The word mixtape has plenty of different interpretations. It used to be that mixtapes were actually DJ sets recorded on cassette tapes, but with the coming of the digital music age, the name remained the same, but the definition expanded. Nowadays, people call mixtapes many different things, some of which are not necessarily mixed and most of which were never taped. Here we try to cover them all. In this column, Juan Data gives you a worthy one every week.
DJ: Mr. Rango
MIXTAPE: Mr. Rango The Mixtape, 1990 to 2012
Time for some reggae. Many Spanish dancehall and hip-hop fans must already be very familiarized with Mr. Rango, a living legend of sorts and a genuine pioneer of the genre. For the rest, let’s just say that since the early ’90s, Mr. Rango was lending his ragga-toasting vocals to the tracks of El Club de los Poetas Violentos (C.P.V.) — the super group of hardcore hip-hop MC’s that from Madrid revolutionized the way of rapping in the Spanish language, influencing not only all Spanish, but also many Latin American rappers.
After C.P.V.’s last album as a group in 1998, each member went the solo route with different results (a couple of them were heavily involved in Mala Rodríguez‘s first couple of albums). Mr. Rango decided to focus exclusively on reggae and dancehall, straying away from the orthodox hip-hop scene.
After a successful double album in 2010 (Noche y Día), Mr. Rango surprised all his fans with this new mix tape released just a couple of weeks ago for free download, where he compiles the greatest hits of his long career in new revamped versions, sometimes using instrumentals (riddims) from very famous reggae and hip-hop hits. Put together with the help of producer/selector Mad Shack of Chronic Sound, the mix tape also includes new, unreleased tracks hinting on a new upcoming album. It came out right around the same time of the announcement of a C.P.V. reunion with a new album to drop later this year.
Mr. Rango – The Mixtape (Mixed by Chronic, 2012) by ChronicSound