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

Fad I. Think not. There once was a group of MC's from a far away place (Oakland, California) Hieroglyphics. Did about 5 albums and continued to travel the world and perform about 15 to 20 years after they came out even 12 yrs after they stop making albums because they where the great in the hip hop area of lyrics wittiness and story telling. They continued to sell out 20,000 seat arenas because it wasn't just a fad and they were saying. They toured Europe, Asia, Austrailia and South America. Great lyrics and beats and the world from Oakland to Aukland wanted it year after year after year. The people have spoken. The world has spoken. Sorry that the 30% percent of code word thug calling folks in this country don't like it. The world does. Doesn't mean the world is right. I'm just glad we have somebody on the thread to tell us that the world is wrong and it is all crap because we are not that smart. Also, the whole world is stupid for listening to and buying it.  Also, it never did anything positive. I'm so glad that our music Oracle is a pure unadulterated genius. Lol. 

I still concur w/ taters- no substance to the so-called music.
Now, what rap/hiphop does do well is talk about using drugs and slapping hoes (if this is your thang)...

Jafant, you left out knocking up white girls (thank you Gov. LePage).

onhwy61, give me five tracks that you think deserve to be mentioned in the same breath with "the Revolution will not be Televised" and I will listen to them and get back to you.  I will listen with good phones, undistracted and with big ears and an open mind as I usually do.
BTW, FWIW, I like "the Revolution will not be Televised" and find it very musical.  I also like "Revolution" and "Revolution 1" by the Beatles, but don't care for "Revolution 9"--I find that to be performance art and not music. 
You're right when you say the masses get to define standards.  You're wrong to say someone has a closed mind when they don't agree with them.  I scratch my head when I come across the rare person who doesn't like Beethoven or the Beatles, but I realize that their opinion is as good and as valuable as mine.  BTW, I have made a living as a music teacher and performer but I don't think that makes my opinion more important than someone less experienced.  But I bristle when someone someone suggests I may not have the understanding of the elements of music necessary to formulate an  opinion of what's music and what's poetry.  I have studied, listened and played for decades.  What are your special qualifications that better allows you to make this judgement?
 Anyway, I like good stuff so please, tell me your top five "musical" rap tunes and I'll give them a listen ASAP.

Masses don't really make make the choices ,they drink the kool-aid presented to them .