Underground hip hop
Encyclopedia
Underground hip hop is an umbrella term
Umbrella term
An umbrella term is a word that provides a superset or grouping of concepts that all fall under a single common category. Umbrella term is also called a hypernym. For example, cryptology is an umbrella term that encompasses cryptography and cryptanalysis, among other fields...

 for hip hop music
Hip hop music
Hip hop music, also called hip-hop, rap music or hip-hop music, is a musical genre consisting of a stylized rhythmic music that commonly accompanies rapping, a rhythmic and rhyming speech that is chanted...

 outside the general commercial canon.
It is typically associated with independent artists, signed to

independent labels
Independent record label
An independent record label is a record label operating without the funding of or outside the organizations of the major record labels. A great number of bands and musical acts begin on independent labels.-Overview:...

 or no label at all.

Underground hip hop is often characterized by socially conscious, positive, or anti-commercial lyrics. However, there is no unifying or universal theme – Allmusic suggests that it "has no sonic signifiers". "The Underground" also refers to the community of musicians, fans and others that support non-commercial, or independent music. Some underground hip hop is also sometimes known as alternative hip hop
Alternative hip hop
Alternative hip hop is a sub-genre of hip hop music. Allmusic defines it as follows: -Origin:...

.

It is important to note that many artists who are considered "underground" today, were not always so, and may have previously broken the Billboard
Billboard (magazine)
Billboard is a weekly American magazine devoted to the music industry, and is one of the oldest trade magazines in the world. It maintains several internationally recognized music charts that track the most popular songs and albums in various categories on a weekly basis...

charts
Billboard charts
The Billboard charts tabulate the relative weekly popularity of songs or albums in the United States. The results are published in Billboard magazine...

.

Style

Underground hip-hop encompasses several different styles of music, though it is often politically themed and socially conscious. Numerous acts in the book How to Rap
How to Rap
How to Rap: The Art & Science of the Hip-Hop MC is a book on hip-hop music and rapping by Paul Edwards. It is compiled from interviews with 104 notable rappers who provide insights into how they write and perform their lyrics.- Publication :...

are described as being both underground and politically or socially aware, these include – Little Brother, Brother Ali
Brother Ali
Ali Newman , better known by the stage name Brother Ali, is an American hip hop artist signed to Rhymesayers Entertainment.-Personal life:...

, Mr. Lif
Mr. Lif
Mr. Lif is an American hip hop artist from Boston, Massachusetts. Often noted for his political lyrics, he has released two studio albums on El-P's Definitive Jux label and one on Bloodbot Tactical Enterprises. Mr...

, Murs, Binary Star
Binary Star (band)
Binary Star is a hip hop group formed in 1998 that was composed of One Be Lo and Senim Silla. One Be Lo met Senim Silla, and the two formed Binary Star during their time in Hiawatha Correctional Facility. One Be Lo took the time to gather extensive knowledge about the music industry, including...

, People Under the Stairs
People Under the Stairs
People Under the Stairs is a hip hop group from Los Angeles, California formed in 1997 by Thes One and Double K. The group has released eight critically acclaimed full-length albums and performed on every continent except Antarctica. It is estimated that the group has performed well over 1,000 sold...

, Lifesavas
Lifesavas
Lifesavas are a hip-hop group from Portland, Oregon. Jumbo the Garbageman is an MC/producer and Vursatyl is an MC. DJ Shines has also been involved in much of the production and DJing on their albums.- Discography :* Spirit in Stone...

, Zion I
Zion I
Zion I are a hip hop duo from Oakland, California. The duo consists of producer DJ AmpLive and MC Zumbi. The group is known to its followers for Amp's futuristic production techniques, using a mix of live instrumentation and samples, and Zumbi's positive and socially conscious lyrics. Zion I...

.

Underground artists often have high levels of critical acclaim – acts who have been specifically noted as being both underground and having numerous critically acclaimed albums include Jurassic 5
Jurassic 5
Jurassic 5 was an American alternative hip hop group formed in 1993 from members of two previous groups, Rebels of Rhythm and Unity Committee by rappers Charles Stewart , Dante Givens , Courtenay Henderson , Marc Stuart , and disc jockeys Mark Potsic and Lucas Macfadden...

, Aesop Rock
Aesop Rock
Ian Matthias Bavitz , better known by his stage name Aesop Rock, is an American hip hop artist and producer. He was at the forefront of the new wave of underground and alternative hip hop acts that emerged during the late 1990s and early 2000s. He was signed to El-P's Definitive Jux label until it...

, Ugly Duckling, Little Brother, Brother Ali
Brother Ali
Ali Newman , better known by the stage name Brother Ali, is an American hip hop artist signed to Rhymesayers Entertainment.-Personal life:...

