Hip-hop has always been considered a genre of opportunity, allowing talented artists, regardless of their background, to rise to fame and fortune... and then boast incessantly about it in every song. While this is still certainly the case, rap music has been dominated in recent years by the big hitters of the industry... names like Drake, Kanye and Kendrick Lamar. This, however, has meant that many incredibly talented artists (rappers and producers alike) have fallen through the cracks. They are consigned to the underground world of hip-hop where there's no Maybacks, only Ford Fiestas; no five-storey mansions in Miami but two-bedroom flats in Daggenham. Slightly exaggerated perhaps but you get the gist. Here are eleven lesser known hip-hop artists who have never reached the popular pinnacle that they deserved.
Oddisee
Hip-hop is, or at least should be, a battle for originality, a battle to craft bars sharper, flows smoother and beats catchier than the swathes of other MCs and producers. So to be able to master all three demands a level of respect reserved only for a relatively small group of artists, among them El-P, Kanye West and Oddisee.
A producer throughout the majority of his career, Amir Mohamed (A.K.A. Oddisee) has begun, only recently, to start adopting lyrical responsibilities as well. His sound draws heavily from 70s-90s R&B, so the majority of his instrumentals have an upbeat, funky quality to them, regularly making use of saxophones, trombones and the occasional electric guitar. Despite only stepping behind the mic on the last few of his records, Oddisee has a quick and very recognisable flow, hopping rapidly from syllable to syllable in a distinctly energetic manner. Whilst his earlier songwriting may lack the nuance of more accomplished MC’s, the Washington-born artist has honed his lyrical talents, providing songs with ever greater clarity of message. This really shines through on this year’s widely acclaimed release The Iceberg, a triumph of both production and songwriting.
Elzhi
The Nas of Detroit. While his individual discography may be younger than some of these other names, Elzhi, with lorry loads of maturity and creativity, carries the air of a seasoned veteran. Traversing his city’s various underground venues and open mic nights, it wasn’t until his fourth year of recording that he was handed his first pay cheque in the rap game for a feature on fellow Detroiter J Dilla’s Welcome To Detroit in 2001. Seven years later came his first L.P. The Preface, on which he truly unleashed the wizardry of his lyrical genius.
Elzhi approaches songwriting differently to most MCs, each track a concept to be explored through complex rhyming structures. When we say complex, we’re talking up to four or five rhyming syllables within a single line. Songs like Colors address the issue of race inequality by using wordplay related to… well you can probably guess: “And white collar crime done on the sneak tip // Different from blue collar workers catching the pink slip”. This trend is continued on 2016’s Lead Poison which features tracks like Misright, which plays on words with the ‘mis-’ prefix to refer to various women he has dated and the sublime Hello!!!!!!, written from the perspective of Elzhi trapped within the song itself. If that wasn’t enough to nudge you in his direction, he has also released Elmatic, a completely remixed version of Nas’ seminal 1994 record.
Company Flow
Run the Jewels are quickly becoming one of the most critically acclaimed hip hop duos since Outkast. Much of this newfound success can be attributed to the group’s producer El-P who, in addition to incredible performances on the mic, has provided them with their uniquely infectious sound. El-P’s talents, vital for the success of RTJ, can be found in equal measure in his first group, Company Flow, which formed in 1993.
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| Left to right: Bigg Jus, Mr Len & El-P |
Both El-P and Bigg Jus give excellent verses that are full of abstract wordplay, elevating the idiosyncratic feel of the album. At times it is also highly political, showing the MCs cynicism and anger at the US government, an element familiar to fans of Run the Jewels. Funcrusher Plus is easily one of the most underrated albums of the 90s, and is an essential listen for both lovers of underground hip hop as well as fans of RTJ who are looking to experience the origin of one of the greatest hip hop producers of all time.
Milo
A 26 year old rapper originating from Milwaukee, Wisconsin, Milo is a key player in the burgeoning “art rap” scene, named after a term first coined by one of his frequent collaborators Open Mike Eagle, another excellent MC who is equally deserving of your attention. Whilst hard to categorise, art rap has essentially been defined as an attempt to elevate hip hop to the level of high art, placing an emphasis on left field production and subversive lyrics. The scene can trace its lineage back to legendary artists such as De La Soul and MF DOOM, who prided themselves on diverging from established hip hop trends at the time. Currently the scene consists of a close knit group who frequently contribute to each others’ projects, including Busdriver, Open Mike Eagle and Milo. While the label may seem pretentious at first glance, with Milo himself expressing disdain towards the term, it is hard to deny the extraordinary talent displayed by these artists.
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| Bet that's the first rapper you've seen who tucks their shirt in... |
Immortal Technique
Immortal Technique is the MC name of Peruvian born former battle rapper Felipe Coronel. In a similar vein to Britain’s Akala, his tracks provide you with heavy doses of poignant political theory alongside the typically self-aggrandizing content which characterizes most early 2000s hip-hop. He covers a vast range of topics. When he’s not condemning US governments, past and present, for rigging the global economy and establishing de facto neo-colonial rule over the developing world, he’s taking the music industry to task for fleecing the very artists whose hard work brings in the money which lines executive pockets.
