underground hip-hop
{{Short description|Music genre}}
Underground hip hop (also known as underground rap or simply underground) traditionally refers to hip hop music that is outside the general mainstream canon or counter-cultural in nature, usually with a heavy emphasis on emotion, lyricism, and/or social consciousness.{{cite web|url=http://www.GrowYourFlow.com|title=GrowYourFlow.com}}
Being outside of the mainstream, it is common for artists or songs that are considered "underground" to have little commercial success, though this is not a requirement, as many have gained massive followings, especially in the streaming era. In recent years, the term has also been used to refer to hip hop subgenres that incorporate themes of trap, plugg, or rage which often feature melodic vocals with heavy use of Auto-Tune (or similar pitch correction tools) with virtually no focus on lyricism or connection to counterculture.
Despite little overlap between the traditional and modern definitions, both are still commonly used. "The Underground" also refers to the community of musicians, fans, and others that support non-commercial, or independent music. Music scenes with strong ties to underground hip-hop include alternative hip hop and conscious hip hop. Many artists who may be considered "underground" may not have been so, and may have previously broken the Billboard charts.
Style
Underground hip hop encompasses several different styles of music.{{Further explanation needed|reason=This section is titled "Style", but the part that actually talks about it is way too short and very obvious (most people would assume this).|date=March 2025}} Numerous acts in the book How to Rap (2009) are described as being both underground and politically or socially aware, these include B. Dolan,How to Rap, p. 317. Brother Ali, Diabolic, Immortal Technique,How to Rap, p. 332. Jedi Mind Tricks,How to Rap, p. 326. Micranots,Edwards, Paul, 2009, How to Rap: The Art & Science of the Hip-Hop MC, Chicago Review Press, p. 316. Mr. Lif,How to Rap, p. 325. Murs, Little Brother,How to Rap, p. 342. P.O.S,How to Rap, p. 333. Zion I, and Madlib.How to Rap, p. 334.
Underground artists and groups with critically acclaimed albums include Atmosphere, Binary Star, Blu, Cannibal Ox, Company Flow,How to Rap, p. 315. Del the Funky Homosapien,How to Rap, p. 322. Roc Marciano, Danny Brown, Freestyle Fellowship, Hieroglyphics,How to Rap, p. 316. Juggaknots, Jurassic 5, Kool Keith, Little Brother, MF Doom,How to Rap, p. 321. Non Phixion,How to Rap, p. 323. Planet Asia,How to Rap, p. 327. RJD2, and MC TP.{{Cite web|url=https://soundcloud.com/itsmctp|title=MC TP|website=SoundCloud|language=en|access-date=2019-01-26}}
Additionally, many underground hip hop artists and groups have been applauded for the artistic and poetic use of their lyrics, such as Aesop Rock, Aceyalone, Busdriver, Cage, CunninLynguists,{{cite journal|url=http://www.slate.com/articles/news_and_politics/view_from_chicago/2014/06/supreme_court_and_rappers_who_uses_a_bigger_vocabulary_jay_z_or_scalia.html|title=Rappers v. Scotus|last2=Jiang|first2=Kevin|date=12 June 2014|last3=Posner|first3=Eric|first1=Adam|last1=Chilton|journal=Slate}} Dessa, OhSo Kew,{{Cite web |date=2022-02-25 |title='Toonami': Anime-themed event to feature local musicians and vendors |url=https://www.thelantern.com/2022/02/toonami-anime-themed-event-to-feature-local-musicians-and-vendors/ |access-date=2022-10-04 |website=The Lantern |language=en-US}} Doomtree, El-P, Eyedea & Abilities, Illogic, Onry Ozzborn, MF Doom, Rob Sonic, Billy Woods,{{Cite web |title=Intertextuality of Literature in Billy Woods' Lyrics |url=https://core.ac.uk/download/pdf/93517602.pdf}} and Sage Francis.
Some underground artists and groups produce music that celebrates the fundamental elements or pillars of hip hop culture, such as Artifacts, Dilated Peoples, People Under the Stairs, and Fashawn, whose music "recalls hip hop's golden age".