, El Da Sensei
El Da Sensei
El Da Sensei is an American rapper from Newark, New Jersey. During the 1990s he was a member of the influential hip hop duo, Artifacts.Since then he has released several solo albums to critical acclaim.-Discography:...

, Dilated Peoples
Dilated Peoples
Dilated Peoples is an American hip hop group from Los Angeles, California. The group achieved notability in the underground hip hop community, although they have had little mainstream success in the US, with the exception of the song "This Way," a 2004 collaboration with Kanye West and Xzibit...

, Non Phixion
Non Phixion
Non Phixion was a New York-based hardcore hip-hop group.-History:In late 1994, MC Serch took his protege Sabac and teamed him up with DJ Eclipse and Ill Bill, thereby creating the group known as Non Phixion. Within six months Goretex, a childhood friend of Ill Bill, had joined the crew after...

, Freestyle Fellowship
Freestyle Fellowship
Freestyle Fellowship are a rap group from Los Angeles consisting of rappers Aceyalone, Myka 9, P.E.A.C.E., Self Jupiter and producer J Sumbi...

, Binary Star
Binary Star (band)
Binary Star is a hip hop group formed in 1998 that was composed of One Be Lo and Senim Silla. One Be Lo met Senim Silla, and the two formed Binary Star during their time in Hiawatha Correctional Facility. One Be Lo took the time to gather extensive knowledge about the music industry, including...

, Planet Asia
Planet Asia
Planet Asia aka King Medallions is an underground hip hop MC from Fresno, California who is a member of hiphop groups the Cali Agents, and Skhool Yard...

, People Under the Stairs
People Under the Stairs
People Under the Stairs is a hip hop group from Los Angeles, California formed in 1997 by Thes One and Double K. The group has released eight critically acclaimed full-length albums and performed on every continent except Antarctica. It is estimated that the group has performed well over 1,000 sold...

, Cannibal Ox
Cannibal Ox
Cannibal Ox, also known as CanOx, is an abstract hip hop duo from Harlem, New York City. Its members include Vast Aire and Vordul Mega. They are often accompanied by DJ Cip-One...

 and Zion I
Zion I
Zion I are a hip hop duo from Oakland, California. The duo consists of producer DJ AmpLive and MC Zumbi. The group is known to its followers for Amp's futuristic production techniques, using a mix of live instrumentation and samples, and Zumbi's positive and socially conscious lyrics. Zion I...

.

Additionally, many underground artists are said to have "intelligent", "intricate", or "complex" lyrics, these include Akir
Akir
Akir is an African-American hip hop artist, producer and songwriter known for his complex lyrics and social-political content. His name is an acronym for Always Keep It Real. He is also the co-founder of One Enterprises.- Biography :...

, Ugly Duckling, Brother Ali
Brother Ali
Ali Newman , better known by the stage name Brother Ali, is an American hip hop artist signed to Rhymesayers Entertainment.-Personal life:...

, Cage, Immortal Technique
Immortal Technique
Felipe Andres Coronel , better known by the stage name Immortal Technique, is an American rapper of Afro-Peruvian descent as well as an urban activist. He was born in Lima, Peru and raised in Harlem, New York. Most of his lyrics focus on controversial issues in global politics...

, El Da Sensei
El Da Sensei
El Da Sensei is an American rapper from Newark, New Jersey. During the 1990s he was a member of the influential hip hop duo, Artifacts.Since then he has released several solo albums to critical acclaim.-Discography:...

, Blackalicious
Blackalicious
Blackalicious is an American hip hop duo from Sacramento, California made up of rapper Gift of Gab and DJ/producer Chief Xcel . They are noted for Gift of Gab's often "tongue-twisting", multisyllabic, complex rhymes and Chief Xcel's "classic" beats...

, Mr. Lif
Mr. Lif
Mr. Lif is an American hip hop artist from Boston, Massachusetts. Often noted for his political lyrics, he has released two studio albums on El-P's Definitive Jux label and one on Bloodbot Tactical Enterprises. Mr...

, Andre Nickatina
Andre Nickatina
Andre L. Adams , better known by his stage name Andre Nickatina, is an American rapper from San Francisco, California. He previously performed under the stage name Dre Dog.-Musical career:...

, Murs, Binary Star
Binary Star (band)
Binary Star is a hip hop group formed in 1998 that was composed of One Be Lo and Senim Silla. One Be Lo met Senim Silla, and the two formed Binary Star during their time in Hiawatha Correctional Facility. One Be Lo took the time to gather extensive knowledge about the music industry, including...

