Great article!
I don't really get into the hip-hop scene because I really do think that the artists of today lack substance. That goes across the board for all artists, NY, Chicago, Atlanta, California, etc. I think people are so caught up in disliking the different versions of hip-hop that they lose sight of what good hip-hop is. Geographics also play a major role in the hip-hop scene because artists want to rep their region: South, East Coast, West Coast, Mid-West, etc. From the standpoint of a teen growing up with these "Bubblegum rappers" I see what it's doing to my generation. I know more than a handful of guys that can recite every Jordan made, their colorways, and the dates new ones will arrive/come out. Nothing against staying "fresh" and what not, but being more well-versed in shoes than your studies is not a good look.
90% of what most rappers say isn't what they'd be doing on a daily basis but poor parenting has many of my peers trying to emulate a life which is beyond their means. I don't think Hip-Hop is dead although it could use a major facelift
