i see what your point is but i don't the roots are all about following what's "universaly liked". otherwise they wouldn't be doin' what they doin'.
you know?
and as for the 'personal connections' through song that you mentioned about com and erykah. well, i think that's a good 'extra' quality for an artist to have. but in my opinion that's not what makes an artist good. it's the skills. thought's got crazy skills. the roots got crazy skills.
so why not brag about them skills?
basicaly my point is that thought could rhyme about an effin' tissue and it would be strong.
i really understand what you're saying but previous to this post have were you ever listening to the roots and turned it off cause you were sick of the subject matter of the rhyme?