# Recommend me some good (indie?) hip-hop! **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [January 17, 2006, 5:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-me-some-good-indie-hip-hop/340328 "2006-01-17T05:48:54Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Hey\_It\_s\_That\_Guy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/6f9a4e/32.png) [@Hey\_It\_s\_That\_Guy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hey_It_s_That_Guy)\ **Post date:** [January 17, 2006, 5:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-me-some-good-indie-hip-hop/340328/1 "2006-01-17T05:48:54Z")
I’m not sure how many Dopers are into hip-hop, but I’d love to hear some new stuff. Interestingly, it was the recent “Lazy Sunday” rap video from Saturday Night Live that got me thinking what a poor state mainstream hip-hop was in, that two comic actors could come out with a better rap than most guys straight-thuggin’ on the radio. Frankly, I love the hell out of each one of Chris Parnell’s raps from SNL, and I’ll argue with anyone that the man has SKILLZ. But if that hasn’t blown my credibility already, I’ll tell ya what else I like. I enjoy Jurassic 5, Kanye West, Outkast, Deltron 3030, Kool Keith (and all his various personalities), Dr. Dre and Snoop Dogg (The Chronic and Doggystyle are two of my all-time favorite albums), Jay-Z, A Tribe Called Quest, and more old-school stuff like Run DMC, Slick Rick, and the Beastie Boys. Even Eminem, when he’s being funny and raunchy as opposed to angry and hateful, is pretty cool. I generally like laid-back MCs, melodic beats that feature actual good music, and a sense of humor to the lyrics. I am unimpressed with 50 Cent and most of the G-Unit guys, Slim Thug (is he the worst rapper ever?), Mike Jones, and most of these new Houston rappers, “Diddy” and just about anyone he associates with, Li’l Jon and 99% of “crunk,” and even big shots like Busta Rhymes and Missy Elliott do very little for me. I don’t like anyone with really harsh, aggressive-sounding delivery (Mystikal comes to mind immediately, or anyone who sounds like him), and I have to be honest, I’m not enamored with the minimalistic beats of the Neptunes. So who else would I like? I’d be much more interested in the people I’m hearing about from labels like Anticon and Def Jux, but it’s so hard to get exposed to “indie hip-hop” like that, and I don’t like buying completely unfamiliar albums. I hear there’s a whole subgenre of “nerd rap” that sounds like it could be a lot of fun. The little I’ve heard from MC Paul Barman sounds awesome, and I’d love to hear more from him or anyone doing anything similar to him. Please toss me out some new recommendations, taking my likes and dislikes into account! ---
**Author:** ![Doctor\_Who](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ed8c4c/32.png) [@Doctor\_Who](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Doctor_Who)\ **Post date:** [January 17, 2006, 5:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-me-some-good-indie-hip-hop/340328/2 "2006-01-17T05:57:18Z")
Well, we have similar tastes, so let me drop a few suggestions: (a) If you like Jay-Z, have you downloaded the Grey Album? I know, I know - it’s old news - but it’s an awesome album top to bottom. That’s **Jay-Z + DJ Danger Mouse**. (b) Just today I’ve started exploring **Asheru** - he’s the rapper who does the theme song for the Boondocks show on the Cartoon Network. I think his flow is tight. © There’s a goofy song I heard on BBC radio that I’ve been grooving on - “Bad Boy Limp” by **Goldie Lookin’ Chain**. It’s at least interesting on first listen. (d) Finally my MAIN suggestion - **Mos Def**. Try these songs: “Sunshine,” “Sex, Love, & Money,” “War,” “Life is Real,” Grown Man Business," or “Champion Requiem.” Mos rocks - although his stuff can be a little hit or miss. Definately not that gravelly growling shit like Mystikal. - Peter Wiggen ---
**Author:** ![RetroVertigo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/b38774/32.png) [@RetroVertigo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RetroVertigo)\ **Post date:** [January 17, 2006, 5:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-me-some-good-indie-hip-hop/340328/3 "2006-01-17T05:59:16Z")
I really don’t like much hip-hop, but I from back in the day [Eric B. & Rakim](http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&uid=MIW050601170052&sql=11:3absa9rgb23a~T0). I also seen the **Roots** live and was very surprised at how good they were. ---
