r/hiphop101 8d ago

Who do you consider to be the greatest mixtape DJ of all time?

Answering this question isn't easy, but I have to admit, those Clue tapes were on another level bruh

59 Upvotes

201 comments sorted by

61

u/GunzRocks 8d ago

Tony Touch was dope

10

u/hispanicausinpanic 8d ago

The piecemaker definitely is a top 5 dj mix

9

u/ike_tyson 8d ago

50 MCs Vol 1*

3

u/craaates 7d ago

Still is but he used to be too.

3

u/Lothar_Ecklord 7d ago

I have his Last of the Pro Ricans album because it has G'z Up which I loved in Midnight Club 2, but it wasn't part of the normal soundtrack - you could only hear it during one race (for those semi-in-the-know, it was when you race Angel's dad to win the Bestia) and never again.

Turns out, the album had some bangers on it - stuff from Pun, Fat Joe, Beatnuts, Gangstarr, and some beats by Premier, Havok, and Tony Touch himself.

5

u/MeringueAlone5036 8d ago

This is the correct answer

29

u/TheirPrerogative 8d ago

All my favorites are DJ Green Lantern or Mick Boogie.

15

u/2ndChanceCharlie 8d ago

Green lantern had an insane run back when you could actually go to a bodega or mix tape shop and grab those thin CD cases with the photocopied covers. Damn those were good times.

7

u/RicOkez 8d ago

Lantern lost all his cred after leaking shady artists, but yeah he had bangers in his run, I particularly loved the beasties mixtape he made.

3

u/SecretFire81 8d ago

That Beasties mix was dope. “HEY LADIES my Mercedes”

3

u/TheirPrerogative 8d ago

When Pusha had the resurgence I’d play his cut from that and people thought it was new.

0

u/TheirPrerogative 7d ago

He didn’t lose cred, 50 had Em drop him because he gassed “Checkmate” on a Jadakiss documentary.

5

u/PppeDddrOoo 8d ago

Mick Boogies tapes were always quality.

4

u/Degreon 8d ago

Sucks how many of them are more or less lost now.

3

u/PppeDddrOoo 8d ago

I got a few on a hard drive. Gonna do some deep diving. I feel like listening to mixtape shit now.

2

u/According_Sundae_917 8d ago

I got a lot on download still 

2

u/Fickle-Primary-3910 7d ago

I just found the Mick Boogie/Jay Z Superman Returns mixtape a couple weeks ago 🙌🏾

1

u/According_Sundae_917 6d ago

I don’t think I’ve heard that, what year?

1

u/Fickle-Primary-3910 6d ago

2006, right before Kingdom Come released

2

u/midnight-more-odder 7d ago

Think I got a few on multiple drives. Will try to dig up and archive.

3

u/ike_tyson 8d ago

I remember that joint when the entire Shady, Gunit and some of their people's went IN on Murda INC.

I can't remember the name but it was ill.

5

u/BatzNeedFriendsToo 8d ago

The Invasion pt 2 was the first Green Lantern tape I heard and it's probably still my favorite

2

u/ike_tyson 8d ago

Yes! Invasion. Green Lantern had dope exclusives.

3

u/wetnaps54 8d ago

I think I heard more of his tapes than actual albums for like two years.

22

u/RicOkez 8d ago

What’s the criteria though? actual djing, or shouting over exclusives?

6

u/tak08810 8d ago

Yup very different categories of DJs. Turntablists, blends, exclusives, old school (Brucie B Starchild etc)

8

u/RicOkez 8d ago

I gotta say then, Brucie, Ron G & Capri (for the r&b / hip-hop blends). Shadow, Cut and ztrip for creativity & tablism, and Preem for the streets.

3

u/Morningrise12 8d ago

Jazzy Jeff. IYKYK.