, Planet Asia
Planet Asia
Planet Asia aka King Medallions is an underground hip hop MC from Fresno, California who is a member of hiphop groups the Cali Agents, and Skhool Yard...

, Lifesavas
Lifesavas
Lifesavas are a hip-hop group from Portland, Oregon. Jumbo the Garbageman is an MC/producer and Vursatyl is an MC. DJ Shines has also been involved in much of the production and DJing on their albums.- Discography :* Spirit in Stone...

, Kooley High, Sniped, Tah Phrum Duh Bush, Hustla Dreamz, Zion I
Zion I
Zion I are a hip hop duo from Oakland, California. The duo consists of producer DJ AmpLive and MC Zumbi. The group is known to its followers for Amp's futuristic production techniques, using a mix of live instrumentation and samples, and Zumbi's positive and socially conscious lyrics. Zion I...

, The Even Keel, Y Not Flow, omega jackson, All Names Were Taken, Timeless Truth, and Yak Ballz.

Some underground artists produce music that celebrates the fundamental elements or pillars of hip hop
Hip hop
Hip hop is a form of musical expression and artistic culture that originated in African-American and Latino communities during the 1970s in New York City, specifically the Bronx. DJ Afrika Bambaataa outlined the four pillars of hip hop culture: MCing, DJing, breaking and graffiti writing...

 culture, such as People Under the Stairs
People Under the Stairs
People Under the Stairs is a hip hop group from Los Angeles, California formed in 1997 by Thes One and Double K. The group has released eight critically acclaimed full-length albums and performed on every continent except Antarctica. It is estimated that the group has performed well over 1,000 sold...

, Apathy (rapper)
Apathy (rapper)
Chad Bromley , better known as Apathy is an underground rapper and producer from Willimantic, Connecticut. He attended high school at various schools in Connecticut. He is a re-founding member and unofficial leader of the Demigodz crew...

, and Blacastan whose music "recalls hip-hop's golden age".

Mixtapes

Mixtapes are the medium of the underground artist. They are often composed of original material, and are distributed via the internet or in person at one of any number of regional distribution services. Mixtapes depend on word of mouth and hand to hand exchanges for promotion.

Early

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
Ultramagnetic MCs
The Ultramagnetic MC's is an American hip hop group based in Bronx, New York. Originally founded by Kool Keith, the group is composed of Ced Gee, TR Love, and Moe Love. Tim Dog became an unofficial member in 1989. In 1990, DJ Jaycee was added as Roadmanager and backup DJ. A former member, Rooney...

 debut album Critical Beatdown
Critical Beatdown
Critical Beatdown is the debut studio album by American hip hop group Ultramagnetic MCs, released October 4, 1988, on Next Plateau Records. Production for the album was handled primarily by the group's rapper and producer Ced-Gee, who employed a E-mu SP-1200 sampler as the album's main instrument...

is seen as one of the earliest example of "underground hip hop". It was described that the album was characteristic of what would later be known as "underground hip hop".

Detroit underground rapper Esham
Esham
Rashaam Attica Smith, better known by his stage name Esham , is an American rapper from Detroit, Michigan known for his hallucinogenic style of hip hop which he refers to as "acid rap", which fuses rock-based beats and lyrics involving subjects such as death, drug use, evil, paranoia and...

's 1992 release Judgement Day was the first double album
Double album
A double album is an audio album which spans two units of the primary medium in which it is sold, typically records and compact discs....

 in hip hop. New York underground rapper Kool Keith
Kool Keith
Keith Matthew Thornton, better known by his stage name Kool Keith, is an American rapper from The Bronx, New York. A founding member of Ultramagnetic MCs, Kool Keith has recorded prolifically both as a solo artist and in group collaborations. Kool Keith is the self-proclaimed inventor of...

 received notable success with his album Dr. Octagonecologyst
Dr. Octagonecologyst
Dr. Octagonecologyst is the debut solo album of American rapper Keith Thornton and the first album he released under the alias Dr. Octagon. It was released May 6, 1996, on Bulk Recordings in the United States and Mo' Wax in the United Kingdom, and re-released in the US on DreamWorks Records in...

, gaining more attention than any contemporary independent hip hop album "in quite a while".

2000s

Detroit underground hip hop label Reel Life Productions
Reel Life Productions
Reel Life Productions, also known as Gothom Records, is an independent record label based in Detroit, Michigan that specializes in hip hop music. The label was founded in 1988 by James H. Smith and his younger brother, rapper Esham...

 had its highest charting success with the Dayton Family
The Dayton Family
The Dayton Family is an American hip hop group from Flint, Michigan. The group is composed of Ira Dorsey, Raheen Peterson, and Matt Hinkle, who perform under the respective personas of Bootleg, Shoestring, and Backstabba...

 member Bootleg's solo release Hated By Many Loved By Few, which peaked at #174 on the Billboard 200
Billboard 200
The Billboard 200 is a ranking of the 200 highest-selling music albums and EPs in the United States, published weekly by Billboard magazine. It is frequently used to convey the popularity of an artist or groups of artists...

