The Marathon (mixtape) explained

The Marathon
Type:mixtape
Artist:Nipsey Hussle
Cover:NipseyHussleTheMarathon.jpg
Recorded:2010
Genre:Hip hop
Label:
Producer:
Prev Title:Bullets Ain't Got No Name Vol. 3
Prev Year:2009
Next Title:The Marathon Continues
Next Year:2011

The Marathon is a mixtape by American rapper Nipsey Hussle. It was released on December 21, 2010 for free legal download and for download on iTunes.[1] [2] The mixtape was released by All Money In.[3]

Background

He released the mixtape around the time he was trying to get out of his record deal with Epic Records so he could release his debut album South Central State of Mind independently.[4] The mixtape's theme is a "declaration of independence from the confines of the traditional music biz that forced him to endure over two years worth of delayed celebration for the still-pending release of his formal debut, South Central State of Mind."[5]

Singles

The first single from the album is "Keys to the City".[6] The official music video was released on June 6, 2011 on Vimeo[7] and was directed by Dan "The Man" Melamid, who also directed the video for Nipsey Hussle's 2009 single, "Hussle In The House". The song was released for retail sale on September 2, 2013.[8]

Controversy

On the first leak off the mixtape, "Mr. Untouchable", Nipsey raps a bar that says: "High 'til we die, so it's muthafucc a Detox" which Nipsey in an interview with Vibe, stated it was not a diss line to West Coast rapper/producer Dr. Dre and his now-shelved studio album Detox. He also maintained the diss was "...nothin’ personal. I ain’t never really reached out to Dre, or Dre ain’t never really reached out to me, so it ain’t a shot against him, it’s just, my focus is on what I’m doing now."[5]

Critical reception

XXL made the mixtape the 49th best mixtape of 2010 and praised Nipsey's ability to bring back an earlier era of West coast hip hop music.[9]

Notes and References

  1. Web site: 2010-12-23. New Mixtape: Nipsey Hussle 'The Marathon' VIBE. 2021-05-21. https://web.archive.org/web/20101223100828/http://www.vibe.com/posts/new-mixtape-nipsey-hussle-marathon. 2010-12-23.
  2. Web site: iTunes - Music - The Marathon by Nipsey Hussle . Itunes.apple.com . 2010-12-21 . 2012-03-12.
  3. Web site: Raj . Download: Nipsey Hussle - The Marathon | The Smoking Section . Smokingsection.uproxx.com . 2010-12-21 . 2012-03-12.
  4. Web site: New Music: Nipsey Hussle – 'The Marathon' [Mixtape] |publisher=Rap-Up.com |date=2010-12-21 |accessdate=2012-03-12].
  5. Web site: Arnold . Paul W . Nipsey Hussle Talks Leaving Epic Records, Dissing "Detox" | Get The Latest Hip Hop News, Rap News & Hip Hop Album Sales . HipHop DX . 2010-12-21 . 2012-03-12.
  6. Web site: Nipsey Hu$$le - Keys to the City | New Hip Hop Music & All The New Rap Songs 2011 . HipHop DX . 2010-11-22 . 2012-03-12.
  7. Web site: Hussle . Nipsey . Nipsey Hussle - Keys To The City on Vimeo . Vimeo.com . 2012-03-12.
  8. Web site: Keys 2 the City - Single by Nipsey Hussle. iTunes. 2 September 2013.
  9. Web site: The 100 Best Mixtapes of 2010 (49-1) . Xxlmag.Com . 2010-12-31 . 2012-03-12 . https://web.archive.org/web/20110104093541/http://www.xxlmag.com/features/2010/12/the-100-best-mixtapes-of-2010-49-1/ . 2011-01-04 . dead.