What Happened to Underground Hip-Hop? 

Underground Hip-Hop ain’t dead. It was buried alive.

Underground hip hop ain’t dead, it’s just called underground for a reason

Underground Hip Hop is FAR from being dead! Nowadays there is so much talent in the underground, almost as great as we have ever seen with Artist like Mach Hommy The God Fahim Conway The Machine Benny the butcher Westside Gunn Lucki Mavi Billy Woods SOTC Slauson Malone Sybyr Jpegmafia (even though he’s not underground underground he’s still not mainstream) Wiardon Grimm Doza MIKE Maxo Earl Sweatshirt Caleb Giles Quelle Chris AnkhleJohn Flatbush Zombies Al Divino Milo And many many more Elcamino Revenxnt

Less hip hop and more hip pop. Jheeze now I’m doing the science

Shoutout Bones Chris Travis C Wulf Flatbush ZOMBiES Ua Pro Era Jpegmafia ... 🔥

Y'all got an entire vid on underground and don't got Aesop Rock on the thumbnail

1:30 somebody beta get them dirty ass airpods off my screen 😂

The only true underground component left in hip hop is graffiti culture.

Don't forget aesop rock melblue ken billy woods evidence and slug of atmosphere also homeboy sandman lee Scott Conway these our just some tho.

People always talk about how mainstream music is today. We used to have to listen to the radio, now you can listen to whoever you want at the press of a touchscreen. There’s more artists than at any point in history. If you can’t find good underground hip hop in 2019 you aren’t looking.

Nowadays radios on the same 6 songs

Eh I don’t think underground died, I think a good portion of it just went to SoundCloud

How can underground hip hop die when most rappers HAVE to start there!?

It ain't dead. It's more accessible through streaming platforms and social media, but its alive and well

Underground is dead? Sounds like to me you dont know where to look.

Underground is not dead there are so many artists that are insane like : MIKE, Medhane, Caleb Giles, Maxo, Quelle Chris, Jean Grae, Earl Sweatshirt (maybe), etc. Theres so much good stuff you just have to look for it.

I feel like you don't do enough research in your videos. Underground Hip Hop is definitely still alive and will always be alive. Rappers like Open Mike Eagle, Aesop Rock, Milo, Quelle Chris, Billy Woods, and Ka are making great rap music today and don't get enough credit for their work. That's underground hip hop

I live in Botswana and I have heard of MF Doom, Immortal Technique, Brother Ali, Murs, J Dilla, Killer Mike (before he was mainstream but during the reagan song), Hopson (I had a rebellious teen phase) and the battle rap scene with guys like Arsonal, Loaded Lux, Murda Mook, etc... AMERICANS WHO LOVE HIPHOP HAVE NO EXCUSE

Hip Hop as a whole is huge so the underground doesn’t even seem like the underground anymore.

🔱 WELCOME TO THE STREAMING INVASION If Underground Hip-Hop is dead... It’s because the listeners who are willing to financially support and back the INDEPENDENT artists are in the MINORITY. Sadly, the majority of consumers feel entitled to the work INDEPENDENT artists create and often TAKE-TAKE-TAKE without realizing or respecting the financial effort it takes for artists to actually GIVE. Free and promotional work have ALWAYS been a part of the game... but when you have more consumers who exclusively stick to free content, and reluctantly support artists via merchandise, albums, shows... The sustainability of each artist falters and falls victim to the revolving door participation of the “culture”. Thus, careers spark - catch interest - then quickly die down. I’ve personally seen a lot of talented rappers dwindle out due to the fact it’s harder to balance life and the current demand for content to maintain an attentive audience willing to financially support their work. Streaming percentages are a joke and one day, I hope Hip-Hop will unionize further time gain more control of the money they deserve.

"What happened to Underground hip hop?" It stayed underground maybe?

Being broke don’t make ppl underground, tribe and other underground groups/artists went platinum Underground really is a vibe of image which differs from mainstream imagery

mach hommy tha god fahim benny the butcher wsg conway eto flee god elcamino your old droog al divino mike sixpress estee nack i could go on... LISTEN TO MORE MUSIC!

I needa link to that instrumental in the background

Underground artists are just different from the ones in the past. It's not that complicated.

