Mixtapes played a significant role in the global emergence of hip hop. Before modern media, mixtapes allowed people to experience a party halfway around the world by simply inserting a cassette into a tape deck. DJs were influential tastemakers, setting trends and creating the sound that became the dominant music genre.
Mixtape
The mixtape played a pivotal role in hip hop's global success, serving as a primary medium for music distribution before the advent of radio, online platforms, and social media.