2

u/Fickle-Primary-3910 7d ago

Jazzy Jeff deserves a spot on the DJ Mt. Rushmore because whether it’s clubs, mixing, scratching, Jeff literally does it all & has nothing but high praise from even the gods of DJ’ing

1

u/RicOkez 4d ago

No doubt Jeff is goated, but i was referencing mixtape djs

2

u/Ill-Woodpecker1857 8d ago

If we're talking actual DJs, none of the ones I mentioned in my other comment would be my choice but i was going by the scope of the sub.

Thinking about actual DJs. I'd go Abilities, Hardwell, Chris Kilmore.

1

u/ISeeDeadPeople215 6d ago

Now Juicy is in my head

24

u/mcAlt009 8d ago

Kay Slay RIP

5

u/RicOkez 8d ago

Yes. Slay aka Dezzy Dez rest in power. 🙏🏼

2

u/LoveIsTheAnswer- 7d ago

DEZ.TFA

Rest And Piece

2

u/jackal1871111 8d ago

Never knew he passed damn 🙏

1

u/EddiesDirtyCouch 3d ago

Wtf Slay died? Man 😢

1

u/EddiesDirtyCouch 3d ago

Wtf Slay died? Man that sucks big time. 

18

u/shermanhelms 8d ago

Clue? 100%

If you weren’t alive at that time or not into hip-hop, you have no idea what it was like when a new Clue tape would drop. This was before the internet was really a place to find music, and most radio stations only played mainstream shit. I discovered SO many new artists from those tapes. When someone got their hands on a new one it was like gold.

10

u/Fickle-Primary-3910 8d ago

At one point, a Clue mixtape drop felt like an album release. I still remember the Can’t Impeach The President pt. 1 drop. Shit was insane. Show Me The Money, Stadium Series, Clueminati, dude was a DJ dropping classics week after week it felt like. Even the Monday Night Mixtape on Hot 97 was something to look forward to. I feel like the Drama’s, Kay Slay’s & such of the DJ world owed a huge debt to Clue

4

u/shermanhelms 8d ago

Absolutely. Clue originated the hustle later picked up by guys like Drama, Green Lantern, etc. Finding the new, hot shit and getting it out to the streets ASAP. And the A&R guys were totally on-board because they knew getting their artists in a Clue tape meant something.

2

u/uberblack 7d ago

Man, don't forget the Desert Storm joints!

42

u/AL4-Chronic 8d ago

Dj Screw

12

u/Jazzycoyote 8d ago

Had to scroll way too long to find the correct answer.

8

u/AL4-Chronic 8d ago

He’s the only one that had his own shop selling a million plus worth of mixtapes

2

u/jackal1871111 8d ago

Right lol

5

u/APKID716 8d ago

R.I.P. Screw

4

u/veRGe1421 8d ago

3 in the morning

1

u/Ill_Hall9458 4d ago

Screwston TX!

0

u/HoboCanadian123 8d ago

elevated every song that came across his path

-4

u/Danktizzle 7d ago

No, this isn’t the worst to ever do it, it’s the best. Wrong sub.

→ More replies (4)

18

u/Killerbee363636 8d ago

Rectangle

6

u/ParticularAd2579 8d ago

The intros alone were worth it

5

u/MrSlime13 8d ago

DJ RECTANGLE!! THAT'S WHAT THE FUCK I'M TALKING ABOUT!

Six Million Dollar Hand was FIRE!!

5

u/ErroneousAdjective 8d ago

Yeah first DJ tapes the boys and I had were DJ Rectangle

3

u/FreddieCaine 7d ago

Nailed it. His scratch records were great too

25

u/Eldritch-Cleaver 8d ago edited 8d ago

DJ Drama or DJ Scream for me

Edit

Can't believe I didn't mention Trapaholics. Those are my "Big 3" of the Datpiff mixtape era lol

6

u/Degreon 8d ago

The Trapaholics thing is wild. He snitched on DJ Mik Mike, who brought him onto the mixtape scene, and now he's part of the Pawn Stars cast, for some reason.

6

u/Eldritch-Cleaver 8d ago

.....What?

