Nerdcore is a subgenre of hip-hop music characterized by themes and subject matter considered to be of general interest to nerds, though it can appeal to others as well. Self-described nerdcore musician MC Frontalot coined the term in 2000 in the song "Nerdcore Hiphop". Frontalot, like most nerdcore artists, self-publishes his work and has released much of it for free online. As a niche genre, nerdcore generally holds to the DIY ethic, has a history of self-publishing and self-production.
Though nerdcore rappers rhyme about anything from politics (Frontalot, "Special Delivery"; MC Lars "UK Visa Versa"; Futuristic Sex Robotz, “Fuck the MPAA”), and even science fiction (Futuristic Sex Robotz, “Positronic Pimp”), there are some perennial favorites in nerdcore subject matter, including Star Wars (Frontalot, "Yellow Lasers"; mc chris', "Fett's Vette"; MC Lars, "Space Game"), science (MC Hawking, "Entropy"; 2 Skinnee J's, "Pluto"), and computers (Optimus Rhyme, "Reboot"; Monzy, "Drama in the PhD"; "Kill dash nine").
Music with similar themes, but different musical styles can be found in the geek rock and filk genres. There are hip hop artists who have recorded compositions which focus on similar topics, but who are not generally considered nerdcore. (An example would be Blackalicious, a group which is generally agreed to not be nerdcore artists despite science-oriented songs like "Chemical Calisthenics".) Conversely, one does not need to concentrate on those topics to be nerdcore: most of the songs by both of the undisputed leaders of the genre, Frontalot and mc chris, do not focus narrowly on stereotypically nerdy topics. The difference is largely one of self-identification; the group Blackalicious does not identify as "nerds", while Frontalot and Chris both do. .
