Even underground rappers can support themselves with grassroots support and shows.

Nowadays, without much radio airplay, rappers can live a halfway decent life just off of local shows and a strong, centralized fan base. Take Brownsville rapper Sean Price— who once dubbed himself "the brokest rapper you know"—but now can sell out a show in New York with practically zero radio support. The same can be said for rappers like Joey Bada$$—whose videos have been featured on MTV and occasionally on New York powerhouse radio stations—but lack the support that major signed artists receive. Compare that to rappers like Prodigy, who in his autobiography writes about dropping albums hailed as classics in the '90s but at times still struggled to pay the rent. These days, artists can make just enough money in the industry to get by without having to become major stars, while enjoying more longevity via a strong, centralized fan base.