alternative hip-hop

The tradition & historical record

Alternative hip-hop (also known as alternative rap) is a subgenre of hip-hop defined by artists who reject the genre's traditional stereotypes, particularly those popularized by old-school hip-hop and gangsta rap. Originally emerging in the mid-to-late 1980s, the style was spearheaded by the Native Tongues collective in the East Coast which included acts like the Jungle Brothers, De La Soul, A Tribe Called Quest, X Clan, P.M. Dawn, Brand Nubian, Pete Rock & CL Smooth, Monie Love, Queen Latifah and later Busta Rhymes and Mos Def. These artists emphasized positive-minded, good-natured Afrocentric lyrics, while pioneering and popularizing the use of eclectic sampling and jazz-influenced beats in hip-hop, drawing influences from political, progressive and conscious hip-hop artists such as Grandmaster Flash and Public Enemy. During the 1990s, the alternative hip-hop movement expanded with West Coast artists such as the Pharcyde, Digital Underground, Souls of Mischief, Del the Funky Homosapien, Jurassic 5, Styles of Beyond and Freestyle Fellowship as well as certain Southern acts which included Arrested Development, Goodie Mob, Coughee Brothaz and Outkast. The commercial and cultural momentum of the movement was impeded by the rise and popularity of West Coast gangsta rap, though experienced a degree of mainstream recognition through the success of the Fugees, De La Soul, A Tribe Called Quest, Outkast and Arrested Development. ¹

During the commercial rise of hip hop in the 1980s and early 1990s, the popularity of hardcore hip-hop and gangsta rap led to themes of gangsterism, consumerism, and club culture becoming defining stereotypes of mainstream hip hop, with more negative stereotypes being related to homophobia, violence and sexism. Alternative hip-hop emerged largely to subvert, satirize or challenge these conventions, utilizing unconventional musical techniques, production, and sampling not commonly found in mainstream hip-hop at the time, while aligning itself with underground youth subcultures such as skaters, nerds, punks, and goths. Artists often incorporated socially conscious, intellectual, or introspective lyricism, avoided profanity, while dismantling rap stereotypes on topics such as sexuality through androgynous fashion and styles, though early artists associated with the movement such as A Tribe Called Quest would also perpetuate some of these traditional stereotypes, with their song "Georgie Porgie", being rejected for being "too homophobic". ¹

While some groups achieved commercial success, most alternative rap acts tended to be embraced largely by alternative rock listeners and indie music fans rather than hip-hop or pop audiences. ¹

Although hip-hop originally emerged from New York's underground music scene during the early 1970s, by the end of the decade, the genre began to gain wider mainstream attention through the prominence of disco-rap, which prompted artists to explore more experimental approaches to their work. In 1983, Rammellzee and K-Rob released the single "Beat Bop", which was produced and arranged by Jean-Michel Basquiat. Though it remained largely underground, the track was later described as a blueprint for the "apocalyptic, witty, and experimental" style of later alternative hip-hop artists. ¹

By the late 1980s, in midst of the golden age of hip-hop, alternative hip-hop was headed primarily by the Native Tongues movement in the East Coast, artists such as Jungle Brothers, De La Soul, A Tribe Called Quest, Monie Love, X Clan, Queen Latifah while later including Busta Rhymes and Mos Def. Drawing influences from conscious and progressive rap artists like Grandmaster Flash, Pete Rock & CL Smooth and Brand Nubian as well as from the radical and militant political hip-hop group Public Enemy. While the West Coast helmed left-field hip-hop acts such as the Pharcyde, Digital Underground, Souls of Mischief, Del the Funky Homosapien, Jurassic 5, Styles of Beyond and Freestyle Fellowship as well as certain Southern acts such as Arrested Development, Goodie Mob, and Outkast. Similar to the alternative rock movement, alternative hip-hop segued into the mainstream at the dawn of the 1990s. In 1991, P.M. Dawn released the alternative rap song "Set Adrift On Memory Bliss", which became the first #1 single from a Black rap group since the beginning of the Neilsen Soundscan era. ¹

Contrary to alternative rock, which went on to become a mainstay in mainstream music and replaced the glam metal of the previous generation as the most popular form of rock music, alternative hip-hop's commercial momentum was impeded by the then also newly emerging, significantly harder-edged West Coast gangsta rap. With its aggressive tone, nihilistic tendencies, and violent imagery, gangsta rap was considered to be the more entertaining, more lucrative subgenre as signified by the high chart placings, radio success and multiplatinum-selling records of gangsta rappers such as Snoop Dogg, Warren G and N.W.A, who were widely embraced by major record labels and produced a legion of imitators. Albums such as Straight Outta Compton (1989), The Chronic (1992) and Doggystyle (1993) redefined the direction of hip-hop, which resulted in lyricism concerning the gangsta lifestyle becoming the driving force of sales figures. The situation changed around the mid-'90s with the emergence and mainstream popularity of East Coast hardcore rap artists such as Wu-Tang Clan, Nas, the Notorious B.I.G., and Mobb Deep. Following this development, many alternative rap acts eventually either disbanded or faded into obscurity. A commercial breakthrough came about in the late 1990s with the rejuvenated interest in indie music by the general public due to the mainstream success of acts like the Fugees and Arrested Development, while acts such as Slum Village, Common, and the Roots were rising to prominence. The Fugees saw huge critical and commercial success with the release of their second album, The Score, in 1996. The album peaked at number one on the US Billboard 200 chart, and briefly became the best-selling hip-hop album of all time. ¹

Several artists and groups acknowledge being directly influenced by their 1990s predecessors in addition to alternative rock groups while their music has been noted by critics as expressing eclectic sounds, life experiences and emotions rarely seen in mainstream hip-hop. As traditional rock music continually becomes less synonymous with pop music, more left-of-center artists who are not fully embraced by hip-hop radio have increasingly found inclusion on alternative radio. According to Nielsen SoundScan, contemporary hip-hop acts who increasingly receive domestic airplay on alt-radio include Run the Jewels, Childish Gambino, Logic, Brockhampton, L.I.F.T. and nothing,nowhere. ¹

Alternative hip-hop is the recipient of consistent critical acclaim but is generally shunned by American mainstream media and widely regarded as commercially unappealing. ¹

The text above is adapted from the Wikipedia article “Alternative hip-hop”, available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 licence. ¹

alternative hip-hop is subgenre of hip-hop music that encompasses a wide range of styles that are not typically identified as mainstream, according to the structured record cited below. This entry was generated automatically from that record and has not yet been reviewed by a person familiar with the tradition. ²

The source record links this tradition to 8 external registers, which can be verified through the citation. ²