Early beginnings
In hip hop's formative years, the vast majority of the genre was underground music, by definition. Although the Sugarhill Gang gained commercial success in 1979, most artists did not share such prominence until the mid-1980s. Ultramagnetic MCs' debut album, Critical Beatdown (1988), can be seen as one of the earliest examples of "underground hip hop".Price, E "Hip hop culture", ABC-CLIO, 2006. p. 295. New York underground rapper Kool Keith received notable success with his album Dr. Octagonecologyst, gaining more attention than any contemporary independent hip hop album "in a while".{{cite web|url={{AllMusic|class=album|id=r235693/review|pure_url=yes}}|title=Review of Dr. Octagonecologyst|last=Huey|first=Steve|publisher=Allmusic|access-date=2009-01-27}} The Stretch Armstrong and Bobbito Show was a notable underground hip hop radio show that was broadcast on WKCR, and later WQHT, in New York City from 1990 until 1999.{{Cite web |url=https://hiphopdx.com/news/id.40102/title.stretch-and-bobbito-speak-on-the-greatest-hip-hop-radio-show-ever-their-own |title=Stretch and Bobbito Speak on the Greatest Hip Hop Radio Show Ever. Their Own |last=Scott |first=Dana |date=August 22, 2016 |website=HipHopDX |access-date=June 26, 2019}}{{Cite web |url=https://andscape.com/features/stretch-and-bobbito-kings-of-new-york-city-radio/ |title=Stretch and Bobbito: kings of New York City radio |last=Tobak |first=Vikki |date=August 3, 2017 |website=Andscape |access-date=June 26, 2019}} It featured rappers such as The Notorious B.I.G., Big L, Jay-Z, and Eminem, as well as groups like Wu-Tang Clan, Mobb Deep, Onyx, and Fugees, all before they gained their popularity.{{cite AV media | people=Bobbito Garcia (director) |title=Stretch and Bobbito: Radio That Changed Lives | medium=Documentary | publisher=Saboteur Media}} In 1999, Prince Paul and Breeze Brewin' created one of the first rap opera albums, named A Prince Among Thieves. Rolling Stone gave the album a 4.5/5.{{Cite book|url=https://archive.org/details/newrollingstonea00brac|title=The new Rolling Stone album guide|editor-first1=Nathan|editor-last1=Brackett|editor-first2=Christian|editor-last2=Hoard|date=2004-01-01|publisher=Simon & Schuster|isbn=0743201698|oclc=56531290|url-access=registration}}
In the late 1990s, progressive rap acts such as Black Star and Juggaknots helped inspire and shape the underground hip hop movement that would follow in subsequent decades.{{cite book|last=Gill|first=Jon Ivan|chapter=Multi/race/less/ness as underground hip-hop identity in process|year=2019|title=Underground Rap as Religion: A Theopoetic Examination of a Process Aesthetic Religion|publisher=Taylor & Francis|isbn=9781351391320}}
Modern Age (2010-now)
The modern underground rap scene is heavily influenced by the internet, streaming services and social media. Independent artists can bypass record labels and upload themselves using platforms such as Soundcloud, Bandlab, Youtube, and Audiomack to small audiences. This digitization allows for many artists to with many different sub-genres, sounds, and local scenes.
Acts like JPEGMAFIA, Denzel Curry, Injury Reserve, $uicideBoy$, and Milo have achieved comercial success while still maintaining traditional underground features, such as DIY ethics and unconventional aesthetics.{{Cite web |last=Kearse |first=Stephen |title=JPEGMAFIA: All My Heroes Are Cornballs |url=https://pitchfork.com/reviews/albums/jpegmafia-all-my-heroes-are-cornballs/ |access-date=2025-06-01 |website=Pitchfork |language=en-US}} These artists often address themes such as mental health, existentialism, and social injustice.
The Soundcloud or "Mumble rap" movement featured a focus on melody over lyricism.{{Cite news |last=Aroesti |first=Rachel |date=2018-11-21 |title=Lil Pump review – mindless, parent-resistant mumble rap |url=https://www.theguardian.com/music/2018/nov/21/lil-pump-review-brixton-academy-review-gazzy-garcia |access-date=2025-06-01 |work=The Guardian |language=en-GB |issn=0261-3077}} Acts in this movement feature Juice Wrld, XXXTentacion, Lil Pump, Playboi Carti, 21 Savage, Lil Uzi Vert, and SoFaygo.
In the 2020s, a new generation of hyper-online rappers emerged. Acts such as Nettspend, Osamason, ian, Yeat, Summrs, Autumn!, and LAZERDIM700 represent a digitally native scene that blends melodic trap, glitchy plugg beats, and hyperpop.{{Cite web |last=Cartter |first=Eileen |date=2025-03-21 |title=Nettspend Grows Up |url=https://www.gq.com/story/nettspend-profile |access-date=2025-06-01 |website=GQ |language=en-US}} These artists often find success online via social media trends. TikTok leads to the success of a lot of these artists.{{Cite web |last=Press-Reynolds |first=Kieran |title=Yeat: Lyfë |url=https://pitchfork.com/reviews/albums/yeat-lyfe/ |access-date=2025-06-01 |website=Pitchfork |language=en-US}}
Genres
{{Portal|Music}}
References
{{reflist|30em}}
Further reading
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- {{cite book |last= Sartwell |first= Crispin |author-link= Crispin Sartwell |title= Act Like You Know: African-American Autobiography and White Identity |chapter-url= https://archive.org/details/actlikeyouknowaf0000sart |chapter-url-access= registration |year= 1998 |publisher= University Of Chicago Press |location= University of Chicago |isbn= 978-0-226-73527-6 |chapter= Rap Music and the Uses Of Stereotype |url-access= registration |url= https://archive.org/details/actlikeyouknowaf0000sart }}
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