Abstract Hip Hop

Abstract Hip Hop emerged in the late 1980s and early 1990s, predominantly in the underground scenes of New York and San Francisco, when artists decided that making a coherent point was just too mainstream. It’s characterised by unconventional beats, dense lyrical content, and a penchant for surrealism, making it sound like poetry had a delightful day out at a glitchy rave. Often overlooked by the charts, it has still spawned a cult following, proving once and for all that music can be as perplexing as it is captivating.