>Will the ROOTS be around after whites <BR>>no longer find it hip to <BR>>like our culture?!? <P>Sometimes music is just music. Sometimes it has nothing to do with culture. Are you trying to say that to like a particular type of music, you have to be "hip" to the culture that produces it? If you are I think you are generalizing quite a bit too far. In my case, I like some spanish (flamenco) music, do I like it becuase I think the spanish culture is "Hip"? No, I like it becuase like the complex guitar strumming and the rhythm. (not to say that the spanish culture is not "hip", i'm not too familiar with it) I started liking Hip Hop way back in the day when I was still a "Metal Head". I liked it, but my friends would have made fun of me so I just liked it in private. Why did I start liking it? Because I liked the beat and the rhyme, I'm still amazed to this day how some people can string words together and come up with such complex metaphors and messages in their rhymes. Do I know everything about Hip-Hop culture? No, and I don't pretend to, but as it is in my case, I started liking the music way before it was considered "hip" for whites to like it. I'm Greek, and if you said, hey, I like the way that guy plays that funny looking guitar, I wouldn't ask you if it was because you think it's "hip" to like it, I'd say, that's cool man, music should be enjoyed by everyone. If they wanted to learn about the culture after that, I'd be happy to break it down for them. But I agree with you that there are too many people who listen to hip-hop and say they love hip-hop but don't know why. Maybe those of us that are a little more familiar with the story should take it upon ourselves to school them and give them some knowledge instead of condemming them. If afterwards they still stay ignorant, they should be condemmed.<P>The people that should be called out are the record executives and the such that are Exploiting hip-hop culture and the people who follow it blindly because they have no mind of their own to make decisions. I know what I like and why I like it.<P>Peace,<BR>Phil<P>"Okayplayer.com, first the Web, next, the World!" - Phil copyright 1999<BR>"Phil, You're a Genius" - Kayci Copyright 1999<BR>"I'm not a genius, I just say what other people should be thinking." - Phil Copyright 1999