Blog Era Mixtapes: Top 50 Favorites
Kendrick Lamar, Mac Miller, Odd Future & More
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In 2010, Kendrick Lamar released his fifth mixtape, Overly Dedicated. And while I eventually found my way to this project, Ross first introduced me to Section.80. This is the debut album Lamar put out 10 months after Overly Dedicated. Both projects, and much of Lamar’s earlier work, fit squarely within the time period many rap fans lovingly recall as the “Blog Era.”
From approximately 2007 to 2012, treasure hunters like myself would rummage through websites, such as HotNewHipHop and DatPiff, looking for unheard raps from our favorite artists. Along the way, we sacrificed our family computers on the altar of sketchy downloads from LimeWire and discovered songs and full-length projects we’ll remember forever. Section.80 and Overly Dedicated are two of those records for me.
Fast forward to 2025, fifteen years since Lamar released Overly Dedicated, and the “Not Like Us” rapper has firmly cemented himself at the top of hip hop. Largely due to his yearlong decimation of Drake, another Blog Era darling, Lamar capped his campaign by sweeping every category he was nominated for at this year’s Grammys and headlining the “most watched anything in the history of American television” at the Super Bowl LIX halftime show.
“A rapper from the Blog era is performing at the Super Bowl,” wrote Twitter/X user @keiopensdoors. “Do y’all realize how crazy that is?”
The Blog Era shaped my love for hip hop. Much of it was digital in the way streaming is, but it still felt tactile in the way we sometimes had to update the title and artist fields on iTunes or source the cover art for the songs we downloaded. My iPod was my iPod before it was my iPhone. Artists released music for free. Actually, truly free. And it wasn’t unheard of to hear your fave rapping over a radio hit or indie song. Some of these tracks redefined the originals.
Five years ago, I compiled a list of my 50 favorite Blog Era mixtapes. Inspired by Kendrick’s performance, I decided to republish that list with some updated anecdotes. Back when I first put this list together, I remembered the projects I could and used DatPiff’s collection of “celebrated mixtapes” to fill in the gaps of records I’d forgotten. Once I had my list, I ranked the mixtapes 10 at a time based on my connection to them until I completed all 50.
As it goes with most lists I put out, these are my personal favorites — not a “best of” list. Recommendations are always welcome, but don’t tell me what I “forgot.” I’m sorry I didn’t listen to your favorite project or love it in the way you did, but I look forward to reading your list.
Without further ado, here are my 50 favorite Blog Era mixtapes:
50. Danny Brown: XXX (2011)
Danny Brown’s got some lines that would make Lil Wayne blush. And his voice is unmatched. The “Die Like a Rockstar” rapper is always good for a memorable drug bar.
49. MellowHype: BlackenedWhite (2010)
MellowHype consists of Odd Future members Hodgy Beats and Left Brain. In my opinion, Hodgy was always the scariest member of OF. You can feel the eeriness when looking at the cover art for BlackenedWhite. But Hodgy could rap his ass off. On “Chordoroy,” he holds his own alongside OF’s Tyler, The Creator and Earl Sweatshirt:
“People love Hodgy, I hate you though
I don’t precipitate bitch, I H2O”
48. Wale: The Eleven One Eleven Theory (2011)
I’ve always appreciated how reflective Wale is. On “Varsity Blues,” the DMV emcee speaks on the treatment of Black college athletes and delivers a poignant second verse alluding to the need for NIL compensation:
“Look, I’m talking Reggie Bush, matter of fact ask Cameron Newton
Matter of fact go ask they schools how many jerseys they was moving
Thank you for they tuition, thank you for room and board
Most of them niggas got no pot to piss doing four
Niggas thinking of moving, AJ flipping computers
Brandon Davies had relations, what if Jimmer was screwing?”
47. Nicki Minaj: Beam Me Up Scotty (2009)
Nicki really did her big one on “Itty Bitty Piggy.” Like, she did that!
“I don’t fuck with pigs, like ‘As-Salaam-Alaikum’
I put ’em in a field, I let Oscar Mayer bake ‘em”
You could tell Nicki was different. It wasn’t a game for her.
