BE careful what u say about the south. K-otic might try 2 diss u. Anyway, its definitely the people and the money. I can't say which holds sway more than the other. Rappers put out what the people want 2 hear now 2 get paid. And its been progressive. I'd say it would date back 2 when gangsta was comin up. Most MC's had skillz, but the more people started diggin gangsta, the more talentless MC's got a chance 2 blow thru the gimmick, seeing how so much money was involved. This spawned the studio gangsta. And ever since the absolute minimum u have 2 have as an MC is 2 be able 2 read at 6th grade level (4 the ghostwriters) and spit at least 4 words per sentence (Get ya roll on). And since everybody buys that, they keep gettin paid off it. The standard of MC will probably stay in decline as long as the wackness stays out there. All tha illest MC's inspired other ill MC's. Now everybody's a soldier, a balla, a playa, a thug, a gangsta, or A Flossa, babyyyy. The game's bout 2 flip tho. If Tha Row gets where its wants 2 go, and Nas, Busta, Em, Jay, and everyone else who took it back 2 they roots continues on that path, we'll see our MC's back again.