The mixtape format is becoming increasingly popular as a way of generating hype for hip hop artists. Often each track on a promotional hip hop mixtape will feature the same artist, thus making it more difficult to differentiate from the definition of a standard album. However, these mixtapes will usually have much lower production values than a studio album, and contain numerous collaborations, remixes, freestyles and voice-overs, often not arranged in a specific fashion. It's also a near universal that mixtapes are homemade, not professionally pressed or printed.
Hip hop mixtapes are usually sold on the street or through independent record dealers or mail order, mainly relying on word of mouth to increase the artist's street cred. 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.