46. Big Sean: Uknowbigsean Vol. 2 (2009)
I love Big Sean’s story about how he rapped to Kanye outside of a radio station in 2015 and then Kanye signed Big Sean to GOOD Music two years later. On Big Sean’s 2009 mixtape, you can hear the tension between him and West two years after he was signed to GOOD Music. Over Kanye’s “Say You Will,” Sean raps about still waiting for his moment and wanting more attention from Ye:
“And I been signed to Ye for well over a year now
It’s clear now, I’mma focus on my career now
You taught me to create a process
Saying that you changed my life, dog, it’s me being modest
But honestly I wish that I could take you off tour
Put you in the studio so you could focus more on my shit”
45. Curren$y: Return to the Winner’s Circle (2011)
I remember this tape was huge on DatPiff. I love how Curren$y comes through on the intro rapping over the beat for “Live Fast, Die Young” by Kanye & Rick Ross. Curren$y’s flow is always so effortlessly cool.
44. Joe Budden: Mood Muzik 4 (2010)
“Remember the Titans.” That’s all.
43. Vic Mensa: Innanetape (2013)
I struggle with Vic Mensa these days, but the energy on “Lovely Day,” produced by him and Peter CottonTale, is unmatched. In one of the verses, Mensa mentions TwitPic, which is where you had to upload photos to get them on Twitter before you could tweet photos natively in the platform. A line of the times.
42. 2 Chainz: T.R.U. REALigion (2011)
Tity 2 Necklace. The gawd.
41. Mac Miller: The High Life (2009)
“Cruise Control,” featuring Wiz Khalifa, is one of my favorite songs from the Blog Era. So much of the weed rap from this time utiliziled soul samples you can’t help but lose yourself in. I especially loved how melodic Mac and Wiz were. It’s always good music to vibe to.
40. Lupe Fiasco: Revenge of the Nerds (2006)
Back in sixth grade, Bryan and I got super into Lupe Fiasco after falling in love with Food & Liquor. We went on to discover Revenge of the Nerds and would sit in his bedroom after school and listen to joints from this mixtape. When it came to Lupe’s lyrical assault, he never relented.
39. Asher Roth: Seared Foie Gras W/ Quince & Cranberry (2010)
Asher Roth starts this mixtape with a promise: “One day, I’m gonna say something really impressive.” Roth knows he’s slick with the pen, but he never takes himself too seriously. I’ve always enjoyed his writing. It’ll catch you by surprise if you’re not ready.
38. Casey Veggies: Sleeping in Class (2011)
“RIDIN ROUN TOWN, MO CHANGE, MO STEELO.”
The “Ridin’ Roun Town (Remix)” with C-San, Kendrick, and Dom Kennedy is one for the history books. “DTA” with Tyler, The Creator is also peak.
37. Jay Electronica: What the F*ck is a Jay Electronica (2009)
Jay Electronica is another artist I struggle with. But when I was younger, I thought it was so dope that he rapped over movie scores from Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind on “Eternal Sunshine (The Pledge).” I even tried to write my own version. I think I wrote something over an instrumental from The Incredible Hulk.
36. Childish Gambino: Royalty (2012)
I interned in Atlanta the summer after my junior year of college. During one of my weekends down there, I drove to visit a friend in Stone Mountain, Childish Gambino’s hometown, and bumped Royalty the whole ride. It felt right.
35. B.o.B: No Genre (2010)
The last track on No Genre, a remix of Lupe Fiasco’s “I’m Beamin,” nearly gave us THE Blog Era supergroup: All City Chess Club, which featured Asher Roth, B.o.B, The Cool Kids, Charles Hamilton, Blu, Diggy, J. Cole, Wale, and Lupe. However, J. Cole and Wale were noticeably absent from “I’m Beamin.” While I wish we would’ve gotten more from the collective, I’m glad we, at least, got this one.
34. Yelawolf: Trunk Muzik (2010)
“DON’T. MAKE. ME. GO. POP. THE TRUNK.
ON YOU.”
