Nipsey Hussle, who released his “Crenshaw” mixtape for $100 today (October 8), recently spoke about why the mixtape was released before his Victory Lap album. 

“I recorded a lot of songs for theVictory Lap project, and I got a certain vision I’m going for with the project,” Nipsey said in an interview with hotnewhiphop.com. “I just did a lot of work and I think I got what I was looking for with theVictory Lap album, and I still got a lot of great records. So I’m like, ‘I don’t wanna sit on the songs.’ I listened to the playlist and it kinda sounded likeCrenshaw. it sounded like the environment, like my upbringing. So I went in and did a couple more records, put a couple skits and just really themed it, and I’m like, I’ma give them the mixtape first just to excite the streets again and remind people what the sound is, give ’em an idea of what the album might sound like. And really kinda like, create the question in their mind, ‘If this is the mixtape, what is gonna be on the album?'”

The album, Victory Lap, is set to be released within the next few months, said the rapper. 

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“We lookin at like top of year, 2014, for theVictory Lap project, but I don’t wanna say a date,” Nipsey said. “But it’s not gonna be a long after ‘Crenshaw’though, not at all.”

Although Nipsey sold “Crenshaw” for $100 as part of his #Proud2Pay campaign, the mixtape is set to be released online today for free. 

Nipsey, who had fans line up outside of his pop-up shop for the $100 mixtape, explained this release in a statement on RapRadar Friday (October 4).

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“It’s not about stepping outside of what I’m known for in hopes of new discovery,” Hussle said. “What that means is less fans are better served. (Kinda like the effect of less kids in a class room leading to better education.)

“I’m more or less focused on fully serving the ones that have connected already,” he continued. “That being said, it’s a value over volume thing…If I’m goin’ to offer a product made with no compromise or concession to the platforms (radio, A&R, opinion, label bias), then the way we sell has to change. Hence PROUD2PAY.”

RELATED: Nipsey Hussle Charging $100 For “Crenshaw” Mixtape