Paramount+ has announced the premiere of MIXTAPE, a new documentary that delves into the influential role of mixtapes in launching hip-hop into mainstream culture. The film will exclusively debut on the streaming service on August 1 in the U.S. and Canada, and on August 2 in the U.K., Australia, Latin America, and Brazil, with additional international markets to follow later in the year.
MIXTAPE tells the story of how hip hop persevered and thrived through mixtapes, with DJs serving as tastemakers and creators of the genre’s sound. The documentary highlights the cultural significance of mixtapes as currency and indicators of being “in the know.”
“Hip-Hop is 50 years old and I can’t think of a better way to celebrate its journey and contextualize its evolution than through the story of the mixtape. Every voice in this film played a critical role, especially the DJs who, as KRS-ONE says beautifully in the film, risked everything to ‘bring us the music’,” said Omar Acosta, director of MIXTAPE.
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Producer Tony Touch added, “It’s an honor to be involved in this film and to help tell the real story of the mixtape, its origins, its impact, and its ongoing relevance for the culture.”
The MIXTAPE features interviews with a star-studded lineup of artists and industry figures, including 2 Chainz, A$AP Rocky, DJ Khaled, Lil Wayne, Mike Tyson, and more. Produced by MTV Entertainment Studios, Mercury Studios, and Saboteur Media in association with Def Jam Recordings, “MIXTAPE” is directed by Omar Acosta and produced by David Kennedy, Tony Touch, Nick Quested, and Daniel Seliger. The official soundtrack, titled “The Def Tape,” is set to be released in August via Def Jam Recordings.
