underground hip-hop artists

66 published underground hip-hop artists, led by MF DOOM, RZA and Xzibit.

At a glance

66 published underground hip-hop artists; 458 studio albums have verified cover art.

Published artists0 tier 1 · 2 tier 2 · 64 tier 3: 66
Release groups: 1,156
Studio albums: 483
Albums with cover artverified Cover Art Archive: 458
Timeline events: 597
Monthly listenerssum across artists: 7.3M
Average career spanfirst to last dated release: 25 years
Full biographies: 48
Biography words: 75,624

When they started

Debut decade from each artist's earliest dated release. Most debuts fell in the 1990s (16 artists).

Artists by debut decade
Decade	Artists
1980s	3
1990s	16
2000s	11
2010s	3

33 artists have no dated release or formation year and are not plotted.

Where they come from

Countries with the most underground hip-hop artists. United States leads with 59.

Often paired with

Genres that share artists with underground hip-hop. The most shared is hip-hop, with 28 artists in both.

Covers from underground hip-hop

458 studio albums have verified cover art. The 12 shown come from the most famous artists.

Metaphorical Villainy
MF DOOM · 2020
Super What?
MF DOOM · 2020
Czarface Meets Metal Face
MF DOOM · 2018
Born Like This
MF DOOM · 2009
DoomStarks
MF DOOM · 2009
MM..FOOD
MF DOOM · 2004
MM..Leftovers
MF DOOM · 2004
Special Herbs and Spices, Volume 1
MF DOOM · 2004
Operation: Doomsday
MF DOOM · 1999
Bobby Digital Presents: Juice Crew
RZA · 2026
A Ballet Through Mud
RZA · 2024
The Reverend & The RZArector, Vol. 1
RZA · 2024

Leaders

Bones has the most release groups (114); Esham the longest career (37 years); RZA the most awards (4).

Most prolific

Most prolific, by number of release groups
Artist	release groups
Bones	114
MF DOOM	101
Crooked I	58
Westside Gunn	57
Xzibit	54

Longest careers

first to last dated release

Longest careers, by number of years
Artist	years
Esham	37
Kool G Rap	36
Lord Finesse	36
AZ	35
RZA	35

Most decorated

Most decorated, by number of awards
Artist	awards
RZA	4
Three 6 Mafia	2

Most famous underground hip-hop artists

MF DOOM

United Kingdom · Person · born 1971

East Coast hip-hop, alternative hip-hop, underground hip-hop

7.3M listeners · 41 wikis

RZA

United States · Person · born 1969

horrorcore, hardcore hip-hop, chipmunk soul, East Coast hip-hop, classical music, film score, underground hip-hop

47 wikis

Xzibit

United States · Person · born 1974

hip-hop, horrorcore, hardcore hip-hop, gangsta rap, West Coast hip-hop, G-funk, underground hip-hop

51 wikis

Big L

United States · Person · born 1974

horrorcore, hardcore hip-hop, East Coast hip-hop, gangsta rap, underground hip-hop

31 wikis

Three 6 Mafia

United States · Group · 1991–2012

hip-hop, horrorcore, hardcore hip-hop, trap music, gangsta rap, Southern hip-hop, dirty south, crunk, dirty rap, underground hip-hop, Memphis rap

29 wikis

Immortal Technique

United States · Person · born 1978

hip-hop, hardcore hip-hop, East Coast hip-hop, political hip-hop, underground hip-hop

28 wikis

Hopsin

United States · Person · born 1985

hip-hop, horrorcore, hardcore hip-hop, comedy hip-hop, alternative hip-hop, West Coast hip-hop, underground hip-hop

27 wikis

AZ

United States · Person · born 1972

hardcore hip-hop, East Coast hip-hop, mafioso rap, gangsta rap, underground hip-hop

23 wikis

Kool G Rap

United States · Person · born 1968

horrorcore, hardcore hip-hop, East Coast hip-hop, mafioso rap, gangsta rap, old-school hip-hop, golden age hip-hop, underground hip-hop

