Would you guys here consider Tech N9ne "underground"? He's the most SUCCESSFUL independent artist ever but because of "Forbes"... Is he still underground?
Omggg can't believe u reacted to Black moon's classic Who got da props, one of my fav songs! Man, Black Moon is so underrated because of their underground style, but they are one of the greatest to ever do it! Buckshot is 1 of the best rappers of all time, highly overlooked and 1 of my favs! Their whole album Enta da Stage is a CLASSIC and theserves a reaction! Their best songs from that album that u should react 2: How many MC's? I got cha opin, OG vs Remix Enta da stage Act like U want it Buck em down Much love and respect 2 u Brain, keep doing what ur doing, reacting to REAL HIP HOP, REAL MUSIC!
@@ABoomerReacts Totally, they are 2 completely different moods, OG is very grimey and dark and it gives you the feeling you can fight the whole world, while the remix is very laid back and veeery cool with a veeery cool music video u should check out after the reaction, it's like Lullaby by the cure and Wild boys by Duran Duran...
The connotations of "underground" have changed over time. The definition you read and most of the artists listed lean more towards the 21st Century when the internet made it possible to find a following without a label. In the 80s/90s "underground" just meant it didn't crossover to pop or R&B radio. An "underground hit" would be big on mixtapes (back when they were actual tapes that DJs sold on the street or out of mom and pop record shops) and on hip-hop mix shows that aired late at night and on the weekends. "Who Got Da Props" is actually a great example of a song that never cracked the regular rotation on the urban stations in my area, but was a stable on the Saturday and Sunday night mix shows for about 6 months.
@@ABoomerReacts "Wrong Side of Da Tracks" by Artifacts and "Come Clean" by Jeru Tha Damaja come to mind. Going deep underground, Saafir's "Light Sleeper".
@@jeffreyharvey9919 woooah u mention Saafir.. yo boxcar sessions the production felt like trains in audio that album was my jam some songs like worship the D didnt like as it felt weird.. Even hobo junction cameos were cool. Actually all these mentions i own all these albums those songs belong too.
Yes one of the greatest remixes of all time. I am a black moon super fan I think that sonically nobody defines real 90s New York hip-hop on that level. I really think the only reason they would be considered underground is because they were mostly independent and they fucked the trends of rapping about luxury and more typical subject matter from that time
Very good reaction from my favorite ARTIST. I appreciate you listening to the whole track before giving your thoughts. Intellectual reactions. You won me over. Subscriber for sure. Like of course. I can see myself reacting to songs in the future. I will let the drought of lyrics of today’s popular “hits” Salute Sir 🫡
A million votes for more underground vids! Underground is an umbrella term that means anything not overtly seeking commercial success. It is used as shorthand for everything from 90s NY boom bap to leftfield backpacker nerdcore stuff. It started out as a genre, in opposition to shiny shoe silk suit bullshit like Puffy.
Ah. Thanks for that interpretation. It's going to take me awhile to discern which songs are overtly seeking commercial success. I had a bunch of underground songs on my request list that I didn't know were "underground" songs. Now that I understand OGs and mixtapes, this will be my new obsession. I'm doing 2 polls on Friday (10 songs total) of all underground songs. Let's see what the interest is.
@@ABoomerReacts Great! If you want your mind blown by an underground artist, Edan is the man. Anything from Beauty and the Beat. This should give you a taste: th-cam.com/video/I_YmfieMkQE/w-d-xo.html
„Enta da Stage“ is one of my favorite East Coast albums. This album is very influential and put hard New York rap back on the map, it even came out before Wu Tangs debut album. Sadly they never got the recognition they deserved
@@leonard13039 I guess being independent is a blessing and a curse. You get to make the kind of music that you want to without a parent company telling you what to do; but if you don't have that parent company, then you don't have a lot of assets.
Gosh, there were so many artists you mentioned in this video that as a hip hop fan I am dying for you to get to know. They are what we as real hip hop fans consider the pinnacle and foundation of hip hop.
Enta da Stage was such a great album! Underground just meant they kept it real, it wasn't commercial or mainstream and it was the voice of the streets. Not made for radio play. Some underground tracks made it on the charts but it didn't necessarily mean mainstream followed there whole album or affiliates. Hope that helps clear up any confusion. Keep up the great reactions
Finally the Underground!!🙌🏽 The Roots first couple albums, J-Live, Blue Scholars, Czarface, Juggaknotz, the DemiGodz, MFDOOM, Company Flow, Little Brother, Oddisee..(just to name a few)
@@ABoomerReacts Thats's like picking a favorite child.. ;) You won't go wrong with these though: KA - I Wish (Death Poem) Roc Marciano - Power CunninLynguists - Hard As They Come (ft. Freddie Gibbs) Beware that both KA and CL are highly conceptual and a lot of their releases are centered around a single concept/story so listening to a single track is not ideal. But its a start ;) With that in mind, I would be very interested in hearing your thoughts on the following two Lupe Fiasco tracks - before (and after) you do any research on the meaning: Alan Forever Jonylah Forever
I would LOVE for you to do a deep dive into underground or "backpacker" hip-hop ("backpacker" was a term ppl used to make fun of those of us who preferred the artists that weren't all over the radio). Speaking very broadly, i feel that's where you find it treated most like an artform, with artists who really prioritize the craft and the creative possibilities. I would also include certain artists who had some modest mainstream success in this category. I'll reply to this comment with a list of great artists i would include here...
GROUPS: Pharcyde Camp Lo Digable Planets Freestyle Fellowship Organized Konfusion Black Star Hieroglyphics Slum Village (I'd also include some highly celebrated groups like A Tribe Called Quest, De La Soul, & The Roots in this category)
INDIVIDUALS: Pharoahe Monch Jean Grae Edan Mos Def Brother Ali MF Doom Aesop Rock Myka 9 Planet Asia Del the Funk Homosapien Common Elzhi Kool Keith (I'll stop before the list gets ridiculously long) I'd also include some well known legends like Q-Tip, KRS-One, Rakim, Big Daddy Kane, Slick Rick etc because there's a large overlap in terms of fanbase etc.
Thanks so much for the list. I have plenty of those artists on my request list; it's just that there's no way I'd know if they considered underground or not.