33. Drake: Comeback Season (2007)
Ahead of Drake’s fan-favorite mixtape, So Far Gone, the up-and-coming Canadian worked to make a name for himself. On Comeback Season’s final track, “Man of the Year,” Drake samples Lil Wayne’s original song and delivers bars his future mentor would be proud of.
32. Wiz Khalifa: Kush & Orange Juice (2010)
Kush & OJ is one of those mixtapes that defines the Blog Era. It virtually broke the Internet. Of course, the mixtape title is an automatic Instagram caption. And we got Wiz in his prime. Also, “Mezmorised” is forever that song.
31. Kendrick Lamar: Overly Dedicated (2010)
As noted on Genius, “The cover art [for Overly Dedicated] features different artists and musicians that have passed away, most of them from drug overdoses.” This provides an additional layer of meaning to the mixtape’s title, acknowledging that these artists’ dedication to their crafts played a part in their deaths. Kendrick confirmed his commitment to rap, that he wouldn’t stop until he took the throne.
30. Theophilus London: I Want You (2010)
“Flying Overseas” may be one of the coolest songs I’ve ever heard. I knew Solange sang the hook, but I didn’t know Dev Hynes (of Blood Orange fame) was on the bridge. Also, on Theophilus London’s blog, I read that the music and mixtape title are “inspired by Marvin Gaye’s self-imposed European exile and controversial performance of the national anthem at the 1983 NBA All Star game.”
29. Raury: Indigo Child (2014)
I walked past Raury at a Miguel show in Atlanta in Summer 2015. As I was leaving the concert, I saw a dude who looked eerily like Raury walk by. He was wearing what looked like Raury’s signature hat. But since I didn’t know if it was him, I decided not to say anything. But I should’ve. Later that night, on Miguel’s Instagram, I saw that it was him. Raury was at the show. Damn it.
28. Pusha T: Fear of God (2011)
Pusha T kicks off his first mixtape after signing to GOOD Music with a bang:
“I can’t be bothered with paying homage to forefathers
See the future like the car show floor models
Both feet in the snow, so that my core follows
We don’t mourn for the dead nigga, we pour bottles
The mixtape also features Push’s iconic Funkmaster Flex “Blow (Freestyle)” where he solidifies himself as a master of the opening bar once again:
“Malice found religion, Tony found prison
I’m just tryna find my way out this fucking kitchen”
Spoiler alert: he’s still in the kitchen.
27. Chance The Rapper: 10 Day (2012)
10 Day’s origin is probably my favorite story in hip hop. It changed the way I think about encouraging young people in their creativity. After receiving a two-week suspension from his high school, Chance recorded 10 Day in a recording studio at his local library. The studio was free for up-and-coming artists through the library’s YOUmedia program, which also helped give way to Chicago artists like Nico Segal, Noname, and Jamila Woods.
26. Wale: Mixtape About Nothing (2008)
The most memorable song from this mixtape is “The Kramer.” It begins with a clip of Michael Richards, who played Kramer on Seinfeld, going on a racist rant against Black people who heckled him at a comedy show. Wale raps about the N-word and how we’re all immersed in anti-Blackness.
25. J. Cole: Friday Night Lights (2010)
“Blow Up” is the song I remember the most from Friday Night Lights because I thought the beat was so crazy. I actually ended up writing a rap to it back in high school.
24. B.o.B: May 25th (2010)
I honestly forgot about this tape until
brought it up to me on Instagram. After listening back, I had to put it in my top 25. Ahead of B.o.B’s The Adventures of Bobby Ray, he dropped May 25th to announce the album’s release date. The mixtape has some BOPS. “The Biz.” “Champion.” “F**k the Money,” produced by Kanye. Y’all can laugh, but B.o.B didn’t hold back.23. Lil Wayne: No Ceilings (2009)
Weezy’s run from 2005–09 changed the rap game forever. Similar to Da Drought 3, Wayne mainly rapped over other people’s beats on No Ceilings. “Surf Swag” and “YM Wasted” are some of my favorites.
