i think you totally missed my point, here.... let's go back to lauryn hill... you're gonna tell me she ain't hip hop?!!! but back in the day lisa lisa and cult jam were?... did lisa lisa even rhyme?...hell nah!!! but she was part of the hip hop culture, right? the same could be said of a mary j blge... she's a singer with the attitude of that of the hip hop CULTURE... there's a distinct difference between being hip hop and being a rapper... a rapper is just one facet of da hip hop culture... hip hop is an attitude and a a way of life... it incorporates many things... not just the basics that everyone knows of (breakdancing, rapping, dj'ing, graffiti, and fashion)...
check this excerpt written by KRS- One:

We practice Hip Hop beyond entertainment. We practice and teach Hiphop as an empowering lifestyle, an alternative behavior, a new way to view the world. For us, Hiphop is the name of our collective consciousness; it is the name of our international community, it is our nation! Most people regard Hip Hop as a music genre; they call Hip Hop Rap and they spell Hip Hop as hip-hop. Others regard Hip Hop as Break Dancing, MCing, Graffiti writing and DJing. However, these descriptions of Hip Hop still relegate Hip Hop to entertainment. For us, Hiphop is beyond entertainment. Rap is something we do; Hiphop is something we live! These distinctions between Hiphop, Hip Hop, and hip-hop were established so that the Hiphop research, discoveries, and interpretations of the Temple of Hiphop would not monopolize or dictate the reality of Hip Hop to everyone else. Our approach to Hip Hop breaks down into three levels of understanding; Hip Hop, Hiphop and hip-hop. Hiphop is the name of our collective consciousness. Hiphop is not a product to be bought and sold. It is the inalienable right of all Hiphoppas. It is the name of our existence! Hiphop = our unique Spirit, our unique collective consciousness, the force behind Hip Hops elements. Hip Hop = the performances of Breakin, Emceein, Graffiti Art, Deejayin, Beatboxin, Street Fashion, Street Language, Street Knowledge, and Street Entrepreneurialism. Hip Hop is the name of our tribe. It is what we call ourselves and our activity in the world. Hip Hop, spelled here with two capitals is Hip Hops the phonetic spelling. It is also Hip Hops traditional and general spelling. Hip Hop is Hiphop manifested. And finally, hip-hop = Rap music product. Only the unstudied rap fan unknowingly uses this vulgar spelling and language. Others are simply being disrespectful. The Temple of Hiphop operates within four departments which we call its M.A.S.S. or ministry, archive, school and society. As a ministry, we seek to relieve human suffering through an awareness of useful spiritual knowledge. We are a self-realization ministry. We believe that God speaks through ones true purpose in life. As an archive, we seek to collect and document Hiphops material experiences in the world. Our aim is to continue developing our traveling Hip Hop exhibit and official Hip Hop museum/archive for the study of Hip Hops history, art and culture. As a school, we seek to teach Hiphop, Hip Hop, and hip-hop to all interested students. We believe that a good education does not prepare you for the job market exclusively. We believe that a good education helps you to realize and prefect your true life purpose. Such an education helps YOU to become a better YOU. Finally, as a Hiphop society we seek to preserve Hip Hops independent voice. Whether it is with skill, influence, knowledge, and/or money, as a society our existence and activity insures Hip Hops proper documentation in world history. As a society, Temple Members help one another through the challenges of life. Our aim is to relieve human suffering whenever and wherever we can. Temple Members are those Hiphoppas that share a basic thirst for truth and an unshakable love for Hip Hop

This is MY definition oh hip hop as well adn this is why i am so passionate about helping the younger kats understand the differences

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