In terms of reacting to more underground artists... it's a mixed bag for me because (1) there are so many underground artists out there who people don't know (for example I've never heard of Black Moon) that people may not click on the video; and (2) for the underground artists that are known, it's usually because they had at least a couple of songs that caught fire with the public enough for their name to leak out there. Also, many popular artists started out as underground artists - i.e. Eminem, 50 Cent, Nelly, etc. - and have "classic" underground songs that blew up after they became famous. And, once-famous artists also continue to release projects long after their popularity has faded - those songs could technically be considered "underground" as well (i.e. a lot of Tupac cuts that were only put on mixtapes).
@@ABoomerReacts I've heard of Immortal Technique, Murs, Little Brother, Del the Funky Homosapien, Jurrasic 5, Kool Keith (mentioned in a Biggie song), and MF Doom. But I've either never heard any of their songs OR they had one or two things that leaked out that didn't stay in my memory. Most underground artists are heavily respected by more mainstream artists and can actually influence their styles, which is another way they are known without being very famous. (Eminem shouts out underground artists all the time, and has even had beef with a few of them during his time in the mainstream.)
So many of these reaction channels cater to what gets views. I know that's the point of youtube, as a platform. But i can't even count how many reqction channels all react to just Eminem, juice world, and NF. There's enough of that. So many people I've talked to want to see more of this underground stuff reacted too. It's all up to boomer Reacts. Absolutly. But damn near everyone he named in the beginning has a great catalogue of songs. MF DOOM is one of the greatest to ever do it.
The easiest way to describe underground is 'songs that you wouldn't normally hear on the radio'. In the 90's many people found out about music by way of the radio or programs that played music videos on television. Songs that made regular rotation were considered mainstream and the other songs are considered underground. A lot of underground artists gained a following by their live performances. Fun Fact! Buckshot and the 'Boot Camp Clique' are some of the artists that 2Pac Recruited for his Deathrow East Project titled 'One Nation' meant to dispel the believe of a feud in hip-hop between East and West coast artists. 2Pac died before the project was complete. Songs like "Military Minds" and "Let's Fight" can be found from this project, but I don't think any of them were officially released.
You just read what underground was and I commented on what it was in another video. My apologies. Also, RJD2 was on that list! Unreal! That is I guess considered hip hop. But he is more like DJ hip hop music. A complete different genre. Love that he was mentioned considering he is one of my all time favs! Maybe we could get a reaction from RJD2 - Hate to see you Leave. Since this was a actual hip hop song and album he did with another artist.
Underground hip-hop is a general term used to describe all songs that are a part of this specific music genre, but they aren’t as commercial as the lyrics of a common hip-hop song. There are certain characteristics that define underground rap like positive and anti-commercial lyrics or socially conscious messages. On the other hand, there’s no universal theme when it comes to underground rap. Conscious rap and alternative hip-hop are just a few of the music scenes that have strong connections to underground rap. Underground rap encompasses different music styles that are meant to increase social awareness, political fairness, etc. Underground rappers are usually independent artists who don’t associate their names with any music label, or they agree to sign to an independent label. There’s also an underground community that consists of members such as musicians, artists, supporters, followers, fans, and other members who encourage the development of independent music. At first, rap was mostly underground, by definition.
Sean Price was a rapper closely associated with Black Moon and their affiliates. You should react to his song 'Boom Bye Yeah.' One of the nastiest monsters to ever rock a mic sadly he died in 2015 at the age of 43.
Beatminders is still a thing… and a fun fact. Buckshot from blackmoon did a album with 2pac under the westside and eastside beef period. The album Never got reaalesed for what ever reason back then . But got bootleeged and thanks for the internet its easy to find today.
Thanks. Listening to this took me back. Loved it. If you want to dig into underground you have to listen to KRS One. So many great tracks that it’s hard to pick one, but I really think you would appreciate “The MC”.
Thanks @boomer! Also, it was explained to me that, “underground artist” has various degrees of characteristics and connotations. But the major common characteristic among them is their choice of promotion/distribution channel. An underground artist can be heard on commercial radio, but would not pay to be, relying on an organic response from the audience. Commercial rappers will pay to advertise their songs out to the public.
@@markz2631 Interesting. Probably because independent labels don't have much of a promotion budget. But if a song is great, sometimes that doesn't matter.
In the underground that I’ve listened to, which admittedly is comprised of more well known underground artists, there is a great deal of pride (I.e. “Who got da props”) in “making it” and keeping it through underground/not “selling out”. Even KRS One who probably at this point, even though he has the name recognition, still claims that to be underground and support underground artists, probably has unlimited funds if he wanted them.
@@markz2631 So when an underground artist who is making great music decides to sign with a major label, they're accused of selling out because they'll take money over creative control?
@@ABoomerReacts i heard the song but i could have never tell who is rapping or whats the name of the song. I m happy someone suggested it, its in my playlist now😁
When this was fresh in the 90s, it was "underground", but now it is a real classic, an essential one. There are lots of "less known" underground tracks, here are two pretty dope tracks: Karim Jamal - Pelon Rising th-cam.com/video/rVBXjQgLUs0/w-d-xo.html Ready Ta Roll - Drug Game th-cam.com/video/MzX_KP2xQ7E/w-d-xo.html I am sure they have no lyrics video. In addition, these artists had only an EP or some singles only. Some of them are hard to find in any format (vinyl, cassette, CD). Check out these examples if you feel the affinity for them!
I knew you would like this song. Black Moon technically isn't underground but they represent the underground sound. There are plenty of artists that fit this category and some of those artist you've already reviewed like Mos Def & Wu-Tang. Ultimately underground Hip Hop artists have a level of creative freedom that most mainstream artists don't have. Those mainstream artists that do have a certain level of freedom have a strong underground fanbase.