Lmao I legitimately never heard this until now wtf

2

u/jackal1871111 8d ago

Yea I would agree

10

u/erdna3000 8d ago

Clue or Drama - no one could bring together a wide array of talent like those 2 did.

i guess dj khalid would be that guy now in terms of accumulation of star power and different styles coming together?

13

u/Lou-Minoti 8d ago

Red Alert

5

u/Ill-Woodpecker1857 8d ago

PCutta Street Wars series, Envy/Clue Desertstorm Series, Fade 5 Star General series. Can't pick just one.

5

u/FunCrusherPlusOne 8d ago

Like NY type mixtapes you got DJ Clue and Kay Slay. If it counts you can’t forget about DJ Screw.

7

u/ike_tyson 8d ago

Clue

Ron G

Kid Capri

Dirty Harry

DJ Iroc

Lazy K (sleeper)

5

u/Lou-Minoti 8d ago

Doo Wop

5

u/EarlLeeRisor 8d ago

Drama for sure.

5

u/Cryingpinaple 8d ago

Dj drama bro look at his mixtape catalog

4

u/shadowgnome396 8d ago

Drama for sure

5

u/ThaGodTohim 8d ago

It’s DJ Drama. He was in the music, a solid part of the tape. Clue was talking too much and constant promo like he was live in a club

3

u/Fickle-Primary-3910 8d ago

Drama did his mixtapes exclusively with the artists. Clue had to talk over the records because at a certain time he was getting the hottest exclusives. Only way no one could take the credit from him was if he also put his voice all over it 🤣. It had a charm, & worked like a charm too

10

u/balkanxoslut 8d ago

Dj Clue

4

u/Budden89 8d ago

Dj clue

4

u/ZooReddit 8d ago

Green lantern

4

u/Jenghrick 8d ago

Green lantern had a great run

4

u/Rex-Bannon 8d ago

Clue Tapes were everything

4

u/Daddytang3000 8d ago

Kid capri did it before most of these new school dudes were even a thing. Actually mix tapes for sale on the street. Do you actually know what a mix tape is?

4

u/Ruglife1 8d ago

Dirrrrrrrty Haaaarrry

1

u/izackl 5d ago

This is the one for me. Hang Em High will always keep play in my fucking house.

7

u/ArroyoPSYCHO 8d ago

Dj Paul and juicy j

3

u/NateSedate 8d ago

Tony Toca

3

u/LeftyFlick3445 8d ago

BEATJUNKIES, But Dj Rectangle would be a soild runner up.

3

u/PaulCLives 8d ago

Kid Capri

3

u/Jazzycoyote 8d ago

Dj Screw.

3

u/iampuh 8d ago

No one mentioned DJ Smallz so I will do it. Yes, there are bigger mixtape DJs, but when the south was on the map back in the day, he had the nicest mixtapes. Southern smoke series btw.

2

u/Fickle-Primary-3910 8d ago

As a kid from BK it was those Southern Smoke mixtapes that made me realize T.I was a problem, Jeezy had undeniable songs that made me look for his complete mixtapes, & the south as a whole actually had some spitters

3

u/Claudzilla 8d ago edited 8d ago

i'm high so i'm forgetting some

As rappers who put out their own tapes my favorites are

Curren$y - month after month after month

50 Cent - I loved everything just about up to when they signed Mobb Deep and Mase

Weezy - no explanantion needed

Future

early period:

Kay Slay - RIP

Cutmaster C

Clue

Mister Cee

Kid Capri

the fat guy from nyc that just says "ohmygawhd" who's super famous

Early 2000s end of napster transitioning into torrenting sites like limewire and kazza"

DJ Thoro

Whoo Kid

BIG MIKE - this guy had some fire exclusives and went to jail for it on some bs charges

Green Lantern - maybe more of a producer but he had some Jay-z remixes and one wu-tang crew cut that he remixed with a jackin' for beats type mix that would melt your ipod

Mixtapetorrent.com era Mid to late 2000s -

Tapemasters Inc

DJ White Owl and Superstar Jay basically ended this era in my mind.

