Paramount Plus' documentary Mixtape explores how musical mixes recorded on what we now know were highly fragile cassette tapes launched hip hop into mainstream culture.

Back in the day, live hip-hop performances were recorded on cassettes and traded around, making them a form of a currency and a signifier of cultural relevance.

“Hip hop is 50 years old and I can't think of a better way to celebrate its journey and contextualize its evolution than through the story of the mixtape. Every voice in this film played a critical role, especially the DJs who, as KRS-ONE says beautifully in the film, risked everything to ‘bring us the music',” said Omar Acosta, director of Mixtape, in a statement.

Poster for Paramount Plus' hip-hop documentary, ‘Mixtape.'

The documentary features 2 Chainz, A$AP Rocky, Dante Ross, DJ Bobbito, DJ Clue, DJ Drama, DJ Enuff, DJ Green Lantern, DJ Jazzy Joyce, DJ Kay Slay, DJ Khaled, DJ S&S, DJ Scratch, DJ Stretch Armstrong, DJ Whoo Kid, Doo Wop, Fabolous, Fat Joe, Funkmaster Flex, The Game, Grandmaster Caz, Jadakiss, James Cruz, Jeezy, Kid Capri, Kool DJ Red Alert, KRS-One, Lil Wayne, Mark Ronson, Mike Tyson, N.O.R.E., Ron G, Shaq, Tommy Hilfiger, Tony Touch, Trouble, Tuma Basa and more.

Mixtape is produced by MTV Entertainment Studios, Mercury Studios and Saboteur Media in association with Def Jam Recordings. David Kennedy, Tony Touch, Nick Quested and Daniel Seliger serve as producers with executive producers Paul Rosenberg and Barak Moffit. The film is directed and produced by Acosta. The Def Tape, the official soundtrack to Mixtape, is set for an August release via Def Jam Recordings.

Mixtape premieres on Paramount Plus Tuesday, August 1 in the U.S. and Canada and Wednesday, August 2 in the U.K., Australia, Latin America and Brazil. Further international markets will follow later in the year.