Audio By Carbonatix
In trying to determine our silly little rap names, we willfully neglected the fact that there is, indeed, an art and a science to the act — so much so that the duo behind Pop Chart Lab created a vivid, colorful Taxonomy of Rap Names for our viewing pleasure.
One part subway map, one part flowchart (pun intended?), the
taxonomy breaks it all down by connecting artist names via different
categories such as “alphanumeric,” “crime,” “wordplay” and “audacious
misspelling.” For example, The Fat Boys are both “fat” and “boys,” while
Ice-T is “gustatory” and involves “letters.”
It’s remarkable the amount
of names on the chart, not to mention the fact that they can all
coalesce into a somewhat organized semblance, given the randomness and
vast array of hip hop/rap names out there right now. For what it’s
worth, I think the DJ for Aziz Ansari’s fictional Raaaaaaaandy comic — DJ Ol’ Youngin’.
The chart is available for purchase via Pop Chart Lab for $20. Check out the entire Taxonomy of Rap Names at World Famous Design Junkies.
