I've definitely started getting into rap/hip-hop recently (I classify hip-hop as the music and rap as the lyrics or whatever). I'm mostly into older, smoother and more positive artists like A Tribe Called Quest, De La Soul and LL Cool J (mostly). The more "socially conscious" rappers that reflect on society rather than talk about how great they are all of the time. It also bothers me a bit when people say those who sample are "talentless" and "lazy". Artists like DLS and ATCQ do it very well. Anyways, here are some of my favorites: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lRrM6tfOHds http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z1CaN4thI5w