For the first-ever live taping of The Almanac of Rap in New York City, Donwill welcomes archivist, researcher, and Mixtape Museum founder Regan Sommer McCoy for a deep dive into the history, culture, and future of mixtapes.  Recorded live at Ludlow House in partnership with On Air Presents, this special episode explores how cassette tapes transformed music sharing, why mixtapes became hip-hop's original social media platform, and what we lose when we reduce playlists to algorithms and streaming metrics.

Sommer shares the origin story behind the Mixtape Museum, a community-driven archival project dedicated to preserving mixtape culture, cassette history, and the stories behind the music. Sommer breaks down:

The evolution of the mixtape; from homemade radio recordings and DJ exclusives to street albums, playlist culture, and modern-day archives.

Legendary mixtape figures including DJ Clue, Ron G, DJ Screw, Kid Capri, DJ Drama, Don Cannon, Justo Faison and the Mixtape Awards

Preservation, ownership, curation, and the importance of documenting hip-hop history before it disappears.

The future of mixtapes in a streaming and AI-driven world

🤳🏾 Got a question, comment or compliment? Leave a message today at 1-877-DONWILL (366-9455) It might just end up in an episode!🎙️

Follow Donwill for fun hip-hop history, cultural commentary, and more.

Substack: New Music Tuesdays

Instagram/Threads: @donwill

Mixcloud: Donwill

Website: Donwill.me

Follow Regan Sommer McCoy

Instagram: dearsommer

Web: Sommer.nyc

Web: Mixtape Museum 

Instagram: mixtapemuseum

Soundcloud: The Mixtape Museum

Follow On Air Presents

Instagram: onairpresents

Web: Onairpresents.com

Event Recap: Photos

Created and hosted by two time Webby Award-winning host Donwill, The Almanac of Rap is produced by Okayplayer, a division of AREYA MEDIA Inc. Originally launched in 1999, Okayplayer is the original progressive music site and maintains its position as the premier digital destination for music and culture connoisseurs worldwide.

Note: This episode was pre-recorded on March 24, 2026.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices