For Urban (Music) Explorers

ATL is unmatched in launching hip-hop and R&B acts. But, surprisingly, there's no club to catch new artists developing their sound or established acts trying new material. For that, you must turn to DJ-produced mix tapes, which give you the best chance to hear new music before it goes mainstream.

A mix tape is actually a compilation CD that generally includes a combo of current hits and unreleased tracks fresh from the studio. They're technically illegal because they contain unlicensed, copyrighted material. (Several area hip-hop music stores carry them on the down low, so you'll have to ask for them.) But, for the most part, a mix tape is a music exec's friend. They are used by record labels to both test the waters and create buzz. Before Usher's "Yeah!" was an official single, it was leaked on several mix tapes to help gauge its ass-shimmying potential. Similarly, Usher's No. 1 duet with Alicia Keys, "My Boo," which recently nabbed a Grammy, showed up on a number of mix tapes last summer with Beyonce singing instead of Keys.

Mix tapes are indispensable for launching rap acts. That's why there already are mix tapes by Atlanta's NWA-influenced Boyz N Da Hood, recently signed to P. Diddy's Bad Boy Records. The group's breakout member, Young Jeezy, has a solo deal with Def Jam. OutKast's Big Boi recently dropped a mix tape showcasing artists from his label, as have Jermaine Dupri and T.I.

As 50 Cent recently explained on MTV, mix tapes have become "the entry level of hip-hop."

Where to get them? The easiest way is to go online to sites like www.mixunit.com and www.mixtapesusa.com.