Thanks for the suggestions! I'm going to do 2 polls (10 songs total) of underground artists and we'll see who's popular and who's not. One of these songs might be in it.
here's a list of some popular underground Emcees Apathy (Demigodz/Army Of The Pharaohs) Chief Kamachi (Juju Mob) Vinnie Paz (of Jedi Mind Tricks/Army Of The Pharaohs) Inspectah Deck (Wu-Tang Clan/Czarface) Celph Titled (Demigodz/Army Of The Pharaohs) Killah Priest (Sunz Of Man/HRSMN/etc.) Immortal Technique Aesop Rock Eyedea (Rest In Peace) R.A. The Rugged Man Esoteric (Demigodz/Army Of The Pharaohs/Czarface) Slug (Atmosphere/Felt) MURS (Felt) MF DOOM Genelec (Highly Underrated)
Maybe u could dedicate 1 day out of the week as an underground reaction. For example "Underground Sunday" or something. Hey maybe even do it for every category. 80's hip hop Monday. New School Tuesday...etc. just a thought 🤷🏽♂️
If you wanna hear some of the best hip hop vocal deliveries and unique expressions you should check a group called freestyle fellowship - a song called - inner city boundaries! Other notable songs - Mary And park bench people
Underground is just something that doesn't sound mainstream at the time or have a major label push behind it. In the context of Black Moon, it's the dusty boom bap sound and lyricism as opposed to something like MC Hammer, Vanilla Ice, Kriss Kross, Tag Team etc. at the time. Buckshot of Black Moon was doing an album with 2pac at the time of his death called One Nation. It was going to have the whole Bootcamp click on it and supposed to unite the East and West in order to end the feud. Check out Smif N Wessun - Buck Town and Black Moon - I Got Cha Open the remix version.
Thanks, JaeSan! I've heard of the One Nation album. That would've been so great. Those songs you suggested have been requested today; although someone thought it would be interesting to compare the OG vs remix of I Got Cha Opin. What do you think?
I was trying to think of good underground suggestions and One Be Lo came to mind. Even has a song called "Underground"! Lots of great songs imo but if I have to narrow it down, I'm recommend "E.T.", "Axis", or "Evil of Self" which has an amazing guest verse from Abdus Salaam who is almost too underground -- it's hard to even find much about him at all on the web. I also think you may like "Rules of Rap" by Elzhi and Page Kennedy. It's presented as a step by step instruction manual on creating a good rap song and how to be good at rap battling.
Also, what you read at the beginning of the video seems pretty accurate about how I look at what "underground" is. I did know most of (but not all) of the artists you mentioned. I think there's a hip-hop head community that goes out of the way to find and explore these underground artists because they're often really really good. Even if they don't "make it big" I've heard that sometimes they can actually make about as much as a more popular because they can own and control everything they put out there. They also have a lot of artistic freedom which is how you end up with a lot of good music. Being popular or mainstream definitely doesn't necessarily equate to good. There's a long list of artists who sold lots of records just because they have a couple songs that sound good in a club and the labels promoted them hard.
@@ABoomerReacts You mentioned Binary Star in this video when you were talking about underground artists. One Be Lo, AKA One Man Army, is one half of the duo Binary Star. I think you’d really enjoy the first track, “Reality Check”, off their album Masters of the Universe. The whole album is fantastic though, one of my favorite underground albums. Fun fact, Masters of the Universe is their “second” album, but it’s really just a rearranged version of their first album.
😏👍🏾 Listen to Black Moon's latest track and video "Creep Wit Me". Also Company Flow 👉🏾"End To End Burners, Jeru Da Damaja 👉🏾"Invasion", Da Youngstas 👉🏾"Mad Props", and Mobb Deep's (R.I.🅿️prodigy) "Temperatures Rising".
Great stuff Brian, one of my fav bands. Well worth checking more of their music as well as all other Boot Camp Clik and affiliates, Duck Down is a very underrated label. I suppose there are different levels and perceptions of underground. Touching on another commenters point, if you only go up to mid 90's then the majority of mainstream stuff will still be good but like most genres of music it hit a point where the mainstream became full of bullshit. I much prefer when you do groups/artists like this rather than all the Eminem/50 Cent type stuff (I can't abide those 2 lol). I'll throw a suggestion in the hat for good measure, Artifacts - C'mon Wit Da Git Down 🙏
@@ABoomerReacts Your 2nd reply isn't showing for some reason when I click the link so just replying to this one. Personally I think you would definitely prefer C'mon Wit Da Git Down over Wrong Side Of The Tracks but that's just my opinion. Maybes just check them both...see what you think.
Calling Black Moon an underground hip hop group sounds like revisionist history to me. When they first came out they were on a well-respected record label, their videos played on Yo! MTV Raps, their albums were reviewed in the popular hip hop magazine The Source and you mentioned they even landed on the Billboard charts. They were just a regular Brooklyn hip hop crew making good music to me. If I compare that to a truly underground group like Finsta Bundy who were also produced by The Beatminerz, they sounded slightly similar but Finsta Bundy released music on obscure labels and only a certain type of hip hop fans would only know about them.
Point taken, Fabian. And I know you're not telling me to do even more underground than Black Moon; but would you welcome the addition of some "underground" songs to my channel?
That could be interesting but it would alienate some people. Maybe once every few weeks or so to see what you are (or aren't) missing. What I would welcome are more reactions to songs/artists that were popular at the time but have been widely forgotten over the years. You've been doing that occasionally with Blahzay Blahzay, Souls Of Mischief or Black Moon.
@@uamini I was thinking I'd do an underground poll and see what the response is. What other songs would you consider to be popular but widely forgotten? (Respiration OG vs remix is scheduled for April 5)
@@ABoomerReacts Ah, I was just thinking about Blackstar because they kinda show how meaningless those labels can be. Both were definitely considered to be underground/independent MCs at the time and yet they still have a huge fan base to this day. There's obviously a huge amount of songs that could fit that popular/forgotten theme. It might be a good idea to pick something that also had a an impact on the culture. Just to give you an example, "Top Billin" by Audio Two, an extremely popular Brooklyn anthem that also played a major part in MC Lyte's career since 1) she's related to them and 2) it was the starting point for a pretty devastating rap feud between her and fellow rapper Antoinette.
@@ABoomerReacts Sure! Locksmith- clouds Anilyst- catch up (live with lyrics) It is really hard to find Bambu with lyrics. One song that is dope af is upset the set up Feat Killer Mike, he's dope too. Keep doing all your reactions Boomer, I enjoy them a lot
@@papagunz45 Thanks for your encouragement! I want to make sure that you didn't pick songs just because they have lyric videos. They're not necessary. I just scroll through lyrics while I listen. So you can pick any popular songs you want to.
