Why I prefer underground rappers

Many rappers fall victim to commercialization. They put out one good song and gain some publicity, and then once they make enough money they lose focus. They don't work as hard to make hits trying to gain more fans and fame. Eventually all their songs begin to sound the same and they don't put any real effort into making good music. That is what most mainstream artists are, in my opinion. Just putting out songs with no real substance or meaning, just to make money from the song or album they put out.

I feel as though if you want to be a really good artist you would be more selfless and put out songs your fans can relate to. Once mainstream artists make enough money they stop hustling to get recognition and lose all the fans that got them famous in the first place. Too much success can change an artist, the more famous the artist the more people will expect from them. They are pressured to make songs that are going to apply to the status quo.

Although underground rappers probably strive for fame and fortune as well as mainstream artists, the ones with good intentions don't sell out to the music industry. They continue to work hard for what they want, instead of changing their entire image to gain more fans. Rappers who have fallen victim to commercialization are often seen as sell outs to true hip-hop lovers. A commercial rapper is someone who  Not only do they sell themselves, they change their entire style and the substance of their music. This is probably because once they become rich and famous they don't put in as much effort to gain the recognition they once sought. One rapper that is an example of this that is currently famous is Wiz Khalifa. You can really notice the difference in his music, from when he first started out in the rap game, to when he became a celebrity. 

I prefer to listen to underground artists because they give off a more real, raw vibe. Their songs actually tell a story because the artist is really passionate about their music; they see it as a form of expression and focus on getting their message across. I'm not completely ruling out mainstream artists, there are plenty of musicians who have worked hard for what they have, but most mainstream music lacks the unrestrained music I crave.

One underground artist I'm particularly interested in is Blu:

He just gives off a really refreshing, mellow vibe. I also like his lyrics and his flow, just the way he puts his songs together, it's amazing. His style is really jazzy and unique, something many other rappers can't pull off.