If you’ve always been into hip-hop, you may be surprised to learn there’s an entire subgenre you’re probably not aware of. Nerdcore is largely self-descriptive; hip-hop, but made by nerds, for nerds. Lyrics about hacking and final bosses, and beats that range from traditional to 8-bit-inspired.
One of the leaders of this gang of merry nerds is MC Frontalot, arguably the most well-produced and successful, and also by far the most generous, because he gives the vast majority of his music away for free on his website. Why? Because he wants people to enjoy it, and he’s happy to host not only two formats (mp3 and AAC), but also provides you with the lyrics so you can take a look at the genius of his rhyming style.
Nerdcore is something enjoyable to listen to whether you’re walking to work or you’re sat playing partypoker with a game of Pong running on a HDTV in the background (you old-skool gamer, you). He reflects on the world around him – on technology, politics, data theft, and often collaborates with other artists in addition to appearing at the geek haven, the Penny Arcade Expo, also known as PAX Prime and PAX East (for those not on the West coast of the USA, where PAX Prime is held).
It’s a genre that will likely see little attention on MTV or VH1, if any at all, although we suspect that’s mainly due to the lack of lyrics about guns, girls and bling. A shame, as it brings an element of radical intelligence to the genre, and it’s unlikely that you’ll see such a smart group of lyricists outside of hip-hop’s hall of fame. So check him out, and go be nerdcore.
