When rap came out 30 years ago I thought it was just a fad

Agree, taters. I've seen them play here in Philly (their home town), and it's Funk/Jazz fusion.
The rapping is part of the dumbing down of music for the younger generation.

"Dumbing down of music for the younger generation"


That is a really sad comment. Unfortunately you are so right.

Dumbing down...wasn't that the original criticism of rock and roll.  Dumbed down R&B.  Each to their own dumbness.

If you ask the roots themselves they have the completely opposite opinion.  The are the intelligent side of hip hop. Interesting comments.  Not Informed on the band and its originations. 

Disco was a fad,  rap/hip-hop is here to stay.

Orchestral music,  opera,  jazz...they ain't dead,  either.

Weird Al Yankovic is still around, too,  and I've never found him amusing in the least BUT...some people still do.

I'm sitting here ripping music into my music server,  culling recordings that make me think,  "what was I thinking?"  Here goes Public Enemy immediately after Paul Simon...  (I don't have that many "P" artists,  hmmmm)