Don’t deny:
The popularity of mixtapes has empowered DJs to move from the street to the studio: radio, recording, etc. Not only have they all but taken over New York rap radio?Reid observes that of Hot 97’s DJ lineup, “Kayslay, Funk[master] Flex, DJ Clue, Whoo Kid, Green Lantern, DJ Envy . . . these are all kids who made their name in the mixtape game”?they’re also joining labels as artists. Eighties legend Kid Capri was the first to translate his craft for the industry with The Tape (Cold Chillin’) in 1991; later came Funkmaster Flex’s five-volume 60 Minutes of Funk series (1995-2002, Loud), DJ Clue’s double-platinum The Professional Pts. 1 & 2 (1998/2000, Roc-A-Fella), and, most recently, Kayslay’s The Streetsweeper Vol. 1, released in May on Columbia. (full story)
I made a mix tape of Christmas songs last year that my girlfriend enjoyed.