i'm not at all a Diddy-dick-holder, but i was gonna write a big long reply ... until i realized it wouldn't matter to the bulk of you that can only see the walls of your own colon.

the bottom line is that i doubt that Puff's jumping on the "conscious" bandwagon (that term is so lame anyway) because it's the current trend (check out pretty much any current rap hit's video) or because it's gonna bring him an assload of money (as if he needed it to). also, he's extending a hand to people that can get the job done, and will get paid to do what they do very well. i really can't find too much fault with any of this.

that said, a better idea for politically-informed project would be for Diddy to corral these emcees, match them with some hot beats, and market it as "P. Diddy presents ..." - i think that would be a better (and more palatable) option.

to end, i'll go on record saying that P. Diddy is probably more hip hop than most of you suburban-bred complainers. dude started out as a dancer and made his way up the ladder with hustling skills that were forged in hip hop. i don't know that i would consider him an innovator in any way, but his successes, i think, have opened doors here and there for other black/minority entrepreneurs, and though i have some issues with the guy, i can be a man and recognize that, unclouded by extreme tunnel vision.