Two good 1's for you to react to are Busta Rhymes Touch it Remix ft Mary J Blige Missy Elliott Rah Digga Lloyd Banks DMX and Papoose, and Papoose's Alphabet Slaughter
There's actually two different versions of this song with different verses. I don't really care for the second verse in this version tbh the other version is much better
It’s an underground song because during that time Dr. Dre and Gfunk was ruling the airwaves. So NY rap was not really commercially successful. When they mentioned that Black Moon ushered in the NY sound of the 90’s they’re referring to the more Gritty, Raw not so polished sound as opposed to Dr. Dre and his top of the line production… NY was more earthy, raw, grimy compared to LA and the West Coast…
@@ABoomerReacts During that time period, somewhat. It’s also about not being Commercial or Mainstream not radio friendly. Most underground is music that doesn’t want to be popular. Think Nirvana before Grunge became mainstream..
25th anniversary of life after death is on the 25th it would be nice to get another Biggie reaction .. I got a story to tell Somebody's gotta die Down fall
It probably was independent and then later on got popular and hit the charts so people still say underground . React too underground group woodfellaz. Why da police fucking with me, da south and Blaze a Sack fea bizzy bone
Yes we had enough of Eminem underground is what we listen to X-clan. Funky lesson X-clan. Grand verbalizer what time is it X-clan Heed the words of a brother
Would you guys here consider Tech N9ne "underground"? He's the most SUCCESSFUL independent artist ever but because of "Forbes"... Is he still underground?
I would say he's a semi-underground MC
Omggg can't believe u reacted to Black moon's classic Who got da props, one of my fav songs! Man, Black Moon is so underrated because of their underground style, but they are one of the greatest to ever do it! Buckshot is 1 of the best rappers of all time, highly overlooked and 1 of my favs! Their whole album Enta da Stage is a CLASSIC and theserves a reaction!
Their best songs from that album that u should react 2:
How many MC's?
I got cha opin, OG vs Remix
Enta da stage
Act like U want it
Buck em down
Much love and respect 2 u Brain, keep doing what ur doing, reacting to REAL HIP HOP, REAL MUSIC!
Thanks, Neno! I appreciate that. Someone has requested I Got Cha Opin (remix) but you think that the OG is different enough to warrant a comparison?
@@ABoomerReacts Totally, they are 2 completely different moods, OG is very grimey and dark and it gives you the feeling you can fight the whole world, while the remix is very laid back and veeery cool with a veeery cool music video u should check out after the reaction, it's like Lullaby by the cure and Wild boys by Duran Duran...
@@richbeatz1370 Thanks, Neno! I'll change it from just OG to OG vs remix
@@ABoomerReacts No problem Brian, c u on the next video!
Jeru The Damaja is one I think you’d dig. Always enjoy your content, thanks for doing it.
Thanks, Wax! Jeru the Damaja's name has come up in a few of the bios I have done, but I have no requests for him. Would you like to give me a couple?
@@ABoomerReacts My Mind Spray, Da Bichez, Come Clean, Me or The Papes, Ya Playin’ Yaself. That should get you going!
@@waxmania9868 Thanks, Wax! They're going onto my list.
And if you're going the Jeru route, might as well throw in some Afu-Ra too
@@pickenchews Song title, please 😁😁
Beatminerz are still around. They even have they're own radio station in the internet.
That's awesome! And they're all still alive?
Thank you for this one I was like 15 when this came out and still listen to all the boot camp everyday this is New York hip hop at its finest
Absolutely want to hear more of these! Aesop Rock and MF DOOM are two of the greatest to ever do it.
Thanks, Blake! The 2 Aesop Rock songs I have on my list are: Get Out of the Car and Daylight/Nightlight. What do you think?
@@ABoomerReacts great choices! If I may recommend one more. Group called Atmosphere, song The Last to Say. I think you'll like that one a lot as well.
DOOM hands down is the king. Rest in Paradise.
@@strictlycasuals2260 Rhymes Like Dimes will be on today's poll
@@ABoomerReactsWill vote for it, but I hope you'll do "Deep Fried Frenz" or "Rap Snitch Knishes."
The connotations of "underground" have changed over time. The definition you read and most of the artists listed lean more towards the 21st Century when the internet made it possible to find a following without a label. In the 80s/90s "underground" just meant it didn't crossover to pop or R&B radio. An "underground hit" would be big on mixtapes (back when they were actual tapes that DJs sold on the street or out of mom and pop record shops) and on hip-hop mix shows that aired late at night and on the weekends. "Who Got Da Props" is actually a great example of a song that never cracked the regular rotation on the urban stations in my area, but was a stable on the Saturday and Sunday night mix shows for about 6 months.
Thanks for that explanation! Give me a couple other song titles that you would consider an underground hit from that time.
@@ABoomerReacts "Wrong Side of Da Tracks" by Artifacts and "Come Clean" by Jeru Tha Damaja come to mind. Going deep underground, Saafir's "Light Sleeper".
@@jeffreyharvey9919 "Come Clean" by Jeru Tha Damaja still hits hard "til this day". Another Primo Classic
@@jeffreyharvey9919 woooah u mention Saafir.. yo boxcar sessions the production felt like trains in audio that album was my jam some songs like worship the D didnt like as it felt weird..
Even hobo junction cameos were cool.
Actually all these mentions i own all these albums those songs belong too.
@@shenglongisback4688 Boxcar Sessions is an overlooked gem. His style might have been a bit too unique for commercial success.
Real hip hop! Another classic is ''Black moon - I got cha opin (remix)'' , definitely need to react to that one too in the future!
I have your list of other underground songs, too
Yes one of the greatest remixes of all time. I am a black moon super fan I think that sonically nobody defines real 90s New York hip-hop on that level. I really think the only reason they would be considered underground is because they were mostly independent and they fucked the trends of rapping about luxury and more typical subject matter from that time
@@mtcnaz Thanks for your interpretation!
@@ABoomerReacts Can't wait for more underground hip hop on this channel!
Very good reaction from my favorite ARTIST. I appreciate you listening to the whole track before giving your thoughts. Intellectual reactions. You won me over.
Subscriber for sure. Like of course. I can see myself reacting to songs in the future. I will let the drought of lyrics of today’s popular “hits”
Salute Sir 🫡
Thanks for the sub! I appreciate your encouragement.
What genre of music would you be reacting to? Something you don't have a lot of history with, I would imagine.
A million votes for more underground vids! Underground is an umbrella term that means anything not overtly seeking commercial success. It is used as shorthand for everything from 90s NY boom bap to leftfield backpacker nerdcore stuff. It started out as a genre, in opposition to shiny shoe silk suit bullshit like Puffy.
