Alternative Rap

Alternative rap (also known as alternative hip-hop) is a genre that is defined in greatly varying ways. It refers to hip-hop groups that refuse to conform to any of the traditional stereotypes of rap, such as gangsta, bass, hardcore and party rap. Instead, they blur genres – drawing from funk and pop or rock, as well as jazz, soul and reggae.

Arrested Development, along with The Fugees, stand as the some of the first few alternative rap groups to be recognised by mainstream audiences. Since the mid 1990s, labels such as Rawkus Records have experienced similar mainstream success with alternative rap acts such as Black Star, Pharoahe Monch and Mos Def.

Aside from exceptions, most alternative rap groups tend to be embraced primarily by alternative rock fans rather than hip-hop or pop audiences.

This description is licensed under the GNU Free Documentation License. It uses materials from the Wikipedia article "Alternative hip hop ".