Section ▼
The Underground Archive
Fame should not determine whether someone's contribution to music history is remembered.
Local & independent
Artists
Organized Noize
East Point, Atlanta · Hip-Hop / R&B · Southern
Producers Rico Wade, Ray Murray and Sleepy Brown. Working from the basement studio known as the Dungeon, they shaped early OutKast and Goodie Mob records and produced TLC's "Waterfalls" (1995).
Cool Breeze
East Point, Atlanta · Hip-Hop · Southern
Dungeon Family MC from East Point. His single "Watch for the Hook" featured OutKast and Goodie Mob, and his album was released through Organized Noize's label.
Lil Jon & the East Side Boyz
East Atlanta, Atlanta · Hip-Hop · Crunk
Lil Jon, then a club DJ and So So Def A&R, formed the group with Big Sam and Lil Bo. Their independently released 1997 debut helped spread crunk from Atlanta clubs.
Pastor Troy
College Park, Atlanta · Hip-Hop · Crunk
College Park rapper who built a street following with independent releases before signing to a major. His late-90s anthems became Georgia rallying cries.
Bronx Cipher Society
Bronx, New York · Hip-Hop · Boom Bap
Fictional demo crew representing early park-jam culture.
Queens Lyricist
Queensbridge, New York · Hip-Hop · Boom Bap
Fictional demo MC focused on intricate internal rhyme.
Crenshaw Workshop
Leimert Park, Los Angeles · Hip-Hop · Conscious
Fictional demo open-mic collective known for freestyle workshops.
Third Ward Slab
Third Ward, Houston · Hip-Hop · Chopped & Screwed
Fictional demo MC whose slowed tapes were traded on the south side.
Orange Mound Phantom
Orange Mound, Memphis · Hip-Hop · Horrorcore
Fictional demo producer of dark, distorted cassette releases.
Magnolia Bounce Queen
Magnolia, New Orleans · Hip-Hop · Bounce
Fictional demo bounce performer known for block-party chants.
Southside Loop
South Side, Chicago · Hip-Hop · Conscious
Fictional demo artist chopping soul records over house-tempo drums.
Eastside Beatsmith
Eastside, Detroit · Hip-Hop / Electronic · Lo-fi
Fictional demo beat-maker with loose, swung drum programming.
Trunk Money Collective
East Oakland, Oakland · Hip-Hop · Hyphy
Fictional demo collective selling self-pressed records from car trunks.
Vallejo Vortex
Vallejo, Bay Area · Hip-Hop · Hyphy
Fictional demo MC with elastic flows and slang-heavy hooks.
Liberty City Bass
Liberty City, Miami · Hip-Hop / Electronic · Southern
Fictional demo bass crew built for car-audio competitions.
North Philly Cuts
North Philly, Philadelphia · Hip-Hop · Boom Bap
Fictional demo turntablist known for battle routines.
Rare recordings & memorabilia
Live at the Rec Center (Tape)
Bronx Cipher Society · New York · 1979
Workshop Tapes Vol. 1
Crenshaw Workshop · Los Angeles · 1992
Gray Tape #12
Third Ward Slab · Houston · 1995
Tape Hiss Vol. 6
Orange Mound Phantom · Memphis · 1994
Beat Tape 313
Eastside Beatsmith · Detroit · 2000
Vortex Vol. 1
Vallejo Vortex · Bay Area · 1998
Battle Tape '89
North Philly Cuts · Philadelphia · 1989
Personal stories
The Dungeon: A Basement in East Point
Atlanta · 1994
Documented"The South Got Something to Say"
Atlanta · 1995
DocumentedCrunk Comes Out of the Clubs
Atlanta · 1997
Oral HistoryExtension Cords & Park Jams
New York · 1978
Archival SourceSelling Records From the Trunk
Oakland · 1991
Community ContributionThe Gray Tapes
Houston · 1995
Firsthand AccountTape Hiss & Fog
Memphis · 1994
DocumentedThursday Nights in Leimert
Los Angeles · 1993
Moderation
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