Personally I like ALL rap music.
Of course there are a few individual rappers/groups that I don't listen to, but I don't avoid
entire genres of rap. If it's good shxt, it's good shxt.
I tend to dismiss the categorizing of what is "real" hip-hop music. Hell, if it exists it's real to me. What's real to me is Scarface rapping like Scarface, De La Soul rapping like De La Soul, Black Star rapping like Black Star, Little Brother being Little Brother, Diverse being Diverse, and The Beatnuts sounding like the motherfuxxing Beatnuts.
I love me some Quannum, but if I'm at the bar/club I wanna hear some Dr Dre. If it's summertime in Texas, I'll probably put in some Outkast, Clipse, or UGK. If it's January, chances are better it's some Wu-Tang or Mobb Deep. Waking up it's probably Public Enemy, Redman, and some N.W.A. Winding down it's Digable Planets, Boogiemonsters, and some J Dilla. And just when is it a bad time for some Run DMC, or T.I., or MC Lyte, or Gang Starr, or LL Cool J, or Common, or Biggie? And when shouldn't you have some Rakim, or Jay-Z, or The Roots ready at a moment's notice?
Rap's been gangsta since Kool G Rap. It's been money and bling since "Paid In Full". It's been bitches since Big Daddy Kane and 2 Live Crew. And just like the thing all six of Erick and Parrish's group albums have in common, it's all just part of this "business" that is rap music.
I think the title of ATCQ's album, "Beats, Rhymes, and Life" sums it all up for me. Every artist has their own sound, style, delivery, and inspiration. It would suck if they were all the same.
And now it's off to listen to some Slayer.
