Really? I didn't think they ever had meaningful lyrics.

they probably got boring. plus, they sing about what they like to do, and it just morphed into the status quo i guess.

You mean like these timeless classics? This one is 20 years old. Certainly old enough now to be considered a "classic": http://www.elyrics.net/read/0-9/2-live-crew-lyrics/dirty-nursery-rhymes-lyrics.html This one is only 10 years old: http://www.lyricsmode.com/lyrics/o/ol_dirty_bastard/cracker_jack.html This one is coming up on 20 years, too: http://www.lyricsfreak.com/b/body+count/cop+killer_20022078.html All three of them are FULL of meaning. But before you, or anyone else, goes off on me for my choices, let me say a few things: Your question implied that hip-hop/rap music has lost meaningful lyrics, or that the lyrics are somehow bad, or corrupted perhaps. I don't think this is the case. Like all music, hip-hop and rap are driven by the worldview of those who compose and perform their songs. They are FULL of meaning, whether it be about violence, peace, love, sex, drugs, crime, babies, or whatever. Look at "Rock & Roll". For decades, this genre was tied to the theme of "Sex, drugs, and rock & roll". Yet, for all that Rock & Roll has been tied to these three aspects of life, no-one can contest some of the greats which had nothing to do with sex, drugs, and rock & roll: Like Stairway to Heaven, We Will Rock You, In the Air Tonight, or Kings and Queens, to name a few. I most certainly do not agree with all the lyrics in every song, much less those of hip-hop or rap. But that doesn't mean their lyrics have no meaning.

Just like with everything else, it turns into being about money. The younger populace isn't smart enough to care about meaningful lyrics, young people just go to the club, drink, smoke, shop etc. So the people that make the albums need to appeal to the people that listen to them the most so their CDs will be bought and they can make the money. Some rappers have said themselves how their managers or whatever have told them to literally make 'club songs' and the like because that's what will get record sales. It's all about money, not the poetic aspect of it.

I dont know... I figured they died out...when all the good rappers stopped getting played on the radio. I used to love rap. ...Scarface, Bone Thugz, three 6 (even though it wasnt good) Eazy E...he was funny...Do or Die...Paperboy ...some of them had alot of good stuff to say. expecially scarface (later on) Nowdays its all about all the flash they have. It used to be "where they came from" Tables been turned.