Nerdcore Music: 12 Notable Nerdcore Artists

Nerdcore describes a style of hip-hop music that focuses on topics and themes related to nerd and geek culture; the subgenre hit peak popularity in the early 2000s. Lyrical themes, rather than specific sounds and instrumentation, define nerdcore music, which falls under the genre of hip-hop, as most acts and artists rap their lyrics.

The genre of music covers a broad range of subject matter in popular media and fandoms, including topics like anime, video games, science fiction, movies, and comic books. Nerdcore music often features samples and sounds from video games, movies, or other music. Many nerdcore artists will use electronic music, like chiptune music, which refers to sounds from classic video games and arcade systems, typically made from 8-bit synthesizers. Artists often uploaded their music online and encouraged fans to remix their tracks to create a new sound.

While the term “nerdcore” wasn’t born until the early 2000s, artists had begun rapping about pop culture topics in the ‘80s. Here is a brief overview of the history and evolution of nerdcore:

• Origins in the ‘80s: While nerdcore wouldn’t become official until the 2000s, pop culture topics were making their way into music in the ‘80s, thanks to the rise of the parody song. During the ‘80s, the king of parody, entertainer “Weird Al” Yankovic, released multiple albums parodying various pop songs and pop culture topics. His 1988 album, Even Worse, featured the song “Twister,” which was about the game Twister, rapped in the style of The Beastie Boys.
• Gaining steam in the ‘90s: Hip-hop artists explored traditionally nerdy topics throughout the ‘90s. In 1998, The Beastie Boys released their Hello Nasty album, which had space and video game themes. During this same period, MF Doom sampled songs and images from movies and comic books. Doom was an alt-hip-hop cult hero who blended an outrageous stage presence with dizzying, surreal lyrics while donning a silver mask in homage to comic book villains.
• Coining the name: MC Frontalot was the first to coin the term “nerdcore” in 2000 when he released “Nerdcore Hip-Hop,” which became a massive hit. Other nerdcore rap music artists soon emerged, such as Optimus Rhyme, High-C, and MC Lars. Major festivals like PAX (Penny Arcade Expo) and Nerdapalooza began hiring these artists to play at concerts. In 2005, a subgenre of nerdcore called geeksta rap emerged, which combined topics about computer science and coding with the gangsta rap style.
• Contemporary sounds: A loyal fan base continues to maintain the relevancy of the subgenre on the internet and social media and at gaming and comic festivals. Many nerdcore artists self-publish their songs on platforms like YouTube rather than release new albums. Topics that the mainstream once considered nerdy have become less negatively stigmatized, and mainstream artists like Childish Gambino or Kanye West have dropped references to popular culture, anime, and movies in their music.

The nerdcore scene’s most popular musicians started with small internet followings before landing record label deals. Many of these artists continue to perform at concerts and appear on playlists centered around nerd and geek culture. Here is a breakdown of 12 notable nerdcore artists:

1. 1. Adam WarRock: Eugene K. Ahn, better known as Adam WarRock, left his job in the legal industry to become a full-time nerdcore rapper. His name is a play on the Marvel character Adam Warlock, and his top songs include “B.S.F.X.” and “Magneto Was Right.”
2. 2. Beefy: Also known as Keith A. Moore, Beefy is a nerdcore musician best known for his album Tube Technology and animated music videos that first appeared online in 2005 featuring the songs “Whitesican” and “David’s Sister.”
3. 3. MC Chris: Christopher Brendan Ward, better known as MC Chris, is a popular nerdcore artist who combines the geek image with the gangster aesthetic. His most popular song, “Fett’s Vette,” was about Boba Fett, a popular Star Wars character.
4. 4. MC Frontalot: Often called the godfather of nerdcore, MC Frontalot was the first to use the term “nerdcore.” He released the hit song “Nerdcore Rising” in 2000 and an album by the same name in 2005, which included songs like “Braggadocio” and “Pr0n S0ng.”
5. 5. MC Hawking: Also known as Ken Lawrence, MC Hawking originally released all of his popular songs in MP3 format directly on his website, including the songs “E=MC Hawking” and “The Hawkman Cometh.” Part of his name and persona includes claiming to be the physicist Stephen Hawking.
6. 6. MC Lars: Born Andrew Robert Nielsen, MC Lars is a rapper and producer known for rapping about the rise of technology in his popular songs “iGeneration” and “Download This Song.”
7. 7. Mega Ran: Born Raheem Jarbo, Mega Ran is a nerdcore rapper known for using chiptune music and video game themes. In keeping with the gamer theme, Mega Ran used sounds from the popular Mega Man video game in his debut, Mega Ran, and follow-up effort, Mega Ran 9. His debut album received wide praise, solidifying his name and earning him a licensing agreement with Capcom, the original producers of Mega Man.
8. 8. Optimus Rhyme: This now-defunct nerdcore hip-hop group combined nerdy lyrics with funk-rock sounds. The group, comprised of Stumblebee, Powerthighs, Wheelie, and Grimrock, released songs like “Autobeat Airbus” and “Obey the Moderator.”
9. 9. Richie Branson: Often referred to as the “Otaku King,” Richie Branson became popular for writing nerdcore music about the Star Wars franchise. “Letter to SquareSoft,” one of his most notable songs, garnered praise for critiquing the quality of Final Fantasy games at the time.
10. 10. Sammus: Enongo Lumumba-Kasongo, better known as Sammus, is a nerdcore music artist who raps primarily about video game topics. She is best known for her songs “1080p” and “Weirdo.”
11. 11. Schaffer the Darklord: Also known as STD, Schaffer the Darklord is a musician from New York who parodies and satirizes popular topics and media with a manic sound. His most popular songs are “Fuck this Song” and “Mad Men.”
12. 12. YTCracker: YTCracker remixes music from classic Nintendo games, such as in his album NerdRap Entertainment System. His name references his previous experience hacking government websites in a practice called “cracking.”

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