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2/2/07, 5:30 pm EST

Week Four Finalist: Francis Broderick’s Mixtape Festival

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Note: This is not an official Rolling Stone article. What follows is a submission to the “I’m From Rolling Stone” writing competition.


The Mixtape Festival

by Francis Broderick
Age: 23

As DJ Drama recently learned, mixtapes are worthy of police raids, the scale of which were typically reserved for meth labs and boat parties with the Minnesota Vikings. Evidently, they are the scourge of an industry that defines virtue as $20 CD’s (it’s a 2-track DVD too!). However they share an inimitable connection to our musical heritage. Whether they contain raw new hip-hop or simply the Top 10 Songs to Break Up with your (soon-to-be ex) Girlfriend, they are the place where we soundtrack our hopes and fears, where we hear previously unthinkable collaborations, and like all music, a place where we escape. The mixtape no longer needs to symbolize a place, it needs to be a place. Enter: The Mixtape Festival at Central Park, New York City.

Envison two stages dubbed Side A and Side B that meld a mengagerie of musical energy and encourage the classic mixtape practice of layering words over alternate music through crossover jams with artists like Umphrey’s McGee and Talib Kweli. As the sun sets down over Gotham, and Bic lighters rise above the skyline, Andrew Bird lays down string sections for Lupe Fiasco and The Shins cover Simon and Garfunkel’s setlist from the same venue. Want to see Nas perform ‘Hip Hop is Dead’ with Iron Butterfly? Shut up. Of course you do.

Moreover, festival artists will sell their albums at $10 a pop and .50 cents an mp3 (assuming attendees haven’t already pilfered the jams off Limewire), with the discounts being offset by the $120 ticket price, thus encouraging support of the artists. One part Bronx, one part Bonnaroo, The Mixtape Festival celebrates a movement that transformed urban streets and the Internet into musical speakeasies, and lent emotional integrity to thousands of last minute birthday and anniversary gifts.

-- Rolling Stone

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Comments

Mafmtefm | 7/15/2009, 1:21 am EST

wP4emM

iwuhaqpv guxzch | 12/11/2007, 7:25 pm EST

cljn ghuwo yrkhqjdmt qgeyjxa iensfbmcw alqg obwhnpu

merik | 9/2/2007, 4:03 pm EST

hello world!

ulwkqf | 5/23/2007, 9:30 pm EST

Hi, excellent site, added to favorites!
Thank you!

ulwkqf | 5/23/2007, 9:30 pm EST

Hi, excellent site, added to favorites!
Thank you!

ulwkqf | 5/23/2007, 9:30 pm EST

Hi, excellent site, added to favorites!
Thank you!

shrcnfglo mphegn | 4/20/2007, 1:08 pm EST

rmsatyql asfig ozxlebhvy audflsciv qemsh shyix vwhun

Anonymous | 4/4/2007, 10:27 am EST

Awesome.

noreen and gavin | 4/2/2007, 11:05 am EST

excellent writing, very creative, we hope you win!!!!

Maggie Mae | 2/16/2007, 8:52 pm EST

Franny Dux-

Nice idea man. It’s good to see the “roch” hasnt taken any of that good sense out of you. Continue to keep it real!

Jimmy V | 2/14/2007, 8:56 pm EST

Great article, great idea.

cuzin J. Belli | 2/14/2007, 7:37 pm EST

So this is what u learned at college huh? Great writing. Uncle Joe and Aunt Jeanne loved it too!

To: DipShit Love: The Swine | 2/12/2007, 10:12 am EST

The fun of joining in with others to commemerate a good piece of writing is an unwinding expierence, although when a 10 year old wiz-kid like dip shits learns how to use boys and men in the same sentence, reveiws can turn into immature romps of new found bullshit. Great piece Fran, keep on with the pen-to-paper, fingers-to-key’s. If your interested for gonzowriter.com let me know. Would love to have you on staff or as a guest writer. Visit our site, http://web.mac.com/mike389

good | 2/11/2007, 7:30 pm EST

so dank. so fresh. so raw.

Sarah | 2/11/2007, 12:41 pm EST

nicely written…i’m not sure about the lineup but i like it!

Cousin Chris - Long Island | 2/8/2007, 10:29 pm EST

Christ, aren’t you still 8 years old anymore? Tell Kevin and Marylou to get hold of me and set up a day together.
You write very well…keep it up.

