^ i agreed with you until the last sentence... whats to say that Jay-Z and Twista dont have talent? Not everybody experiences the same things in life, therefore not everyone can rap about the same thing. Jay-Z raps about his hustle and childhood and how he loves women because thats him. And I think being the fastest rapper ever is a form of talent. In the end, isnt listening to music just a way of digging into someone else's life and listening to them express themselves? In that case, I'd much rather do exactly that than hear everyone rapping about the same thing. I like Immortal Technique, but if everyone was like him, what would make him special? The reason he is special is cos there's only one like him - HIM. Jay-Z and Nas are unique in their own way, and that's why I listen to them.

There's a big difference listening to Jay-Z be a gangsta but with truth than listening to Ja Rule act like a gangsta and then contradict himself by making love songs. Not to mention that Jay-Z is a dope rapper too.

In the end, performance and truth is all that matters - not specific messages.