Every day this week, Hip-Hop Wired and the Wired 25 will be counting down the best of everything from 2012.
Today, Hip-Hop Wired takes a look at the 25 best free efforts from your favorite artists in 2012. The Mix Tape is an essential part of the Hip-Hop culture. It’s what separates us from rock and country music. The ability to craft an excellent body of work and give it out for free is part of what keeps Hip-Hop pure.
It shows that some people still make music for the sake of making good music and not trying to bum rush their way onto the charts. 2012 was another strong year in mixtapes as artists like Rick Ross, Big Sean, Wiz Khalifa, Young Jeezy, Chief Keef and many more all dropped noteworthy projects that you can have right now.
If you somehow slept on these projects, just click on the mixtape covers to download the projects and add them to your collection.
After the jump, check out today’s Wired 25 on The 25 Best Mixtapes of 2012.
—
Photo: Tumblr
25. Lil Wayne and DJ Drama – Dedication 4
The fourth installment of Lil Wayne’s Dedication series was a step up from the third installment. Wayne took down tracks from Rick Ross, Meek Mill, G.O.O.D. Music and more, while debuting his hit single “No Worries” featuring Detail.
24. Slaughterhouse & DJ Drama – On The House
Joe, Joell, Royce and Crooked do what they do best on their first collective Gangsta Grillz; tear instrumentals to pieces.
23. 50 Cent and DJ Drama – The Lost Tape
For the first time ever, mixtape kings 50 Cent and DJ Drama joined forces for the stellar effort, The Lost Tape.
22. Jadakiss and DJ Drama – The Consignment
Jada’s status as top five: dead or alive may be up for debate, but The Consignment was another exercise in Kiss’ lyricial ability.
21. Curren$y And Harry Fraud – Cigarette Boats
This mixtape would’ve been much higher if it was more than five tracks. This audio cruise was just what the doctor order from Spitta and La Musica De Harry Fraud.
20. Chief Keef, DJ Victoriouz & DJ Moondog – Back From The Dead
The most talked about artist in Chicago, Chief Keef, was figuratively brought back from the dead with this tape. After rumors swirled that he was killed in a gunfight with police, he dropped this mixtape that featured “I Don’t Like.” The rest is history.
19. Fabolous – The S.O.U.L. Tape 2
Seemingly out of nowhere, Fabolous showed that he still got it for the sequel to The S.O.U.L. Tape.
18. Future, DJ Esco, DJ Scream & DJ X-Rated – Astronaut Status
Future’s breakout year started with this trippy mixtape, Astronaut Status. Fittingly, after this dropped, Future was shot to the moon.
17. Joe Budden – A Loose Quarter
Joey Jumpoff is always an open book, and on A Loose Quarter, the “mood god” lets you so far into his life until you are uncomfortable.
16. Mac Miller – Macadellic
Mac Miller’s seventh mixtape, Macadelic, was an online juggernaut and begot a United States tour for the Forbes Cash King.
15. Young Jeezy and DJ Drama – It’s Tha World (Es El Mundo)
Young Jeezy and DJ Drama “Got Right” with this new mixtape, It’s Tha World. The newest Atlantic Records executive drops banger after banger on this new one.
14. Gucci Mane – Trap God
Gucci Mane’s antics away from music brought him more news than in it, and that is a shame. Gucci’s mixtape, Trap God, was a return to form for Gucci Mane. Back to the trap.
13. Gunplay and DJ Holiday – Bogata Rich
Gunplay’s adrenaline-fueled mixtape made fans take notice of the Human L.A. Riot in 2012. Recods like “Jump Out” showed his wild side, but his take on “Tats On My Arm” showed his lyricism.
12. Troy Ave – Bricks In My Backpack 3: The Harry Powder Trilogy
Troy Ave has been on the grind for a minute, but on BIMB3 the stars aligned perfectly for the Brooklyn product. Fabolous put his own touches on the “Merlot” remix while Action Bronson, Chase N. Cashe and Avon Blocksdale all added excellent verses to their records. However, it was the summer anthem “Red Cup” that is the gem of the mixtape.
11. Big K.R.I.T. – 4 Eva N A Day
Young Krizzle is always good for some of that country ish, and he delivered again with his 4 Eva N A Day mixtape. Right before he dropped Live From The Underground, he scored in the underground again with records like “Me N My Old School,” “Boobie Miles,” and “Sky Club.” Did we mention that every single song on this album was produced by K.R.I.T. himself? All fire.
