History Main / Nerdcore

In the summer of 2004 the fledgling genre took a large step forward when the popular web comic PennyArcade held its first convention, The Penny Arcade Expo, in Bellevue, WA. Though the expo was primarily devoted to video and tabletop gaming, geek-friendly musicians also performed, including Optimus Rhyme and Penny Arcade's "rapper laureate" MC Frontalot. There's also an annual festival held in the summer in Florida, Orlando, Florida, called [[http://nerdapalooza.org/ Nerdapalooza]], that helps showcase Nerdcore acts alongside other "nerd music" genres.

* Music/MCFrontalot: Regular at the PennyArcade Expo, and the guy who coined the term in early 2000. Was featured on the ''VideoGame/InTheGroove'' games and has several songs on ''VideoGame/FlashFlashRevolution''; also has crosspromotions with ''VideoGame/KingdomOfLoathing''.

* This WebOriginal AffectionateParody of the New Boyz rap "You're a Jerk" called "[[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I1SAr1rMwwE You're a Nerd]]" with lyrical gems about lunch-money-stealing bullies, such as, "They're just lucky this isn't [[WorldOfWarcraft Warcraft]] cuz I'm a [[AWizardDidIt Level 60 Mage]] with an Oracle Staff, [[GagPenis +10 attack with extended range]]... he'd be sorry he [[DoubleStandardRapeMaleOnMale took my change]]."

* Though Music/Sammus doesn't consider herself a nerdcore rapper, her name comes from ''Franchise/Metroid'' and she has songs named TimeCrisis and [[PowerRangers Mighty Morphin']]. She has, however, embraced the fandom, touring with MegaRan and seeing her popularity as a way to bring hip-hop to audiences that wouldn't otherwise listen to it.

!!Notable Nerdcore acts include:
* [[http://www.youtube.com/user/majatron Maja]]: Who made songs about {{Anime}} and VideoGames
* [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/MC_Frontalot MC Frontalot]]: Regular at the PennyArcade Expo, and the guy who coined the term in early 2000. Was featured on the ''VideoGame/InTheGroove'' games and has several songs on ''VideoGame/FlashFlashRevolution''; also has crosspromotions with ''VideoGame/KingdomOfLoathing''.
* [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/mc_chris mc chris]]: Also the voice of MC Pee Pants on ''WesternAnimation/AquaTeenHungerForce'' and Hesh on ''WesternAnimation/{{Sealab 2021}}'', but throughout the course of his career has developed an [[SlapSlapKiss I-love-you-I-hate-you]] relationship with the genre, switching between embracing and forsaking the genre at a moment's notice (he currently stands in favor of Nerdcore)
* [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Beefy_(artist) Beefy]]: also a webcomic artist and Flash animator, Beefy, more often than not, raps about his mixed Latino/Caucasian heritage (he's a "Whitesican") and periodic poverty.
* Music/{{Voltaire}}'s album ''[=BiTrektual=]'' is mostly filk songs about Star Trek and Star Wars, but one of the songs "Worf's Revenge" is pure unadulterated nerdcore.
* [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/MC_Hawking MC Hawking]]: The stage name of Ken Leavitt-Lawrence. Using the now-defunct text-to-speech program "Willow Talk" and with the help of DJ Doomsday for the beats, he blends traditional gangsta rap with advanced scientific topics. His name and act are a parody of -- and have been repeatedly praised by -- Stephen Hawking.
* MC Lars is considered by some to be nerdcore, although he claims his genre is [[NeoclassicalPunkZydecoRockabilly Post-Punk Laptop Rap]]
** MoodWhiplash: On the album This Gigantic Robot Kills, there's a [[MoodWhiplash break in the usual hilarity]] for a TearJerker song about his friend's suicide. Then it jumps back right into the usual funny Nerdcore rap.
* [=YTCracker=]
* Schaffer the Darklord [[FunWithAcronyms (Oftentimes abbreviated as STD)]]
** A big fan of CrossesTheLineTwice. Examples: [[ScrewYourself The Clonefucker Saga]] and "The Other Devil"
** ThirdPersonSeductress: The song "Pixelated Vixen"
** ClusterFBomb: "Fuck This Song," which consists mainly of the titular word, and secondarily of LampshadeHanging
* [[http://www.optimusrhyme.com/ Optimus Rhyme]]: As the name suggests the band is largely themed around {{Transformers}} including (but not limited to) songs from the perspective of Transformers on earth including a conflict between the two camps of AutoBeats and Whackacons. The stage names of the band members are also [[ThemeNaming Transformer references]]: Wheelie Cyberman, Powerthighs, Stumblebee and Grimrock. Former members include Galaxian Waxspin, Thundercracker and Broken English (who breaks the theme).