Ah. Thanks for that interpretation. It's going to take me awhile to discern which songs are overtly seeking commercial success. I had a bunch of underground songs on my request list that I didn't know were "underground" songs. Now that I understand OGs and mixtapes, this will be my new obsession. I'm doing 2 polls on Friday (10 songs total) of all underground songs. Let's see what the interest is.
@@ABoomerReacts Great! If you want your mind blown by an underground artist, Edan is the man. Anything from Beauty and the Beat. This should give you a taste: th-cam.com/video/I_YmfieMkQE/w-d-xo.html
„Enta da Stage“ is one of my favorite East Coast albums. This album is very influential and put hard New York rap back on the map, it even came out before Wu Tangs debut album. Sadly they never got the recognition they deserved
Why do you think that is?
@@ABoomerReacts I don’t know probably poor distribution from the label
@@leonard13039 I guess being independent is a blessing and a curse. You get to make the kind of music that you want to without a parent company telling you what to do; but if you don't have that parent company, then you don't have a lot of assets.
Great reaction I’m glad u liked it…u are picking amazing songs to react to..love it
It's because of people like you who give me some suggestions.
Gosh, there were so many artists you mentioned in this video that as a hip hop fan I am dying for you to get to know. They are what we as real hip hop fans consider the pinnacle and foundation of hip hop.
More underground polls are coming!
Enta da Stage was such a great album! Underground just meant they kept it real, it wasn't commercial or mainstream and it was the voice of the streets. Not made for radio play. Some underground tracks made it on the charts but it didn't necessarily mean mainstream followed there whole album or affiliates. Hope that helps clear up any confusion. Keep up the great reactions
Thanks for the explanation, Robert! It helps a lot.
@@ABoomerReacts you're welcome and keep up the great reactions! You know Brian, you've become a hip-hop head!🙌🏽
@@robertchavez8045 Thanks, Robert! Maybe a junior hip hop head.
Great reaction!! classic track! and thumbs up on reacting to underground hip hop !
Thanks, dj! 10 underground songs (2 polls) are going up on Friday.
I'm not an underground expert, but as long as you stay in the mid 80s to mid 90s the mainstream is just fine 😁
Did you know Black Moon?
@@ABoomerReacts never heard of them
@@xXxXx-----xXxXx Me either. lol
Now we're talking Boomer. Boot camp will not disappoint, especially smiff n wessun
Thanks, Henry. I don't have any songs by Smif and Wessun on my request list. Would you like to give ma a couple?
@@ABoomerReactsno problem. Let's get it on
Bucktown
Bucktown USA feat M.O.P.
@@henryjay100 Thanks! I'll add them to my list. (Is Bucktown USA like a Part II or a remix/)
@@ABoomerReacts Bucktown USA is a different song.
@@henryjay100 OK. Got it. Thanks!
I am a fan of your channel,this was a good one. Watching all the way from Kenya, Africa
Thank you, Kwame! Happy to have you! Greetings from California.
Oh hell yes!
Everything I’ve requested is underground. All are very lyrical.
On my request list, I don't include the name of the person who requested it. Have I reacted to any of your requests?
Finally the Underground!!🙌🏽
The Roots first couple albums, J-Live, Blue Scholars, Czarface, Juggaknotz, the DemiGodz, MFDOOM, Company Flow, Little Brother, Oddisee..(just to name a few)
Thanks for the suggestions. Give me song titles for some of those so I can put them on my request list.
YES! Would love to see you react to more underground and independent hip hop. KA, Roc Marciano or CunninLynguists would be great!
Thanks, Janus! Can you give me a song title for each of those? None of them are on my request list.
@@ABoomerReacts Thats's like picking a favorite child.. ;) You won't go wrong with these though:
KA - I Wish (Death Poem)
Roc Marciano - Power
CunninLynguists - Hard As They Come (ft. Freddie Gibbs)
Beware that both KA and CL are highly conceptual and a lot of their releases are centered around a single concept/story so listening to a single track is not ideal. But its a start ;)
With that in mind, I would be very interested in hearing your thoughts on the following two Lupe Fiasco tracks - before (and after) you do any research on the meaning:
Alan Forever
Jonylah Forever
Thanks Janus, for all the material. I'll add them to my list now.
I had a previous Ka request for The Cold and Lonely which makes it first in line for a reaction. It'll post early November.
I would LOVE for you to do a deep dive into underground or "backpacker" hip-hop ("backpacker" was a term ppl used to make fun of those of us who preferred the artists that weren't all over the radio). Speaking very broadly, i feel that's where you find it treated most like an artform, with artists who really prioritize the craft and the creative possibilities. I would also include certain artists who had some modest mainstream success in this category. I'll reply to this comment with a list of great artists i would include here...
GROUPS:
Pharcyde
Camp Lo
Digable Planets
Freestyle Fellowship
Organized Konfusion
Black Star
Hieroglyphics
Slum Village
(I'd also include some highly celebrated groups like A Tribe Called Quest, De La Soul, & The Roots in this category)
INDIVIDUALS:
Pharoahe Monch
Jean Grae
Edan
Mos Def
Brother Ali
MF Doom
Aesop Rock
Myka 9
Planet Asia
Del the Funk Homosapien
Common
Elzhi
Kool Keith
(I'll stop before the list gets ridiculously long)
I'd also include some well known legends like Q-Tip, KRS-One, Rakim, Big Daddy Kane, Slick Rick etc because there's a large overlap in terms of fanbase etc.
Thanks so much for the list. I have plenty of those artists on my request list; it's just that there's no way I'd know if they considered underground or not.
Black Star "Respiration" is scheduled for April 5. It was requested as an OG vs remix reaction video. What do you think?
@@ABoomerReacts my pleasure! yeah i figured you did. Now you know, GI Joe! Lol
In terms of reacting to more underground artists... it's a mixed bag for me because (1) there are so many underground artists out there who people don't know (for example I've never heard of Black Moon) that people may not click on the video; and (2) for the underground artists that are known, it's usually because they had at least a couple of songs that caught fire with the public enough for their name to leak out there. Also, many popular artists started out as underground artists - i.e. Eminem, 50 Cent, Nelly, etc. - and have "classic" underground songs that blew up after they became famous. And, once-famous artists also continue to release projects long after their popularity has faded - those songs could technically be considered "underground" as well (i.e. a lot of Tupac cuts that were only put on mixtapes).
