I think his influence on what hip-hop sounds like today will always be discernible. He created a soundscape that certain producers will always try to recreate and mostly never even acheive,like Hendrix on the guitar so i get the comparison. I just think Hip-hop isnt in the state Rock/Blues was in '69. Its apples and oranges. Hip-hop, though more apparent in its primitive days, is still too regional to crown 1 person with that honor, or burden.
p.s.ive been playing guitar for 10+years not that it should matter