Chris

beatlegirl61 | 2/8/2007, 3:44 pm EST

dizpik,
you know anything about creativity, writing, rockin’, life in general…NO offense, but that was a foul rap dude!
Try again!

beatlegirl61 | 2/8/2007, 3:37 pm EST

I have to agree with Damon Dash…Missing DYLAN…BUT…Fran, you did a major exceptional job!! Congrats and keep writing and rockin’! You had some real creativity here…Something my entry totally lacked!
Niiicceee!!!
See ya round the site!
Carol in Philly!

DianaD | 2/8/2007, 1:21 am EST

Fran, that article rocks in a big way~~ serious talent!! Congrats: )

Uncle Butch | 2/7/2007, 9:12 pm EST

Proud of you you Fran

Aunt Laura | 2/7/2007, 8:38 pm EST

Fran, This is awesome. I am showing this to everyone at my school! I am very proud of you!!!!

edpeople | 2/7/2007, 6:46 pm EST

looks like dizpix has nothing else to do. Great writing, great festival. Where do I buy the tickets?

jen480 | 2/7/2007, 6:12 pm EST

Very nice prose. The only downfall? The price.

dizpik's mom | 2/7/2007, 1:49 pm EST

Fran you can bang me whenever you want. my son’s a douch and won’t do it because he likes guys

zachph7 | 2/7/2007, 1:37 pm EST

Over the last 10 years I have traveled to festivals all over the US. This sounds like a dope idea and if/when it happens I will be there.

As for internet pussys like diz pik, I suggest his ass gets away from the computer and experiance what life has to offer. On second thought, he shouldn’t leave his computer cause if he does I would kick him in the face.

HoLLa ~

The Don | 2/7/2007, 1:34 pm EST

Diz Pik is a petterass

Damon Dash | 2/7/2007, 1:16 pm EST

This festival is on point. It’s only missing 5 things: Dylan, Dylan, Dylan, Dylan & Dylan. For real, this is dope. Bring the competition home and lets resurrect the Roc like it was ‘01 all over again. IF Y’ALL AIN’T GOT YOUR TAPES READY, Y’ALL SHOULD GET YOUR TAPES READY

Anonymous | 2/7/2007, 11:26 am EST

I can’t stand reading journalist articles, but I read this one from beginning to end and was thoroughly entertained! It’s too bad cats like “diz pik” have no class. Good writin’ son! I expect to see more soon.

flojam | 2/7/2007, 11:16 am EST

@ dizpik …
… because it’s great writing and not assembly-line crap.

Good stuff Mr. Broderick!

awright | 2/6/2007, 5:59 pm EST

great writing and a sweet idea for a festival, too bad this “diz pik” imbecile is leaving these juvenile comments on everyones entries, keep ya head up, keep writin, and good luck. this article is def my fave of the bunch and thats saying alot cuz alot of the others are really good too.

diz pik | 2/6/2007, 5:39 pm EST

choke on the firing side of a gun u almost famous wannabe. ur name sounds like something a four foot tall white guy who bangs children in an ice cream truck would have.
taste dick moron. i nail your mom

CNaz | 2/6/2007, 5:35 pm EST

There you go son!

dizpik | 2/6/2007, 3:11 pm EST

how come there is no mention of mandatory crowd orgies or mass suicides; the two components of any true musical theatrices

JPIllz | 2/6/2007, 8:46 am EST

well-structured, pays homage to an important part of music

Rachel | 2/6/2007, 8:43 am EST

That deserves a what-what and a snap!

The Don | 2/6/2007, 8:12 am EST

Couldn’t have put it any better Frankie!

dnuggz | 2/6/2007, 7:45 am EST

FIRE

BIRDMANFLYINANYWEATHER | 2/5/2007, 7:46 pm EST

Great article Francis….I thoroughly enjoyed it.

Dr. Boomshakalaka | 2/5/2007, 7:21 pm EST

Yo, tight Fran

Uncle Sam | 2/5/2007, 6:41 pm EST

Its very solid fran.

Artie Lang | 2/5/2007, 5:43 pm EST

I really like that article… a lot.

Jen | 2/5/2007, 11:44 am EST

Old School flare with a conventional twist!!!

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