22 wikis

Bizarre

United States · Person · born 1976

horrorcore, comedy hip-hop, Midwest hip-hop, underground hip-hop

21 wikis

Bones

United States · Person · born 1994

trap music, cloud rap, alternative hip-hop, West Coast hip-hop, emo rap, trap metal, underground hip-hop

19 wikis

Cassidy

United States · Person · born 1982

hardcore hip-hop, pop rap, East Coast hip-hop, gangsta rap, underground hip-hop

18 wikis

More underground hip-hop artists

Showing 1–54 of 54 artists

Kool Keith

United States · Person · born 1963

hip-hop, horrorcore, hardcore hip-hop, East Coast hip-hop, mafioso rap, gangsta rap, alternative hip-hop, conscious hip-hop, trip hop, psychedelic rap, dirty rap, golden age hip-hop, underground hip-hop, abstract hip-hop

16 wikis · Tier 3

Lord Finesse

United States · Person · born 1970

hip-hop, East Coast hip-hop, underground hip-hop

16 wikis · Tier 3

Brotha Lynch Hung

United States · Person · born 1968

hip-hop, horrorcore, hardcore hip-hop, gangsta rap, West Coast hip-hop, G-funk, underground hip-hop

13 wikis · Tier 3

Esham

United States · Person · born 1973

horrorcore, hardcore hip-hop, Midwest hip-hop, underground hip-hop

13 wikis · Tier 3

Joell Ortiz

United States · Person · born 1980

hip-hop, hardcore hip-hop, East Coast hip-hop, gangsta rap, underground hip-hop

12 wikis · Tier 3

Lord Infamous

United States · Person · born 1975

horrorcore, hardcore hip-hop, trap music, gangsta rap, Southern hip-hop, dirty south, crunk, underground hip-hop, Memphis rap

12 wikis · Tier 3

Buckshot

United States · Person · born 1974

hip-hop, hardcore hip-hop, East Coast hip-hop, underground hip-hop, indie hip-hop

11 wikis · Tier 3

Crooked I

United States · Person · born 1978

hip-hop, hardcore hip-hop, gangsta rap, West Coast hip-hop, underground hip-hop

11 wikis · Tier 3

O.C.

United States · Person · born 1972

hip-hop, East Coast hip-hop, underground hip-hop

11 wikis · Tier 3

R.A. the Rugged Man

United States · Person · born 1974

hip-hop, horrorcore, hardcore hip-hop, East Coast hip-hop, underground hip-hop

11 wikis · Tier 3

Westside Gunn

United States · Person · born 1982

underground hip-hop

11 wikis · Tier 3

Anybody Killa

United States · Person · born 1973

horrorcore, Midwest hip-hop, underground hip-hop, Native American hip hop

10 wikis · Tier 3

Big Moe

United States · Person · born 1974

hardcore hip-hop, gangsta rap, Southern hip-hop, dirty south, underground hip-hop, chopped and screwed

10 wikis · Tier 3

King Gordy

United States · Person · born 1977

horrorcore, hardcore hip-hop, underground hip-hop

10 wikis · Tier 3

MC Breed

United States · Person · born 1971

hip-hop, hardcore hip-hop, Midwest hip-hop, G-funk, underground hip-hop

10 wikis · Tier 3

Rapsody

United States · Person · born 1983

underground hip-hop

10 wikis · Tier 3

Big Hawk

United States · Person · born 1969

hardcore hip-hop, gangsta rap, Southern hip-hop, dirty south, underground hip-hop, chopped and screwed

9 wikis · Tier 3

Busdriver

United States · Person · born 1978

hip-hop, progressive rap, alternative hip-hop, underground hip-hop, experimental hip-hop, grime, abstract hip-hop

9 wikis · Tier 3

2Mex

United States · Person · born 1973

alternative hip-hop, underground hip-hop

8 wikis · Tier 3

Dessa

United States · Person · born 1981

alternative hip-hop, underground hip-hop

8 wikis · Tier 3

Domo Genesis

United States · Person · born 1991

alternative hip-hop, West Coast hip-hop, underground hip-hop

8 wikis · Tier 3

Kam

United States · Person · born 1969

hip-hop, gangsta rap, West Coast hip-hop, G-funk, underground hip-hop

8 wikis · Tier 3

Aceyalone

United States · Person · born 1970

hip-hop, alternative hip-hop, jazz rap, trip hop, underground hip-hop, experimental hip-hop