**Author:** ![START](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/2bfe46/32.png) [@START](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/START)\ **Post date:** [January 17, 2006, 6:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-me-some-good-indie-hip-hop/340328/4 "2006-01-17T06:39:13Z")
I actually like Mike Jones a lot but tend to listen to more underground hip hop than anything else and I heard the SNL raps and my friend and I both agreed we would bump it if they ever came out with a CD. Based on your tastes I’m going to recommend these artists… Blackalicous “Blazing Arrow” Pigeon John “Is Dating Your Sister” Bahamadia \*\* Crown City Rockers “Earthtones” \ **Author:** ![TLDRIDKJKLOLFTW](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/51bf81/32.png) [@TLDRIDKJKLOLFTW](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TLDRIDKJKLOLFTW)\ **Post date:** [January 17, 2006, 6:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-me-some-good-indie-hip-hop/340328/5 "2006-01-17T06:45:27Z") **BBVL** , I understand where you’re coming from, and hope I can give you some pointers. I think that in the last year in particular, indie rap took a huuuuge dump and mainstream rap got surprisingly **weird** and interesting. I honestly can’t name a single good indie rap record from the past year, whereas I can think of about five completely mainstream rap records (Paul Wall - “The People’s Champ,” Bun-B - “Trill,” etc.) that blew me away. That aside, here’s some modern stuff you might like: **Madlib** - West Coast lo-fi king known for his vast knowledge and sampling of lost funk, soul, and jazz classics. His best records are **Lootpack** ’s _Soundpieces: Da Antidote_ and **Quasimoto** ’s _The Unseen_. The former was his group and the latter is a solo album where he plays two identities, Madlib and Quasimoto. Both are amazing records steeped in dusty, crackly samples and thick beats. **MF Doom** - he used to be known as Zev Love X when he was in the early-nineties group **KMD** , and now he’s gone solo. He makes all of his own beats, favoring weird seventies and eighties elevator music funk and cartoon music, and is probably the single most skilled emcee currently making music, often nesting multi-syllable rhymes within other rhymes and so on. His debut, _Operation Doomsday_, remains his strongest effort, but his album under the name **King Gheedorah** is pretty hot as well. He did a joint record with Madlib under the name **Madvillain** , but save that one for when you’re already a fan of both guys. You also might want to check out some of the late-eighties and early-nineties rap that came out of the “Native Tongues” movement, which to make a long story short was a NYC-centric scene where rappers rejected growing “gangsta” rap and instead looked to old jazz and soul music and afrocentrism for inspiration. **A Tribe Called Quest** , who you already mentioned, were the breakout stars of this movement, but don’t forget **De La Soul** (check out _Three Feet High and Rising_) and the **Jungle Brothers** (_Done by the forces of nature_ is their bes record). Both bands explored similar sonic and emotional territory to Tribe, and I think you’ll like both. Keeping on the old school tip, don’t forget **Pete Rock and C.L. Smooth** - their album _Mecca and the Soul Brother_ is one of the finer rap albums of the past 25 years, and is really the perfect marriage of gorgeous, jazzy production and insightful, intelligent, and introspective rapping. “They reminisce over you” is one of my top-five rap songs of all time, and I think it’ll be one of yours once you check out the album. Before heading elsewhere, don’t forget to jet over to early-nineties Southern California with **The Pharcyde**. In an age of gangsta posing, they were goofy and irreverent - a sort of “Black Beastie Boys,” if you will - but they were skilled on the mic and the beats were definitely hot. Their full-length _Bizarre Ride II the Pharcyde_ is considered their best moment, but there’s also a greatest hits compilation out there that you can cop instead. Back to NYC, have you checked out **Gang Starr**? I think that their name scares off a lot of would-be fans; they image some sort of violently-angry gangsta badasses, but that couldn’t be farther from the truth. There’s a reason that DJ Premier is revered as one of _the_ greatest beatmakers of all time; one listen to a track like “Full Clip” will you have crapping your pants at the pure genius of how he can put together a simple beat, a great sample or two, and make it the greatest thing you’ve ever heard. Instead of picking up one of their many full-length records, I suggest heading straight for the _Full Clip: A decade of Gang Starr_ “greatest hits” compilation. Every track on it is a straight-killer, and you’ll wonder how you ever lived without “Ex girl to the next girl,” “Full Clip,” “Mass Appeal,”… That should give you some stuff to get started with. Don’t be afraid to check out the late-eighties and early-nineties in particular; there’s so much great stuff there, and I think it’s the moment when sampling reached its height (the copyright laws weren’t enforced as insanely, but primitive technology limited producers to using samples in creative and inventive ways rather than just jacking 32-bars Puffy-style). In general, think of it like this - rap music came out, did a bunch of great stuff through the early nineties, then the commercial crap took over, giving birth to a highly prolific and creative indie scene, then (in the last two years) the indie stuff ran out of steam while the mainstream stuff got creative and weird again (with the exception of the mindless junk like 50 Cent and so on). That “Laffy Taffy” song is twice as weird as anything that Anticon’s ever released! ---
