Greatest Alternative Rap/Hip-Hop Artists

List editor: Stereo Williams

Criteria: - This list was based on innovation, creativity, popularity, and
significance. These artists operate outside of the traditional subject
matter and/or musical approach that is associated with mainstream
hip-hop at any given time. It is NOT based solely on 'underground' artists.

1. A Tribe Called Quest
2. Outkast
3. The Beastie Boys
4. GangStarr
5. De La Soul
6. The Roots
7. Queen Latifah
8. Stetsasonic
9. The Pharcyde
10. Digital Underground
11. Talib Kweli
12. Common
13. The Fugees
14. Arrested Development
15. Digable Planets
16. Lauryn Hill
17. Brand Nubian
18. Missy "Misdemeanor" Elliott
19. Mos Def
20. Tha Alkaholiks
21. Ultramagnetic MCs
22. Kool Keith/Dr. Octagon
23. Channel Live
24. Wyclef Jean
25. Organized Konfusion
26. KRS-One (later work)
27. Jeru the Damaja
28. Black Sheep
29. Jurassic 5
30. Goodie MOB
31. MF Doom
32. Slum Village
33. Company Flow
34. Jedi Mind Tricks
35. Esham
36. Jungle Brothers
37. Pete Rock & CL Smooth
38. Main Source
39. 3rd Bass
40. Busta Rhymes
41. Big L
42. Dead Prez
43. Blackilicious
44. Black Moon
45. Dilated Peoples
46. Souls of Mischief
47. Bahamadia
48. Aceyalone
49. Leaders of the New School
50. Pharoah Monche
51. Dan the Automator
52. Del the Funkee Homosapien
53. Kanye West
54. The Coup
55. Prince Paul
56. Antipop Consortium
57. Guru
58. Nappy Roots
59. Boogiemonsters
60. Lords of the Underground
61. Peanut Butter Wolf
62. Cee-Lo
63. The Beat Junkies
64. Atmosphere
65. Black Eyed Peas
66. Thirstin Howl III
67. Deltron 3030
68. Poor Righteous Teachers
69. Aesop Rock
70. All Natural
71. X-Clan
72. Grand Puba
73. Dream Warriors
74. JVC Force
75. N.E.R.D.
76. Spearhead
77. Intelligent Hoodlum
78. P.M. Dawn
79. Camp Lo
80. Funkdoobiest
81. Witchdoctor
82. Da Bush Babees
83. Kwame
84. The Beatnuts
85. Isis/Lin Que
86. Raw Fusion
87. Jean Grae
88. Sadat X
89. Basehead
90. Handsome Boy Modeling School
91. Q-Tip
92. The Arsonists
93. Questionmark Asylum
94. Monie Love
95. KMC
96. Imani Coppola
97. UMC's
98. The Disposable Heroes of HipHoprisy
99. Gorillaz
100. Nonchalant

Probably the most glaring absences from this list are Little Brother and El-P.

I'd probably bump De La Soul over Gang Starr.

What is alternative hip hop?

This.

Like alternative rock, you'll be here all day with that question.

For the longest time it was basically everything that wasn't gangsta, boom bap, old school (like pre-Run DMC), new school (everything from Run-DMC to the release of "3 Feet High"), party rap etc. etc.

So, the definition of alt-hip hop includes stuff like nerdcore, conscious hip hip, experimental hip hop, some rap-rock.

The list maker claims "These artists operate outside of the traditional subject matter and/or musical approach that is associated with mainstream hip-hop at any given time", but "mainstream"? I don't know. From 2000 to 2004, Outkast were as mainstream as you can get, ditto Lauryn Hill, Busta Rhymes and Arrested Delevopment when they were successful, yet all are unabashedly "alt hip hop". There needs to be a better definition at the very least.

Here's wikipedia. It's a start, but not the be-all-and-end-all: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alternative_hip_hop

I think alternative rock is a bit more well defined than what alternative hip hop is. I'd much rather see an abstract/experimental hip hop list which would actually incorporate some 'alternative' hip hop.