Nerdcore: The Rejuvenation of Hip Hop

Sep 8, 2011
Beau Harmon

MC Frontalot, the Godfather of Nerdcore - cheerfulstoic

Do you like hip hop but get tired of hearing about benjamins, expensive cars, and easy women? Welcome to the world of nerdcore.

Record stores don't feature a nerdcore section. For fans of nerdcore rap, there are only two places to pick it up, on the internet or at a live show.

What is Nerdcore?

The word nerdcore was first used to describe a certain variant of the hip hop genre by the Godfather of Nerdcore, MC Frontalot at the second Penny Arcade Expo. Nerdcore, like any young and growing musical genre, is an opt-in title. For instance, Weird Al has recorded nerd-themed hip hop, but does not think of himself as a nerdcore rapper. He would more likely call himself a parodist.

The most significant elements of nerdcore are born nerdy personalities like those of Optimus Rhyme and, as the name suggests, its themes. Nerdcore rappers tackle retro computer games, convention girls and other subjects that appeal to the interests of the global nerd community. The sub-genre is also very independent and insular, with artists distributing their work via internet and on their own labels.

Hip Hop Roots

In part, the independence of nerdcore production is, coincidentally, dependent on the hip hop that came before it. Drum lines, guitar riffs and other sounds are frequently sampled and remixed to create new music and rhythms. This encouragement of sharing sounds and samples can sometimes cause friction with the RIAA and is addressed in songs like Frontalot's Charity Case and MC Lars's Download This Song.

The themes of hip hop are most often elements of its creators' lifestyles. In the early seventies, hip hop was embraced by New York gangs as a way to battle it out without resorting to violence. In similar fashion nerdcore is about the things that nerds, usually middle class white kids, are familiar with. The internet, which nerdcore could most likely not exist without, provides nerdy hip hop enthusiasts the opportunity to participate in the hip hop genre and share with the world those things that shape and impact their lives in the same way those gangsters were able to reach out and communicate their desires through the young hip hop of the early seventies.

What's New About Nerdcore

With so much of nerdcore music being sampled from other musicians, and with artists following in the footsteps of the original hip hop artists, that is, rapping about what they know, it may seem like nerdcore is really nothing new. In a sense, it's true. Nerdcore is music that stems from the fundamental joys and concerns of its makers, which is something that can be said of most good music.

What makes nerdcore so refreshing is that unlike modern hip hop, it is young and vibrant. Hip hop artists still rap about what they know, but what major hip hop artists know is having a lot of money and privilege. Few can connect with their listeners, anymore, in any meaningful way. Nerdcore artists are common nerds, and fans of nerdcore still identify strongly with the music. Moreover, it's not a big money business, so nerdcore artists don't pursue a career in the sub-genre unless it is something they are passionate about it. The result is great, inspired music with brilliant vocals.