**Author:** ![lissener](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lissener/32/6139_2.png) [@lissener](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lissener)\ **Post date:** [January 17, 2006, 8:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-me-some-good-indie-hip-hop/340328/6 "2006-01-17T08:35:13Z")
Some great recommendations, but none of them have become as permanent a part of my _personal musical consciousness as the following: \*\* Sage Francis Atmosphere/Slug/Sean Daley Sole_ ---
**Author:** ![explore\_like\_dora](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/eada6e/32.png) [@explore\_like\_dora](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/explore_like_dora)\ **Post date:** [January 17, 2006, 4:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-me-some-good-indie-hip-hop/340328/7 "2006-01-17T16:16:15Z")
Well, [Sasha Frere-Jones](http://www.sashafrerejones.com/2005/12/cognitive_dissonance.html) sure has your number: > [@](#): > > This Saturday Night Live routine is pretty much my nightmare, like people telling me they really like Danger Mouse, even though they don’t usually like rap. What is difficult to process that, while hideous on paper, this routine is quite good, both as comedy and as a piece of rap music, even the delivery. If the track isn’t a Sir Jinx production I’ve forgotten, it’s an impressive mimicry of the original idea. In this vein, also, I remember reading someone saying opining that Parnell has a better flow than Slug, which is fair enough. So you know Atmosphere (which Slug raps for), right? But, **VCO3** is right, indie Hip Hop Sucks In '05, which is a shame because, you know, I Used To Love H.E.R. I recommend you get the Clipse’s mixtapes (“We Got It 4 Cheap”), the Paul Wall record, Three 6 Mafia, Li’l Wayne, David Banner. Because all of those artists are doing something creative and new, unlike, say Jurassic 5, who seem to have not heard a new hip hop record since the Native Tongues era. Actually, I’m kind of curious about you saying you like Kanye. Have you heard _Late Registration_? Surely you agree that “Drive Slow” and “Gone” are among the best tracks on that record? And surely you agree that Paul Wall and Cam’ron’s verses on those respective tracks are damn fine? So if you can get whole albums of that stuff on _The People’s Champ_ and _Purple Haze_, why do you want Q-Tip knockoffs? I mean, I’m not trying to be confrontational here, I just really can’t understand why you’re closing yourself off from innovation in favor of stagnation. ---
**Author:** ![ultrafilter](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/3d9bf3/32.png) [@ultrafilter](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ultrafilter)\ **Post date:** [January 17, 2006, 5:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-me-some-good-indie-hip-hop/340328/8 "2006-01-17T17:39:58Z")
You might want to check out the [rap/hip-hop entry](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=344056) of the Essential Music Library. ---
**Author:** ![nevermore](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/a587f6/32.png) [@nevermore](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nevermore)\ **Post date:** [January 17, 2006, 6:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-me-some-good-indie-hip-hop/340328/9 "2006-01-17T18:04:17Z")
**VCO3** knows what he’s talking about. listen to the man. as such, really not much for me to add besides maybe **De La Soul**. they remind me a lot of **A Tribe Called Quest** , actually… very musical and very laid-back; never overdone. you might also check out **People Under the Stairs** , **KRS-One** , maybe even some **Devin the Dude** , the latter probably only if you’re a major pothead, and definitely the first album first. what else… **Talib Kweli** has a pretty good album with **Hi-Tek** , which I can’t remember the name of… oh, and if you’re a fan of the Adult Swim programming block and you decide you like **MF Doom** , definitely don’t miss the _DangerDoom_ album. I’m probably forgetting a lot but I’m in a hurry. hope you find something you like! ---
**Author:** ![nevermore](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/a587f6/32.png) [@nevermore](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nevermore)\ **Post date:** [January 17, 2006, 6:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-me-some-good-indie-hip-hop/340328/10 "2006-01-17T18:09:43Z")
fuck. not only did I fuck up my code but also managed to not notice that **VC03** _did_ in fact mention **De La Soul**. but, one good thing comes of this, and that’s that I just remembered you cannot miss _Blowout Comb_ by **Digable Planets**. it’s so jazzy and smooth you wouldn’t believe it’s still hip-hop. ---
