Freestyling the Streets: Styles P Reminds Us Why Mixtapes Built Hip-Hop
By Diony C.
•February 20, 2026
A new Styles P freestyle and a revisit to Ghost in the Shell remind us that the culture that built hip-hop is still alive and well.
Some things never lose their edge. Some sounds never get old.
Last week, Styles P dropped a new freestyle online. No album launch, no flashy marketing, no multi-platform push. Just raw bars and hunger. For anyone who remembers mixtape culture, this is the kind of thing that still hits differently.
I clicked play and instantly felt it: the grit, the flow, the unfiltered skill that made the streets sit up and take notice. Styles P isn't just showing he can still rap, reminding us why freestyles used to be everything.
The Freestyle That Reminds Us
In an era dominated by streaming playlists and algorithmic drops, freestyles were the currency of credibility. DJs like DJ Drama, artists like 50 Cent and Lil Wayne, and crews across the city would watch, listen, and measure skill by how quickly someone could grab a beat and make it theirs.
Styles P's latest freestyle feels like a direct bridge back to that era: confident, hungry, and unafraid to flex lyrical muscle. This isn't just a promo. It's a statement.
Styles P drops a raw freestyle, showing the same hunger that made mixtapes legendary.
More from Styles P:
Styles P - Good TimesRevisiting a Mixtape Classic
To understand why freestyles mattered so much, we have to go back to one of Styles P's defining mixtapes: Ghost in the Shell.
Originally released by Big Mike and Supa Mario, Ghost in the Shell captured the grit, raw storytelling, and freestyle energy that defined the era. Styles P eventually made it available on Apple Music and Spotify, giving new listeners a way to experience a mixtape that helped shape his career.
What's Your First Mixtape Memory?
Everyone who grew up in hip-hop culture has a story. Maybe it was a tape you borrowed from an older sibling. Maybe it was something you found at a swap meet or received from a friend. Whatever it was, that first mixtape sparked something.
We want to hear your story. Share your first mixtape memory with #MyFirstMixtape on Instagram, and join our community of hip-hop heads keeping the culture alive.