ORR's A Look Back: 2009's HOW FLY X WIZ KHALFIA X CURREN$Y

 

The year was 2009, and mixtapes were at the height of their powers. While the mixtape era would be closer to the end than ever, we would not know it yet. Digital streaming was on the rise, but the traditional backpackers could never have predicted the complete takeover we see today. Much of our time was spent syphoning tracks from LimeWire and Jamglue, trying to get the MP3 files to convert correctly to ITunes knowing full well we were not going to pay full price for records. It was during this time mixtape sites like Datpiff and Live Mixtapes rose to the forefront, replacing the afore mentioned methods. Someone was going to add all of the latest tracks to a compilation mixtape, as long as you were willing to deal with all the noise that preceded the track.

The old school rules of artistry were still in full effect- meaning an artist needed a mixtape and a radio hit in order to generate a buzz for a record label to produce their album.  Artists were starting to gain traction in a power shift however, as the mixtape sites were giving rappers a platform to release their music without the use of a label. The leaders of the underground were at the forefront of this new era, and none were more prominent than Curren$y and Wiz Khalfia. Often blurring the line between mainstream and independent, the duo easily became friends surrounding their love for both music and weed.

And in 2009, the pair gave us How Fly, widely considered to be the greatest mixtape of all time.

The mixtape is easily an instant classic, as track after track rides to deliver the best of both artists. Neither try too hard to outdo the other, but both bring it every track. From all time quotables like:

“Niggas on the quest like Johnny and Hodgey.” – Curren$y, Layover

To iconic samples like the one used in Car Service, How Fly provide everything a fan of the pair could ask for. In many underground and backpack circles, this 2009 tape is still in the rotation to this day. The album’s success paved the way for the turning point in their careers as well, as they would go on to make some of their most iconic individual projects shortly after.

And so while ORR is all about putting people on new music, it is also important to remember some of the classics that may have fallen under the radar. If you have not got a chance to spin this joint, we would highly recommend it.

 

4.20.2021- The Oracle