"Where I Wanna Be" is a song by American R&B singer Donell Jones. It was written and produced by Jones and Kyle West for his same-titled second album (1999). Released as the album's fourth and final single, the song charted at number Twenty nine on the US Billboard Hot 100 chart and number two on the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs, marking his second top five hit on the latter chart. A sequel to the song titled "Where You Are " appeared on Jones' next album Life Goes On in 2002. The track has significantly influenced the R&B genre, evident in its widespread sampling by prominent artists. Notably, in 2017, singer Mariah Carey incorporated elements of the song into her single "I Don't", featuring rapper YG.
In the modern music industry, a mixtape is a musical project, typically with looser constraints than that of an album or extended play. Unlike the traditional album or extended play, mixtapes are labeled as laid-back projects that allow artists more creative freedom and less commercial pressure. The term has significantly increased in popularity over the years due to high-profile artists marketing their projects as such. Mixtapes also have been inconsistently referred to as albums by reputable media outlets such as Pitchfork, Rolling Stone and Complex. This has caused notable confusion on the differences between an album and a mixtape.
"Playa Cardz Right" is a song by American R&B recording artist Keyshia Cole. The song features late rapper 2Pac and was originally included on his sixth posthumously released album Pac's Life (2006), with most of his vocals initially recorded for his fourth studio album All Eyez on Me (1996). Cole's reworked version, produced by Ron Fair and Carvin & Ivan for Karma Productions, was released as the lead single from her third album A Different Me (2008).
So Far Gone is the third mixtape by Canadian rapper Drake. It was released on February 13, 2009 self-released under his October's Very Own label. The mixtape was met with critical and commercial success, serving as a catalyst for Drake's career as a mainstream musical artist. So Far Gone peaked at number seven on the Canadian Albums Chart and number five on the Billboard 200. It remains Drake's final independent project.
Beam Me Up Scotty is the third mixtape by Trinidadian rapper Nicki Minaj. It was released on April 18, 2009 by Young Money and Aphilliates. The mixtape features guest appearances from rappers Brinx, Busta Rhymes, Drake, Gucci Mane, Mack Maine, Gudda Gudda, Jae Millz, Lil Wayne, Red Café, Rocko and Ron Browz, as well as vocals from singers Ricky Blaze, Bobby V, Shanell. Its production was overseen by DJ Holiday and the Trap-a-Holics.
Jermaine Lamarr Cole is an American rapper and record producer. Born on a military base in Germany and raised in Fayetteville, North Carolina, Cole initially gained attention as a rapper following the release of his debut mixtape, The Come Up, in early 2007. Intent on further pursuing a musical career, he signed with Jay-Z's Roc Nation in 2009 and released two additional mixtapes: The Warm Up (2009) and Friday Night Lights (2010) to further critical acclaim as he garnered a wider following.
Donavan LaMond Johnson better known by his stage name XV is an American rapper, singer and songwriter from Wichita, Kansas. He first gained major attention after the release of his twelfth mixtape Everybody's Nobody, for which he received two awards from DJBooth.net. His name, XV, refers to the age (15) at which he began his musical career. On Monday July 26, 2010, XV announced that he had signed a recording contract with Warner Bros. Records via his Twitter page.
The Warm Up is the second official mixtape from American rapper J. Cole. It was released on June 15, 2009. J. Cole produced the majority of the mixtape with help from Elite, and Syience. The mixtape has been viewed over 3,100,000 times, streamed over 451,000 times, and downloaded over 700,000 times on DatPiff. The mixtape went Double Platinum on DatPiff.
Cole World: The Sideline Story is the debut studio album by American rapper and record producer J. Cole. It was released on September 27, 2011, by Roc Nation and Columbia Records, with distribution from Sony Music. The album is his first studio release, following three successful mixtapes. In 2007, the album was first recorded and ended, and then began to take place from 2009 to early 2011, featuring the production that was handled mainly by Cole himself, with some production from high-profile producer No I.D. It includes four guest appearances from Trey Songz, Drake, Jay-Z and Missy Elliott.
"Devil in a New Dress" is a song by American hip hop recording artist and rapper Kanye West from his fifth studio album, My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy (2010). Originally released through West's GOOD Friday initiative, a weekly free music giveaway started by the rapper to promote My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy, it later appeared on the album with an added guitar solo by producer Mike Dean and an additional guest verse featuring rapper Rick Ross. "Devil in a New Dress" was produced by Bink, and is the only song on the album not to be produced by West. The song samples Smokey Robinson's slow jam recording "Will You Love Me Tomorrow?", and is themed lyrically to lust and heartache. Both the topics of love and religion serve as the main inspiration to the song.