You're making my head spin, Harry. But in a good way. Did you know many of the artists I read off in the beginning?
@@ABoomerReacts I've heard of Immortal Technique, Murs, Little Brother, Del the Funky Homosapien, Jurrasic 5, Kool Keith (mentioned in a Biggie song), and MF Doom. But I've either never heard any of their songs OR they had one or two things that leaked out that didn't stay in my memory. Most underground artists are heavily respected by more mainstream artists and can actually influence their styles, which is another way they are known without being very famous. (Eminem shouts out underground artists all the time, and has even had beef with a few of them during his time in the mainstream.)
So many of these reaction channels cater to what gets views. I know that's the point of youtube, as a platform. But i can't even count how many reqction channels all react to just Eminem, juice world, and NF. There's enough of that. So many people I've talked to want to see more of this underground stuff reacted too. It's all up to boomer Reacts. Absolutly. But damn near everyone he named in the beginning has a great catalogue of songs. MF DOOM is one of the greatest to ever do it.
@@HarryWilmington Thanks for that info on Eminem. I'll have to keep my ears peeled for names I don't recognize.
@@pobstblake92 Can you give me a couple of MF Doom song titles?
The easiest way to describe underground is 'songs that you wouldn't normally hear on the radio'. In the 90's many people found out about music by way of the radio or programs that played music videos on television. Songs that made regular rotation were considered mainstream and the other songs are considered underground. A lot of underground artists gained a following by their live performances.
Fun Fact! Buckshot and the 'Boot Camp Clique' are some of the artists that 2Pac Recruited for his Deathrow East Project titled 'One Nation' meant to dispel the believe of a feud in hip-hop between East and West coast artists. 2Pac died before the project was complete. Songs like "Military Minds" and "Let's Fight" can be found from this project, but I don't think any of them were officially released.
Thanks, Mintal! I am doing 2 polls on Friday of underground songs to see what interest there is in adding them to my channel. Wish me luck.
You just read what underground was and I commented on what it was in another video. My apologies. Also, RJD2 was on that list! Unreal! That is I guess considered hip hop. But he is more like DJ hip hop music. A complete different genre. Love that he was mentioned considering he is one of my all time favs!
Maybe we could get a reaction from RJD2 - Hate to see you Leave. Since this was a actual hip hop song and album he did with another artist.
Thanks, Lee! I'll add that song to my list.
Underground hip-hop is a general term used to describe all songs that are a part of this specific music genre, but they aren’t as commercial as the lyrics of a common hip-hop song. There are certain characteristics that define underground rap like positive and anti-commercial lyrics or socially conscious messages.
On the other hand, there’s no universal theme when it comes to underground rap. Conscious rap and alternative hip-hop are just a few of the music scenes that have strong connections to underground rap. Underground rap encompasses different music styles that are meant to increase social awareness, political fairness, etc.
Underground rappers are usually independent artists who don’t associate their names with any music label, or they agree to sign to an independent label. There’s also an underground community that consists of members such as musicians, artists, supporters, followers, fans, and other members who encourage the development of independent music. At first, rap was mostly underground, by definition.
Thanks for that great explanation, Aaron! I really appreciate you taking the time to share your knowledge with me.
Sean Price was a rapper closely associated with Black Moon and their affiliates. You should react to his song 'Boom Bye Yeah.' One of the nastiest monsters to ever rock a mic sadly he died in 2015 at the age of 43.
Thanks for the suggestion, Nelson! I'll add him to my list.
Beatminders is still a thing… and a fun fact. Buckshot from blackmoon did a album with 2pac under the westside and eastside beef period. The album Never got reaalesed for what ever reason back then . But got bootleeged and thanks for the internet its easy to find today.
Thanks for the fun fact, Golden. I've heard about that album. One Nation. Too bad it never came together.
Thanks. Listening to this took me back. Loved it. If you want to dig into underground you have to listen to KRS One. So many great tracks that it’s hard to pick one, but I really think you would appreciate “The MC”.
Thanks for the suggestion, Mark. It's def on my request list.
Thanks @boomer! Also, it was explained to me that, “underground artist” has various degrees of characteristics and connotations. But the major common characteristic among them is their choice of promotion/distribution channel. An underground artist can be heard on commercial radio, but would not pay to be, relying on an organic response from the audience. Commercial rappers will pay to advertise their songs out to the public.
@@markz2631 Interesting. Probably because independent labels don't have much of a promotion budget. But if a song is great, sometimes that doesn't matter.
In the underground that I’ve listened to, which admittedly is comprised of more well known underground artists, there is a great deal of pride (I.e. “Who got da props”) in “making it” and keeping it through underground/not “selling out”. Even KRS One who probably at this point, even though he has the name recognition, still claims that to be underground and support underground artists, probably has unlimited funds if he wanted them.
@@markz2631 So when an underground artist who is making great music decides to sign with a major label, they're accused of selling out because they'll take money over creative control?
I loved it. I remember the song was for a short moment in the notorious big movie. Lil kim was rapping it after she a biggy slept together😅 great song
I'm glad you enjoyed it. Some people have commented that they never heard of them.
@@ABoomerReacts i heard the song but i could have never tell who is rapping or whats the name of the song. I m happy someone suggested it, its in my playlist now😁
Beat minors are well respected and yes they still produce
When this was fresh in the 90s, it was "underground", but now it is a real classic, an essential one. There are lots of "less known" underground tracks, here are two pretty dope tracks:
Karim Jamal - Pelon Rising th-cam.com/video/rVBXjQgLUs0/w-d-xo.html
Ready Ta Roll - Drug Game th-cam.com/video/MzX_KP2xQ7E/w-d-xo.html
I am sure they have no lyrics video. In addition, these artists had only an EP or some singles only. Some of them are hard to find in any format (vinyl, cassette, CD). Check out these examples if you feel the affinity for them!
Hi Janos. Did you want me to listen to them now? Or consider them for a reaction?
A reaction would be good. Thanks ;)
@@RedymRDM Cool. I'll put them on my list.
I knew you would like this song. Black Moon technically isn't underground but they represent the underground sound. There are plenty of artists that fit this category and some of those artist you've already reviewed like Mos Def & Wu-Tang. Ultimately underground Hip Hop artists have a level of creative freedom that most mainstream artists don't have. Those mainstream artists that do have a certain level of freedom have a strong underground fanbase.