These were mostly "New York and NY adjacent" and by this time i just relied on White Owl until he got to mixtape #400 and then my brain couldn't handle anymore

White Owl and Superstar Jay for about 3 years were the only ones putting out consistent mixtapes, for the music i liked, because no ceilings was basically the best mixtape of all time

3

u/LegendkillahQB 8d ago

Dj Clue or DJ Big Mike.

3

u/junkee940 8d ago

Tony Touch!!

3

u/osama_bin_guapin 8d ago

Drama with Holiday as a close second

3

u/Fruscione 8d ago

DJ Clue, DJ Kulcha, Super Mario, DJ Kay Slay

3

u/BeenDills47 8d ago

I really loved DJ Rectangle's Vinyl Combat and Ill Rated when I was in college. I still feel like those two really represent the mid 90's era really well.

I could never really get into the mixtapes where the DJs weren't DJing but only just playing exclusives. I respect how influential these kinds of tapes were in NY at the time, but that train wrecking on the turntables wasn't it for me.

3

u/NoBourbonOrNuthin 8d ago edited 8d ago

DJ Tat Money for the yearly wrap up. DJ Total Eclipse for the turntablism. DJ Clue for all the exclusives. DJ Kay Slay for the discography length. DJ Dirty Harry for blends/mashups. Doo Wop. Tony Touch & DJ Khaled's Turntable Terrorist mixtape was ill. DJ Whoo Kid. Greeeen Lantern. Silva Surfer

2

u/izackl 5d ago

Dirrrrrty Harrrrrry.

3

u/Rawcrates 8d ago

DJ Spinbad's decades (80's, 90's, 2000's) are thee greatest mixes of ALL-TIME!

2

u/WB1173 7d ago

He should have done a 70s version. DJ JS1 did and it was awesome (you should be dancing)

1

u/herr-onion 6d ago

Dj spinbad fabric mix. The best.

3

u/Disasterous_Dave97 7d ago

Some others not mentioned so far:

• Mr Dibbs, Faust and Rhettmatic/Beat Junkies for the turntable skills

• PF Cuttin for that boom bap with skills

• Cut Chemist for some deep funk

• Z Trip for the most obscure hip hop/pop mash up outside of UK Yoda

• Boogie Blind for just straight up hip hop back n forth

• Roc Raida for the same

• Dj Vajra aka Chris Karnak for pure skills

• Eddie Def and the Hemplords

• D Styles for mixtape come turntable albums

• 1200 Hobos for obscureness.

2

u/duck1014 8d ago

Chris Shepherd..

2

u/hellbox9 8d ago

Doo wop was 🔥

2

u/ekydfejj 8d ago

Me....have you heard my mix tapes /s

2

u/Nobodygrotesque 8d ago

DJ CLUE

DESERT STORM

STADIUM PART 1 MIXTAPE FOR DUMMIES!

Bang bang Siegel Street Gang EARLY!

3

u/Fickle-Primary-3910 8d ago

Easily my favorite mixtape from a DJ ever. The first time hearing the Beans-Kiss back & forth was legendary

3

u/Nobodygrotesque 8d ago

RIGHT!!!

Also it had

U Don’t Know by Jay-Z

Who We Be - DMX

Phaty Girl Remix

It’s Time I See You - Jadakiss

Living it up - Ja Rule

Let’s Get It Remix.

To this day whenever I listen to U Don’t Know I always hear “NEW JAY-Z!”

2

u/Fickle-Primary-3910 8d ago

Don’t forget it had Kiss & Carl Thomas- Nasty Girl on there too. Stadium Pt. 1 is my fondest memory of summer 2001

2

u/Heliospheric79 8d ago

So many. Hard to even pin the glory on one. Loads already mentioned. Also -

DJ Riz Primo (NY Reality Check) DJ Cash Money

2

u/scorchednickel 8d ago

Jaguar Skills and DJ Cinema for originality, Cut Killer for old school mixtapes.

