Rappers continue to put out mixtapes in 2014, but the stuffed to the gills CDs and DJ (Drama) shouting over every single track variety appears to be increasingly fading away. Artist co-signs, Drake most notably, can essentially create an overnight star and a six-second loop of a song can fanute one into a major label contract as it did with young Bobby. Chief Keef, who still puts out bloated tapes, casts off so much music through Youtube and Instagram that waiting for proper tapes seems moot.
Rappers are clearly conscious of all these factors and aren’t interested in trying listeners’ patience with 70-minute long releases—they know our attention spans are finite and fickle. DJ Mustard’s debut album, 10 Summers, kept matters short with only 12 tracks including two skits; despite the fact that rap radio cannot stop playing his music, he didn’t overstuff the project. iLoveMakonnen, Father, Vince Staples and 2 Chainz have all issued shorter, compact projects that displayed their personalities and spoke their piece all within 30 minutes.
Where the digital nature of mixtape post-CD resulted in projects that still acted within the assumption of needing to be a full CD-R of music, the move now is more toward brevity, knowing nobody is buying a double disc of music, nor does anyone have much of an interest in downloading that much either. Migos, Rich Gang or YG, who put out strong, but lengthy full lengths in 2014 didn’t commit a sin against the rap lords by sticking to rap’s usual maxim of more means more. The flexibility offered in the transition from the physical to the digital realm of music is still being felt out and it’s good to see rappers push forward by holding back.