Underground Hip Hop artists share the struggles that comes with the love of Hip Hop
Underground hip hop artists are the individuals who create music outside of the mainstream, those who choose to remain different as they struggle to gain credibility and a fan base.
In the music industry, you must earn your way to the top. For underground artists, the journey to be successful in this portion of the music industry starts with the love for their own sound.
Upcoming artist Deondre Pasquini, also known by his stage name Ondré, said “the underground scene is full of artists that are trying to surface and elevate to higher levels. it’s a grind, but you learn to enjoy it.” Pasquini has been rapping for about 1 year now, but he recently started taking his music seriously, scheduling studio sessions and uploading his songs to SoundCloud, a music streaming application.
Pasquini’s sound is unique because his voice is a solid, captivating bass. But he is still trying to establish a firm sense of sound for himself.
Underground artists usually have a hard time establishing their sound. As times change, there has been a shift in the music industry. It has become a race for who can create the catchiest sound bite that will hook the millennial generation. This change in sound creates friction in underground artists work as they have to adjust to their audiences new music taste while also preserving their own sound.
These new mainstream trends and sounds within the hip hop industry has created a struggle for underground artists to become successful as they try to remain unique.
With technology like the internet all kinds of artists are able to share their different works and market themselves at any level they’d like, while in the process creating different sounds that shy away from derived hip hop music.
Underground rapper Paul Odudu known as Paulitical said “I feel like hip hop is in a fragile state right now. It’s like a struggle between the mumble rappers and the lyrical rappers. Hopefully the next generation finds the balance.”
Odudu’s sound is what he calls “lyrical trap” as he utilizes wordplays and intricate flows over hard bars. Odudu’s dynamic sound comes from his background of over 3 years of rapping, experimenting with hip hop music, and learning from the past sounds and generations of hip hop.
Underground rappers take the noncommercial route not because it is easier but because it lets them be free with their sound. There are no producers telling them how or what would sound great playing on a radio or what would sit better with current trends. It is just an independent artist and their music.
Rapper Adrienne Jackson, also known as oNE A9E said “The main struggle I’ve faced as a rapper is getting someone to really listen to my voice… I’ve had people doubt my music simply because I don’t have radio plays or record with a major label.”
Underground rappers face the struggle of going unheard but many keep pursuing music and creating new sounds.
In the Sacramento, the underground hip hop scene really kicked off in 2017 as new artists started to rise out of different areas of California.
Major artists like SOB X RBE, a rap group featured in the film Black Panther soundtrack, came out of neighboring city Vallejo and female rapper Saweetie, whose music has debuted on reality TV show Love & Hip Hop came striaght out of Sacramento. These artists were big contributors to the the rise of underground hip hop artists throughout Sacramento.
Outbreak underground artists are the ones who feed the pack and motive other underground artists to continue to pursue their dreams of someday being at the top.
Music promoter Jason Ali said “the biggest change in Hip Hop has occurred in the diversity and versatility, there’s some people in hip hop today that can’t be boxed in. Not to say there wasn’t versatility back in the day but outside of a few heavy hitters, most sounds that would be considered different were underground.”
Underground artists continue to create and deliver even when they seem to go unnoticed. They watch other underground artist who didn’t fold to trends but still were able to become successful because of their love for hip hop, and that drives them to continue through their passion.
Dj Otuekong Akpakpa, known as Otu, said “ you can still be amazing by doing what you personally think is artistically cool without having to conform to what’s normal.”
Underground artists rebel within their own practice, They must pay to just get on the stage because their name is not popular. They struggle to arrange studio time with people who will actually work with them.
Most underground rappers have an agenda other than making money or becoming famous. For them, creating music and sounds isn’t just a hobby or a future career – it’s a passion some say. It was passed down or picked up but most say they fell in love with hip hop from the first moment they heard a beat.
Dj Akpakpa said “It’s like a stream of human consciousness that conveys whatever emotion an artist feels like portraying — no other art form can capture that the way music does, which is why it is the most important. Music is everything to me, I really wouldn’t know what to do without it.”
Khala
Clarke
Sources
Adrienne jackson:
1(951)858-0593
Jason Ali:
1(951)445-0714
Paulitical:
Otu Akpakpa
(925)219-7846
Deondre Pasquini
(916)420-7773