7 wikis · Tier 3

Big Pooh

United States · Person · born 1973

rapping, underground hip-hop

7 wikis · Tier 3

Blaze Ya Dead Homie

United States · Person · born 1976

horrorcore, hardcore hip-hop, Midwest hip-hop, gangsta rap, underground hip-hop

7 wikis · Tier 3

Exile

United States · Person · born 1995

underground hip-hop

7 wikis · Tier 3

Greydon Square

United States · Person · born 1981

underground hip-hop

7 wikis · Tier 3

Open Mike Eagle

United States · Person · born 1980

hip-hop, alternative hip-hop, underground hip-hop

7 wikis · Tier 3

Rancore

Italy · Person · born 1989

hip-hop, hardcore hip-hop, alternative hip-hop, conscious hip-hop, underground hip-hop

7 wikis · Tier 3

Ka

United States · Person · born 1972

hip-hop, progressive rap, East Coast hip-hop, underground hip-hop

6 wikis · Tier 3

Abstract Rude

United States · Person · born 1992

underground hip-hop

5 wikis · Tier 3

Lil Wyte

United States · Person · born 1982

hip-hop, horrorcore, hardcore hip-hop, gangsta rap, Southern hip-hop, dirty south, crunk, underground hip-hop, Memphis rap

5 wikis · Tier 3

Reef the Lost Cauze

United States · Person · born 1981

hip-hop, East Coast hip-hop, underground hip-hop

5 wikis · Tier 3

Babyxsosa

United States · Person · born 2000

trap music, pop rap, electropop, underground hip-hop

4 wikis · Tier 3

Bigg Jus

United States · Person · born 1993

underground hip-hop

4 wikis · Tier 3

Damu the Fudgemunk

United States · Person · born 1984

hip-hop, underground hip-hop, instrumental music

4 wikis · Tier 3

Illogic

United States · Person · born 1980

hip-hop, alternative hip-hop, underground hip-hop

4 wikis · Tier 3

Tataee

Romania · Person · born 1976

pop music, hip-hop, hardcore hip-hop, pop rap, gangsta rap, G-funk, boom bap, underground hip-hop

4 wikis · Tier 3

7L & Esoteric

United States · Group · 1996–present

East Coast hip-hop, political hip-hop, underground hip-hop

3 wikis · Tier 3

Ghettosocks

Canada · Person · born 2003

underground hip-hop

3 wikis · Tier 3

Icewear Vezzo

United States · Person · born 1989

hip-hop, hardcore hip-hop, Midwest hip-hop, trap music, underground hip-hop

3 wikis · Tier 3

Lady Crush

United States · Person · born 1970

hip-hop, electro hop, dirty rap, underground hip-hop

3 wikis · Tier 3

Sunspot Jonz

United States · Person · born 1994

underground hip-hop

3 wikis · Tier 3

J. Rawls

United States · Person · born 1974

hip-hop, underground hip-hop

2 wikis · Tier 3

Luckyiam

United States · Person · born 1990

underground hip-hop

2 wikis · Tier 3

Myka 9

United States · Person · born 1987

underground hip-hop

2 wikis · Tier 3

Qwazaar

United States · Person · born 1998

alternative hip-hop, underground hip-hop

2 wikis · Tier 3

Qwel

United States · Person · born 1980

alternative hip-hop, underground hip-hop

2 wikis · Tier 3

Wordsmith

Person · born 1980

hardcore hip-hop, alternative hip-hop, underground hip-hop

2 wikis · Tier 3

Cool Calm Pete

United States · Person · born 1979

underground hip-hop

1 wikis · Tier 3

Copywrite

United States · Person · born 1978

hip-hop, underground hip-hop

1 wikis · Tier 3

D-Sisive

Canada · Person · born 1996

underground hip-hop

1 wikis · Tier 3

Guante

United States · Person · born 1983

underground hip-hop

1 wikis · Tier 3

Muneshine

Canada · Person · born 2001

underground hip-hop

1 wikis · Tier 3

See this genre sorted by monthly listeners →