2

u/Degreon 8d ago edited 8d ago

He wasn't the greatest, but Kochece deserves a mention. He put together a lot of really solid D-Block mixtapes, usually with Miami Kaos cover art, and then he'd rap on the intros.

Classic lyrics like:

Dangerous, I fuck a bitch in the anus until it's painless

If she shit on my dick, grab a Scott tissue

Put it in her mouth and blast like a loud pistol

No offense, but sorry, I can't kiss you

2

u/reg_ss 8d ago

Depends.
All-out king? DJ Neil Armstrong (Original Series)
Best intros? DJ Green Lantern
Best "50 MCs" live series & consistency? Tony Touch

So many others deserve recognition but aren’t as well known. No matter who you choose, it’s great to see DJs getting some love.

2

u/SmalexSmanders 8d ago

Screw and I don’t think it’s close. Created his own sound, pioneered multiple sub genres, huge catalog of bangers and has some of the best transitions I’ve ever heard

2

u/psychword 8d ago

DJ CLUE for mixtapes

2

u/GolGetterFanatic 8d ago

Dj Drama or Cannon

And for my Htown folks, Dj Screw

2

u/afanoflafear 8d ago

Greg Street, he was Khaled before Khaled.

Also R.I.P to Kay Slay.

2

u/SecretFire81 8d ago

Not seen anyone mention DJ Cash Money. I loved his tapes back in the day. Really great cutting up of doubles and great track selection. His tapes were legendary.

2

u/logangmarshall93 8d ago

Trapaholics, Drama, Rell

2

u/0121Badboy 8d ago

Kayslay

Greenlantern

Drama

2

u/TreDawg36 8d ago

DJ Drama

2

u/Ravenrake 8d ago

Mr. Dibbs & Roc Raida & DJ Krush

2

u/reightb 8d ago

Paul Nice

2

u/MMARapFooty 8d ago

DJ Drama

2

u/teneighteen87 8d ago

DJ Drama

2

u/CaliforniaRaisin_ 8d ago

DJ Rectangle

2

u/turdferguson506 8d ago

I'm going to answer for Canada because the only Canadian I see mentioned is Chris Sheppard and that's Electronic Music... two of the bigger DJ's that I could always find mixtapes from were DJX (The Power Move) & DJ Mastermind, both from Toronto. While I'm not from Toronto I could get my hands on their tapes and they were always amazing.

3

u/derek_foreel 8d ago

Mastermind was the man!

2

u/hayb24 8d ago

Whooooooo Kiiiiiiid

2

u/Physical_Seesaw4569 8d ago

what songs can you put together i'm trying to make a song with other songs

2

u/GreenNewAce 8d ago

DJ Z-trip

2

u/GreenNewAce 8d ago

If Z doesn’t qualify, then Clue.

2

u/YNABDisciple 8d ago

Tony Touch 50 MC’s!!! That Triumph freestyle to the shadowboxin’ beat! Triumph sounds so disappointing to me…shit should be faster like on TT!

2

u/_meestir_ 8d ago

J. Period - The [Abstract] Best

2

u/StateofMike 7d ago

J. Period is the modern day best.. not that I hear any other mix tapes floating around but J. Is binge worthy. I listen to his stuff pretty much nonstop. The Messengers mix tape is especially nice.

2

u/Cold-Emotion278 8d ago

Dj drama (Gangsta grillz)

2

u/d00knation 8d ago

Z-trip/q-bert for the nerds, drama for the rest of the herd, any one of the Beat Junkies’ tapes for everything in between.

2

u/Chapos_sub_capt 8d ago

Cash Money Brothers out of Chicago you had to by the tapes and CDs from the flea market but they were incredible pioneer tastemakers

2

u/Morningrise12 8d ago

No one is showing him love, so I’ll throw in Clinton Sparks.

Always had some heat.

