I like Chris Rock's take on it...
In his last HBO stand-up special (entitled "Never Scared," I think), he said:
"It's <i>hard</i> to defend rap nowadays..." lol
And it really is. A lot of the more popular hits are pretty raunchy at best, and are vulgar, violent and/or mysogynistic at worst. I definitely remember a time when that was not the case since I grew up liking it. Still, I think the record producers, companies, etc. have in mind what sells best (at least right now) so they'll keep signing the kinds of artists who'll keep it coming. Hopefully, the pendulum will swing another way eventually, but for now I find a lot of it hard to listen too myself. Ugh. Unless I'm on the dance floor with someone--at which time, who's listening to the words? 😛
That being said, I still like some if it. And I still know exactly what it takes for a rap to really be good to me. Also, there are still plenty of hits out there that are just about dancing, partying, having fun, etc. (50 cent - <i>In da club</i>, anyone?) I love those kinds; they restore my faith in the genre. Basically there are and always will be gems out there. Again, these aren't exactly spiritual hymns, but then neither is much else on the charts.
I don't try to "defend" rap or convince folks of that stuff anymore. Similar to primetime, I used to hate pretty much all "rock 'n roll" (esp. metal), country, etc. I was a kid then though, and now I just look to just take things in stride and have fun. I still don't go out of my way to listen to country (for example), but I can appreciate a gem when it comes along...and they're out there. Whodathunkit? Of course, maybe I just want to dance next to some cutie who likes line dancing to Garth Brooks. lol But that's actually important too, because I have friends who like other things, and I like to hang out & have fun with them too. Sometimes I just ask and let them point out what's good and what's not and why. Sometimes I learn something new and can appreciate it more then; sometimes not.
I dunno. I guess, it just makes life more fun to me to just relax and appreciate a little more rather than to bitterly exclude. If folks want to never "get" <i>any</i> rap, that's their choice too. It's really their loss though, because it's not going anywhere. May as well join the rest of us on the dance floor. woohooo! 🙂