Mixtapes played an important role in Hip Hop for decades - whether DJs were curating the hottest tracks or emerging artists were building buzz outside of commercial releases.
Mixtape: The Movie, directed by Omar Acosta (Stretch and Bobbito: Radio That Changed Lives), celebrates the legacy of rap mixtapes.
Mercury Studios and Saboteur produced the film in collaboration with Def Jam, which is “about the story of mixtape culture and its role in spreading Hip Hop around the world … about the outlaw DJs who, for the love of the music, turned a criminal enterprise into a creative and commercial backbone of the music business.”
It was released this week that the first official trailer for Mixtape: The Movie was unveiled, giving fans a glimpse at the slew of guest appearances from iconic rap figures whose careers are synonymous with mixtapes.
Lil Wayne, whose Dedication and Da Drought mixtapes in the 2000s remain cult classics, says, "The mixtape was everything." Fat Joe agrees, saying, "Whatever the relevance of social media is, that's what a mixtape was."
There are also cameos from A$AP Rocky, 2 Chainz, DJ Khaled, KRS-One, Jadakiss, DJ Drama, Jeezy, Kid Capri, Funkmaster Flex, DJ Clue, Mister Cee, DJ Kay Slay, Bun B, Tony Touch, DJ Whoo Kid, Angie Martinez, and more.
Def Jam chairman and CEO Paul Rosenberg announced Mixtape: The Movie for the first time in 2019 during his tenure as chairman and CEO. “[The mixtape is] a vital part of the history of the culture and the genre we don’t feel has been really examined thoroughly and properly enough or given its day,” he told Variety.
The documentary will be screened at the United Palace in New York City on April 7, featuring a live performance by mixtape champ Jadakiss. Def Jam will also release a soundtrack mixtape, although details have yet to be announced.
Watch the trailer below.