>Actually, come to think of it, the fact that so few picked up
>on social commentary based hip hop, or did it to the extent
>that PE did - that lack of influence shouldn't be seen as a
>strike against PE. That's a strike against everyone else
>really; and it's a further reason why PE is the shit.

^^^ Perfectly stated.

I also agree that a lack of people biting your
style doesn't necessarily mean it wasn't great.
Sometimes it just means your shit ain't that
easy to master. I've felt this way for a long
time about certain artists and styles. Alotta
artists do falsetto, because it's easy... much
easier than the discipline it takes to sing like
Luther Vandross. Damn near ANYbody with any
chops can pull off a falsetto.

Definitely not shitting on the great, but alotta
people bit Prince because it's easy to throw a Linn
drum kick in your beat and sing falsetto. Who was
biting his guitar playing tho?
Alotta people tried to bite MJ's singing style but very
few could master his dancing, because his dancing
wasn't easily mastered. Some stuff is just style,
but truly disciplined accomplishments aren't easy
to bite.