Jean Grae, MIKE, Mach-Hommy, Tha God Fahim, Quelle Chris, Your Old Droog, Medhane, Navy Blue, Pink Siifu, Adé Hakim, Milo and Slauson Malone are some great underground artists you should check out. People say underground dead because the people who were the underground are now famous and there's a new underground that they don't know.

TechN9ne has his own record label n he brings a lot of new artists to light more than a major label because those Major labels want to change the artists to their idea that they think he/she should look sound even to what they wear

All these dorks in the comments saying “underground hip hop ain’t dead” followed by an array of artists clearly didn’t not watch or listen to the video at all. They completely missed the concept of what you were saying.

Griselda Records is a good example of Underground coming back

It ain't dead it's just Soundcloud now.

Bro there are still good underground rappers, look at Danny Brown, JPEGMAFIA, Freddie Gibbs & Death grips. They have strong and loyal fan bases I don't think underground is dying in popularity or quality any time soon

Still lots out, jus gotta find em: Flatbush Zombies, K.A.A.N, Dopplegangaz, Villain Park (highly recommend), Hugh Augustine, Dot Demo, Dan Buddah. I could go on and on 😁

The internet happened. And Social Media. You no longer have to dig in the crates just click an icon.

Y’all ever looked into what’s going in Las Vegas? Vice just did a lil spotlight on them but Their underground is crazy, artist that you’ve never heard of are playing sold out shows in major venues and making genuinely great music. Look up The Noir Movement , B Rose BigHomieStone, Sabriel , REDX, Zelly Vibes, PapichuloTeej , Mike Xavier, Cabrera, could go on for a minute honestly. Vegas had on hip hop until real recently and since it’s been lifted these artist have been flourishing and since what happens In Vegas stays in Vegas everybody’s just over looking it. Hip hop is an attitude not just rapping and what’s happening in Vegas is the most hip hop shit. Since the Bronx back in the day. Not to mention Now that Two Winners of SYTYCD now Have been B Boys the dance style from hip hop are from las Vegas. I think it’s crazy noones talking about it. But whatever we getting money over here 🤷🏾‍♂️

Underground Hip-hop is still here... I don't get it.

I cant believe that the particular sound, tone, content and delivery was not mentioned when speaking of what qualifies an artist as underground.. Underground hip hop speaks on important matters while paying homage in the beat to elements of jazz and other classic genres (most of the time.) And underground ain't dead.. we just ain't trying to kick it with y'all.

SoundCloud and Bandcamp are the new Underground

Its official youtube killed underground hip hop

Not really. Its just a thin ass line between underground and indie at this point, imo

The problem with Underground Hip Hop does come with gatekeeper-ism, but at the same time, if the artist's music isn't supported by their fans, only so much can be done.

it's far from dead it just looks different, there's tiers and shit underground hip hop is crowded and tough you gotta really fight for every play and every gig and it's not as much about album sales as it is about word of mouth and trying to get put on tours there's mainstream, what I'd call mid-stream, then there's underground which gets hella deep and very very buried at times

I love how technical this got, like the top comment says "Less hip hop and more hip pop. Jheeze now I’m doing the science"

So does independent mean you’re underground? Idk if Tech N9ne fits in the underground category anymore he’s way to big now, in my personal opinion he should be more popular than he is

Funny tho that KRS-One released an album, Immortal Technique is doing an US tour and DangerDoom dropped a single ALL THIS MONTH. Also, Jedi Mind Tricks is still standing strong and K-Rino is about to drop an album within a few weeks. So Wat Cha Sayin'

Independent is not always underground. You had Mackelmore blow up mainstream independently. You have Tech N9ne who’s mainstream, but independent.

Bro like 3 years ago Florida just got mainstream. Go back 5 years, it’s a huge underground scene. My area has a huge underground. No big shows, but we have small festival type things.

Griselda. But, overall.. much like the middle class slowly dwindled, the “mid-tier artist” disappeared. You’re either Jordan or Vlade Divac out here, there is no more Horace Grant, Tony Kukoc

I don’t quite believe that It is dead i mean, Trevor Daniel ,Brennan Savage, and 1990bishop

10,000 years in the dungeon for putting Hopsin on the cover of your underground hip hop video

BONES is keeping the underground alive

There are many labels that sign underground artists and market them very well but also allow them full creative control , big up those labels 👌🏻👌🏻

Lol funny how only 1 artist in the thumbnail is actually underground (doom). Lets be specific, Underground, is NOT artists that havent signed to a label or any contracts. Underground is more like what hopsin said. Btw there are still artist in the underground thriving with their cult like fanbase. Bones is one for example. Amongst thousands of others.

