There're a lot of good suggestions on this thread.

Why is hip hop a 'thing'?

Rimbaud III wrote:Why is hip hop a 'thing'?

that, my esteemed friend, is indeed the question.

AAAAAAAARGH asked:

Why isn't there a "indie rock" version of hip hop?

Because Kersel Massive OWN the Indie Hip-Hop Underground
http://youtube.com/watch?v=uja3W-ibifc&mode=related&search=
Pimpin'!

DearGOD!

KerSaL MaSSIVE!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FOeRN3ocxNA

hey there is a huge alternative hip hop scene since the end of the 8O'

have a look at "Compagnie flow" for exemple, beat made by E.LP (a genius)
check labels like Much records, def jux,big dada...
check artist like: Subtitle,Lab wast,MF doom,Daleck, K-The I ???, radioinactive, 2mex, The Shapeshifters, Cannibal OX, E-LP, Big Juss, Hyenas...etc...
for on artist signed on a major, you can be sure to find a hundred totally indy!!!

I have to add my votes for Rhymesayers as well.

P.O.S. Audition is amazing. He does a lot of the instrument playing himself. I consider it a cross of a noise rock afficionado with a kid well versed in everything good about Hip hop.

cLOUDDEAD
Why?
MF Doom
Quasimoto
Madvillain
Anti-Pop
Tes
El-P
Cannibal Ox
Zion I
Prefuse 73
Push button Objects
RJD2
Latyrx
DJ Shadow
Cut Chemist
WaiWan
TTC
TY
Oh No
Penut Butter Wolf
J Dilla
DJ Signify
Braintax
Skinnyman
Aesop Rock
Dr.Octagon
Deltron 3030
Pelican City
Jedi Mind Tricks...

Etc, the list goes on.

There's loads of leftfield, abstract and indie-ish hip hop, it's a genre that keeps on flourishing I think.

sphincter wrote:TTC
.

...damn..the new album is horrible!!!

sphincter wrote:[a big bunch of hip hop artists]

I have listened to most of this stuff at some point, and I am still not sold.

I do like a lot of stuff that the Bomb Hip Hop label issued, though.

"Director's Cut"