From Kane To Whodini, This Mix Celebrates Hip-Hop & Love (Audio)

To those who celebrate it, Valentine's Day is about showing love to the ones you care about. That's why almost all people offer each other gifts such as those on Shop nguoi lon Ha Noi. While stores, radio stations, and restaurants pull out the love songs, nothing says that it... Read more

New Edition’s Story Of Growth & Evolution Is Told Through This Mister Cee Mix

Last month, New Edition was the talk of television, thanks to a three-night film chronicling their beginnings, meteoric rise, and current state of the group. In conjunction with The New Edition Story, an offshoot of the group, Bell Biv DeVoe also released their first album in more than 15 years.... Read more

Tony Touch Shows Where The New Boom Bap Lives In His Latest Mix (Audio)

Twenty years ago, Brooklyn, New York's Tony Touch was one of the most prominent mixtape DJs. One of the original promoters of the MC freestyle, Tony Touch played records he liked, featured great signed and underground talent, and kept the culture organic. In 2016, Tony is one of the only... Read more

Tony Touch Makes A Moving Tribute Mix Dedicated To The Artists We Lost In 2016 (Audio)

2016 has been something else. While there has definitely been good in the year that's finishing out this weekend, there has been a lot of shock and awe in between. In the art world, music lovers lost more than a few icons. None of these deaths seemed to come as... Read more

This MF DOOM-Curated Playlist Features Classic Cuts & Brand New Remixes (Audio)

The masked man whose varying personas help make him one of Hip-Hop's greatest innovators, MF DOOM, has released a 19-track mix as King Geedorah, a name he first recorded under in 2003, when Take Me to Your Leader dropped. In the years since, no new King Geedorah LPs have emerged,... Read more

An Official Mix Traces The Evolution Of Freddie Foxxx Into Bumpy Knuckles & It Punches.

On Gang Starr's 1998 single "The Militia," Freddie Foxxx rapped, "When you speak of who's the dopest MCs, I don't come up / But when you speak about who's the livest MC, I stay one up." In the midst of a career transformation, the Long Island, New York veteran knew... Read more

Snoop Dogg DJs A 2 Hour Tribute Mix For 20 Years Of “Tha Doggfather”

This weekend, Snoop Dogg's sophomore album Tha Doggfather celebrated its 20th anniversary. The LP was significant in Snoop's career in that it was his first foray without mentor Dr. Dre behind the boards, and it would be his final Death Row Records release while still at the then reigning label.... Read more

Talib Kweli & Rick Ross Are An Unexpected But Lethal Combination (Audio)

When it comes to unlikely pairings in Hip-Hop, there are likely few more unanticipated that a collaboration between Talib Kweli and Rick Ross. For nearly his entire career, Kweli has been closely associated with "Conscious Rap," due to his thought-provoking rhymes about politics, race relations and other substantive matters. By... Read more

What’s Your Zodiac Sign? These Mixes Are Astrologically Awesome.

At some of the earliest Hip-Hop parties, it was not uncommon for a party-rocking MC to get some crowd reaction by asking questions. In New York City, there were famously the gauges to see what borough was representing the loudest. There have been tricks like DJ Cash Money & Marvelous... Read more

Mayer Hawthorne’s Early Rap & Disco Mix Is Perfect For Back To School Season

Most people know Mayer Hawthorne as a retro-styled Soul singer down with the Stones Throw crew. However, the Michigan native first burst on the scene as a DJ for the Athletic Mic League conglomerate (which also spawned 14K). Even though he's become a pop culture sensation with his voice, the... Read more

Pete Rock & C.L. Smooth Approved This Best-Of Mix & You Will Too (Audio)

Not many groups (in any genre) can warrant a "Best Of" off of just two albums and an EP. Pete Rock & C.L. Smooth are a clear exception. Between 1991 and 1994, the New York City Hip-Hop duo released just a few handfuls of songs. That material left a lasting... Read more

J Dilla Pieced Together Some Of His Musical Influences In This Mixtape (Audio)

August 22 marked the tenth anniversary of The Shining, the J Dilla album released only a few months after his passing in 2006. Tributes to the LP could be seen across social media and elsewhere online, proving that even after death, the iconic Detroit producer continues to delight and inspire.... Read more