Yo, it all still comes down 2 creativity. If tha beat's nice, I'll listen 2 whatever, but not everybody is rockin beats I'm feelin. C-Murder and half the southern rap scene in particular. If u wanna hold my attention without beats, u betta have some interesting fuckin shit 2 say. Gangsta's not only been done 2 death, but the mainstream part of the game has watered it down into such simplicity, its makin Fabolous look good (altho, I admit, he is kinda nice). Y'know what was a bad ass gangsta album? I said it already. Bad Azz' Personal Business. Now thats a gangsta rapper wit some shit 2 say. 20 tracks of blazin beats and some actually KNOWLEDGE 2 go along with the streets he reppin. If u haven't heard him, u need 2 check him out, then compare him 2 the "Shoot a nigga, rob a nigga, platinum in my grill nigga" shit thats out now and see if u don't hear more thought put into it. No, not everyone wants 2 hear a whole album of battle trax. This is where versatility comes in. Canibus may be 2 deep 4 tha rest of the planet, but C-Murder, from what I just saw (haven't heard much from him) represents just how simple the game is. What's buggin me out is home boy can actually sit there and say that u can say "Fuck You" the whole song and its not wack cuz "That's just they style". Detach ya gold fronts from they nuts, homeboy. 2 paraphrase Q-Tip "Wack is Wack". Personally, I think both sides of the arguement could use some enlightening. The grimey need 2 at least wash up, and the mainstream needs 2 get out tha water and dry tha wack juice off em. Cuz neither of em seems 2 give the other an inch. Its art people. Lets see more artists and fewer gangsta's, preachers, and politicians.