The problem with this is that you only listed mainstream artists.
Hip Hop/ Rap developed a cancer in the 90's. This cancer was inflicted by the middle-aged-white corporate-american man who realized he could suck every bit of life out of this genre of music and culture to profit at any expense of others through whatever means possible. Everything from clothes, to drinks, even to cars (GMC's Jay-Z Blue Yukon?), and all forms of media has become extremely focused on this culture. It's sad to see how degraded the Hip Hop culture has become over the past two decades and the steady decline for the appreciation of GOOD Hip Hop/Rap. I know I might get hated on for this, but look at Damian and Nas's new album Distant Relatives, although a decent album it could have been one hundred times better. AND they fucking put lil shitty-ass wayne on the fucking album, which I believe was not by the choice of Nas or Damian at all which just goes to show you how corporate run the music industry has become. People do not have the appreciation for the culture and history that leads to solid music, and therefore the industry does not need to "sell" any of that aspect.
I blame the consumers of the idiotic materialized pop culture, but it does not phase me because there is good Rap and there is good Hip Hop.
In my opinion there are still such sick artists producing and touring today, such as Zion I, CunninLynguists, Macklemore, Little Brother, and Wale, just to name a handful. Hip Hop/Rap will never die, such as others have said before. Only shitty HIP POP (bubble gum rap) will be taken over by this cancer and fade into the next fad for these dumbass kids to consume.
I respect people who dislike this genre of music but only if you spend the time to do your research and listen to the SOUL/EMOTION as well as the LYRICS as well as the FUNK, but not any one of these aspects by themselves because that is not real Hip Hop.