, #6 on Independent Albums
Independent Albums
The Billboard Independent Albums is a chart of the highest-selling independent music albums and extended plays in the United States, compiled by Nielsen SoundScan and published weekly by Billboard magazine. It is used to list artists who are not signed to major labels...

, and #38 on Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums and Esham's Tongues
Tongues (Esham album)
Tongues is the eighth studio album by Esham, released in 2001. The album was also the final album Esham would release on Gothom until Sacrificial Lambz in 2009.-Track listing:-Personnel:*Esham - vocals, rap*Dayton Family - performer...

, which peaked at #195 on the Billboard 200, #7 on Independent Albums, #46 on Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums and #14 on Top Heatseekers
Top Heatseekers
Top Heatseekers refers to either of two separate "Breaking and Entering" music charts issued weekly by Billboard Magazine: the Heatseekers Albums chart or the Heatseekers Songs chart. They were introduced by Billboard in 1993 with the purpose of highlighting the sales by new and developing musical...

. Another Detroit underground label, Psychopathic Records
Psychopathic Records
Psychopathic Records, also known as "The Hatchet", is an American independent record label based in Farmington Hills, Michigan that specializes in hip hop music. The label was founded in 1991 by Alex Abbiss and hip hop group Insane Clown Posse....

, had its highest success with Insane Clown Posse
Insane Clown Posse
Insane Clown Posse is an American hip hop duo from Detroit, Michigan. The group is composed of Joseph Bruce and Joseph Utsler, who perform under the respective personas of the "wicked clowns" Violent J and Shaggy 2 Dope. Insane Clown Posse performs a style of hardcore hip hop known as horrorcore...

's albums The Amazing Jeckel Brothers
The Amazing Jeckel Brothers
The Amazing Jeckel Brothers is the fifth studio album by American hip hop group Insane Clown Posse, released on May 25, 1999, by Island Records, in association with Psychopathic Records. Recording sessions for the album took place from 1998 to 1999. The album is the fifth Joker's Card in the...

and later Bang! Pow! Boom!
Bang! Pow! Boom!
Bang! Pow! Boom! is the 11th studio album by American hip hop group Insane Clown Posse. Released on September 1, 2009 by Psychopathic Records, it was the group's second album with producer Mike E. Clark since his return to Psychopathic Records, and the first album to focus on the Dark Carnival...

, as well as Twiztid
Twiztid
Twiztid is an American hip hop duo from Warren, Michigan. The group is composed of Jamie Spaniolo and Paul Methric, who perform under the respective personas of Jamie Madrox and Monoxide Child...

's album W.I.C.K.E.D.
W.I.C.K.E.D.
W.I.C.K.E.D. is the seventh studio album by American hip hop group Twiztid. Released on March 17, 2009, it is the group's highest charting album, peaking at #11 on the Billboard 200...

Binary Star
Binary Star (band)
Binary Star is a hip hop group formed in 1998 that was composed of One Be Lo and Senim Silla. One Be Lo met Senim Silla, and the two formed Binary Star during their time in Hiawatha Correctional Facility. One Be Lo took the time to gather extensive knowledge about the music industry, including...

's Masters of the Universe was described as a "refreshing alternative from the mainstream of rap". Tech N9ne
Tech N9ne
Aaron Dontez Yates , better known by his stage name Tech N9ne , is an American rapper from Kansas City, Missouri. In 1999, Yates and Travis O'Guin founded the record label Strange Music. Throughout his career, Yates has sold over one million albums and has had his music featured in film,...

 and Strange Music
Strange Music
Strange Music is an American independent record label specializing in hip hop music. It was founded by Tech N9ne and Travis O'Guin in 1999. It is currently distributed through Fontana Distribution.-History:...

 achieved their biggest success with the album All 6's and 7's
All 6's And 7's
All 6's And 7's is the twelfth studio album of American rapper and songwriter Tech N9ne, and was released on June 7, 2011, on Strange Music...

.

See also

  • Conscious rap
  • Horrorcore
    Horrorcore
    Horrorcore is a subgenre of hip hop music based in horror-themed lyrical content and imagery. While the style is rarely popular, some performers have sold well in the mainstream scene.-Origins:...

  • List of underground rappers
  • Nerdcore
  • Political rap
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