Art Rap
tagStarted 2000sPeak 2014–2024Last big hit still active
Art rap emphasizes idiosyncratic voice, unusual literary or cultural reference, and a curator's sense of production. It often feels more like auteur work than scene compliance.
History
The term is strongly associated with Open Mike Eagle and Los Angeles's art-rap discourse, but the lane now covers multiple artists whose work treats rap as experimental writing and album design rather than just genre participation. Art rap overlaps with indie, abstract, and alternative rap but usually places individual worldview at the center.
Defining artists
Essential listening
Sources
- Art-rap reporting and alternative-rap reference material