Mixtapes are basically sampler cd's that record labels/djs/ and entertainment groups put out. They showcase a range of different artists on them. So sometimes you'll end up with 15-20+ artists on the cd.
It's a great hustle and great way for Artists and Dj's to get their name out there. Depending on the mixtape, most of the time artists will shell out cash to get their slot on the cd. I've seen artists pay anywhere from $50 to $5,000 to buy a spot on the cd.
It's a great way to get your name out there because every artist on the cd will generally end up getting a box of the mixtapes to push. So he'll hit the streets and try to sell as many of the cd's as he can, because he gets a cut of the profit (or even the full profit). So imagine every artist on the cd flooding the streets with the mixtape trying to sell it. He's gonna want to promote it because he's on the cd and he'll get a cut on the profits.. and at the same time every cd he sells is also gonna help promote the other artists on the cd.
On top of that, the DJ hosting the cd is out promoting the mixtape at the same time. He'll pass it around to industry cats he works with, play it in clubs, and bring it out to radio stations etc. If you ever heard DJ CLUE! Desert storm! Whoo Kid on the beat! Dj Drama! that was probably them hosting that mixtape.
So it's all around a damn good way to network and get your name out there. The problem is that alot of the songs that make it onto mixtapes aren't original tracks. Artists and dj's will do remixes of popular songs, take a lil wayne verse and slap it on, or borrow a Timbaland beat without paying royalties for it.
But even if the artists and djs tried to "do the right thing" and pay royalties on all the tracks. Most of the time it's just not feasible or possible. On a cd that's only gonna sell 5,000 units top, they just don't have the means to shell out the $30,000 that Columbia Records wants for them to make a remix to one of their songs, and the other $25,000 that Virgin Records want, and the $15,000 to make a remix of one of Lil Wayne's tracks.. Add that up for every song and figure that mixtapes can hold up to 25 tracks... and that's alot of fucking money.
So, for the last 25 years most hip hop artists haven't worried about it. They haven't had to cuz almost all of them have been just going out in the street and selling cd's themselves.. so they haven't had to worry about some big record exec knocking at their door.
But the internet has opened up a can of worms and the RIAA is pissed about it. Through the internet some of these Dj's are now moving 50,000 or even 100,000 mixtapes. and never paying any royalties on the tracks that they used and don't have rights for. and that's ridiculous.
But there's gotta be a balance.. And that's where the argument is. Where do you draw the line?
The RIAA believes that if you sell a cd off your porch of you freestyling on the beat Next Episode that you should pay them $40,000 (or whatever riduclous amount it would come to) to use the track.
And I think that's absurd. but at the same time, the artists that originally made the music and took the time to get it copyrighted do deserve compensation.
Personally I think some people should stop whining about it. Instead just use original beats and avoid this whole mess in the first place. There are thousands of hungry TALENTED producers out there making hits that are unknown. and they would give Mobb Deep the track for free if he wanted to rap on it.. because it would be huge promotion for that producer.
So why even bother with alot of these remixes and beat jacking? I've seen producers putting out radio hits that'll license them for $30.
That's my rant.
