The Hamilton Mixtape Review

Maybe you love it. Maybe it’s not really your thing. Either way, it’s been made pretty clear that there is no escaping the phenomenon that is Hamilton: An American Musical. The musical has made history as the first Broadway musical with rap music, as well as picking up eleven Tony awards. Though it’s near impossible to get a ticket to the coveted production, the soundtrack has been listened to by millions, and the music alone has expanded upon the already massive fanbase. “The lyrics are brilliant and every song flows perfectly into the next. I have seen many other Broadway shows but nothing compares to Hamilton,” shared Lindsay Gelles ’19.

Following the global success of the show, Hamilton’s creator, Lin-Manuel Miranda, hinted at the production of The Hamilton Mixtape via Facebook. The Hamilton Mixtape features various rappers and singers re-creating the musical’s soundtrack, each in their own style. Some tracks on the mixtape are the same as they are in the original soundtrack, but sung by different artists, and others have been completely refurbished. The tracks have gotten mixed reviews, but most Scarsdale students feel that it was a good addition to the Hamilton franchise. “It added the modern vibes that a lot of other musicals don’t have,” shared Katie Nova ’19. Despite some of the rave reviews of the mixtape, many fans still prefer the original songs. “Some people really love it and some people really hate it. I am kind of in the middle because I don’t think that the mixtape can even compare to the actual Hamilton soundtrack, but I think that it is really cool that artists came together in the hopes of taking a modern spin on the music,” said Gelles.

In addition to enhancing the broadway enthusiast’s Hamilton experience, The Hamilton Mixtape has introduced listeners to many different musical genres. “I usually like musical theater, so I have never had a rap song on my phone before,” explained Rebecca Weiss ’17. However, if rap isn’t your thing, there are many other songs on the album that may appeal to you. Out of the 23 tracks on the mixtape, the two most popular songs on the album are “It’s Quiet Uptown” by Kelly Clarkson, and “Satisfied” by Sia.

Whether you’re all about show tunes, or more into pop and rap, there’s probably a track on The Hamilton Mixtape that will appeal to you. With an overall 4.5/5 rating on iTunes and strong recommendations, The Hamilton Mixtape is an extremely worthwhile listen. “We Know” you can’t “Say No to This.”

 

 

 

by Aerin Gelblum