A founding member of Freestyle Fellowship, Aceyalone played an important role in the evolution of literate hip-hop on the West Coast during an era when hardcore gangsta rap reigned. Following the dissolution of the group, Aceyalone embarked on a solo career that never resulted in enormous success but did allow him to maintain his revered status... [+] Read More

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Building on the rapping style of eccentrics Kool Keith and Del tha Funkee Homosapien, Def Jux headliner Aesop Rock became one of the hottest MCs in the post-millennial underground. After a pair of self-released LPs (Appleseed, Music for Earthworms), he recorded Float for Mush in 2000. The former Ian Bavitz then issued a pair of singles -- "Coma"... [+] Read More

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Like a few other West Coast rap acts, including the Pharcyde and Jurassic 5, Blackalicious has generally favored what hip-hoppers call the "positive tip"; in other words, its lyrics have often been spiritual and uplifting rather than violent or misogynous. Like a lot of experimental alternative rappers, Blackalicious can be quirky and eccentric;... [+] Read More

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Black Panther is an underground DJ who has been performing in the New York area since the mid-'90s. Underground hip-hop mix tapes were how he made his name, moving on to doing pirate radio shows and eventually joining the Ancients in 1999. He worked with other artists until finally releasing his debut single with Stronghold and Mr. Khaliyl in... [+] Read More

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As hip-hop became increasingly commercial and calculated in the late '90s, a thriving indie scene began developing in response, one of the more significant artists in that underground scene being Cannibal Ox. The Harlem duo -- Vast Aire and Vordul Megilah -- eschewed the trademark late-'90s "Cash, Money, Hoes"/"Bling, Bling" style in favor of an... [+] Read More

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One of the most influential rap groups of the late '90s, Company Flow laid the groundwork for nearly all the experimental hip-hop that followed. They were an instrumental force in revitalizing underground hip-hop as a whole, and in making Rawkus Records the new movement's most prominent indie label. Company Flow's sound -- dense, abstract lyrics... [+] Read More

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Although she was born in South Africa, Jean Grae (real name Tsidi Ibrahim) will always be a New Yorker by heart. The daughter of two jazz musicians, Jean learned an appreciation for all genres of music at an early age. She attended the High School of Performing Arts as a vocal major and was later accepted to New York University as a Music... [+] Read More

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Masterminds is a New York rhyme team, comprised of Oracle, Kimani, and Epod, a trio of rappers who met as students at Wesleyan University in 1994. They are a throwback to the late-'80s hip-hop era, but at the same time they offer a futuristic lyrical presentation that is quite refreshing. Masterminds released Underground Railroad, their debut... [+] Read More

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