22. Kid Cudi: Dat Kid From Cleveland (2009)
I recently learned Dat Kid From Cleveland is an unofficial mixtape, but it’s still official in my heart. It had tracks like “Make Her Say” (originally named “I Poke Her Face”) and “Sky Might Fall,” both of which showed up on Cudi’s debut album, Man on the Moon. A few of the standout tracks for me are “Daps and Pounds” and “Buggin’ Out 09” with Consequence.
21. Odd Future: Radical (2011)
After I discovered Odd Future through Tyler, The Creator, I downloaded this mixtape on DatPiff and immediately found myself in a world of angst and outlandishness. In retrospect, it’s funny looking back at how this project’s intro is set at a carnival and now Tyler hosts an annual carnival, Camp Flog Gnaw, which just celebrated 10 years last year. Growth. Longevity.
20. Chiddy Bang: Peanut Butter & Swelly (2011)
In 2011, I heard Chiddy broke the Guinness World Record for “Longest Rap Freestyle” with a rap that lasted 9 hours, 16 minutes, and 22 seconds. I remember thinking it was the dopest thing. I also thought the duo’s “I Can’t Stop Freestyle” was pretty dope, too.
19. A$AP Rocky: LiveLoveA$AP (2011)
“Peso” features another one of the great opening lines in hip-hop history:
“I be that pretty mothafucka, Harlem’s what I’m reppin’”
Rocky invented a new national anthem with this one.
18. Big K.R.I.T.: Krit Wuz Here (2010)
Big K.R.I.T.’s “Hometown Hero” joins the list of great Blog Era songs that sample Adele’s “Chasing Pavements.” K.R.I.T.’s rendition Is up there with “Hometown” on Big Sean’s Finally Famous Vol. 3. Also, I love that the Mississippi native uses clips of Boobie Miles from the movie Friday Night Lights in the intro.
17. Earl Sweatshirt: Earl (2010)
I used to rap. And after hearing this mixtape, I remember all I wanted to do is write verses like Earl Sweatshirt. He’s a master of alliteration and internal rhymes. Also, I still think Tyler saying Earl’s lips look like a “split sundae” is hilarious.
16. Tyler, The Creator: Bastard (2009)
This mixtape technically released on Christmas day in 2009, but I didn’t come across it until 2011 after I heard “Yonkers.” It marks the beginning of irreverent Tyler, especially as he attempts to distance himself from typical West Coast hip-hop/streetwear culture. Fast forward to this past year, and Tyler is reclaiming his love for Los Angeles.
15. Mac Miller: Best Day Ever (2011)
I saw Mac Miller in concert right after the release of Best Day Ever. It felt good to see him seemingly enjoying life and his relatively newfound fame. I’m happy we still have these words even though Mac is no longer with us:
“No matter where life takes me, find me with a smile
Pursuit to be happy, gon’ be laughin’ like a child
I never thought life would be this sweet
It got me cheesin’ from cheek to cheek, ayy, ayy
And I ain’t gonna wait for nothin’
’Cause that just ain’t my style
Life couldn’t get better
This gon’ be the best day ever”
14. Travis Scott: Days Before Rodeo (2014)
I couldn’t get enough of “Skyfall,” featuring Young Thug, after first listening to this mixtape. I feel like I’m transported to a Travis show every time. Jumping around like he does at his concerts. Shaking my head like I have dreads. And it’s earth-shattering when Thug’s verse comes in.
13. Big Sean: Finally Famous Vol. 3 (2010)
The “Fat Raps (Remix)” sounds like the Blog Era. It features titans of the times: Chuck Inglish of The Cool Kids, Dom Kennedy, and Asher Roth. The mixtape itself feels like an intro to the 2010s with features from Chiddy Bang, Drake, Big K.R.I.T., YG, and Ty Dolla $ign. It’s so fun.
12. Wale & 9th Wonder: Back to the Feature (2009)
Wale and 9th Wonder together… what more can I say? Incredible beats. Top-notch features. And an amazing collab with Curren$y and J. Cole on “Rather Be.”
