re: Do you consider hip-hop/rap "real" music?

eeehhhh. I recognize that it takes a little bit of effort to compose some of those beats, although it's not as difficult as actually playing an instrument. I also realize that SOME rappers have a true gift with words and how the way they string them together.

So yeah I suppose it's music, but I think they are by far the least talented, overall, out of all the genres. Most (probably upwards of 95%) don't play any sort of instrument, nor do any type of "singing", basically just talk in rhythm over a computer generated beat. Big deal.