By: Emily
 |
| Graphic made by Emily |
The genre of rap and hip hop music isn’t
all mainstream. In fact, there’s much more to rap than just Chris Brown’s
obsession with women (preferably beating them) or Snoop Dogg’s undying love of weed. Granted, these are expected staples in the "popular" hip hop world,
but if this is true, then hipster hop might as well be the planet Neptune.
Like music classified as "hipster," hipster hop is usually not familiar to a large audience. It's usually deemed "indie" because it cannot be found on the radio. Instead, much of hipster hop is broadcast via free mix tapes on the internet or through remixes or mash-ups.
Now as a typical white girl who covers herself in sunscreen and wears 3D glasses ironically, not many people would picture me as the type to enjoy the musical stylings of such rappers as Kanye West or Tyler, The Creator. But the reality of the situation is that these creative lyricists are, to me, geniuses of the musical world. Their rhymes are undoubtedly clever and that’s what draws me to them. In one of my personal favorite hipster hop songs, Childish Gambino says, “rappers used to laugh like I tripped and fell/Cause I don't stunt a gold cross like I Christian bail.” Like this song, called "That Power", it’s not hard to uncover a new line that might make you laugh or even think deeper than you’d have originally imagined possible.
The thing that’s so great about the hipster hop genre isn’t the fact that no one else has heard of many of the artists. It’s the fact that these rappers aren’t afraid to express their inhibitions and worries. While they may appear hard and intense on the surface, underneath their fly exterior is quite possibly the most relatable person on the planet. Kid Cudi, for example, in his super jammable hit “Soundtrack 2 My Life” says, “I’ve got some issues that nobody can see and all of these emotions are pouring out of me.”
And so I leave you with a list of just a few songs that exemplify the genre of Hipster Hop. Granted this is only a sampling of the many rappers you might discover yourself, so keep looking! And don’t be afraid of 50 Cent’s Thug Life. There are plenty of talented rappers who just want to live the normal life like you and me.
Like music classified as "hipster," hipster hop is usually not familiar to a large audience. It's usually deemed "indie" because it cannot be found on the radio. Instead, much of hipster hop is broadcast via free mix tapes on the internet or through remixes or mash-ups.
Now as a typical white girl who covers herself in sunscreen and wears 3D glasses ironically, not many people would picture me as the type to enjoy the musical stylings of such rappers as Kanye West or Tyler, The Creator. But the reality of the situation is that these creative lyricists are, to me, geniuses of the musical world. Their rhymes are undoubtedly clever and that’s what draws me to them. In one of my personal favorite hipster hop songs, Childish Gambino says, “rappers used to laugh like I tripped and fell/Cause I don't stunt a gold cross like I Christian bail.” Like this song, called "That Power", it’s not hard to uncover a new line that might make you laugh or even think deeper than you’d have originally imagined possible.
The thing that’s so great about the hipster hop genre isn’t the fact that no one else has heard of many of the artists. It’s the fact that these rappers aren’t afraid to express their inhibitions and worries. While they may appear hard and intense on the surface, underneath their fly exterior is quite possibly the most relatable person on the planet. Kid Cudi, for example, in his super jammable hit “Soundtrack 2 My Life” says, “I’ve got some issues that nobody can see and all of these emotions are pouring out of me.”
And so I leave you with a list of just a few songs that exemplify the genre of Hipster Hop. Granted this is only a sampling of the many rappers you might discover yourself, so keep looking! And don’t be afraid of 50 Cent’s Thug Life. There are plenty of talented rappers who just want to live the normal life like you and me.
- That Power by Childish Gambino
- Teleport 2 Me, Jamie by WZRD
- Welcome to the Jungle by JAY-Z and Kanye West
- Last Name London by Theophilius London
- High Again by Hoodie Allen
- Man on the Moon by Kid Cudi
- 4AM Monday by Watsky
- Lost in the World by Kanye West and Bon Iver
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