Frownland- errr how exactly can you argue that rap is not music.
Also Contrivednihilism, rap may be in dire need of reconnecting with its much more compelling past. Whatever happened to original, raw, honest, grassroots storytelling against some killer beats, I ask myself..! But at the same time, I don't see how you can argue that mainstream rock produces anything of much more quality.
On the subject of Kanye's so-called genius: in my opinion, Kanye is one of those artists with unfulfilled potential. Some of the music in College Dropout reflects a person groping towards greatness. There's some flashes of emerging genius in some of the lyrics. But I haven't liked any of his work ever since. I think the fact that he doesn't live in the real world and has embraced a plastic celebrity lifestyle is key to the disintegration in his music quality. To be a great rapper you need to exist in the real world. It didn't do him any favours but Tupac never lost that connection to the tough life he came from. It meant his music never lost its grit. Kanye is just not comparable in any way.
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