I've known Valencia before MLB '09: The Show had their song Safe to Say, but my friend who once heard the song in the menu while playing with me caught onto it instantly, demanded the name of the band, etc. Now they're his favorite band. He talks about them all the time lol!
One thing I like about The Show is that you never know who is going to be on the soundtrack. In addition to what you can put in yourself, sometimes you find yourself liking some of the songs (I few of them are catchy and have found themselves in my own list since then, i.e. The Grouch and Eligh - All In).
It's a matter of personal preference, but I always like to discover bands, artists, and musicians I've never heard of along with putting stuff I'm more familiar with.
Atmosphere is a great underground artist. Slug is a genius.
If this was like 4 years ago, I'd agree. But over the years I've learned that all Atmosphere seems to rap about is his past drug addiction and past woman that he bitches about. He's amazing for that genre of rap, I just feel like hearing the same topic in every song gets old. It's like Immortal Technique, his first two albums were amazing. Now we all get it, he hates the government. His new mixtape was great, then i stopped listening to it because it's the same message he's been spitting for years.
Then again, my favorite 'underground' rappers are Aesop Rock and probably Weerd Science (ironically enough, his newest album is all about his drug addiction, but he makes light of it as opposed to the overall depressing feeling that Slug gives off.) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8QG-N...eature=related in case your interested in WS. If you know atmosphere, you probably have heard Aesop. If not, http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W2mGS...eature=related that song is Aesop ft. Slug.