** ''[[Music/QAreWeNotMenAWeAreDevo Q: Are We Not Men? We Are Devo!]]'' (1978)

* Soce, the gay {{Jewish|AndNerdy}} rapper mixes this with [[HoYay more risque]] themes.
* The group Futuristic Sex Robots, self proclaimed "Nerd Gangster Rap"
* ''WebVideo/SymphonyOfScience''. Featuring videos and music created from Carl Sagan, David Attenborough, Dr. Richard Dawkins, Bill Nye, and Dr. Stephen Hawking.
** Although these aren't really rap, being autotuned singing using existing sound clips.
* Freezepop, most known for "Get Ready to Rokk" and "Less Talk More Rokk" from the ''VideoGame/GuitarHero'' series may count as this.

* Though not part of the Nerdcore scene, several Underground Hip Hop artists have ventured into Sci-Fi territories in their search for fresh, "bitches 'n' bling"-cliche-free ground. The most popular work of this kind is probably Music/{{Deltron 3030}}'s eponymous concept album.
* This WebOriginal AffectionateParody of the New Boyz rap "You're a Jerk" called "[[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I1SAr1rMwwE You're a Nerd]]" with lyrical gems about lunch-money-stealing bullies, such as, "They're just lucky this isn't [[WorldOfWarcraft Warcraft]] cuz I'm a [[AWizardDidIt Level 60 Mage]] with an Oracle Staff, [[GagPenis +10 attack with extended range]]... he'd be sorry he [[DoubleStandardRapeMaleOnMale took my change]]."
* Battle rapper Henry Bowers is a Swedish example. [[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S8JQB2Qe55o Here's]] one of his English songs.
* The non-profit record label [[http://scrubclubrecords.com/ Scrub Club Records]] hosts music by a number of nerdcore artists, including label founder MadHatter, best known for the song "Ganon Slayer".

