Best Hip-Hop Mixtapes of 2008

Lil Wayne's highly anticipated album Tha Carter III release date kept getting rescheduled. A week before the June 10^th release, Lil Wayne made a statement about mixtape DJs. In response to that statement, DJ's within hours leaked the entire album for free download on several different websites. Though the entire album was available for free a week before release, Tha Carter III sold almost a half million units on its opening day and over a million units the first week. The best mixtape of the year, which contains songs from the most commercially successful album of the year.

The N*gger Tape

After changing the name of his album to Untitled, Nas collaborated with DJ Green Lantern to drop The N*gger Tape, a compilation of unreleased tracks and three tracks that are included on the album. Despite the controversial title, Nas uses his superb lyrical talents to tackle civil rights issues, while incorporating that classic legendary Nas style.

Dedication 3

Lil' Wayne collaborates with DJ Drama for the third volume of Dedication in the Gangsta Grillz series. Of the 23 tracks seventeen are more than worthy of being on an album (that excludes all the interludes), especially Bang Bang that features a banging beat produced by Grammy nominated Soulja Boy.

Mixtape About Nothing

An almost unknown mixtape rapper from Washington, D.C., Wale (pronounced wah-lay) tributes his favorite TV show Seinfeld with the Mixtape About Nothing. The actor that plays Elaine Barnes does a cameo, there are also sound clips from different episodes, giving the mixtape a different type of vibe. With a alternative flare, Wale's sound is like a mixture of Common and Nas with story-like lyrics.