Originally Posted by R-Evolution

You're right..it's not..it's gotten stronger. It's absolutely rediculous to think or even cater to the possibility of a decline in hip hop music. The only difference between now and then....is the lyrical element of hip hop has evolved...if dre had a new album...we'd still here it on the radio....just like we still hear jay-z on the radio...if pac and big were still alive...we'd still here them on the radio...which makes everything else completely irrelevant...because what the majority of the population wants to hear...is different than it used to be....why? Because hip hops fan base wasn't near as big back in the day...the people who grew up with it in it's "prime" fell in love with it for specific reasons...hip hop has grown so strong over the last 10 years that the fan base is equal to the majority of the population of the united states of america....the reason for this? The mainstream has gone out of it's way to please a large group of people equally, rather than a smaller group of people on an extreme level...what does this do? It allows people to make decisions on what they like about the music...there is enough balance on the radio or in the mainstream...for someone to say.."okay, i like this song more then that song...because of this" which gives them the ability to dive right into the style of music they prefer...the radio is an equillibreum for hip hop in general....theres no extremes in any of the music...the club music is mediocre..the concious music is mediocore...the feel good music is mediocre....hip hop hasn't declined....the only thing thats changed...other then hip hop exploding in the most diverse monster we've ever seen....is the fact that the people who listen to rap music...have changed their preference...it's not a matter of good music not being there...good music is all over the place...it's just a matter of people 1...not being interested in it.....and 2...people not taking the initiative to get music from artists they like....and refusing to put forth an effort to find artists that are similair in style....which says volumes of our societies lazy ways, and says literally nothing about the current state of hip hop.