1. A person who travels independently, typically on a low budget, usually staying in hostels or with locals rather than in hotels. Usually aged between 18 and 30 but can be older. Backpackers often travel for several months at a time, and do not consider their trip to be a "holiday". Due to the fact that backpacking was popularized by the hippie movement in the 1960s, there is some association of backpackers with aspects of counterculture.

2. A fan of certain types of "alternative" hip-hop. When used as a derogatory term, it can imply that the individual is suburban/middle class and listens to "nerd rap" rather than "real rap". When used as a neutral term of description, it can imply that the individual listens to thought-provoking, original, intellectual hip-hop. The term is especially associated with fans of the record label Definitive Jux.
1. "Last night I went out for a spliff with a bunch of Australian backpackers I met in a club, they were pretty cool guys."

2. "Oh I'm not really into that whole artsy backpacker scene, I prefer straight-up rap music, stuff like 2Pac and N.W.A."
by backpacker_x2 January 27, 2011
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Backpacker:
1. Originally a coined slang term from the 1980s for a graffiti artist that always kept a backpack on containing his finite music collection and more importantly his rattle cans, markers, and spray tips.
Although, mainly his music collection is what defines him/her as a backpacker. Most likely the music collection will consist of usually local underground rap/hip-hop music artists only. The sub-genre or sub-categoration of the music means nothing, as long as they are a local unsigned (no recording contract) artist.
A backpackers music selections are based upon three principals: 1) no mainstream, 2) you could never buy the music in a store, and 3) the music was given/sold to them "hand-to-hand" from the originating recording artist.

2. Modernly used derogatory term to describe someone who listens ONLY to Independent rap/hip-hop music, specifically (but not limited to) the nerd-rap sub-genre of the rap/hip-hop music. Most often used in reference to (but not limited by) white sub-urbanite rap/hip-hop music listeners that tend to dislike mainstream rap/hip-hop music, specifically (but not limited to) Gangsta rap.

Notes: Many Hip-Hop listeners from the 80s to early 90s agree that since the invention of the Internet, Underground has died along with Backpackers and there three main principals, hence this modernized definition incorporating Independent rap/hip-hop music and locality of artists lost. Hip-Hop listeners with twenty or more years of experience will often disagree on the definition of Backpacker with the new era of listeners who never have experienced hip-hop without the Internet.
Ex. for definition 1:
John 1ner, the local graff kid only listens to music that he buys at shows from local artists, he never buys music from the record store, unless it's in the local section and they are unsigned hype artists.

Ex. for definition 2:
Yo your boy Johny bugs me out with that nerd-rap stuff about comic books and emo relationships, fools such a backpacker, always dissin on Dre and Biggie.
by asdfgs February 20, 2007
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Slang term referring to a fan of alternative and underground hip-hop
Little Brother is beginning to appeal to both the mainstream and backpacker crowds
by Clay Trainum April 2, 2006
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Backpacker is based on a fashion style popular in the mid to late 90s where people involved in hip-hop wore large backpacks. Originated by graf writers who kept all their cans and nozzles in the packs, the style caught on quick with the suburbanites and rock kids who didn't want to stray too far from their style but still wanted to have a hip-hop flava.

People use it now as a derogatory term for nerd-rappers, hippy-hoppers, and other fringe hip-hop followers, referencing the fact most of the listeners are suburbanites buying or co-opting into a certain style.
It's not about the backpackers or the OG bling blingers, you blind fuck.
by Senru April 27, 2004
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1. Originally a coined slang term from the 1980s for a graffiti artist that always kept a backpack on containing his finite music collection and more importantly his rattle cans, markers, and spray tips.
Although, mainly his music collection is what defines him/her as a backpacker. Most likely the music collection will consist of usually local underground rap/hip-hop music artists only. The sub-genre or sub-categoration of the music means nothing, as long as they are a local unsigned (no recording contract) artist.
A backpackers music selections are based upon three principals: 1) no mainstream, 2) you could never buy the music in a store, and 3) the music was given/sold to them "hand-to-hand" from the originating recording artist.

2. Modernly used derogatory term to describe someone who listens ONLY to Independent rap/hip-hop music, specifically (but not limited to) the nerd-rap sub-genre of the rap/hip-hop music. Most often used in reference to (but not limited by) white sub-urbanite rap/hip-hop music listeners that tend to dislike mainstream rap/hip-hop music, specifically (but not limited to) Gangsta rap.

Notes: Many Hip-Hop listeners from the 80s to early 90s agree that since the invention of the Internet, Underground has died along with Backpackers and there three main principals, hence this modernized definition incorporating Independent rap/hip-hop music and locality of artists lost. Hip-Hop listeners with twenty or more years of experience will often disagree on the definition of Backpacker with the new era of listeners who never have experienced hip-hop without the Internet.
Ex. for definition 1:
John 1ner, the local graff kid only listens to music that he buys at shows from local artists, he never buys music from the record store, unless it's in the local section and they are unsigned hype artists.

Ex. for definition 2:
Yo your boy Johny bugs me out with that nerd-rap stuff about comic books and emo relationships, fools such a backpacker, always dissin on Dre and Biggie.
by asdfgs March 7, 2007
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Person who dislikes Mainstream and Commercial rap a lot.
Person who raps about real life shit that matters and has experienced, rarely about pimping hoes/having millions/selling immense ammounts of drugs/murdering random people for no apparent reason or motive.

Person who is true to himself while rapping and uses his head and heart to write not only a pen and meaningless words.
ME<ME<ME<ME<ME<ME

Backpacker isnt some one who sits infront of the computer and waits for Aesop Rock's "Freeze" to finish loading on his screen while he's browsing the def jux website. that is a fan of backpacker rap

Definitive Jux, Rhyme Sayers, Living Legends, Atoms Family, Orphanage, etc. ppl like that
by tRiLL January 21, 2004
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Someone who can recognize when an artist has dived into capitalistic desires. The person acts accordingly, and listens to less greed-fueled music, essentially, music that is music. Those who critisize backpackers are most likely people who don't understand the industry, and believe that rappers like Eminem actually signify something besides a corporate-controlled "rebellion fix" for teenagers.
The stigma of being a backpacker must be removed. The people need to realize that MTV is not about music.
by ApplesTheBadd January 21, 2004
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