People will be nostalgic for the lauded ‘golden age’ of hip-hop, typically described as the mid-1980s through the mid-1990s, until the end of time. After over a decade in the music industry, the genre and culture found its footing and spread across America. New York was still the mecca, but LA and the Bay Area cultivated serious niches for themselves, some jockeying for the biggest and best rapper in the world. The same could be said for the South, with Houston and Atlanta boasting extremely promising scenes with their own distinctive flavors. Meanwhile, Miami bass was still testing the market with its trademark raunchiness.During a time when the music industry saw unprecedented money pouring in, the golden age remains the benchmark for hip-hop. Fast forward to the present, rappers continue to evolve, but in some ways, still struggle. There’s certainly less money going around. However, dig beyond the surface, and there’s still an abundance of artists restoring the feeling of the 90s. Consequently, Noisey selected four lesser-known artists still representing with great rap music today.Four Rappers Today You Should Listen to If You Miss 90s Hip-hopRome StreetzIf you’re in the market for tried and true traditionalist hip-hop, Rome Streetz is your guy. The Queens-bred artist deeply roots himself in battle rap, giving himself a distinctive edge over his contemporaries in the lauded underground hip-hop label Griselda. His delivery is springy and punchy, like you’re listening in on a cypher on the playground or an alleyway.Take “Rule 4080”, a sweet nod to the Q-Tip line from A Tribe Called Quest’s “Check The Rhime”. There, Rome schools us on the ins and outs of the music industry, the hidden language in contracts that’ll stunt your entire career. “Be smart, don’t settle for a stupid option/you the talent, they need you, you who they watchin’.” he raps like he’s telling us to write notes for the exam on record companies. You could’ve chucked Rome Streetz in the golden age rap scene, and he would’ve floated seamlessly.Kwame AduThe New Jersey-bred multi-hyphenate Kwame Adu exudes the essence of golden age hip-hop. He effortlessly wields elements of street anthems, jazz lounge rap records, and the dystopian future. Take Dirty Monk, Mechanical Heart., his modern-day answer to Mos Def’s The Ecstatic, where he contends with the forces that make or break his daily life. There’s a booming command in Adu’s voice when he raps on “Last Week.”, “Who lost heart in the body called life/who lost someone and asked god why?” Whether taking on life through galactic, romantic scope on “i Love You” or the raw, guttural elements on “Dirty Monk”, Kwame Adu takes the righteous fervor that comes with the true spirit of classic hip-hop.QuadryBaton Rouge’s own Quadry impressively weaves distinctly Southern street tales with a sense of animation. He’s like if Cash Money or Boosie had brief Adult Swim animations at 2 am between Robot Chicken and Aqua Teen Hunger Force episodes. Records like “I’m Wrong?” and “Blackbird” have golden-age, boom-bap flavor as he details the violence in his native Baton Rouge. Other songs like “1:04 Pm” and “I Can’t Throw No Stones” have a strong humidity, where you can taste the straw in your mouth and feel the Lawn Burweed pricking at your legs. This blend allows Quadry to dispel any misconceptions around Black Southerners.Los & NuttyNo Limit goes a little under the radar when discussing the golden age of hip-hop. Typically, these conversations happen with rap purists, where they have a certain type of artist in mind. However, what Master P and co. accomplished on their own has proven influential in a variety of ways. Beyond admiring the business savvy, though, some rappers have curbed from their raw, gutter records produced by Beats by The Pound. They looked at the bass-forward records in the Bay Area and added a classic New Orleans flavor.Michigan has embraced this sound, especially within the last 10-20 years, creating a triangle of influence. Los & Nutty curb the most directly, with gritty street tales where they break down the math behind their drug dealing. Producers like Top$ide give the signature thump to their records—somewhere, Master P has ad-libs on standby for records like these.The post 4 Newer Rappers to Listen to if You Miss the Golden Age of Hip-Hop appeared first on VICE.