Compilation tapes, whether through small groups or entire record labels, have been around and prevalent through hip-hop music dating back to the early 1980s. Compilation albums remain popular in 2019, with notable examples include albums such as Mass Appeal’s “Starting 5: Vol. 1” and Dreamville’s “Revenge of The Dreamers III”. Both projects exemplify the power and importance of collaboration through various stylistic approaches from artists and producers alike.
In the case of Dreamville’s recent collaborative effort, “Revenge of The Dreamers III”, a follow-up to the prequel led “Revenge of The Dreamers” and “Revenge of The Dreamers II” – released in 2014 and 2015 respectively, a diverse profile of Dreamville artists are paired with the prowess of notable outside talents in Vince Staples and Ty Dolla $ign to blend lyricism and melodies. With singles: “Middle Child” released in January to ultimately tease the project’s announcement, “Costa Rica”, “LamboTruck”, “Down Bad”, and “Got Me”, “Revenge of The Dreamers III” is absolutely jam-packed with Dreamville artists and collaborations that previously seemed something fans could only dream for.
Mass Appeal’s “Starting 5: Vol. 1” – while also possessing impressive lyricism, melodies, and production throughout, focuses even more specifically on highlighting Mass Appeal’s individual artists. The ‘starting five’ include Fashawn, Stro, Ezri, Cantrell, and 070 Phi. Label founder and hip-hop legend Nas, takes somewhat of a backseat in the project, opting to only appear on the album’s opening track, “Apostle”.
Collaborative efforts also serve as important cultural moments and progressive milestones in hip-hop as it allows for competition, which ultimately leads to higher future quality consumption. Mass Appeal’s Starting 5 appeared on Sway In The Morning earlier this year to call out the likes of Dreamville among other groups, challenging them to friendly competition.
Comparatively, how are you feeling both of these albums? And which collective of artists should drop their compilation next?
