Underground hip-hop

Underground hip-hop (also known as underground rap) is a scene and style of hip-hop music that is defined as being countercultural in nature, existing outside of and in contrast to the sounds, style and aesthetics of mainstream hip-hop. Despite this, underground artists have often reached widespread success and popularity through internet virality, critical acclaim, or appearances on the Billboard charts.

Originally associated with conscious, experimental and progressive rap, the term later shifted to refer to several trap-descendant internet rap scenes and music that emerged during the late 2000s and 2010s.