DJ Drama credits Drake and Wiz Khalifa for bringing the Mixtape back
How Drake and Wiz Khalifa Rewired the Mixtape Game, According to DJ Drama
Mixtapes are no longer just promotional tools—they’re events. And if you ask DJ Drama, two names are responsible for breathing new life into the underground format: Drake and Wiz Khalifa. Speaking candidly about the resurgence of mixtapes, DJ Drama reflects on how both artists have helped reshape the modern music landscape.
“Today, a lot of the mixtapes that I drop, I don’t even print up physical copies. A lot of it lives online, so that changed,” Drama explains. “But I also remember back in ’07… not really a lot of artists broke that year. And then Drake came with his projects, and Wiz Khalifa and so forth.”
Now, to the credit of what DJ Drama told Billboard, they are two of the biggest rappers out.
Drake and Wiz Khalifa Redefine Mixtape Culture
Both Drake and Wiz Khalifa are household names. But their rise to fame didn’t follow the traditional album-first blueprint. Instead, each artist leveraged the power of the mixtape to build momentum and galvanize fans. Drake’s So Far Gone and Wiz’s Kush & Orange Juice didn’t just catch on—they became cultural markers.
As DJ Drama points out, this wasn’t just a trend; it was a reset. “As the mixtapes came back, the artists and their movements came back as well and people realized that it’s important to the culture,” he explains. “Most of the artists these days, from Wiz, from Drake, from J. Cole, from Kendrick Lamar… all the people that people talk about, it’s come back to that mixtape era.”
How the Internet Turned Mixtapes Into Mainstream Moments
The internet has revolutionized music distribution. With platforms like DatPiff and LiveMixtapes, artists no longer need physical tapes to circulate their work. DJ Drama has adapted to this digital age, noting that while he once pressed thousands of CDs, today’s work lives primarily online.
That digital push is what allowed projects like So Far Gone and Kush & Orange Juice to travel far beyond regional borders. They didn’t need radio play or retail placement. The fans found them, shared them, and championed them into relevance.
Mixtapes Becoming Retail Success Stories
Another major shift is how mixtapes are now being packaged and sold in stores. DJ Drama cites his collaboration with Fabolous on There Is No Competition 2 as a prime example. Originally available as a free download, the tape gained so much traction online that Def Jam stepped in.
“Because of the popularity, it got rereleased into stores [through Def Jam] with a couple of extra songs, videos were shot… people started to really treat them as albums,” Drama says. What was once just street promotion is now commercial opportunity.
This transition marks an important evolution. Mixtapes are no longer just underground. They’re blurring the lines between free content and full-fledged albums.
Fabolous Also Salutes Drake’s Mixtape Impact
DJ Drama isn’t alone in crediting Drake with pushing mixtapes back into prominence. Brooklyn veteran Fabolous has also noted the ripple effect of So Far Gone, as well as Lil Wayne’s No Ceilings.
“The Drake mixtape of course was a huge success,” Fab explained. “Lil Wayne’s tape generated a lot of interest… So when I seen what [Wayne’s] No Ceilings did, it let me see that there’s still definitely potential there.”
For Fab, mixtapes allow him to return to a rawer, more street-centered aesthetic that complements—but doesn’t mimic—his mainstream albums.
The Mixtape Raid That Changed Everything
Of course, DJ Drama’s name is synonymous with mixtapes for another reason. Back in January 2007, his Atlanta office was raided in a high-profile operation led by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA). Over 50,000 physical mixtapes were confiscated, and Drama, along with Don Cannon and several others, was arrested.
The raid made headlines and brought legal gray areas into sharp focus. But even that wasn’t enough to stop the culture. If anything, it made Drama an icon of resistance in the mixtape world.
Since then, he’s continued to elevate the format—both through his Gangsta Grillz series and with albums like Third Power, due out later this year.
DJ Drama’s Legacy in the Mixtape Era
Drama’s influence extends far beyond any single project. He helped make mixtapes a legitimate part of artist rollouts. From working with T.I. to introducing up-and-comers like Willie the Kid, DJ Drama has always had his ear to the streets.
By co-founding Aphilliates Music Group and securing deals with labels like Asylum and Grand Hustle, Drama carved a lane where authenticity and business could coexist. And by navigating the transition from street tapes to digital dominance, he proved that adaptability is king.
A Digital Hustle Built on Legacy and Innovation
What makes this moment so fascinating is that it isn’t just about nostalgia. It’s about evolution. Artists like Drake and Wiz Khalifa didn’t revive the mixtape—they redefined it. And DJ Drama was there to witness—and support—it every step of the way.
As the landscape continues to change, Drama is clear-eyed about the role mixtapes play: “It’s come back to that mixtape era.”
For a new generation of artists and fans, the mixtape isn’t just alive—it’s thriving.
Conclusion: Mixtapes Matter Again—Thanks to Drake, Wiz and DJ Drama
In an industry that’s constantly chasing the next big thing, mixtapes offer something rare: a chance for artists to be raw, unfiltered, and direct with their fans. Drake and Wiz Khalifa understood that. DJ Drama supported it. And today, the entire game is reaping the rewards.
For Drake, he is easily the most marketable rapper in the game. Meanwhile, Wiz Khalifa’s debut put an entire city on the map. In addition, he topped Billboard Hot 100, and then put his own Taylor Gang label into contention. What made all of that happen? To quote DJ Drama, it’s one word, and that word is “mixtapes.” Two of the game’s brightest new stars brought it back.
If the mixtape ever needed saving, consider it rescued—and revitalized—by those who knew its power all along.