Hip-Hop is Dead?

According to an article from the Associated Press, "Sales of rap music are declining as more are critical of its message."

Before you tie this too closely to Nas' album "Hip Hop Is Dead," though, consider what he told MTV in an interview,

"I don't wanna lose nobody with this, but what I mean by 'hip-hop is dead' is we're at a vulnerable state," he continued. "If we don't change, we gonna disappear like Rome. Let's break it down to a smaller situation. Hip-hop is Rome for the 'hood. I think hip-hop could help rebuild America, once hip-hoppers own hip-hop. ... We are our own politicians, our own government, we have something to say. We're warriors. Soldiers."

I tend to agree with Kevin Powell, who says, "In the end, if you are not getting cats' heads nodding in their SUVs and their cars, you're not going to reach them."