“Hipster Rap”, for those of you who have been living in a ditch the past year or so, can be realized simply by imagining the modern version of a fun rap act, as demonstrated earlier by groups like Run DMC, The Beastie Boys, and DJ Jazzy Jeff & The Fresh Prince.
The musical style is all about being different than the rest much like Run DMC was when they made their first appearance onto the rap scene. Run DMC had a sound like no one else had ever heard before and that is what made them so popular.
The production style brought to the table by hipster rap artists is fresh, upbeat, and a lot of the time uses old school samples as a sort of tribute to the artists who influenced them. For example…
On this track by Kidz In The Hall, the chorus samples the Masta Ace hit, “Born To Roll”
The lyrics in hipster rap songs are mostly catchy and fun but can also have content. The point is that they are not consistently serious or silly but either way are memorable. Hipster rappers aren’t afraid to rap about their bikes (Black Mags by The Cool Kids), or seem “nerdy” at all. I have found that although there is no lack of bragging and self-boasting in hipster rap, unlike mainstream rap, the bragging isn’t about how much money they have.
Here are the Top 5 Leaders of The Hipster Rap Movement
#5- The Pack
The Pack is a Berkeley, California based group discovered in 2005 by Bay rap legend, Too Short. The “skater kids” seemingly obsessed with shoes are probably most famous for their hit single
“Vans”. Track gets a little annoying after awhile but I must confess, the week after the track first came out you could find me reciting the line…
“You wearin’ coke whites but my Vans look clean”
#4- Jay Electronica
Jay has been under the radar in terms of mainstream exposure in general but has been slowly building his fan base with online music releases, which seems to be an increasingly popular method of putting out music.
The thing that really blew my mind about Jay Electronica was the track,
The Pledge (YouTube), in which he raps over a looped section of the movie score from Eternal Sunshine Of The Spotless Mind. Here is a review of his 2008 release,
What The Fuck Is A Jay Electronica.
#3- Kidz In The Hall
Rappers Double-O and Naledge form Kidz In The Hall, a Chicago/New Jersey group known for their hit single Drivin’ Down The Block (Video Above). If the hipster movements continues, this group will be known as one of the trailblazers of the sub-genre.
#2- Wale (Wall-A!)
This DC native rapper is a personal favorite of mine. You might know him from his single
“Nike Boots” but what really interested me was his unique style. A lot of his production is based out of Go-go music which is a genre originating from DC. The particular track that got me interested in this guy was
“W.A.L.E.D.A.N.C.E.”, a remix of the popular song “Dance” by Justice. The beat is something you never thought would be rapped over until Wale came along.
#1- The Cool Kids
The Cool Kids define hipster rap in almost every way. From this duo’s on-stage performance to the way they dress, they maintain a “fresh” attitude and are one of the nerdiest, funniest, most entertaining rap duos out right now. Here is a review of their 2008 LP,
The Bake Sale.
Honorable Mention:
The Knux
The Hip Hop Post 