But I have to chime in anyway, cuz I FEEL this shit deeply.<P>My heart goes out to all you Windy City heads that mourn the lack of respect for your city. As a D.C. hip-hop artist, your pain is mine. We have the illest groups on the planet. Check the March issue of the Source for D.C.'s own Rhyme Deferred theatrical collective. But since our radio, retail, and general industry respect level is so miniscule, you can easily write that statement off as hyperbolic bullshit, or simple hometown chest-thumping... cuz y'all simply don't know. But in my heart, I'd put Opus Akoben, Plexus, Hue-man Prophets, Khemystery, Poemcees, In Shallah and Infinite Loop up against any hip-hop act on the planet.<P>My point being is that some of these D.C. cats are contemplating moving elsewhere or have actually gotten up and done it. We're all soldiering along bravely but some of us are weary of putting out records, doing mad shows, battling, trying to get press, and still not getting the legitimacy. None of them have blown up to the point of shining for their city the way Com has, but if any of them finally blew up by leaving D.C., I'd be a little bit sad. But then I'd have to shake myself loose of regionalism and selfishness and rejoice for their fortune.<P>I was born and raised here, and as much as I love my D.C. hip-hop peers, I know that they can't carry the whole Nation's Cap on their backs. They have to be able to grow as artists. Even if they didn't pepper their rhymes with U-Street, South East, and go-go references, they'd be representing D.C. simply by making the best records they possibly can.<P>This is what Common is doing. He has to grow as an artist or else his spirit will stagnate, he has to spread his wings and nurture the maturation of his music. As long as he's making hot shit, y'all Chi heads should be proud, no matter where he lives or how many times he bigs up the 'Go.<P>Now as for No.I.D.? I feel the disappointment you all have in his absence. And even though he's not my hometown hero, I'll simply miss the fact that he brings hot beat to the table.<P>The bottom line is this: Like Water for Chocolate will be hot as fuck, I have no doubt. And then NoID's absence will have to relegated to an afterthought. Gotta shrug it off and keep it moving, and enjoy what will be a great moment in hip-hop, Com's 4th album.<P>Panthro, Cheetarah, and Tygra - <a href="http://members.tripod.com/~djstylus/images/smellmyfinger.jpg" target="_blank">http://members.tripod.com/~djstylus/images/smellmyfinger.jpg<;/a><P>-djstylus2thabeat<BR><a href="http://www.boondocks.net" target="_blank">http://www.boondocks.net<;/a><P>"So please give me the strength to trample these snakes, Allah. If I scuff my Timb's at least it was a worthy cause." - SubZ, Opus Akoben, "Art of War"