The difference between my EP & my Mixtapes

Mixtapes are now commonly used by labels and new artists as a promotional tool, as a way of generating hype.[6] An unsigned artist might release several mixtapes to generate buzz, leading to interest from record labels, while a signed artist may release a mixtape to promote a future studio album, in a sales model relying on word of mouth to increase the artist’s street cred. Often each track on a promotional hip hop mixtape will feature the same artist, thus making it more difficult to differentiate from a standard album. However, these mixtapes will usually have much lower production values than a studio album (such as housing “demo” or roughly mixed versions of the tracks), and contain numerous collaborations, remixes, freestyles and voice-overs, often arranged in a specific flowing fashion, much like retail albums are.

-via Wikipedia

Aight so at the risk of coming off like a little kid this afternoon I went out of my way to make the distinction between my forthcoming Lifestyles of the Young & Ignorant EP and a mixtape. A few people asked me questions about it and so I figured I would go a little deeper into my thoughts on the matter.

Mixtapes are a good promotional tool, and I’ve used them throughout my career to showcase my talent, over original production, industry production, done songs with other artists, etc etc etc. The mixtape format in theory, even with an artist mixtape is to not just showcase the artist’s songwriting capability, but also showcase other skills (freestyling, punchlines, wittiness, etc) that dont always translate when it comes to getting people to follow one idea. To me, mixtapes are about the WOW factor, the “did you hear that line” factor and showcasing that side.

The difference between that and the EP that I’m preparing to release are pretty big. Each song on the EPis its own concept, and they all relate to the Lifestyle of the Young & Ignorant individual. These concepts are: (1)Changing your life from your current condition to what you want it to be, (2)Understanding what you’re up against and how hard you have to work to acheive especially when you decide to go against the grain, (3)How I identify with the lifestyle, (4)The complexities of the women that we lust after, (5)Not being able to let go of someone no matter how hard you try, and (6)The depths of why people run to coping mechanisms.

Now that’s not to say that each of my mixtapes hasn’t had a theme or overarching concept, but I feel like this effort is a way more well rounded and complete project both in how it’s presented musically, and content. None of my mixtapes has featured exclusively original music, and some the original songs featured on my last official mixtape E3: E-Day you’ll see are included on the EP (Living Doll and Young & Ignorant)

When it comes down to it, I want this piece of work to stand up on its own at the end of the day, whether it’s offered for free or not.

-E