* [[http://www.2sj.com 2 Skinnee J's]] have been doing nerdcore music, off and on, since 1991. Their biggest hit, "Riot Nrrrd", was created as a nerd anthem of sorts, and other songs in their repertoire touch on subject matter such as being afraid to talk to girls, ''Star Wars'', ''Franchise/{{Godzilla}}'', martial arts films, and Pluto's status as a planet.
* [[http://www.richiebranson.com Richie Branson]], probably best known for his [[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XlbbLFgiVQk #BringBackToonami]] Rap and [[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=29MIkOROI0M&feature=fvwrel it's followup]]. The 2nd song resulted in him becoming an AscendedFanboy when {{Creator/Toonami}} was revived.
* Klingon Rap...
** If [[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LBtj4WoC6XA Klenginem]] isn't nerdcore I don't know what it is.
** [[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=db6mW5_0Zmw Even the actual Star Trek actors have gotten into nerdcore.]]
* Mikal Khill and The Thoughtcriminals
* Tribe One
* Rap Legend Jesse Dangerously
* The Ken Spivey Band: [[http://kenspivey.com/ "A Celtic Gallifreyan Band."]] The band performs ''Series/DoctorWho'' inspired music, mostly at cons. Spivey also organizes Time Lord Con and is a Creator/JossWhedon fan.
* [[http://www.bucktowntiger.com Bucktown Tiger]]: Nerdcore with a UsefulNotes/FurryFandom twist. He also has a couple of Brony songs and dozens of videos of himself playing the piano in fursuit.
* [[http://www.youtube.com/user/area11band Area 11]]: Not only being part of the Yogscast (partially), they're basically a geeky band. For example, their first album (All The Lights In The Sky) feautures 11 songs, with 6 of them having some kind of reference to an anime: two songs for ''Anime/CodeGeass'', one for ''Manga/ElfenLied'', one for ''Manga/DeathNote'', one for ''Anime/CowboyBebop'' and one for ''Anime/TengenToppaGurrenLagann''. Even thought it's technically Power Pop, still, it's preety darn impressive.
* [[http://www.mcplusplus.com/ MC Plus+]],[[note]](and The Empty Set: Lord Illingworth, Logic the Android, Vitamin Z, and (the only software member) Max Flow)[[/note]] formerly Sir Code-a-Lot, is an Iranian-American and [=PhD=]-student at Purdue University in Indiana. When he isn't rapping about computer science and video games, [[ImpossibleGenius he's working on automatic code parallelization and contributing to the fields of software watermarking and layout algorithms.]]
* ''Music/StarBomb'''s first album was hip hop synth combo about videogame characters.
* [[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=djI6nc9EVMM Josip on Deck]], SwagRap artist with {{Otaku}}-themed lyrics.
* Although he falls more into alternative rap, Music/ChildishGambino shouts out a lot of nerdy subjects, including ''{{TRON}}'', ''WesternAnimation/InvaderZim'', ''Pokémon'', ''WesternAnimation/AdventureTime'' (which he actually had a guest role on), ''Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles'', Kurt Vonnegut, internet memes and much, much more.
* Dr. Awkward fits the criteria, and has "opted in" as of Dualshawks ("and yeah we're nerdcore, it's just a name for people who gank Horde just to start a flame war.")
* Brooklyn rapper [[https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC8T-1Q3rU1e_DmId8XSfbwQ VI Seconds]] rose to fame with raps about anime, video games, and comic books. ([[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GggbfOhRaC4 Naruflow]], a rap about ''Franchise/{{Naruto}}'' is his most famous one). Some might be disappointed to learn that a lot of his material besides that is normal HipHop affair.
* Raleigh, NC's Music/SiTHClan is a hardcore rap quartet that sings entirely about such topics as gaming and ''Franchise/StarWars''.

* [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/mc_chris mc chris]]: Also the voice of MC Pee Pants on ''WesternAnimation/AquaTeenHungerForce'' and Hesh on ''{{Sealab 2021}}'', but throughout the course of his career has developed an [[SlapSlapKiss I-love-you-I-hate-you]] relationship with the genre, switching between embracing and forsaking the genre at a moment's notice (he currently stands in favor of Nerdcore)

* [[http://www.youtube.com/user/area11band Area 11]]: Not only being part of the Yogscast (partially), they're basically a geeky band. For example, their first album (All The Lights In The Sky) feautures 11 songs, with 6 of them having some kind of reference to an anime: two songs for CodeGeass, one for ''Manga/ElfenLied'', one for Manga/DeathNote, one for ''Anime/CowboyBebop'' and one for Anime/TengenToppaGurrenLagann. Even thought it's technically Power Pop, still, it's preety darn impressive.

Nerdcore is a subgenre of HipHop; the term "Nerdcore" is a portmanteau of "Nerd" and "Hardcore". Music that can be considered Nerdcore usually involves subjects which most [[{{Muggle}} "normal"]] people would consider...well, ''nerdy'', such as ScienceFiction, {{Anime}}, and others. Nerdcore isn't automatically HipHop; nerdcore had clear influences from geek culture as well, including geek rockers like Music/TheyMightBeGiants, parodists like Music/WeirdAlYankovic (who released "It's All About The Pentiums" in 1999 and "White & Nerdy" in 2006), and others. Despite these influences, Nerdcore has separated itself from other types of nerdy music thanks to an unofficial list of criteria that has evolved among fans and artists. Aside from making hip-hop about geeky things, Nerdcore is considered to be an 'Opt-in' genre. Only artists who consider themselves to be "Nerdcore" should have the label attached to their music.

