Well, I finally found a topic here on the escapist that was level-headed enough for me to want to make an account and reply to.
Rap has seriously degenerated into something that is beyond repair. A lot of mainstream acts from the early to mid 90s agree, and you can hear them talk about it in their new CDs. Rap has a bad name because of the people that are at the top representing it, and I really do not see it getting any better, anytime soon.
Hip-Hop back my way is still very big, and the underground support for it is amazing. It's great to hear some talented people get recognized, but it's too bad they'll never be heard by bigger audience, which can be said about musical artists in any genre.
Digable Planets was one of the groups I missed out on when I was a kid, because I was caught up in the mainstream, but I've found a lot of new artists that I like after putting them into Pandora, give it a shot sometime.
Hip-Hop is a genre worth getting into, it's just too bad that all good stuff is something you'll most likely only hear on a college radio station. Go out and support your local acts if you got em.
Blackalicious - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MYwndYSA6-U