Honestly, would you rather have Common get hype or DMX? Obviously, D can't get any more commercial and Common has a LONG way to go before he approaches the status of MTV darling. Is it really such a bad thing that artists like the Roots and Common are finally getting some exposure to more mainstream audiences? <BR>Sure they may have to churn out a few more commercially accessible tracks, but the bulk of their discs keep it real for the OKP faithful. <P>Maybe, just maybe, the mainstream kids will step up to meet the standards of TRUE hip hop than have the artists step down to the deluded hook-happy mainstream. <P>As for the roots steadily declining, I doubt that opinion is as widespread as you think. Even Illadelph Halflife, which went down the more conventional sampling route, was classic material in my opinion. I think the Roots have evolved as a group and they've gotten better and more focused over time. <P>Don't be jealous because The Roots and Common are no longer our hidden treasures. I'd like to think that if you shine as bright as them, eventually their light will pierce through the fog of mainstream culture. <P>peace<BR>-Al X<BR>