technically since the likes of Digital Underground and MC Hammer were getting play on MTV... 17 years ago.
of course since the year was 1989, and i was only 8 years old, i didn't consider it "bay rap".... just rap
as far as independent shit goes... i'd say since Ray Luv first came out with "Get My $money On" back in 1992.... i started really venturing further past the more popular shit around 1999
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