Culdesac is the fifth mixtape by American rapper Childish Gambino better known as Donald Glover, released July 3, 2010. The entire mixtape was self-produced with assistance from Community composer, Ludwig Göransson. It was originally meant to be released on July 2, but was delayed for one day due to last minute material. Like his other mixtapes, Culdesac was released for free download.
"All of the Lights" is a song by American rapper Kanye West, released as the fourth single from his fifth studio album, My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy (2010). It was produced by West and features additional vocals from several other recording artists, including John Legend, The-Dream, Drake, Alicia Keys, Fergie, Elton John, Ryan Leslie, Charlie Wilson, Tony Williams, La Roux, Alvin Fields, Ken Lewis, Kid Cudi, and Rihanna; the latter two are credited on the official music video and single version, but not on the album version. It is often played along with its accompanying interlude "All of the Lights (Interlude)", which precedes the song on the album's tracklist.
Tyrone William Griffin Jr., known professionally as Ty Dolla Sign, is an American singer, songwriter and record producer from Los Angeles, California. He gained initial recognition for his guest appearance on fellow Los Angeles rapper YG's 2010 single "Toot It and Boot It", which entered the Billboard Hot 100. He signed with Atlantic Records in 2012, and Wiz Khalifa's Taylor Gang Entertainment the following year.
Fear of God II: Let Us Pray is the major label debut extended play by American rapper Pusha T, released on November 8, 2011, under Decon and G.O.O.D. Music. The EP was his first project with Kanye West's GOOD Music label, since the announcement of his signing in September 2010. Pusha T claims his inspiration for Fear of God is that a vast majority of the people who he came in the music business with are in prison: "I came in the game with super producers. We made hit records. I never thought that it gets deeper. But not for nothing, 2009 I lost eight of my friends to incarceration. Everybody that I came in to the rap game with, and when I realized that those components weren't there anymore, the 'Fear of God' really came over me. It's full of the dichotomy of 'right and wrong' and 'good and evil'. A lot of it deals with greed. A lot of it deals with instant gratification. Personally... life without instant gratification... I don't know what it is."
"In the Morning" is a song by American rapper J. Cole, originally released on his third mixtape Friday Night Lights (2010) and included on his debut studio album Cole World: The Sideline Story (2011). The song, produced by L&X Music, features Canadian hip hop recording artist Drake.
Detroit is the fourth mixtape by American rapper Big Sean. It was released for free download on September 5, 2012, by GOOD Music. Detroit features guest appearances from fellow rappers such as J. Cole, Juicy J, King Chip, French Montana, Royce da 5'9", Kendrick Lamar and Tyga, along with track narrations by Common, Young Jeezy and Snoop Lion. Wale and Wiz Khalifa are also featured in the bonus tracks. American singers including Chris Brown, Jhené Aiko, James Fauntleroy and Mike Posner also make guest appearances on the mixtape. Production is by Hit-Boy, Da Internz, 808 Mafia's own producers Lex Luger and Southside and KeY Wane, among others. The mixtape primarily consisted of these completed original songs.
"30 Hours" is a song by American rap musician Kanye West, featuring backing vocals from Andre 3000, that lies on West's seventh studio album The Life of Pablo (2016). The track was released as a promotional single from the album as part of West's GOOD Fridays program.
"Blazin'" is a song by American hip hop artist Nicki Minaj that features Kanye West, from her debut studio album Pink Friday (2010). The hook was freestyled by Minaj in the studio.
Truly Yours 2 is the second EP by American rapper J. Cole. It was released digitally for free download and stream on April 30, 2013. The EP features guest appearances from Young Jeezy, 2 Chainz and Bas. Production came from J. Cole, Canei Finch, Jake One, and Ron Gilmore. The EP has been downloaded over 500,000 times on mixtape site DatPiff.
The Off-Season is the sixth studio album by American rapper J. Cole. It was released on May 14, 2021, by Dreamville Records, Roc Nation and Interscope Records. The album was executive produced by Cole, Ibrahim Hamad, and T-Minus. It also features guest vocals from Morray, 21 Savage, Lil Baby, Bas, and 6lack. It became Cole's first album since 2013's Born Sinner to contain guest features. Production was handled by multiple producers, including Cole himself, T-Minus, Timbaland, Boi-1da, Frank Dukes, DJ Dahi, Tae Beast, and Jake One, among others.
