How to Promote Your Hip Hop Mixtape

So, you’ve put in countless hours of hard work and perfected your mixtape – now what? Let’s take a look at a few ways you can promote your upcoming mixtape release.

Build the hype

Though you might think a mixtape only needs to be promoted once it has been released, the trick is to ensure you build the hype weeks or even months before it drops. One of the best ways to do this is to look into exclusive giveaways and freebies. This is a time-honored marketing technique that is used in many different sectors, from retail to entertainment. For example, Betfair casino promotions include free spins bonuses, a free chance at daily jackpots, and weekly giveaways. On the other hand, brands like Spotify, Netflix, and other entertainment streaming platforms might offer promotions such as discount codes, free trials, bundles, or money off subscribers’ first few months.

So, what can we learn from this? Well, why not host a giveaway or contest on social media, giving a handful of lucky fans some exclusive merchandise whilst simultaneously boosting your online reach? Or, perhaps loyal listeners who purchased your music previously could receive a discount code, teaser, or early release link for your upcoming mixtape, rewarding them for their continued support. Another idea might be to encourage people to use Spotify pre-save or preorder the mixtape, offering those who do preorder a gift in return, such as early access to tickets for your next tour.

In doing so, this will allow you to foster interest in the mixtape before the work really begins – promoting its release. With an audience already there and hyped up, this will make your job easier once the mixtape is dropped, and helps to maximize the reach of your marketing efforts.

Single out your best track

Just because some treat it as a mixtape doesn’t mean you shouldn’t treat it like a proper album! According to Medium, the best singles are the ones that best represent what you’re about, the story you want to tell, and really sell your vibe. Once you’ve done that, it’s time to have some fun and let your creative juices flow. Use this track as the debut single for your upcoming mixtape, and have a separate release date to amp up the hype you’re already creating.

This is the perfect opportunity to hook up with other local artists – perhaps those who frequent the same gig scene or are even people you call friends. Know any great rappers? Produce a new version of the single featuring exclusive bars from a local rap star. How about videographers? Boost your online presence by making a music video that you can post to YouTube and help spread the word. Have some DJs in mind? Why not have them create a few remixes of the track? Then, stick them all on a single release to help you win the support of your local audience, celebrating as much local talent as possible. After all, by giving them a shoutout, they might just return the favor.

And there you have it – just a few ideas for promoting your upcoming mixtape release. When it really comes down to it, your music should speak for itself, but it can’t hurt to turn up the volume with some tried-and-tested marketing techniques to give it a boost.

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Tags: Mixtape

About the Author

Dr. Jerry Doby Editor-in-Chief of The Hype Magazine, Media and SEO Consultant, Journalist, Ph.D. and retired combat vet. 2023 recipient of The President's Lifetime Achievement Award. Partner at THM Media Group. Member of the U.S. Department of Arts and Culture, the United States Press Agency and ForbesBLK.