New documentary MIXTAPE explores impact of mixtapes on hip-hop culture

The documentary, MIXTAPE, is part of the 50th-anniversary celebrations of hip-hop. It focuses on how mixtapes helped to spread hip-hop culture into the mainstream, after first appearing in New York in the 1970s and now being a popular format for major artists such as Tyler, The Creator, Drake, Danny Brown and Chance The Rapper.

Among the artists featured in the documentary are Lil Wayne, DJ Khaled, 2 Chainz, Big Boi, Fat Joe, Kid Capri, DJ Drama, and KRS-One. Meanwhile, the soundtrack album, The Def Tape, will be released in August via Def Jam.

MIXTAPE is directed and produced by Omar Acosta. He said: “Hip-Hop is 50 years old and I can’t think of a better way to celebrate its journey and contextualise its evolution than through the story of the mixtape. Every voice in this film played a critical role, especially the DJs who, as KRS-ONE says beautifully in the film, risked everything to ‘bring us the music’.”

Crosley has also marked the 50th anniversary of hip-hop and hip-hop culture by launching a limited-edition turntable. It’s been developed in partnership with whisky brand Ballantine’s and in collaboration Wu-Tang Clan legend RZA. On Crosley’s website, it says: “Rooted in a shared love of analogue music, RZA brought Ballantine’s and Crosley together to celebrate music, whisky and personal tastes”.

Speaking of historical hip-hop items, one of the genre’s early pioneers, DJ Kool Herc’s turntables, disco ball and more went up for auction in Christie’s Birth Of Hip-Hop collection in 2022, fetching over $200,000.

MIXTAPE has been produced by MTV Entertainment Studios, Mercury Studios and Saboteur Media in association with Def Jam Recordings. It will premiere on 1 August 2023 in the US and Canada exclusively on Paramount+, airing in the UK, Australia and Latin America a day later.

Watch the full trailer and find out more information about MIXTAPE at imdb.com.