* Almost all of Music/RegalPinion's songs have literary references tossed around, and he is also an example of the DarkerAndEdgier variety. He also has a rap from the POV of the BigBad in FinalFantasyVI

* You can't talk nerdcore without mentioning [[http://www.mchawking.com/ MC Hawking]] - Stephen Hawking, theoretical physicist and gangsta rapper, rapping about Quake, Entropy, and Evolution. Not done by Hawking, but Word Of God is that Hawking does like it.

* [[http://www.youtube.com/user/area11band Area 11]]: Not only being part of the Yogscast (partially), they're basically a geeky band. For example, their first album (All The Lights In The Sky) feautures 11 songs, with 6 of them having some kind of reference to an anime: two songs for CodeGeass, one for ''Manga/ElfenLied'', one for Manga/DeathNote, one for ''Anime/CowboyBebop'' and one for TengenToppaGurrenLagann. Even thought it's technically Power Pop, still, it's preety darn impressive.

* Freezepop, most known for "Get Ready to Rokk" and "Less Talk More Rokk" from the ''GuitarHero'' series may count as this.

* Although he falls more into alternative rap, Music/ChildishGambino shouts out a lot of nerdy subjects, including ''{{TRON}}'', ''WesternAnimation/InvaderZim'', ''Pokémon'', ''AdventureTime'' (which he actually had a guest role on), ''Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles'', Kurt Vonnegut, internet memes and much, much more.

!!Notable {{Nerdcore}} acts include:

Voltaire's album "BiTrektual is mostly filk songs about , you guessed it,Star Trek and Star Wars but one of the songs "Worf's Revenge" is pure unadulterated nerdcore

* [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/MC_Frontalot MC Frontalot]]: Regular at the PennyArcade Expo, and the guy who coined the term in early 2000. Was featured on the ''VideoGame/InTheGroove'' games and has several songs on ''VideoGame/FlashFlashRevolution''; also has crosspromotions with ''KingdomOfLoathing''.

* The Ken Spivey Band: [[http://kenspivey.com/ "A Celtic Gallifreyan Band."]] The band performs ''Series/DoctorWho'' inspired music, mostly at cons. Spivey also organizes Time Lord Con and is a JossWhedon fan.

* Although he falls more into alternative rap, Music/ChildishGambino shouts out a lot of nerdy subjects, including ''{{TRON}}'', ''InvaderZim'', ''Pokémon'', ''AdventureTime'' (which he actually had a guest role on), ''Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles'', Kurt Vonnegut, internet memes and much, much more.

* [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/MC_Frontalot MC Frontalot]]: Regular at the PennyArcade Expo, and the guy who coined the term in early 2000. Was featured on the ''InTheGroove'' games and has several songs on ''VideoGame/FlashFlashRevolution''; also has crosspromotions with ''KingdomOfLoathing''.

* ''SymphonyOfScience''. Featuring videos and music created from Carl Sagan, David Attenborough, Dr. Richard Dawkins, Bill Nye, and Dr. Stephen Hawking.

* [[http://www.youtube.com/user/area11band Area 11]]: Not only being part of the Yogscast (partially), they're basically a geeky band. For example, their first album (All The Lights In The Sky) feautures 11 songs, with 6 of them having some kind of reference to an anime: two songs for CodeGeass, one for ''Manga/ElfenLied'', one for Manga/DeathNote, one for CowboyBebop and one for TengenToppaGurrenLagann. Even thought it's technically Power Pop, still, it's preety darn impressive.

* [[http://www.youtube.com/user/area11band Area 11]]: Not only being part of the Yogscast (partially), they're basically a geeky band. For example, their first album (All The Lights In The Sky) feautures 11 songs, with 6 of them having some kind of reference to an anime: two songs for CodeGeass, one for ElfenLied, one for Manga/DeathNote, one for CowboyBebop and one for TengenToppaGurrenLagann. Even thought it's technically Power Pop, still, it's preety darn impressive.

* [[http://www.bucktowntiger.com Bucktown Tiger]]: Nerdcore with a FurryFandom twist. He also has a couple of Brony songs and dozens of videos of himself playing the piano in fursuit.

* AdamWarrock is a nerdcore hip-hop artist who is responsible for the Firefly themed "Browncoats" mixtape with Mikal kHill, as well as other solo albums and mixtapes.