Thanks, Maliki! This week's polls are underground songs. Wish me luck!
@@ABoomerReacts ☘️ you’ll be alright
@@ABoomerReacts ☘️ you’ll be alright
I would like to see you reacting to Jurrasic 5 whats golden or quality control
Thanks for the suggestions! I'm going to do 2 polls (10 songs total) of underground artists and we'll see who's popular and who's not. One of these songs might be in it.
here's a list of some popular underground Emcees
Apathy (Demigodz/Army Of The Pharaohs)
Chief Kamachi (Juju Mob)
Vinnie Paz (of Jedi Mind Tricks/Army Of The Pharaohs)
Inspectah Deck (Wu-Tang Clan/Czarface)
Celph Titled (Demigodz/Army Of The Pharaohs)
Killah Priest (Sunz Of Man/HRSMN/etc.)
Immortal Technique
Aesop Rock
Eyedea (Rest In Peace)
R.A. The Rugged Man
Esoteric (Demigodz/Army Of The Pharaohs/Czarface)
Slug (Atmosphere/Felt)
MURS (Felt)
MF DOOM
Genelec (Highly Underrated)
Thanks for the list, Aaron! More than half of these have requests on my list. Maybe I'll do another underground poll.
Maybe u could dedicate 1 day out of the week as an underground reaction. For example "Underground Sunday" or something. Hey maybe even do it for every category. 80's hip hop Monday. New School Tuesday...etc. just a thought 🤷🏽♂️
That would kind of make my life easier. Food for thought. Thanks!
@@ABoomerReacts cool! Glad you like it!😁
If you wanna hear some of the best hip hop vocal deliveries and unique expressions you should check a group called freestyle fellowship - a song called - inner city boundaries!
Other notable songs -
Mary
And park bench people
Thanks for the suggestions. They sound interesting. I'll put them on my list.
You must do Black Moon "I got cha opin" It was made from a Barry White sample of "Playing your game baby"!
I have gotten a lot of requests for that. It's def on my list.
Underground is just something that doesn't sound mainstream at the time or have a major label push behind it. In the context of Black Moon, it's the dusty boom bap sound and lyricism as opposed to something like MC Hammer, Vanilla Ice, Kriss Kross, Tag Team etc. at the time.
Buckshot of Black Moon was doing an album with 2pac at the time of his death called One Nation. It was going to have the whole Bootcamp click on it and supposed to unite the East and West in order to end the feud.
Check out Smif N Wessun - Buck Town and Black Moon - I Got Cha Open the remix version.
Thanks, JaeSan! I've heard of the One Nation album. That would've been so great. Those songs you suggested have been requested today; although someone thought it would be interesting to compare the OG vs remix of I Got Cha Opin. What do you think?
@@ABoomerReacts That would be fun. You could also do Eminem's remake of it featuring Buckshot. He did a surprisingly good job.
I was trying to think of good underground suggestions and One Be Lo came to mind. Even has a song called "Underground"! Lots of great songs imo but if I have to narrow it down, I'm recommend "E.T.", "Axis", or "Evil of Self" which has an amazing guest verse from Abdus Salaam who is almost too underground -- it's hard to even find much about him at all on the web.
I also think you may like "Rules of Rap" by Elzhi and Page Kennedy. It's presented as a step by step instruction manual on creating a good rap song and how to be good at rap battling.
Thanks for the suggestions, Craig! I've added them to my list.
Also, what you read at the beginning of the video seems pretty accurate about how I look at what "underground" is. I did know most of (but not all) of the artists you mentioned. I think there's a hip-hop head community that goes out of the way to find and explore these underground artists because they're often really really good. Even if they don't "make it big" I've heard that sometimes they can actually make about as much as a more popular because they can own and control everything they put out there. They also have a lot of artistic freedom which is how you end up with a lot of good music.
Being popular or mainstream definitely doesn't necessarily equate to good. There's a long list of artists who sold lots of records just because they have a couple songs that sound good in a club and the labels promoted them hard.
@@craigmanning7873 "Independent" can mean artistic freedom but it can also mean no promotion money.
@@ABoomerReacts You mentioned Binary Star in this video when you were talking about underground artists. One Be Lo, AKA One Man Army, is one half of the duo Binary Star. I think you’d really enjoy the first track, “Reality Check”, off their album Masters of the Universe. The whole album is fantastic though, one of my favorite underground albums. Fun fact, Masters of the Universe is their “second” album, but it’s really just a rearranged version of their first album.
@@jimd7978 Thanks, Jim! I'll put Reality Check on my request list. Keep those fun facts coming!
Could you please react to the jeru the damaja “come clean” it one of the best tracks to check out from jeru
Boot Camp Clik were working on project with 2 Pac before he was killed he was secretly making music with East Coast Buck Shot
Some here just told me that. The One Nation album.
😏👍🏾 Listen to Black Moon's latest track and video "Creep Wit Me". Also Company Flow 👉🏾"End To End Burners, Jeru Da Damaja 👉🏾"Invasion", Da Youngstas 👉🏾"Mad Props", and Mobb Deep's (R.I.🅿️prodigy) "Temperatures Rising".
Thanks for the suggestions! I added them all to my list. Temperatures Rising was already there.
Great stuff Brian, one of my fav bands. Well worth checking more of their music as well as all other Boot Camp Clik and affiliates, Duck Down is a very underrated label. I suppose there are different levels and perceptions of underground. Touching on another commenters point, if you only go up to mid 90's then the majority of mainstream stuff will still be good but like most genres of music it hit a point where the mainstream became full of bullshit. I much prefer when you do groups/artists like this rather than all the Eminem/50 Cent type stuff (I can't abide those 2 lol). I'll throw a suggestion in the hat for good measure, Artifacts - C'mon Wit Da Git Down 🙏
Thanks, Zico! I'm going to do 2 polls (total of 10 songs) by underground artists and we'll see who's popular and who's not.
@@ABoomerReacts Your 2nd reply isn't showing for some reason when I click the link so just replying to this one. Personally I think you would definitely prefer C'mon Wit Da Git Down over Wrong Side Of The Tracks but that's just my opinion. Maybes just check them both...see what you think.
@@bigzico2525 Thanks, Zico! I'm working on the polls right now and C'mon Wit Da Git Down is on it. 😀
@@ABoomerReacts 👏 good stuff Brian! A newer track(2018) I feel you might like is Blood On The Dash by Bun B featuring Gary Clark Jr. on guitar.
