Not a rhetorical question. I seriously mean to ask: why are those considered the best rappers/rap groups also the most famous? Wu Tang, Nas, Pete Rock, whatever. All these guys sell tons and tons of records and are pretty much unanimously considered Greatest of All Time candidates. Why isn't there a "indie rock" version of hip hop (or at least one that's considered any good)?

there is.

just don't ask me to name names.

I would say the 'pretty much unanimously considered' best rock bands are some of the best selling, in the Beatles, CCR, The Dan, or Zeppelin. Doesn't mean indie rock doesn't exist.

The cat that got famous for never being famous,
I'll probably roam the underground streets for all time,
Signed, sincerely, Juice... the Unsigned.

yeah, what are you talking about?

Molemen, All Natural*, Sharkula; some local (Chicago) hip hop artists that could be considered "indie" (in fact All Natural is on an indie rock label; Thrill Jockey). I'm sure there's no shortage of good underground hip hop acts that aren't on major labels.

I don't necessarily agree that those considered to be the best rappers are also the most famous. I guess it depends on who's doing the considering.

*I believe the members of All Natural are Muslim, and in the past they've banned smoking and drinking from their shows. I doubt they'll be rocketing to super-stardom in the near future, but not for lack of talent.

Look at:

Stones Throw Records
and
Rhymesayers Entertainment

for a start.

2nd'ed on the rhymesayers. the POS record is great too - if you haven't heard it, you'd probably be suprised, hip hop sampling hardcore bands, craig finn doing verses... it's pretty good......

http://youtube.com/watch?v=XGufRiMnpGI

that song doesnt show the wierdness as much but the record does have lots of punk stuff in it that's pretty crazy - preview the audition record at itunes. the rest of the record is a lot harder than that song/video.

other examples: anything from Anticon and Def Jux, and a whole lot of the stuff put out by Mush and Lex Records

duuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuudeeeeee
check out:

Dr. Octagon !
Handsome Boy Modeling School !
Del Tha Funky Homosapien !
Heiroglyphics !
Deltron 3030 !
Blackalicious !

if you havnt noticed, dan the automator has a lot to do with most of the names up there. that guy is insane, MOST of anything hes involved with is worth a shot or three.

i love all of them and i can see it being considered as an "alternative", but then again they just seem to be "overlooked". i have no idea why.

ignore the wack mc's.

I don't know if MF Doom counts, but he's really good.