backpack rap
In real, traceable use. Part of the curated seed collection; community review is coming.
Meaning · English
Underground or alternative rap music.
Register: slang
Where it’s used:
Used
American English
Examples
The sound of backpack rap dates to rap music's origins, but was popularized in the late 1980s and early 1990s by “Native Tongue” acts such as De La Soul and A Tribe Called Quest.
Usage example from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-07-30)
Sources & notes
Adapted from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-07-30 via kaikki.org).
Common questions
What does “backpack rap” mean?
Underground or alternative rap music.
Is “backpack rap” formal or informal?
backpack rap is generally slang.