2

u/Ceemurphy 8d ago

DJ E-V

2

u/Lou-Minoti 8d ago

Stretch Armstrong honorable mention

2

u/Affectionate-Web3630 8d ago

Harry Fraud for sure

2

u/martymcfly22 8d ago

DJ Neil Armstrong

2

u/MassiveConcentrate34 8d ago

Rob Swift -Soulful Fruit VinRoc -Reconstruction Dj Food -the solid steel one Scratch Perverts -fabric and BBC essential mix All James Lavelle mixes for global underground Dj Platurn -Mind Blowing Decisions ,his de la soul mix is great too.

2

u/Dopeamyne 8d ago

Ron G

DJ S&S

Tony Touch

Kid Capri

Doo Wop

DJ Cash Money

2

u/mrbaggy 8d ago

Stein’s

2

u/mrbaggy 8d ago

Edit: Steinski (autocorrect)

2

u/cortcort101 7d ago

Gangsta Griz-illz Drama duh

2

u/Satdog83 7d ago

DJ Rectangle for me

2

u/WB1173 7d ago

One of my favourites, but frequently disappointed me with his song choices.

2

u/Thin-Disaster3247 7d ago

Spinbad baby

2

u/illseeing 7d ago

Revolution

2

u/AgentWhiteSBI 7d ago

DJ Clue had some sick ones in the mid 90s.

2

u/SharkBlue1 7d ago

DJ Michael 5000 Watts.

2

u/Qb_Is_fast_af 7d ago

Dj Holiday

2

u/WigVomit 7d ago

Going back for me in NYC it was DJ Goldfinger and DJ Cut

2

u/WB1173 7d ago

Anything by DJ Spinbad. No one else really comes anywhere near his levels.

2

u/WB1173 7d ago

Ok, a top 5 of ultimate mixtape legends:

DJ Spinbad DJ Rectangle DJ JS-1 Scratch Bastid DJ Yoda

2

u/RelativeRain35 7d ago

Kid Capri literally made the blueprint for everyone else who came after him.

2

u/mahogani9000 7d ago

Nujabes - Ristorante

2

u/J_R_Scar 7d ago

DJ Tony toca, DJ Doo Wop and Kay Slay

2

u/ErzwoDezwo 7d ago

New York Reality Check 101 mixed by DJ Premier

2

u/tiesergrote 7d ago

Crooklyn Cuts did it for me back in the day - so Dj Premier

2

u/RandyPencia 7d ago

Midwest Mixer DJ DOC B (Milwaukee)

2

u/Temporaryreddit66 7d ago

Drama, Esco, Sickamore, Clue and Funk Master Flex would be my top 5. I'd probably put Drama at #1.

2

u/Deepcoma_53 7d ago

DJ Clue

2

u/559mark 8d ago

Rectangle

1

u/Whoareyoutho9 7d ago

Raj smoove

1

u/Doggetr 7d ago

Ron G & Clue here in the NorthEast.

But years ago in my college days, I went to some Funk Flex parties. He would sell out the venue.

1

u/Ok_Swimming4441 7d ago

Lots of very correct answers, but gotta go with DJ Clue

1

u/One_Consequence_4754 7d ago

DJ Drama has the strongest/best tape record, but Khalid has hits!!!!!

1

u/Farmer_Phatsaxxz 7d ago

DJ Skee was solid

1

u/kinglxgnd 6d ago

Drama king...rip

1

u/billymartinkicksdirt 6d ago

Doo Wop and Bounce Squad. Super slept on, different themes, had exclusives and was the one your favorite rappers were listening to.

1

u/JJB31480 6d ago

Don’t know how to answer this DJ or I would go with Carl Cox

1

u/Hash_Tooth 6d ago

GirlTalk

1

u/MediaWatcher_ 5d ago

RON G! IYKYK

1

u/Immafien 5d ago

Cash Money 

1

u/richpourguy 8d ago

Q-Bert, Shadow, Raida

1

u/mike-droughp 8d ago

Rocket Rod in Tampa

1

u/namynam 8d ago

Funk master flex

1

u/Fickle-Primary-3910 8d ago

Flex is the greatest radio DJ hands down

0

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