11. Drake: So Far Gone (2009)
Growing up, I hated IKEA. I distinctly remember my mom dragging me there, and I’d walk around the store by myself listening to So Far Gone. Rapping along to “Say What’s Real” and “Uptown” made the trip go so much quicker.
10. Curren$y & Wiz Khalifa: How Fly (2009)
“CLEAR THE RUNWAY BABY, I GET MONEY FROM SUNDAY TO SUNDAY LADY.”
Arguably one of the greatest opening lines in rap history. Hands down, Curren$y and Wiz are up there on my list of hip-hop best friends.
9. Wale: More About Nothing (2010)
I saw Wale perform at halftime of the Jordan Brand Classic in 2008. That was also the night I met Vince Carter and high-fived Michael Jordan. While Wale was definitely the least memorable moment of that night, it forged a connection for me between Wale and his music—almost as close as the D.C. rapper’s connection with Seinfeld.
8. J. Cole: The Warm Up (2009)
While “Lights Please” hasn’t aged as wonderfully as I would’ve liked, The Warm Up is J. Cole at his finest. Right before jumping into “Dead Presidents II,” Cole talks about how he rapped over the Jay-Z original on his first mixtape and someone told him he didn’t do it justice. In an effort to prove this doubter wrong, Cole re-wrote his raps and dropped his updated version on The Warm Up. Apparently, “he was silenced forever” after J. Cole’s second attempt, which he did body.
7. Mac Miller: K.I.D.S. (2010)
A few friends and I went to see Mac Miller at Amos’ Southend during our junior year of high school. K.I.D.S. had been out a year, and Best Day Ever just dropped. It was one of those nights where you feel older than you really are because you’re outside, no parents, just staying up late and enjoying life with your friends.
6. Kid Cudi: A Kid Named Cudi (2008)
Damn, this is a classic. No skips necessary. Rappers sampling indie bands is one of the best things to come out of the Blog Era, and I don’t know if anyone did it better than Kid Cudi. His flip of Band of Horses’ “The Funeral” on his song “The Prayer” is still one of my all-time Cudi favorites.
5. Chance The Rapper: Acid Rap (2013)
JT showed me “Good Ass Intro” for the first time, and I was dumbfounded. I couldn’t wrap my head around what it was. No one genre came to mind. And Chance was rapping about “orange cassette tapes with Timmy, Tommy, and Chuckie.” Soon after, Elizabeth put “Cocoa Butter Kisses” on a CD she made for me. I’ve been obsessed since.
4. Lil Wayne: The Dedication 2 (2006)
I see this mixtape as my introduction to the Blog Era. “They Still Like Me” and “Walk It Off” blew my mind. I immediately added them to my iPod Classic. Forever legendary.
3. Frank Ocean: nostalgia, ULTRA. (2011)
Within the first couple tracks, I fell in love with this mixtape because it felt like Frank was meeting me where I was. “Strawberry Swing” spoke to the part of me that listened to Coldplay nonstop, and “There Will Be Tears” let me know someone else listened to Mr Hudson. On “We All Try,” I remember Frank putting voice to thoughts I had but couldn’t express as one of the few Black kids at my Southern Baptist private high school.
2. Wiz Khalifa: Burn After Rolling (2009)
PUT SOME RESPECT ON BURN AFTER ROLLING. The cover art is the Burn After Reading movie poster frame for frame. Also, Wiz raps over Empire of the Sun’s “Walking on a Dream” on “The Thrill.” This mixtape is so fun and beautifully captures the spirit of the Blog Era where no instrumental or influence was off limits.
1. Lil Wayne: Da Drought 3 (2007)
Lil Wayne cemented himself as the best rapper alive on Da Drought 3. In Wayne’s words, “The radio be on and whatever song comes on, add that instrumental to it.” He goes in over songs like Beyonce’s “Upgrade U” and Mike Jones’ “Mr. Jones” and delivers countless unforgettable lines. To this day, I can still rap every track nearly word for word.
My Datpiff log in is calling me, definitely gonna have to queue up some of these.
alex this is such a great list -- i kept coming back to read it this week! thank you for this! 🫶