IS HIPHOP DEAD? COMMON AND DAVID BANNER VOICE THEIR OPINIONS

NAS STARTED THE DEBATE OVER HIPHOP BEING

DEAD BUT NOW IN 2010 DO WE AGREE OR DISAGREE?

"People don't even mix and master records anymore," Banner said in a blog post. "They don't care about the quality of music anymore and it's turning it into sh*t and it's our fault. All these blog sites and magazines are doing the same thing with the bullsh*t politics. The media ain't sh*t, they only care about screwing each other. It ain't about how good you can rap anymore. Dope beats? What happened to that? Now it's all about what features a rapper is going to have or who he's having sex with. But we allowed it to happen and it's our fault. Don't blame it on no regions or anybody. Blame it on yourself for not liking better music, the magazines and blogs need to put out better information." (VIBE)

It's sad, because hip hop does not have the same impact today that it did when I was coming up," Common said in an interview. "I think about my daughter and hip-hop has no real impact on her lifestyle. I remember wearing medallions and finding out about Farrakhan and that movement because Chuck D talked about it. Hip-Hop had a big relevance on life. When the corporations took over music, the music lost its soul. Music used to be artist driven and pure. I always thought hip-hop artists were leaders. Big Daddy Kane would say this is what I'm about. KRS would say this is who I'm about. NWA would do the same. If the music does not feel good to your spirit, you can't make a connection. I listen to old Bran Nubian or Tribe Called Quest or John Coltrane. It's different for the youth today. My daughter is 12 and I don't know if Nicki Minaj is going to have the same impact on her life as KRS had on mine." (Honey Mag)

WHAT'S YOUR THOUGHTS?