@@bigzico2525 Thanks, Zico! I'll add it to my list. Is he considered underground?
I recommend u masta ace saturday night live
Thanks, Joel! I will add it to my list.
Calling Black Moon an underground hip hop group sounds like revisionist history to me. When they first came out they were on a well-respected record label, their videos played on Yo! MTV Raps, their albums were reviewed in the popular hip hop magazine The Source and you mentioned they even landed on the Billboard charts.
They were just a regular Brooklyn hip hop crew making good music to me. If I compare that to a truly underground group like Finsta Bundy who were also produced by The Beatminerz, they sounded slightly similar but Finsta Bundy released music on obscure labels and only a certain type of hip hop fans would only know about them.
Point taken, Fabian. And I know you're not telling me to do even more underground than Black Moon; but would you welcome the addition of some "underground" songs to my channel?
That could be interesting but it would alienate some people. Maybe once every few weeks or so to see what you are (or aren't) missing.
What I would welcome are more reactions to songs/artists that were popular at the time but have been widely forgotten over the years. You've been doing that occasionally with Blahzay Blahzay, Souls Of Mischief or Black Moon.
@@uamini I was thinking I'd do an underground poll and see what the response is. What other songs would you consider to be popular but widely forgotten? (Respiration OG vs remix is scheduled for April 5)
@@ABoomerReacts Ah, I was just thinking about Blackstar because they kinda show how meaningless those labels can be. Both were definitely considered to be underground/independent MCs at the time and yet they still have a huge fan base to this day.
There's obviously a huge amount of songs that could fit that popular/forgotten theme. It might be a good idea to pick something that also had a an impact on the culture. Just to give you an example, "Top Billin" by Audio Two, an extremely popular Brooklyn anthem that also played a major part in MC Lyte's career since 1) she's related to them and 2) it was the starting point for a pretty devastating rap feud between her and fellow rapper Antoinette.
@@uamini Thanks, Fabian! I'll put that on my list. Aren't you the one who suggested that I do Respiration OG vs remix?
Few more Underground artists I recommend are R A the rugged man, Locksmith, Bambu and Anilyst.
Thanks, Lone wolf! I have some RA on my request list. Can you give me a popular song from the other 3?
@@ABoomerReacts Sure!
Locksmith- clouds
Anilyst- catch up (live with lyrics)
It is really hard to find Bambu with lyrics. One song that is dope af is upset the set up Feat Killer Mike, he's dope too.
Keep doing all your reactions Boomer, I enjoy them a lot
@@papagunz45 Thanks for your encouragement! I want to make sure that you didn't pick songs just because they have lyric videos. They're not necessary. I just scroll through lyrics while I listen. So you can pick any popular songs you want to.
@@ABoomerReacts No sir, Locksmith and Bambu are songs, But Anilyst is a freestyle challenge with the lyrics included.
@@ABoomerReacts I have one more AFRO song is code. Really good song and lyrics.
you saying "del the funky homosapien" lol
Ooops! I almost said the wrong thing!
I recommend u how Many MC's
Thanks, Joel! That is def on my list.
"How Many MC's" is a def one, but the remix of "I Gotcha Opin" is a cool joint, too.
Two good 1's for you to react to are Busta Rhymes Touch it Remix ft Mary J Blige Missy Elliott Rah Digga Lloyd Banks DMX and Papoose, and Papoose's Alphabet Slaughter
Thanks for the suggestions! Alphabetical Slaughter will be on a poll on Friday.
There's actually two different versions of this song with different verses. I don't really care for the second verse in this version tbh the other version is much better
What was the other version for?
Checkout black moon- i gotcha open remix
Thanks! That has been requested a lot since their video here was posted.
If you get the chance, could you react to The Pendulum Swings by Apathy and Blacastan?
Sure, Kyle. I'll add them to my list. Would you call them underground?
@@ABoomerReacts thank you. And yes they are underground. They are in a group called Army of The Pharaos as well
@@kyleham4029 Ah. I have 2 Army of the Pharaohs songs on my request list: Seven and Battle Cry. What do you think of those?
@@ABoomerReacts I like battle cry just a little bit more than seven. But I love the beat to seven
Got it. Thanks!
It’s an underground song because during that time Dr. Dre and Gfunk was ruling the airwaves. So NY rap was not really commercially successful. When they mentioned that Black Moon ushered in the NY sound of the 90’s they’re referring to the more Gritty, Raw not so polished sound as opposed to Dr. Dre and his top of the line production…
NY was more earthy, raw, grimy compared to LA and the West Coast…
So it's the grimy sound that makes it "Underground"?
@@ABoomerReacts
During that time period, somewhat. It’s also about not being Commercial or Mainstream not radio friendly. Most underground is music that doesn’t want to be popular. Think Nirvana before Grunge became mainstream..
25th anniversary of life after death is on the 25th it would be nice to get another Biggie reaction ..
I got a story to tell
Somebody's gotta die
Down fall
I can't fit that into my schedule on that day, but Sky's the Limit posts on April 3
It probably was independent and then later on got popular and hit the charts so people still say underground . React too underground group woodfellaz. Why da police fucking with me, da south and Blaze a Sack fea bizzy bone
Thanks for the suggestions, lowkey! I'll add them to my request list and mark them as underground so I know. (And Bizzy Bone is a big bonus!)
you should take a listen to Little Brother "Speed"
Thanks! I'll add it to my list. It's the first request for Little Brother.
@@ABoomerReacts they are very slept on. (underrated)
Cannibal Ox - Iron Galaxy. Unlike anything you would have heard!
Believe or not but that song is already on my list!
Gotcha Open remix…
Thanks, Geno! That is def on my must-do list.
@@ABoomerReacts
Another excellent track from Black Moon’s debut is How Many MC’s…
@@genohall2235 Thanks, Geno! I'll add it to my list.
I recommend u ice cube i rep that west
Thanks, Joel. I'll add it to my list.
Yes we had enough of Eminem underground is what we listen to
X-clan. Funky lesson
X-clan. Grand verbalizer what time is it
X-clan Heed the words of a brother
Thanks, Dex! X Clan is underground? I can react to them on Underground Wednesday?
react to Poor Righteous teachers God earth 85er
It's going to be on a poll on Friday