In May 1990, The Source magazine launched its "Unsigned Hype" column to spotlight hip hop artists that were not signed to major labels, giving underground rappers a platform to showcase their skills before securing record deals. Created during a time when independent rappers struggled for clout, the column became a proving ground for aspiring artists. Many future rap legends, including The Notorious B.I.G., DMX, Mobb Deep, Common, and Eminem, got their first national exposure through Unsigned Hype… Here I wanted to look back at the most notable underground rappers featured from the 90’s along with their demo tapes that showed off their talents before they dropped their debut albums and got noticed by the rap world.