konceptjones
The one between three and three.
In many ways, I 100% agree with Ed Lover here. Back inna day, it was about talent. Can you spit? Do you have your own style? Is your DJ up to par? If so, then you get respect from the hip hop community. Vanilla Ice and Hammer were popular artists but were lyrically weak. But they had gimmicks that helped them get by to sell records and it worked for them. Today, it's all about popularity. How many followers you got on social media? How many views your hood videos got on YT? Oh, you got followers and thousands of hits on Youtube? Here's a 360 deal for you. Here's radio spins and promo for you.
The MC's coming out that can actually spit (i.e. A.F.R.O. or Rapsody) get no spins, no promo, no nothing. Only folks that know about them are the people that care about such things as lyricism.
Discuss.