10. Dom Kennedy – The Yellow Album
Dom Kennedy is always good for making some of that nice summer mood music and he struck again with The Yellow Album. Not only was this eloquently-produced project a smooth listen, it produced what was possibly his most successful solo record “My Type Of Party.” Features from Rick Ross (“Gold Alpinas”) and Kendrick Lamar (“We Ball”) also weren’t too shabby.
9. Jeremih, DJ Drama and DJ Pharis – Late Nights With Jeremih
This hard-edged R&B project from Jeremih went over a lot of heads, but not ours. With features from 2 Chainz, Sir Michael Rocks, Twista, YG and E-40, Jeremih still manages to keep this album very R&B. With songs like “Rosa Acosta,” “773 Love,” and “Keep It Moving,” it made us almost forget about this whole thing. Almost.
8. Lil Reese, DJ Drama and Don Cannon – Don’t Like
With the epic “Us” starting off this tape, Lil Reese of GBE showed that Chief Keef wasn’t the only one to look for out of Chi-Town. Records like “Traffic” and “I Don’t Like” made this a menacing, hard-hitting must have for any fan of no nonsense Hip-Hop.
7. Freddie Gibbs and DJ Drama – Baby Face Killer
Who knew that a rapper from Gary, Indiana would show rap how to be gangsta again? Freddie Gibbs’ long-awaited Baby Face Killer finally dropped in 2012 and it lived up to the hype. Formerly of Young Jeezy’s Corporate Thugz Entertainment, Gangsta Gibbs’ latest effort featured the excellent “Tell A Friend” featuring Curren$y and “The Hard” with Dana Williams.
6. Joey Bad@$$ – 1999
If you believe that certain people can be born in the wrong era, Joey Bad@$$ might be your case study. The Brooklyn MC sounds like he would’ve been a star in the golden era of New York Hip-Hop, although he’s only 17-years-old. Instead of opting for tunes from the trap, Joey hopped on tracks from Dilla, Statik Selektah and MF Doom all while doing them justice.
5. Action Bronson & Party Supplies – Blue Chips
Hip-Hop’s favorite rapping chef, Action Bronson, teamed up with Party Supplies to drop this acclaimed mixtape: Blue Chips. Keeping the features light by only tapping Roc Marciano, Das Racist and Meyhem Lauren, the charismatic New Yorker’s personality sparkled throughout the tape. Ghostface comparisons aside, Bam-Bam showed just how impressive he can be doing him.
4. Meek Mill & DJ Drama – Dreamchasers 2
Meek Mill’s star-making 2011 was topped in 2012 with the second installment of his Dreamchasers series. With DJ Drama doing the play-by-play again, Meek’s mixtape spawned two hit singles in “Amen” featuring Drake and “Burn” featuring Big Sean.
3. Wiz Khalifa & Rob Markman – Taylor Allderdice
After he expressed his own creative disappointment in his debut major label album, Rolling Papers, Wiz Khalifa dropped this return-to-form mixtape, Taylor Allderdice. Named after his high school, Taylor Allderdice didn’t just give you great music, but it brought you inside the mind of the young superstar with interviews with MTV’s Rob Markman. Production-wise, this tape was top notch with help from Rob Holladay, Harry Fraud, Sledgren, Cardo, Spaceghostpurrrp and many more. Feature-wise, the Taylor Gang came correct on songs like “My Favorite Song” with Juicy J and “The Code,” with Lola Monroe, Juicy J and Chevy Woods. Even Amber Rose’s surprisingly fitting guest spot on “Never Been” Part 2 was way better than expected.
2. Big Sean – Detroit
As these end of the year lists pop up, you’ll find Big Sean on top of a lot of “Most Improved” lists and this mixtape was exhibit A. Although his debut album, Finally Famous, helmed three hit singles; Detroit might be his most complete work as a solo artist. With no Kanye in sight, Sean stood tall on his own and carried songs like “Mula” with French Montana, “24K Of Gold” with J. Cole and “I’m Gonna Be” with Jhene Aiko.
1. Rick Ross, DJ Scream and Shahiem Reid – Rich Forever
It’s been almost a year since this mixtape dropped, and over that time this still stands up. With guest spots from artists like Diddy, Future, Drake, Meek Mill, Wale, Pharrell, Nas, 2 Chainz and more, the only thing missing here was a bar code. This mixtape also helmed one of the biggest songs of the year, “Stay Schemin.” This tape set the table (no pun intended) for a banner year for the Bawse. Ruh.
