What's the difference between Mainstream and Underground??
 

Do you think the difference between mainstream and underground hip-hop is a matter of content, as in what they rap about?
Or do you think mainstream and underground hip-hop is measured by financial success i.e. how many albums sold, major record deal, etc.?
Would someone who raps about bling, getting hoes, and being a gangster but is virtually unknown and has no album sales be considered mainstream or underground to you?

sales/exposure. people rap all styles while on the come up. from gucci to em.

i think its a matter of content, since labels don't allow artist to talk about certain things

Mixture of both in my opinion. Most mainstream artists rap about the same boring ass shit; money, degrading women, some stupid dance move etc etc. Most underground rap is about real life struggle and shit. Not many mainstream artists really rap about anything valid. Most of them claim sets or gangs that they really arent a part of. Kinda pisses me off.

I think what should ultimately define an artist is what he/she does. Because we can control what we do, but we can't always control what happens to us. Record sales and mainstream success are more of things that happen to you (there is only so much one can do without the backing of a major label), whereas what you rap about is a choice that's within your control.
So to me, that has more defining power upon an artist.

if aesop rock had a platinum selling album he wouldn't be underground.


I can go to any soundcloud type site right now and show you people rapping in a "manstream" manner who barely have what you could consider even moderate underground exposure


Content is completely irellivant

@Just C Do you choose what music you listen to based on the content or how much money the artist makes?

content.

Then you can't say content is irrelevant.

Let's look at the definition of mainstream: the dominant trend in opinion, fashion, or the arts. It's the styles that cause a splash for a while, the trend that everybody follows, the artist that follows that trend (and is successful) is mainstream.

How did you not get the context in my post?

I think rappers cant talk about ANYTHING they want. Being "real" is a desireable quality.

The difference is that underground guys general think they are the shit because they know what multis are.

The levels of success for certain content changes all the time so you can't use content as the measuring stick. why do you think it's called "underground"


It's not as exposed, it has nothng to do with content

---------- Post added at 12:39 PM ---------- Previous post was at 12:37 PM ----------


nothing to do with what we're talking about, just stereotyping.

You're saying content is irrelevant to whether or not someone reaches mainstream success? But you've also said that success and exposure is what defines someone as being mainstream as opposed to underground. Correct?

Not to mention i've already stated that you can fnd underground artists who rap every dfferent type of content under the sun ncludng what mainsream artsts rap about

how can it be about content when L.B member 1 s rappng the same sht drake is?

or when soundcloud has it's own 10 play cheef keef?

it's determined by levels of exposure

I think often times, success and exposure are manufactured. It's almost like once you're being promoted by certain major labels, you're going to gain a certain amount of exposure regardless. They practically determine who is and who isn't successful because they control the channels.
And while record labels do coach artists on what to write and try to tell them what to say, it is ultimately up to the artist whether or not they're going to listen and go along.
My basic point is...people should be defined based on what they have control over and the choices they make as individuals. It's just like we don't have control over what race we are or what gender, so we shouldn't be judged/categorized on those things. But we DO have control over whether or not we choose to smoke crack...and we can be judged on that. I believe in this day and age, how successful an artist is on the mainstream is out of individual control. The record labels and corporations determine that. So if we are going to categorize and define people as mainstream/underground, we need to look at the content...because THAT is something they have control over as individuals. It's a matter of personal choice. Someone who raps about the same thing that Drake does is just a mainstream carbon copy, regardless of whether they've made record sales yet or not. In the same sense, I would consider certain artists who have gained a lot of exposure like Mos Def or Talib Kwali still underground. Underground to me means "original content." I'm not knocking how anyone else looks at it though. I understand we all define mainstream and underground a little differently which is why I raised this question just to see how people look at it.

I think mainstream is all about record sales and popularity

underground rappers who talk about money bling and cars are just idiots

thats one thing young buck said thats memorable and real

"new rappers who play the game like they rich to me that shit funny"

You're 44 and still don't know the difference?

I was asking what is the difference to you miss skinny model.

lmao damn Noble is 44?

fall back ya don't me ya too old let go find a forum for old folk

I'm 44 the same way IV is a skinny model and you're actually Kobe bryant.

You're like a modern day Miyagi, wax on, wax off.

idk what your talking about IV well lil sexy is her model name

http://i44.tinypic.com/29c6m9e.jpg

and I really have a torn Achilles why do u think im here with u losers?

http://i40.tinypic.com/5wodu.jpg


so your really 44

you old ass clown you just an old ass now let a young nigga shine

sit your old ass down!

I think underground starts with content, and the real shit they spit on doesn't jive with the mainstream so they stay where they are. My man soul khan is a great example.


This video is fuckin amazing. but it wong get much exposure cuz he doesn't appeal to the top 40 crap rap croud.

You calling me fat? Low blow. Why would you say such a mean thing like that?

Official queensbridge murderas

No, The Main Difference Between Mainstream And Underground Is The Exposure / Financial Success. The Content Has Absolutely Nothing To Do With It BECAUSE...There Are Tons Of Old School Mainstream Artists Who Rapped About "Mainstream" Subjects (Money, Hoes & Clothes, Gangsta Shit) Yet They're Somehow An Exception When Kids Say (Current) Mainstream Talks About The Same Shit And Underground Talks About Real Shit. On The Contrary There Are Millions Of Underground Cats Who Rap About Mainstream Subjects Yet They'll Never Be Famous.

There Is Plenty Of Real Shit Mainstream Artists Have Dropped (2Pac, Eminem, Nas, Rakim, Andre 3000, Black Thought, etc.)
And Then There Is Stupid Shit On The Underground Side Too But Just Because It's Not Popular Doesn't Make It "Good".

Money and Marketing. gotta be the biggest diff

@Student you don't know wtf your talking about that post raped my iq

dumbass motha fucka

I Don't Get It :high:

Pretty simple difference. Is exposure.. mainstream is usually meant or enjoyed by the masses..underground is more obscure type hiphop. Thats usually found and enjoyed by word of mouth.on a much smaller scale.. mf doom eyedea.etc. if you asked a casual person who they were. Theyd be like WHO?.

I realized that the mainstream/underground and real hip-hop/non-real hip-hop dichotomies are concepts that overlap and mesh in a lot of people's minds. That is the reason why I asked what mainstream/underground means to each individual, not what mainstream means according to the dictionary because I understand that people use the term differently.
As far as people considering some old-school mainstream songs as a real hip-hop and new songs talking about the same subjects as fake, I can't speak for everyone but I have a feeling it has more to do with freshness and originality than the actual content.
When NWA first came out with gangsta rap, it was fresh and original and can be considered real hip-hop if we assume they were being authentic. When other people came after them spitting gangsta rap, if they didn't give it their own original spin and were only perceived as copying NWA or other gangsta rappers, then it was considered fake hip-hop. That is why I personally define underground hip-hop as "original content", not gimmicky or following some formula or pattern that is meant to bring commercial success. Two people can rap and spit the same content, and you can often tell when one is speaking from the heart or telling his story from a fresh and original angle and the other is simply following a formula to appeal to a niche in the genre.

theres a reason they call it UNDERGROUND ... its because we gotta dig to find it yo ... Lupe dont talk about hoes n all that but would u call him underground? Naw hes up there


Success makes u what you are

People like Mos Def, Vinnie Paz, and Immortal Technique are fairly well-known too..as in you wouldn't have to search too hard to find their music, but some people still consider them "Underground."