THE MIXTAPE COMETH: IT'S A DONE DEAL

The much-anticipated collaborative mixtape, What a Time to Be Alive, by Drake and Future became commercially available Sunday, after premiering on Drake's Beats 1 show, OVO SOUND. The release, a joint venture between Drake’s label, Cash Money, and Future’s (Epic), is the result of a deal that was just finalized.

Much conversation apparently took place about whether the project would be free or commercially available.

It's believed that L.A. Reid's Epic was adamant about the set being commercially available, as the label is now mid-cycle on Future's current album. Insiders say the mixtape's arrival in the marketplace does not preclude a possible new album by Drake this year as well.

Drake’s If You’re Reading This It’s Too Late has sold 1.3 million albums with TEA (just over 1m albums and 2.5m tracks). Future’s DS2 has moved 282k with TEA (235k albums + 470k tracks).

Tracks from If You're Reading This have been streamed over 560m times; DS2 has earned 150m track streams.