Written by Andrew Diaz (Silent D. of The Takeover)

“Rap is something you do, Hip-Hop is something you live” - KRS-One

You hear it and see it everywhere, through the slang being tossed around, the specific type of clothes being worn, the music being listened to - it is all a way of life. The lifestyle one lives is not about who you want to be but who you are.

Hip-Hop itself is a lifestyle, it is not a genre of music as many have come or have been led to believe. It is a lifestyle that incorporates various elements of self-expression. Whether it be through art, music, the way you live, the way you act, or the way you dress, that self-expression encompasses a single culture known as Hip-Hop. From the DJ, the MC, the Graffiti artist, the B-Boy, and the people who cherish the art - they are all part of what makes Hip-Hop.

Nerdcore Hip-Hop is laced with similar elements that make up a culture of nerdy, geeky and dorky related lifestyles. At the foundation of Nerdcore is the self-expression of pride in being whatever it means to be a nerd, a geek or a dork. It’s not about accepting who you are but about being proud of who you are. They do so through making music about what they live. Whether it be MC Plus+ rhyming about programming, Ultraklystron rhyming about Anime, or ZeaLouS 1 spitting rhymes about leveling up on WoW (World of Warcraft) - it is all a clear statement of their life which encompasses a variety of topics including but not limited to video games and comic books. Being true to who you are and not apologizing for it is exactly what Hip-Hop is about.

However, there are artists and fans of Nerdcore who didn’t grow up on Hip-Hop, don’t fully understand Hip-Hop and hate what they have come to know as Hip-Hop. Those who think they know, have a distorted view of what Hip-Hop represents. There are people in the Nerdcore community and in the rest of the world that only see what has become mainstream Hip-Hop and choose not to explore the other facets to the culture. They only see it as bitches, hoes, guns and music by mediocre rappers. While this is true to an extent, there are various artists out there who not only have the skills but the rhymes to disprove all of those who think Hip-Hop is one-dimensional. The fact that Nerdcore Hip-Hop exists is proof enough that Hip-Hop is not just a one-dimensional culture.

Nerdcore is part of the Hip-Hop culture whether anyone chooses to believe it or not. Yet it is a lifestyle all its own ready to break the mold of what everybody has come to know as Hip-Hop. While true talent within the Nerdcore community is minimal, there are many who are “leveling up” their skills to make their voices heard to anyone who listens and make everyone realize that it is ok to be a nerd. Even so, the limited talent can easily cause those who look at Nerdcore to disregard it completely. The growth of this movement is moving fast and the question is whether or not these artists will be able to enter the cipher and make it happen or completely crumble under the pressure. In order to rise to that challenge, Hip-Hop must be respected and understood. As the weak get weeded out, those with talent and respect for Hip-Hop will rise to the occasion in taking Nerdcore to the next level.

Whether or not Nerdcore musicians make some big noise in the music scene, it can continue to thrive making everyone take notice of who and what they are. Like Hip-Hop, Nerdcore Hip-Hop doesn’t represent a genre, it is a lifestyle beating on the door of life. Not looking to gain acceptance into the mainstream but to get recognition for what it represents.