**Author:** ![elfkin477](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/a9a28c/32.png) [@elfkin477](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elfkin477)\ **Post date:** [January 17, 2006, 6:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-me-some-good-indie-hip-hop/340328/11 "2006-01-17T18:15:33Z")
I’m not much of a hip-hop fan, but see if you can find the song “presidente” by Kinky. Great beat to it, and the lyrics in Spanish are slow enough to figure out (if you speak some Spanish, that is). You might be able to find it through google. ---
**Author:** ![Millit\_the\_Frail](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/51bf81/32.png) [@Millit\_the\_Frail](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Millit_the_Frail)\ **Post date:** [January 17, 2006, 6:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-me-some-good-indie-hip-hop/340328/12 "2006-01-17T18:59:26Z")
Nerd rap? Are you into LotR? Not sure if this is what you’re looking for (in fact, it’s probably not, but give it a listen anyway–it’s free), but the **Lords of the Rhymes** are hilarious, low-tech, and pretty clever too. I’d almost swear that Andy and Chris were inspired by these guys. Google them and watch their videos. I have to give them a plug, even though you’re looking for more, um…established acts. ---
**Author:** ![TLDRIDKJKLOLFTW](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/51bf81/32.png) [@TLDRIDKJKLOLFTW](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TLDRIDKJKLOLFTW)\ **Post date:** [January 17, 2006, 7:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-me-some-good-indie-hip-hop/340328/13 "2006-01-17T19:25:24Z")
> [@Big Bad Voodoo Lou](#): > > I hear there’s a whole subgenre of “nerd rap” that sounds like it could be a lot of fun. The little I’ve heard from MC Paul Barman sounds awesome, and I’d love to hear more from him or anyone doing anything similar to him. I forgot to mention **Edan** , who comes across as a sort of Paul Barman that you don’t immediately want to beat the shit out of. White nerd with an amazing flow and pretty unique production sensibility. 2005’s _Beauty and the Beat_ got a lot of cred, but I prefer his debut, _Primitive Plus_. ---
**Author:** ![awldune](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/c77e96/32.png) [@awldune](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/awldune)\ **Post date:** [January 17, 2006, 7:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-me-some-good-indie-hip-hop/340328/14 "2006-01-17T19:48:23Z")
**Aesop Rock** is what came to mind first when I saw “indie hip hop”. Check them out. ---
**Author:** ![DVsickgirlDV](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b5e925/32.png) [@DVsickgirlDV](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DVsickgirlDV)\ **Post date:** [January 17, 2006, 8:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-me-some-good-indie-hip-hop/340328/15 "2006-01-17T20:55:22Z")
Anything by Del Tha Funkee Homosapien and Dilated Peoples will blow your mind!! ---
**Author:** ![Amok](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/f17d59/32.png) [@Amok](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Amok)\ **Post date:** [January 17, 2006, 10:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-me-some-good-indie-hip-hop/340328/16 "2006-01-17T22:05:43Z")
> [@VCO3](#): > > I think that in the last year in particular, indie rap took a huuuuge dump and mainstream rap got surprisingly **weird** and interesting. I honestly can’t name a single good indie rap record from the past year, whereas I can think of about five completely mainstream rap records (Paul Wall - “The People’s Champ,” Bun-B - “Trill,” etc.) that blew me away. I’m not a huge indie rap fan, but I did really like **Atmosphere’s** _You Can’t Imagine How Much Fun We’re Having_, which was a 2005 release. I like Paul Wall as well (I’m less sold on Bun-B) but I think he’s just about the opposite of what **BBVL** is asking for. I mean, I thought **Three 6 Mafia’s** _The Most Known Unknown_ was a pretty good album, but it’s about as far from indie, white nerd rap as you can get. ---
