# 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:** 7\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Queuing](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/90ced4/32.png) [@Queuing](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Queuing)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2006, 4:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-me-some-good-indie-hip-hop/340328/21 "2006-01-18T04:03:41Z")
I heartily recommend **GangStarr** and **Masta Ace**. **Gang Starr** is without a doubt my favourite hip hop group of all time. **Masta Ace** is very good, and I have heard was a huge influence on eminem. His sound is good, his lyrics are both insightful and amusing. **Heiroglyphics** are another excellent group, **Del** was/is a member of them (there is like 8-12 or something of them, on a rotating basis). **Common** is good to, but can get to preachy for me. ---
**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 18, 2006, 4:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-me-some-good-indie-hip-hop/340328/22 "2006-01-18T04:16:26Z")
> [@DVsickgirlDV](#): > > Anything by Del Tha Funkee Homosapien and Dilated Peoples will blow your mind!! Yuh! I love me some Del. I was even thinking of changing my username to Mr. Bob Dobalina . . . ---
**Author:** ![Talon\_Karrde](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/c5a1d2/32.png) [@Talon\_Karrde](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Talon_Karrde)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2006, 2:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-me-some-good-indie-hip-hop/340328/23 "2006-01-20T02:25:57Z")
There’s **The Streets** , but I’m not sure if they count as hip-hop or not. Their music isn’t like any of the more traditional hip-hop I’ve heard. ---
**Author:** ![Crusoe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/49beb7/32.png) [@Crusoe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Crusoe)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2006, 7:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-me-some-good-indie-hip-hop/340328/24 "2006-01-20T19:05:40Z")
I’m not sure about sub-genres, but I’ve been impressed with **Dälek** , **Danger Doom** , **Goretex** , **Madlib** , **Madvillain** and some classic stuff by France’s smooth-tongued **MC Solaar**. ---
**Author:** ![shefDave](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/77aa72/32.png) [@shefDave](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/shefDave)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2006, 7:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-me-some-good-indie-hip-hop/340328/25 "2006-01-20T19:56:46Z")
> [@vinniepaz](#): > > > [@nevermore](#): > > > > **Talib Kweli** has a pretty good album with **Hi-Tek** > > that album is called Reflection Eternal. Another slight nitpick: **Talib Kweli** & **Hi-Tek** together are called **Reflection Eternal** , the album they made together is called _Train of Thought_. It is a very good album though. As is _Quality_ by **Talib Kweli** and his recent _Right About Now_ “mix-tape”. **Pharoahe Monch** ’s _Internal Affairs_ is a wonderful (if quite rare) album, especially if you’re a fan of the other Rawkus artists like **Kweli** and **Mos Def**. **The Roots** are a fantastic group. All of their albums are good but I can especially recommend _Things Fall Apart_ If you haven’t got/heard any yet then I also recommend early **Wu-Tang Clan** (I like it all, but the early 90s stuff is by far their best). _36 Chambers_ is essential as are the early solo albums by **Method Man** (_Tical_), **Raekwon** (_Only Built 4 Cuban Linx_) and **Gza** (_Liquid Swords_). The most recent solo album by **Masta Killa** (_No Said Date_) is worth a listen as well. As previously mentionned by others, **De La Soul** , **Gang Starr** , **Pete Rock & C.L. Smooth** are all very good as well. I haven’t seen **Outkast** mentionned at all. All of their stuff is good as well, but _Aquemini_ is my favourite. Very laid-back and fun but surprisingly mature and intelligent at times as well. Also if you’re into any old school stuff by people who don’t take themselves seriously then how about **Slick Rick**? _The Great Adventures of…_ is a hilarious album from one of the masters of story telling. Oh, and _early_ **Cypress Hill** (The self-titled album and **Black Sunday** ) were very good before they started taking themselves too serious. I mean, I could go on… 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Cluricaun](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/bb73d2/32.png) [@Cluricaun](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cluricaun)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2006, 8:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-me-some-good-indie-hip-hop/340328/26 "2006-01-20T20:17:30Z")
Lately I’ve been a big fan of **Busdriver** , who I first heard on the Tony Hawk Underground soundtrack. I think that he’s mostly just going for rhythm over content, but the he’s an amazingly talented MC. ---
**Author:** ![Larry\_Mudd](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/f14d63/32.png) [@Larry\_Mudd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Larry_Mudd)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2006, 8:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-me-some-good-indie-hip-hop/340328/27 "2006-01-20T20:26:14Z")
[Saul Williams](http://www.saulwilliams.com/). That is all. Goldie Lookin’ Chain is hysterical, though. Welsh chavs rock the house! [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-me-some-good-indie-hip-hop/340328.md?page=1)