While his lyrics are certainly less nuanced than those of his contemporaries, they hit home with far greater impact and address issues far more directly. Delivered always in a tone of almost aggressive urgency, Coronel seeks to pulverise (debunk isn’t an aggressive enough verb) the status quo conceptions of American foreign policy which have allowed the nation to escape scrutiny for a plethora of undemocratic actions around the world. This couplet from The Third World gives you a brief glimpse: “I’m from where they overthrow democratic leaders / Not for the people but for the Wall Street Journal readers”. Instrumentally, the beats chosen tend to match the urgency of the accompanying lyrics, regularly making use of trumpets, pipes and classic guitar to do so. As expressed however, it is the message and, to an extent, the intentions of his music which I find most admirable, using his position to give, as he states, “a voice to the voiceless”.
Cannibal Ox
Since the release of their seminal 2001 record The Cold Vein (the first full-length release from omnipresent producer El-P’s label Definitive Jux) Cannibal Ox have defied hip-hop convention wherever possible. Regularly rapping on the offbeat, they effortlessly switch up their flows to match often discordant and constantly changing instrumentals. It is this which makes their sound so unique but has also, perhaps, sealed off any routes towards popular stardom.
One of the most striking features of the Harlem duo’s work is its spacey production: very few hip-hop albums could you justifiably describe as ‘cosmic’ without sounding like a 90s stoner. Yet it is the space-age beats and sci-fi sound effects which characterise the vast majority of their material. Although lyrically Cannibal Ox are about as abstract as they come, most of their bars are nothing short of genius; they can be just as reflective as they are forward-thinking. And, while it certainly takes a few listens to comprehend, much of the extra-terrestrial wordplay refers to the tough, violent surroundings in which they grew up.
Unlike many of their contemporaries, who have since faded after debuting brightly, the pair have continued to shine, their 2015 release Blade Of The Ronin showcasing yet more lyrical and rhythmic talents. If those alone aren’t enough, the record is littered with impressive guest features from rappers like Elzhi, MF Doom and U-God.
Choice Bar:
I got a two piece like Pacquiao in the dead of winter
My two steps like Mayweather
My forearms is like Foreman
Swing at your grill with the weight of four men
Hieroglyphics
It’s almost cheating to include Hieroglyphics in this list. The Oakland-based hip-hop conglomerate combine the songwriting craftsmanship of no less than eight Californian rappers and producers. The beauty of such creative manpower is that nearly every song sounds very distinct from the last. Started by Ice Cube’s cousin Del The Funky Homosapien (surely one of the best MC names of all time), the group typically adopt a style reminiscent of the thriving West Coast scene which inspired them.
With some of the best flows on this list, the diverse crew play effortlessly off one another, their chemistry most evident in 2003’s Full Circle in songs like Let It Roll and Powers That Be. That means the instrumentals are stripped back, keyboard-heavy and extremely catchy, looped continuously throughout the song with each MC taking his turn on the mic. Simultaneously, however, they avoid the boastful, materialistic ‘bitches and money’ lyricism which dominated popular West coast rap in the 90s and 2000’s. Del sums it up nicely in At The Helm: “Rap ain't about bustin caps and fuckin bitches / It's about fluency with rhymin ingenuity”. A delightful cocktail of Self-awareness and cockiness.
Undoubtedly, 2003’s Full Circle captures the well-crafted bars and smoothness of sound for which the crew have become known and respected so make that your first port of call.
With some of the best flows on this list, the diverse crew play effortlessly off one another, their chemistry most evident in 2003’s Full Circle in songs like Let It Roll and Powers That Be. That means the instrumentals are stripped back, keyboard-heavy and extremely catchy, looped continuously throughout the song with each MC taking his turn on the mic. Simultaneously, however, they avoid the boastful, materialistic ‘bitches and money’ lyricism which dominated popular West coast rap in the 90s and 2000’s. Del sums it up nicely in At The Helm: “Rap ain't about bustin caps and fuckin bitches / It's about fluency with rhymin ingenuity”. A delightful cocktail of Self-awareness and cockiness. Undoubtedly, 2003’s Full Circle captures the well-crafted bars and smoothness of sound for which the crew have become known and respected so make that your first port of call.
CunninLyguists
We travel now, to the Deep South, somewhere between Lexington; Kentucky and Atlanta; Georgia. Acclaimed mainly from within Southern underground rap circles, this threepiece have tackled a vast range of lyrical concepts and production styles across six studio albums and many more mixtapes. Take a tour through their colourful discography and you’ll see California, New York, and Atlanta jostling for sonic primacy. You’ll meet huge names from across the spectrum of US hip-hop including Del The Funky Homosapien, Aesop Rock and Killer Mike, the funkier influences of the likes of Andre 3000 and Erykah Badu providing an ever-present backing track. Kno, a truly sensational producer, combines an eclectic range of samples (utilising a myriad of instruments and genres) with the articulate lyrics, laid back flows and soothing vocals of fellow members Natti and Deacon The Villain.
