As KRS-ONE said: “They said we was nothing, so we told each other we were something.” As the genre grew in popularity and mainstream appeal, the underground scene continued to be a safe space for people who operated outside of convention, and in a world that is as divided and hateful as we have seen in a long time, with a lot of the underground stalwarts becoming proponents of prejudiced thinking, there is a growing contingent of artists within the space who are pushing forward a message of acceptance and progressiveness.

My first introduction to the scene in late 2020 was nearly overwhelming. There are a lot of different niches and a heavy clique mentality, but as I managed to sort through the masses, I discovered a few communities that were of major interest. The cliques seemed to not only be divided by sound, but also by age and socio-political beliefs. To my dismay, it seemed a lot of the more tenured rappers subscribed to ways of thinking about certain groups that reflected a level of ignorance. But on the other side of the coin, the younger an artist was, the more they seemed to understand the nuances of inclusivity and how to respect different groups.

There were exceptions on both sides, of course, but generally this rule of thumb seemed to be accurate. The reasoning behind this is something that would keep us here much longer than intended, and I do not feel qualified enough to speak about it, but I would like to highlight some of these younger artists, and discuss why I think their presence marks a good omen for the future of hip hop and potentially society as a whole.

As someone who made recent discoveries about their identity, seeking acceptance is nothing new to me, and in my time within the underground hip hop scene online, there has rarely been a more accepting space than with the younger cohort of rappers and producers coming up. From artists like King Havana, SEVEN! and Riccardo Tha Don’s “Art Is War” collective, Lil Figurative, Secret Scriptures (whose members The Outdoorsmen I covered earlier this year), and Jorden, to people like UNRULY, pty, jvly38!, JOJANK, ZTG and MILLENIUM, there is a widespread awareness of social issues and promotion of progressive values amongst the fresher names in the scene, regardless of what kind of music they make or where they come from.

Aside from their awareness, there is a resilience in their stances as well. They largely never fail to stand their ground against behavior they do not agree with, no matter if it is coming from a relative unknown or from someone who is widely respected within the larger scene. With seemingly no concern for losing potential opportunities, they call out and reprimand things they see as wrong, and you can’t help but admire it.

It bleeds into their music as well. Whether it’s King Havana rapping about “pushing Bolshevik whips” or Lil Figurative threatening to “slap the fascists yapping in my DMs”, or pty and jvly38! making multiple calls for an end to the violence in Palestine, there is a level of wisdom and politically charged fervor that you would expect from people much older and wizened. This kind of intelligence not only inspires me, but it fills me with hope for the future.

The world seems to be on the verge of collapse, and with rising amounts of hateful rhetoric being spread, and the online proliferation of the alt-right causing a small resurgence for them, it is encouraging to see that there is a section of the younger generations that is keeping progressive thinking alive. The diversity and inclusivity of the new underground is an extension of the essence of hip hop from its start, long may it continue.

Written By IdkYoungJ: www.idkyoungj.com/