The Problem w/ Hip-Hop (Just Read)

Murder Inc. head Irv Gotti recently spoke on the rhyming skills of Nas and why he felt the lyrical emcee sounded better when he's on "his arrogant sh*t."
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Having worked with Nasty Nas on records like "The Pledge," Irv described his preference to the less complex emcee side.
"I like Nas," Gotti said in an interview. "First of all, Nas is my brother, another one of my brothers. But I personally like Nas when he's ignorant. Whenever Nas gets political or he starts thinking or he wants to change the world, it's good, but I personally like it more when Nas is on his QB, ignorant n*gga sh*t. When he's on [a] 'Made You Look' you know when he's on his arrogant sh*t. When Nas dumbs himself down, he's nicer to me. I tell him that sh*t all the time. Just over a break beat. When he's on some n*gga sh*t, he's nicer." (MTV)
On the other hand, lyrical emcees like Lupe Fiasco have addressed today's rappers and their lack of rhyming skills on tracks like "Dumb It Down."
"You goin' over n*ggas' heads Lu (Dumb it down)," his chorus rapped. "They tellin' me that they don't feel you (Dumb it down)/We ain't graduate from school n*gga (Dumb it down)/Them big words ain't cool n*gga (Dumb it down)/Yeah I heard Mean And Vicious n*gga (Dumb it down)/Make a song for the b*tches n*gga (Dumb it down)/We don't care about the weather n*gga (Dumb it down)/You'll sell more records if you (Dumb it down)" ("Dumb It Down")
Nas has been known throughout his career for mixing advanced lyrics with urban stories of street life.
Despite dropping out of school, Nas developed a high degree of literacy that would later characterize his rhymes. At the same time, though, he delved into street culture and flirted with danger, such experiences similarly characterizing his rhymes. His synthesis of well-crafted rhetoric and street-glamorous imagery blossomed in 1991 when he connected with Main Source and laid down a fiery verse on "Live at the Barbeque" that earned him up-and-coming notice among the East Coast rap scene. (All Music)
Nas was recently chosen to headline this year's popular Rock the Bells international tour.
Rock the Bells 2009 performances by KRS-One, Nas, House of Pain, Reflection Eternal, Damian Marley, Tech N9ne, K'Naan, RZA, Big Boi, La Coka Nostra, Slaughterhouse, M.O.P., Slum Village, Buckshot, Common, Big Boi, Evidence, Alchemist and more. It will be hosted by KRS-One, Supernatural, Murs and Pete Rock. Additional artists to be announced. The North American portion of the tour will run from June 27 to August 9. (Guerilla Union).