But w/e the fuck you call yourself now a days. Got Soul.
You're comparing one the single greatest lyricist of all time with Soulja Boi.
You have to look at it from a bigger picture. Since you like comparing the greatest to the least greatest. Go take a look at the original Hip-Hopper's.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=diiL9bqvalo
Take a listen to this song, if hip hop is dying, it was dead the day that it started.
Edited for more
You can't even come up with an intellectual argument because you're stumped.
If you were going to compare the younger person to a younger emcee at least try to compare at a different level.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LGV9G2okC8I
compare him to him, yes this guys >>>>>>> over soulja boi, but soulja boi is meant for a different kind of audience. Just because you like underground hip hop and despise mainstream hip hop doesn't mean that it's not hip hop.
Now have the lyrical skills gone down? Yes on a major level. However there are emcees that still kill the mic. Production has improved and the overall projection/quality of a song is better. Music today feels a lot more "organized" I suppose, and people like that. They aren't used to different, and that's fine. Thats what appeals to them. Now do I listen to Mainstream music? Yes, but to a certain point, there are times where I have to say fuck that and go and bump some underground jawns, but like I said, music reflects the mood. I doubt if you're feeling good as shit you're going to be listening to some of the lyrics that are in most emcees raps that are underground, not a lot reflect a GOOD happy mood, they reflect a more deeper side, which is fine, but they over saturate it with deepness, as mainstream over saturates it with more upbeat music which makes most think, 'ehhhh i'll pass that typically go for the more intellectual vibes.