Rap will never be influencial.

I think what she probably means, however, is that most rap/hip-hop isn't *TIMELESS*. You can listen to a Beatles record today and probably still completely identify with it, yet so much of hip-hop is rooted in passing trends within the genre, and utilizes slang and patois that will be dated and obscure within a six month time-period. Hip-Hop is firmly rooted in the *now*, which will make it seem a bit hard to idenfity with in years to come. Don't believe me? Trying selling used hip-hop discs. No one'll touch'em. Who wants to buy old Das Efx and Digital Underground albums? Precious few people outside of completists.

But to assert that it's not influential is ridiculous. Has she stepped outside the apartment in the last fifteen years or switched on the radio or television?

Well, I'm not a big rap/hip-hop fan, but it seems to me you would have to include "Bring the Noise" by Public Enemy (or at least one example of militant/conscious hip-hop with the famed Bomb Squad production).

As far as the knee-jerk answers (B.I.G and Tupac), I don't think either of them did anything too radical. But before you jump all over me for that statement, please understand that this is not my area of exptertise, so I could completely have my head up my ass about it. It just doesn't strike me that either of them were saying anything especially new or innovative....just more self-aggrandizement and self-mythologizing as a gun-toting hustlers/killers/thugs/pimps/ players. That is the stuff of yawns, as far as I'm concerned. But once again -- not my area of expertise.

Be original and *DON'T* include "Walk This Way" by Run-Dmc/Aerosmith. I'm so tired of hearing how that overhyped slab of wax altered the course of history.

Which is more "timeless"?

Why does race have *ANYTHING* to do with it? Lyrical nonsense is lyrical nonsense, regardless of race, creed and colour.

Fuel to the fire: She's a big Sublime fan. Ha. She says they're not influential though.

I will be catching myself misspelling influential for the rest of my life, thanks o. nate.

Well, at least she's able to recognize that. But, doesn't being a big fan of Sublime render every possible argument she could ever possibly make about any genre of music moot?

Yawn. This is a boring argument. Some people don't like hip hop. This isn't exactly news. Personally, I think those peeps is silly and the "big" arguments are Ludacris oversimplications (dude, like they AREN'T even playing instruments and all rappers talk about is bitches and how hard they are and shit) but hey everyone's got to have an opinion about something, right.

Or to look at it another way: in twenty, thirty years time, what *will* radio stations play from this period if not Britney, Nelly, Mystikal etc? Please god *tell* me it won't just be Train.

This is my favourite thing today.

*nods* Yeah, that makes sense...more a subject shift as opposed to a moment of revelation and justification.

Sterling: how do your two predictions of the future correlate?

your average rock fans sound pretty marginal to me.

Unless you run the Mo'Wax label!!! Hahaha.