“We don’t really ‘try’ to do anything… a lot of hip-hop artists try too hard and when they do they end up sucking” Kno said in 2008, encapsulating the easygoing attitude which has come to define their discography. Nevertheless, they have tackled issues from racial inequality and poverty to sexual abuse with the wistful voices of rap veterans. The best examples of political commentary come from the freshly released Rose Azura Njano (lovingly reviewed by yours truly). If you’re looking for something more on the mellow side, CunninLynguists are your boys…
Aesop Rock
Aesop Rock has been one of the preeminent names in underground hip hop for over two decades now, working with peers such as Slug (MC for the criminally underrated duo Atmosphere) and, of course, El-P, who signed Aesop to his Def Jux record label. Aesop is most well known for the size of his vocabulary, which is almost intimidating in its breadth. A study examining the number of unique words used within an artist’s first 35000 lyrics shows that, if a rapper’s prowess were to be measured solely by the breadth of their vocabulary, Aesop is miles ahead of any other rapper you can think of. First, some context – the lowest entry on the list is DMX, with 3214 unique words used. Drake is not much higher, with 3522. Somewhere in the middle of the list is Eminem, with 4,494. If Shakespeare were on i, he’d be in the top third, with 5170 unique words. The 2nd highest vocabulary belongs to GZA of the Wu Tang Clan, who used 6426. And finally, far out in front is Aesop Rock, with a staggering 7392 unique words used in his lyrics. Based on this, Aesop is arguably one of the most talented wordsmiths in hip hop.
Choice Bar
"I'm a sovereignty columnist,
fathering doom document.
Cursed version of a certain Virgin Mary womb occupant."
Whilst this may initially make some of his bars seemingly indecipherable to anyone other than the man himself, who is known for using obscure metaphors, his impressive flow and the typically excellent production ensure that even when you can’t understand what he’s saying, it still sounds incredible.
Sage Francis
Originating from Providence, Rhode Island, Sage Francis is perhaps most notable for his genre-bending style, making him one of the most idiosyncratic rappers in the underground scene. A career highlight of his was becoming the first hip hop artist to be signed to the predominantly punk and alternative rock label Epitaph Records. It is more than evident why Epitaph saw Francis as a natural fit for their roster, as albums such as Human the Death Dance display an ability to take inspiration from punk rock and emo. This is apparent in both the instrumentals as well as his vocal delivery, which ranges from hard hitting aggression to downright morosity. His willingness to show emotional vulnerability in his lyrics as early on as the mid 2000s makes him a key precursor to the current trend of “emo rap” embodied by artists such as Trippie Redd and the late Lil Peep. However, whilst most of these modern emo rappers place an emphasis on the overall aesthetic of their music instead of lyrical prowess, Francis has consistently been one of the most lyrically engaging artists in underground hip hop, showcasing a talent for storytelling that often veers into conventional poetry.
His versatility was highlighted even further on studio album Li(f)e, which saw Francis experiment with folk and indie rock. Unlike the previously mentioned Milo merely sampling from these genres, Francis went to the extent of co-writing songs with several notable members of the indie rock scene, collaborating with musicians from bands such as Death Cab for Cutie and Sparklehorse. The undoubted highlight from this venture is The Best of Times, which is one of the most staggeringly beautiful hip hop songs you will ever hear. Sage Francis is an underappreciated trailblazer in hip hop, a unique voice who you owe it to yourself to try.
Brother Ali
Whilst Brother Ali is not the only artist on this list who is notable for his highly politicised music, he is perhaps unique in his ability to remain distinctly optimistic in the process. Make no mistake though, this has not stopped him being utterly scathing of the US political system and verbally tearing it to shreds in the process. The most infamous example of this is his song Uncle Sam Goddamn, featuring lyrics like “Welcome to the United Snakes/ Land of the thief, home of the slave” which provide so searing an attack on his home country, that its music video even provoked ire from America’s Department of Homeland Security.
However, alongside such damning indictments of the state of the US, he provides a message of hope rooted in the ability to overcome adversity. This is undoubtedly based in his conversion to Islam as a teenager, which as such has become a driving force in both his life and lyrics. Whilst this initially may seem to run the risk of being overly preachy, Ali is skilled enough on the mic that this is never the case. His later material, in actual fact, is some of the most uplifting hip hop you are likely to hear. His sound is largely defined by soulful production which makes a lot of his output very easy on the ear, yet he also has his fair share of harder hitting tracks, especially earlier on in his discography. This ability to showcase his skill on a range of sounds makes him deserving of being part of the Rhymesayers label, which is also home to the aforementioned Aesop Rock, Atmosphere and formerly the legendary MF DOOM. Brother Ali is more than worthy of being mentioned in the same breath as these artists.
