Search results
- The Pharcyde - "Runnin'" (from Labcabincalifornia, 1995) Let’s start with a bridge — one between the insurgent wave of early ’90s West Coast indie and all the potential dynamism, insight, and creativity that underground hip-hop would cultivate by the decade’s end.
- J-Live - "Braggin' Writes" (12", 1995) One of the other calling cards, it should be noted, is rapping about rapping — the recentering and arms-race showoff of skills.
- Dr. Octagon - "Blue Flowers" (from Dr. Octagonecologyst, 1996) Kool Keith’s always been a crazy bastard, if by “crazy” you mean “can sound fly even rapping complete nonsense” and “bastard” you mean “stylistically fathered by immaculate conception.”
- The East Flatbush Project - "Tried By 12" (12", 1996) When street rap mourns, it’s the strongest case there is for hip-hop not as the detractors’ “inspiration for violence,” but as something inspired by violence — of something that has to be paid attention to, made sense of, after-the-fact justified, but not so much celebrated as chronicled in ways that at least try to find the resilience of artistic expression in the midst of a grim scenario.
Mar 22, 2022 · In this piece, you will find 100 underground Hip Hop albums – no compilations, no mixtapes, no instrumental albums, no EPs – we consider to be essential, not ranked but presented in release year order. No major label albums on this list, strictly indie or no label projects – which btw does not mean there are no classics on this list: some ...
- Madvillain – Madvillainy (2004) Sprawling, ambitious, dense, funny, and consistently refreshing, MF Doom and Madlib’s 2004 collaboration Madvillainy represented the crescendo of an amorphous movement, capturing the inventive spirit of the American underground through a set of uncompromisingly weird and adventurous sounds.
- Cannibal Ox – The Cold Vein (2001) Though released in months prior to 9/11, Cannibal Ox’s seminal Cold Vein may as well have sonically predicted the disastrous days ahead.
- Aesop Rock – Labor Days (2001) Shouldering high expectations after his touted signing to Def Jux, Long Island wordsmith Aesop Rock delivered a career defining statement in Labor Days, an album that expanded on his trademark abstraction while dipping further into his favorite themes (modern labor, the effects of city living on the psyche, artistic creation) and a kind of lucidity nonexistent on previous releases.
- Company Flow – Funcrusher Plus (1997) Before El-P took the reins of Def Jux and assaulted listeners as a solo artist, he and cohorts Bigg Jus and Mr. Len crafted one of independent Hip-Hop’s most aggressive and indelible statements, an anti-mainstream screed that expressed its dissatisfaction in every ounce of its being.
- Madvillain “Madvillainy” (2004) WOW!!!!! This was the first word that went through my head by the end of the album. This immediately put you back into the mindstate after you finished with De La Soul Is Dead or Aquemini, which was there’s something immensely special about this album… but what exactly is it?
- Leak Bros. "Waterworld" (2004) Almost unanimously captured was a look of awe and glee when it was announced that Cage and Tame One of Artifacts were coming together as the Leak Brothers.
- MF Doom "Operation Doomsday" (1999) Welcome to the unorthodox world of MF DOOM. The emcee formerly known as Zev Love X from KMD re-emerged as a metal faced villain with penchant for quirky, yet strangely dope, lyrics.
- Company Flow "Funcrusher Plus" (1997) Man oh man!! Talk about a breakthrough release. This landmark release shattered everything in its path in ’97, and was hardly ever mentioned among the year’s best.
- MF Doom. 516 votes. A master of intricate rhyme schemes and intricate storytelling, MF Doom is known for his enigmatic persona and often wears a signature metal-mask on stage.
- Big L. 493 votes. The late Big L was a Harlem-based rapper known for his fierce wordplay and intricate lyricism. He gained fame in the early '90s during the golden age of hip-hop through his association with D.I.T.C.
- Immortal Technique. 426 votes. With razor-sharp political commentary, controversial opinions, and thought-provoking lyrics, Peruvian-American rapper Immortal Technique has been challenging the status quo ever since entering the underground hip-hop scene in the early 2000s.
- Jedi Mind Tricks. 239 votes. Jedi Mind Tricks have carved their niche with thought-provoking lyrics and an innovative sound that combines hardcore beats with raw, emotional storytelling.
Explore top 50 underground hip hop albums - discover Black Star's charged verses and Dr. Octagon's experimental soundscapes.
People also ask
How many underground hip hop albums are there?
What are some examples of underground hip hop?
What are the best underground Hip-Hop Albums?
What is underground hip-hop?
Aug 26, 2015 · Presenting DX’s picks for the 30 best underground Hip Hop albums dropped since the year 2000.
