i agree with ayura in some aspects... i do think it is wrong to claim to be a hip hop fan just cos u think eminem is cool... hip hop is about more than that.... but come on man, government conspiracies? thats just straight bullshit... hip hop is music, culture & entertainment... not a conspiracy theory... i couldnt care less whether an artist makes mainstream music... as long as they stay true to themselves and make the real stuff for true hip hop fans.. but everyone needs to sell and make a living... so if they release a a single or two that does well, that doesnt make them a bad artist... look at nas, eminem, jay z, 2pac, biggie... theyre all mainstream artists, but they also make songs for the real hip hop fans to listen to... it just the shit they release to make money is aired on MTV

and as for underground, its great - to me underground is just the same except its more hardcore and isnt seen on TV and heard on radio... but that doesnt mean that those who are are not good artists..