The grandfather kings of nerdcore

In terms of popularity, nerdcore occupies a space somewhere between underground hip-hop and the end of the universe, according to rapper and educator Mega Ran. Nerdcore is a brand of hip-hop characterized by a focus on geeky things, which means its subject matter is as vast and varied as Tolkien’s Encircling Sea. It’s niche but limitless; visible but not known. It’s big enough to support the musical careers of artists like MC Lars, MC Frontalot, Beefy and MC Chris, yet it’s small enough that even the most fervent Star Wars fan may have never heard of it. Even in an age where geek chic is hot and “nerd” is no longer a vicious insult, nerdcore remains underground -- but its influence on popular culture is showing. More mainstream rappers like Childish Gambino, Danny Brown, Deltron 3030, RZA and Dr. Octagon regularly reference science fiction, astrophysics, video games and other traditionally geeky topics, at times while sampling the likes of Final Fantasy 7 and Pac-Man. Beyond the Billboard charts, Hamilton is a national phenomenon about American colonial history, and even Game of Thrones has its own mixtape.