857 is a Long Island, NY based, racially diverse, multi-talented act that promotes "innovative hip-hop" for fans of "real hip-hop". You know, the hip-hop fans who can't stand the usual garbage you hear on the radio or see on TV. The group's sound is about as diverse as their racial background, ranging from party anthems, self awareness, roleplay ...ing, storytelling, personal reflection, etc.

Yep, there's something for everyone and when they feel like it, they're even versatile enough to blend their music with rock, reggae, R&B, pop, spoken word and techno influences. Many of those ideas are featured on the site, others are currently in the works. But the bottom line is, I shouldn't have to tell you that 857's music is the quintessential missing ingredient that's necessary for hip-hop's revival and evolution....I'll do better...by letting the music do the talking...


Innovative Hip-hop (The Cure for the Cliché)

Just a cool word to classify hip-hop artists whose musical expressions and perspectives differ from the popular cookie-cutter, factory processed, negative trends that continue to embarrass the culture.

A few examples of these trends would be the obvious depictions of violence, misogyny, negativity, overemphasis on wealth, and the pursuit of shallow forms of materialism.....to name a few.

Innovative hip-hop artists typically exist outside of the general stereotypes that are used to categorize many of today’s rap artists (ex. thug, hustla, ex-con, gangsta), and create music to promote the growth and evolution of hip-hop as a whole.

The main ingredients that drive this subgenre are originality, creativity, and diversity.

By calling it ‘innovative’, it illustrates a rebirth/evolution and mocks the majority of the industry that has neglected, forgotten, and abandoned this subgenre as a credible art form and positive contribution to hip-hop culture.