**Author:** ![Hey\_It\_s\_That\_Guy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/6f9a4e/32.png) [@Hey\_It\_s\_That\_Guy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hey_It_s_That_Guy)\ **Post date:** [January 17, 2006, 10:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-me-some-good-indie-hip-hop/340328/17 "2006-01-17T22:25:07Z")
Oh hey, I didn’t say it had to be white or nerdy, just that I liked Samberg and Parnell and what I’ve heard of MC Paul Barman so far. If there’s really a movement of rappers like this, I’d probably like to hear more, but I don’t want to limit myself. Lemme see… I love everything I’ve heard from Del (who I discovered through Gorillaz), I loved Digable Planets’ “The Rebirth of Slick (Cool Like Dat)” and would enjoy more similar-sounding stuff from them, I enjoyed Danger Mouse’s “Grey Album,” and I’ve heard great things about De La Soul, Aesop Rock, MF Doom, and Mos Def (who is an excellent actor), and very mixed things about Sage Francis and Grand Buffet. As you guys can probably tell, I’m not the biggest hip-hop fan in the world, but I like to think I’m not totally uneducated, and I do listen to a lot of stuff on the radio, and keep my ears and my mind open to new things. I know a lot about music, and I’m pretty good at picking out what I like, what I don’t like, and what’s “good” even if I don’t like it. So **explore like dora** , I have no interest in “closing myself off from innovation in favor of stagnation,” but with a very limited budget for purchasing music, I’d much rather first seek out stuff I know I’ll like, based on what I’m already familiar with. I do NOT like the “Laffy Taffy” song (although I am amused by its Atari 2600-like simplicity), and I associated Paul Wall with the Mike Jones/Slim Thug/Swisha House scene, which I’m not too fond of from their radio singles and guest appearances. I also think of Cam’Ron as the guy who did “Hey Ma” (which was okay) and “Oh Boy” and that duet with Mariah Carey (which I didn’t like), although my most hip-hop-aware friend loves the guy. ---
**Author:** ![Amok](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/f17d59/32.png) [@Amok](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Amok)\ **Post date:** [January 17, 2006, 11:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-me-some-good-indie-hip-hop/340328/18 "2006-01-17T23:06:47Z")
> [@](#): > > I loved Digable Planets’ “The Rebirth of Slick (Cool Like Dat)” and would enjoy more similar-sounding stuff from them, I have to recommend their second album, [Blowout Comb](http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00000HFM2/qid=1137538399/sr=8-3/ref=pd_bbs_3/103-3680027-4906261?n=507846&s=music&v=glance), then, as I think it’s better than _Reachin’_ (the album on which “The Rebirth of Slick” is on), though that’s good too. _Blowout Comb_ sounds a bit different; it’s very laid back, mellow, and less obviously jazz influenced, but it would definitely be on my top 10 rap albums of all time list. ---
**Author:** ![vinniepaz](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/b4bc9f/32.png) [@vinniepaz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/vinniepaz)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2006, 12:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-me-some-good-indie-hip-hop/340328/19 "2006-01-18T00:16:58Z")
> [@nevermore](#): > > **Talib Kweli** has a pretty good album with **Hi-Tek** that album is called Reflection Eterna. I second Gangstarr, most notably the track Moment of Truth But, most notably, Masta Ace. this guy was really popular in the late 80s, dissapeared, and then came back in 99 or 2000 with an even better sound. I reccomend with all my heart Disposable Arts and A Long Hot Summer. the best songs include “Beautiful” “Revalations” “No Regrets” and “Take a Walk”. ---
**Author:** ![Torgo\_ate\_my\_hamster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/71c47a/32.png) [@Torgo\_ate\_my\_hamster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Torgo_ate_my_hamster)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2006, 12:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-me-some-good-indie-hip-hop/340328/20 "2006-01-18T00:38:29Z")
> [@awldune](#): > > **Aesop Rock** is what came to mind first when I saw “indie hip hop”. Check them out. Nitpick: that’d be _him_, not _them_. Deffinitely check one of his records, e.g. Labour Days or Bazooka Tooth. Another DefJux artist worth checking out is **Cage**. Maybe you’ve heard some of his older songs he did on Eastern Conference label, which were on some crazy-as-fuck, horrorcore, porno ish. His breaking from EC label and joining DefJux label transformed him as an MC completely and his new record _Hell’s Winter_ is one of the best 2005 hiphop records. He’s exploring his past in his lyrics but not in an angsty Eminemish way. Noone has mentioned **Common** yet. Try _Be_ (which some say means Before Erica 😃 ), one of the best major label releases in 2005. You should check [The Hiphopsite’s best and worst 2005 list](http://www.hiphopsite.com/NEWS/bestandworst.hhs) and maybe you’ll stumble across some artists you’ll like. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-me-some-good-indie-hip-hop/340328.md?page=2)