Money in the mixtape

USA TODAY, April, 2006 by Steve Jones

By the time a rapper's new music hits stores and airwaves, it's likely he has already brought heat to the streets with a mixtape.

Mixtapes long have been part of hip-hop's culture, but the DJ-produced compilations that once existed underground are percolating much closer to the surface these days. The often unlicensed and frequently bootlegged collections of exclusive advance tracks, hot street jams, diss songs and freestyles -- available for sale via the Internet, small retail shops and street vendors, or as free downloads and file swaps -- aren't just for hardcore fans anymore. They've become promotional tools for artists and record labels trying to build a buzz.

Hip-hop diehards looking to be the first with the latest sounds or seeking edgier material have always...