Yeah, I agree most people here are following commercial stereotypes. It's a shame really...that's what makes hip-hop have such a bad rep outside of the culture. But, yeah, you are also ignorant and naive if you think most rap is bullshit. Commercial makes up for like 1% of hip-hop. But, as an artist, you gotta have one or two commercial tracks on a record (not necessarily about guns and girls)...they are called singles.

The words 'commercial' and 'mainstream' are such loose terms, that they really don't even make sense anyway. Would you consider Eminem and Jay-Z commerical because 1 or 2 out of 20 songs on the album is a catchy single? If you do..fine..but they are still 2 of the best hip-hop artists of all time no matter what the characterization.