People like to pin the blame on rap music...not address the social issues that have been around since waaay before I was born. But since this is about music (art):

Rap music took entertainment and popular culture to another level but no one really dealt with the "health" of Black communities post-Civil Rights. IMHO this is the reason why we stick up for "niggas". It part of the same ol' cycle except this time there are more "little richards", making more $$$ and in the media eye 24-7. It used to just be the white establishment that was shook but now Black folks, including women, are paying attention. The cycle has been there all along:

We form certain expectations of people or events
We communicate those expectations with various cues
People tend to respond to these cues by adjusting their behavior to match them
The result is that the original expectation becomes true

>Like crack cocaine wasn't running shit during the old school
>era.

Yep.

>Crime rates have gone down since the mid 80's. If you don't
>believe me, holla @ the fbi stats.

I believe it.