There are a lot of VERY talented hip hop artists. Most obviously, The Roots. Black Thought and ?uestlove are a dynamic duo that you can't deny.

Talib Kwali, Mos Def, KRS One. just a few obvious hard hitters with plenty of provocative lyrics.

As far as you taking a music history class and thinking it takes no talent...you are WAY OFF. Sure the computer age has made it easy for talentless posers to spread their filth. And money hungry record companies (who don't even listen to the music they produce) dump loads of money into promoting shit and repackaging the same product to stupid consumers. But there is a very large collection of very talented, very original hip hop/rap artists. And surely you know that without black music (Rock&Roll, jazz, Blues, Soul, Motown, R&B, etc...) well...all that would be left is classical and country western. Music today would be nothing at all without it's black history.

As far as rap is concerned, there are a handful of decent artists and songs...but i don't agree with the bragging, materialistic, and shallow content of the lyrics.

Music is subjective. So...to each, his own. But open minds are a must.

Skeet.

PS - shit i like and recommend:

Clipse - Lord Willin' (a little braggy, but they flow like water)
Pharrell & the Yessirs - Out of my mind (in my mind sucks balls)
The Roots - Any album...start with "things fall apart"
De La Soul - any album...
Tribe Called Quest - Any Album...
Dilated Peoples - Expansion Team is my fav.
Mos Def - Black on Both Sides and The New Danger
Saul Williams - Self Titled album. More poetry than hip-hop, but very provocative.
Gil Scott-Heron - All of it. He's brilliant and influenced every def poet/rapper/hip-hopper

sorry...that's all for now. flame away.