Listenening to Leela James… her track “Music” asks some right questions:

Where did all the soul go?
It’s all about the video
We don’t sing no mo’
Where’s the music gone?

Where’d the music go?
It’s all just for the dough
It ain’t songs no mo’
Where’s the music gone?

And that is exactly what is going on lately… all the bling bling is taking away the SOUL of music, the feeling, that small but visible smile on somebody’s face when the sung word is recognized…
Yes I like HipHop and not always for the oh so conscious lyrics. Sometimes I like it plain, dirty and bouncing hot. Not every rapper is a Common or Talib Kweli, let alone do they have the charisma and radiance of The Last Poets.
But are they that influenced by money that they real story telling is totally set aside for Ho’ s, B*tches, pimped rides and green stacks?

Well yes… for most of the current artists… Except for a few exceptions, we have go underground and local to find the real storytellers. Sometimes hard to find, sometimes ex-mainstream artist who announced to go to that other level.

Any role-models in this area?