Tech N9ne, Jelly Roll, Doomsday Productions, Brotha Lynch......

THIS DUDE IS ONE OF THE NEWS PEOPLE FROM HIP HOP DX

The homies Starlito and Don Trip still going hard til this day. "Underground til im underground"🔻

Underground HipHop is Very Much Alive. You can find them performing weekends at the clubs and in the hood with the people every day. They are still called hood stars. I would rather have the raw and real rather than the main stream garbage used to taint something so beautiful.

What do u mean what happened to underground *IT'S UNDERGROUND*

Underground Hip Hoo still with us it just gotten less more showcased now.....back in time what got understand hip hop artist relevants was late night weekend mix hours....then local state college mix shows was a catalyst for real rap music....this was pre internet era......lets not forget of Soul Train, The Video Box, Rap City, Pump It Uo With Dee Barnes & MTV Raps now put on a visual face to hip hop with Hip Hop Music Videos.....its still here ......

With people like MIKE, Joey Badass, Earl Sweatshirt, Medhane, Fahim, Mach Hommy... It's still well alive

Underground still there, it’s just the underground rapper y’all listened to 5-10 years ago fell off. Y’all haven’t heard the young niggas yet like lucki, fauni, MIKE& nem

Go and look up Mello music group. Listen to the music they put out. Then come and tell me that shit dont bang . Underground is underrated but it ain’t dead

Snoop Dog Answer is : *_" WHOOOO "_* 😃😃😃

I feel that underground rapper should not jeopardize a good so by choosing a basic best with the intention of being deep You can still drop bars and punchline with a wavy beat

Underground Hip-hop nation ain't dead and it ain't going nowhere. I know millions of Underground Rap Artists that are straight up millionaires promoting, producing, and marketing their music and videos independently. For example, Tech N9ne, Hopsin, And NECRO. Also Insane Clown Posse been doing their thang hustlin' hard in the Rap Game for years beneath the mainstream media, they still Underground Rap. Esham the Unholy reppin' Reel Life Product and is still spitting the Wicked Shit 4 life both Mainstream and Underground. Underground Hip-hop is not dead, it's alive and well and Mo Def as it was and fresh as ever. 4 ever the Underground.

Twinuzis, Summrs, SoFayGo, Frank, goonie, ssgkobe, lil gohan, Slimesito, 645ar, boofpaxkmooky, cashbently, xanman, northxoolin, izaya tiji, ysnintvrlvde, xanakinskywok, prissyvvs, icyxoolin, wifi, kensdying, etc...

I remember saying “yeah I listen to hip hop but only underground” 😬

Underground hip/hop is better then ever, tech n9ne, Twista, Crooked I, Rittz, K-rino, King ISO, Kaan, JL B.Hood, Krizz kaliko, Ces cru, C. Ray, Twisted insane etc all active and on the grind.

People who say any genre or subgenre is dead clearly arent in on the scene lmao

you're not a real head if you think it's dead

People are talking about how it ain't dead but...it's pretty well dead. "underground" hip hop was a pretty huge movement from the mid/late 90's to the late 2000's. Still a ton of good music coming out, but this isn't the MF Doom/DIlla/Madlib/Company Flow era anymore where you had ridiculous records coming out pretty much week for a decade plus. I wouldn't call anything underground in 2021 so much as 90's boom bap/beat tape revivalism. Musically catches the vibe but is missing a little of what made that era tick if that makes sense. Different place in time and it's really hard to put my finger on it. The book of CD's in your backpack was as good as gold and were traded like currency. It felt like having a tome of secret knowledge only to be shared with the worthy! 😂

But I listen to underground Hip Hop all the time! Shout out to Windmills, Substantial, CYNE, Omaure, Anti Lilly, Awon, Phoniks, The Mouse Outfit, Otis Mensah

underground isn't dead, regionalization is. People aren't as hot in their hometowns as they would be before the internet, but now "underground" artists are gaining traction slowly off rising thru streaming sites

So Underground hip hop = independent hip hop?

