Geeksta Rap

   This week I stumbled upon an obscure genre of hip-hop, thanks to an e-mail tip from a reader of this column and self-proclaimed fan of “Geeksta Rap.”

  Geeksta Rap, sometimes called Nerdcore Rap, is made by geeks, for geeks.  It is enjoyed—almost exclusively—by like-minded geeks, of which there are many.  Try to remember the lines circling the local cinemaplex the last time a Star Wars episode opened.  The same saber-wielding, basement-dwelling nerds can often be found downloading the latest podcasts of Nerdcore Rap.

  And I write this with no ill will toward our nerdy brethren.  The niche—its very existence—is amusing.  Nerdcore abandons the commonplace bling, Benzes and Benjamins of traditional hip-hop for those topics near and dear to its nerdy constituency: Star Wars, Star Trek, video cards, Java-script, computer networking and encryption algorithms.  The songs, firmly grounded in parody, are slowly gaining nationwide appeal.  Some have even found their way into college radio playlists.

  The art form’s premier harbinger is Chris Ward, who performs under the name mc chris.  Ward is a graduate of the NYU screenwriting program who has studied improvisational comedy with the Upright Citizens Brigade.  Until recently, he was a creator, animator and voice talent for the Cartoon Network’s Adult Swim lineup.  He has currently abandoned his work with shows like Aqua Teen Hunger Force and Sealab 2021 for a life on the road, touring in support of his current CD, “Eating’s Not Cheating.”  On a recent tour, mc chris performed 68 shows in 70 days.  This is no fluke.  Nerdcore is catching on.

  While mc chris may be the leading purveyor of Nerdcore, he is not alone in the game.  The term “Nerdcore” was coined by MC Frontalot in 2000.  Little is known about Frontalot, and his online bio changes every time the page is refreshed.  Several songs from his latest CD, “Nerdcore Rising,” are available for download at www.frontalot.com.

  But is Nerdcore any good?  Well, as with all art, that’s subjective.  But some of it is good enough to get people talking.  mc chris, for example, has more than 13,000 MySpace friends, and was nominated  for Spin Magazine’s “Band of the Year” contest in January.  The production is of major-label quality, and his delivery is high-pitched, reminiscent of Eminem’s altar-ego, Slim Shady.  

  There are some, in fact, who believe that nerds hold the advantage over traditional, street-bred rappers when it comes to rhyme. In an interview with Wired.com, the industry’s top destination for computer geeks, MC Frontalot said, “I think [Computer Science] graduates have a better chance than most rappers at calculating and devising hitherto unheard rhyme pairings.”  One has to think he may be onto something, as CS students may be more apt to understand the mathematics of rhyme. 

  Geeksta Rap isn’t for everyone, but it’s worth looking into.  To learn more, check out the Wikipedia entry for Nerdcore Rap, or Google it.  Much of the genre is readily available for download, often for free.

  Oh, and thanks to Rico for the e-mail.  And for turning me on to the Nerdcore movement.

 -From Pulse
   March 9, 2006