Jay-Z could be Rakim's age, but because Ra peaked before some kids were born, and because some Rap fans stopped liking everything after 96...both sides deal with it. Folks who don't like any new rap, regardless of the artists' age (2 Chainz and Juicy J are old too)...and young folks who just don't like older eras of Rap as much.

>>Eminem isn't a Top 50 or 100, solely because they don't
>like
>>his songs, or his content.
>
>I mean let's be real...Eminem turns 41 this year, Jay is 43,
>Pharoahe Monch is actually OLDER than Rakim so it's kind of
>hard to buy the ageism claims when most of the top MC's that
>you've mentioned that weren't from the golden era are actually
>around the same age as MC's that some folks will claim sound
>so old. I really think this is more about perception than what
>the actual reality is. Em broke out in his late 20's as did
>folks like Kanye and 50. Back in the 80's and 90's by the time
>KRS, Rakim & G Rap were that age they were already 3 or 4
>albums into their career so people seem to think they are so
>much older than they actually are.
>>
>>Even how Tee Love is on Facebook, always saying "Kendrick is
>>extremely average, I was there in the 90's when you had to
>be
>>GREAT to be seen as a good rapper. He would be mediocre in
>the
>>90's"
>
>I think Kendrick is dope and I would actually argue that if he
>came out in the 90's he might be bigger than he is now because
>there was more attention on the West and it was rare that more
>of the lyrical MC's broke out from the West to sell any units
>so if he were able to do what he's doing now he'd probably be
>double or triple platinum.

I actually agree with this, and this is exactly what I mean. I mean for real, I am not gonna say Kendrick is better than 2Pac, Cube, or even Snoop..but he was for sure better than 95% of the L.A. rappers in the 90's. The music they made was completely different, so it's hard to compare. But for somebody to act like he ONLY gets attention because he's "above average in a game full of wack rappers" shows exactly what I'm referring to.