RAP MIXTAPES OF 2012

12.17/2012

Posted by LFTF

STREET ETIQUETTE

You don't have to be Sway or Tim Westwood to know that rap music had an amazing 2012, but if you directed most of your attention towards rap's major label releases, you were selling yourself short of the full picture. This year, rap was dominated by the mixtape—a medium that's obviously been around in the genre for ages, but due to the staggering influx of talented yet never heard before rappers this year, its role served more important than ever. From Chief Keef bringing true gangster rap back to the forefront on his mixtape Back From the Dead, to Joey Bada$$ and his Pro Era crew demonstrating that 90s golden era hip-hop is alive and well on their effort 1999, to Captain Murphy slipping in one of the most otherworldly, sonic-exploring rap mixtapes we've hears since the MF DOOM glory days on Duality, time and time again rap mixtapes proved more interesting and relevant than major label releases, from both an underground and mainstream perspective. Because of this phenomenon, we've decided to compile a list of our favorite rap/hip-hop mixtapes to come out in 2012.