RVIDXR KLVN 2.7.5 THE GODS OF THE UNDERGROUND

Underground hip-hop is dead. Drake is not hip-hop he is RandB. Underground hip-hop is art this commercial rap is gay.

Underground hip hop can be found in a Reddit forum

What nigga I'm alive and well. Tap in new music coming out all day. People need to stop saying dumb shiid like this.

With digital streaming the line between mainstream and underground has become extremely blurred

Thats I moved on to metal music. Got tired of seeing very talented underground rappers never getting recognition like mainstream crap rappera. Then some of them tried to do the new sound that was popular and sounded awful. There is way too large a divide and it’s frustrating. You think you have lots of options in mainstream rap today but not really. They copy way too much and are afraid to step outside the box and many times take ideas from underground artists as well and make a shitty version of their style or song. With metal its mostly all underground now not popular like hip hop so it doesn’t try to conform and there is more creativity in my opinion.

Underground hip hop isnt dead its just underground lol

I mean we still have a lot of underground rappers. Pouya, GhosteMane, Suicide Boys, 6 Dogs, City Morgue I can keep going.

What constitute as Underground Hip Hop

SoundCloud is the new hub for Underground rappers. Y2K and other sub genres are bigger than traditional rap

Anybody who isn’t signed is underground or relatively unknown in pop you are considered such.

From the images on this video its clear yall lost on what underground hip hop is

Underground Hip-Hop isn't dead.

There will never be an underground scene like there was between 2002-2010. That was the underground golden age.

I think y'all in the comment section are missing the point. He's not saying underground doesn't exist, he's saying mainstream music and media have so much overshadowed the underground world of hip hop that it feels like the underground music is suffocating and has no way to reach the mainstream audience... Take a look at hopsin there used to be a time his music was able to reach mainstream audience while being underground... But in 2021 how many people know his song "alone with me". Underground hip hop was meant to make people really feel like they are part of the media while having normal lives but now an underground rapper is usually viewed as corny. I personally still listen to underground music but it doesn't carry the "coolness" it had before

Nowadays if u not flashing money and got +10k followers people feel like your art “cAnT bE tHaT gOoD” it’s the social media times we in and everyone’s followers now. People feel like if everybody else isn’t listening to you then why should I? Social media has literally turned everyone into a bunch of hive-mind followers.

"Less then mainstream J. Cole" Most of your viewers are from this generation I imagine. They don't know who MF Doom is. I liked this channel till that statement. It shakes me the wrong way... NOT SAYING MF DOOM ISN'T HUGE!

Underground hip hop isn’t dead, it is where it’s name is, underground. Go dig. Slauson Malone, Medhane, Mike, you just gotta look.

Jelly roll is doing well young wicked, rittz, twiztid, twisted insane ECT.

Check people like Tobe nwigwe, kota the friend,medhane, Mike, Dan Brown, Freddy Gibbs ...

When you've listened to the likes of Canibus, it's difficult to just change to the likes of Lil' Uzi Vert

Underground rnb was great the last couple years till the blew up. Gallant, Daniel Ceasar, Alina Baraz, H.E.R. it was nice finding them first.

Underground hip-hop isn't dead, seeing that most rappers start from there how could it possibly die?

Not died just better then mainstream

When people say underground hip hop is dead, they’re talking about the spirit in which that music was made, the specific genre aesthetics of it. Let’s not pretend that an UNDISCOVERED rapper doing the same things as a mainstream rapper in hopes of having the same material success as a mainstream rapper is the same as an UNDERGROUND rapper who’s content to make creative/core hip-hop music for far less money while spending their whole career signed to Stones Throw or Def Jux or something like that. At least do us the respect of being real about what people mean when they say “Underground hip-hop” and educating the folks who don’t know about underground and the many different flavors of hip-hip that they’re missing out on.

Its underground .... Literally why it SEEMS dead ...

You trippin underground rap is mainstream now, soundcloud is the epitome of underground rap and xxx, lil peep, ski mask, wifisfuneral, $uicideboy$ are all underground rappers that got mainstream attention but they're still underground