Sampler Mixtape

Sampler Mixtape
Mixtape by Fort Minor
Recorded:	2004-2005
Released:	October 19, 2005
Producer:	Mike Shinoda
Label:	Machine Shop

Sampler Mixtape is a promotional mixtape by Fort Minor to promote the upcoming album The Rising Tied.

Background

In fall 2005, Fort Minor was gearing up to release The Rising Tied and needed fans to promote the upcoming album.

One of the promotional tools was the release of the We Major mixtape in October 2005.

Writing and Recording

The Sampler Mixtape features the two big promotional tracks for The Rising Tied - "Remember The Name" and "Petrified". "Dolla" is a song by Fort Minor that was released the following month on We Major and "Get It" is an original song by Styles Of Beyond, released officially for the first time on the Sampler Mixtape.

"Intro" features an extended intro to "Remember The Name" that Fort Minor used live. The intro has Mike shouting things out on it as well as a lot of samples by DJ Cheapshot. On the intro of "Remember The Name", Mike says, "Yeah ladies and gentlemen my name is Mike Shinoda, the group is called Fort Minor, the album is called The Rising Tied, in stores November 22, 2005."

The end of "Petrified" features another shoutout for the album, with the robotic voice saying, "Fort Minor, The Rising Tied, in stores November 22."

Various other shoutouts are included throughout the mixtape. At the end of "Get It", Ryu says, "hey yo, what up, this is Ryu from SOB, Fort Minor in the motherfucking house. You just get heard Get It off the Fort Minor mixtape. Demigodz in the house, professional lit slickers, put that shit up and show the bitches we're shining diamonds over here, this is Machine Shop, holla at me." Tak says, "yo what up, this is Tak from Styles of Beyond, and you're listening to the Fort Minor sampler, album in stores The Rising Tied November 22nd." And Cheapshot adds, "Yo this is DJ Cheapshot, representing Styles of Beyond, you're checking out an exclusive preview of Fort Minor's The Rising Tied, dropping November 22nd, 2005."

The back of the sampler reads, "For promotional use only. Tracks 2, 5 from the upcoming album The Rising Tied, available on Machine Shop Records. CD mixed by Cheapshot and Mike Shinoda. Tracks 2, 3, 4 featuring Styles Of Beyond. Cuts by Cheapshot. www.fortminor.com. The Rising Tied. In stores November 22. Produced and mixed by Mike Shinoda. Executive producer Jay-Z."

There is a coded message on the back of the Sampler Mixtape that reads, "Full length Green Lantern Mixtape featuring Ghostface, Lupe Fiasco, Big Daddy Kane, Celph Titled and Apathy available in October." All of these guests except Big Daddy Kane appeared on We Major.

Release

On October 17, 2005, Mike posted a message on the Fort Minor MySpace blog that said, "what up ladies and gents. i just wanted to hit you with the brand new info. our FM Street Team just received a 5-song CD sampler...it's got 2 new mixtape tracks on it. they are called "dolla" (FM track), and "get it" (SOB track). get out there on the web and find that sh*t! ...and to answer a question that's been floating around out there: these are two tracks that won't be on "the rising tied." -m"

Fort Minor opened applications for street team members to join beginning on September 2, 2005. Beginning in mid-October, the Fort Minor Street Team began mailing packages to members who were accepted before October 13. The email to street team members read, "Fort Minor Foot Soldiers (US MEMBERS ACCEPTED BEFORE OCTOBER 13th 11:59 PM CT) - we've got your packages coming out to you. The package you will be receiving in the mail will include stickers, samplers, and fliers for you to distribute and promote the Fort Minor record that will be coming out on November 22nd."

Mike encouraged the Street Team members to share the songs for download, so the Sampler Mixtape tracks spread quickly by October 17, 2005. All street team members received at least five copies of the sampler to give away. The street team followed up with more promotional materials at later times.

While "Remember The Name" was leaked by Mike Shinoda through Rap Basement on August 20, 2005, he and Styles of Beyond threw CDs into the crowd the two previous days at Pukkelpop and Lowlands (the first two Fort Minor shows). Surprisingly, no rips of the CDs found their way online. It is unknown if this was a copy of the "Sampler Mixtape", but it is more likely it was a blank CDR with "Remember the Name" on it like Mike has been known to do at concerts (see: Linkin Park's "Wastelands").

Track Listing

No.	Title	Writer(s)	Length
1	Intro	Shinoda Mike	0:57
2	Remember The Name	Takbir Bashir, Ryan Maginn, Shinoda	3:46
3	Dolla	Takbir Bashir, Ryan Maginn, Shinoda	2:57
4	Get It	Bashir, Maginn	3:09
5	Petrified	Shinoda	3:30

Samples

In "Intro", Fat Joe's "1, 2 Pass It", Ali Vegas' "Brothers Respect Mine", Styles Of Beyond's "Killer Instinct", Westside Connection's "Westside Slaughterhouse", Linkin Park's "H! Vltg3 (Evidence featuring Pharoahe Monch & DJ Babu)", Mobb Deep's "Adrenaline", Fort Minor's "Remember The Name", Jay-Z's "Takeover", EPMD's "You Gots To Chill", Gang Starr's "DWYCK", and Pharoahe Monch's "Simons Says" are all sampled.

Personnel

• Mixed and arranged by Mike Shinoda and Cheapshot

Gallery

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  Front

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  Back

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  CD (Courtesy of lpcatalog.com)