“Don’t me and Jigga be flowin’ alike?/nah, not on ya life/ain’t nobody copin’ like Mr. Jay-Z/sh*t you crazy.”

That’s a classic line taken from Jay-Z’s song, "Its Alright".

What he’s trying describe is the difference between him, and other MC’s that claim to be forces in Hip-Hop. You see, what really separates Mr. Shawn Carter from a lot of other MC’s, is his ability to manipulate the English language, and make it his own.

He even went as far as to say that him and the most improved lyricist in Hip-Hop right now, [Lil’] Wayne still don’t belong in the same sentence, in a recent story he did with XXL Magazine. Is that blatant arrogance? Or is it just Hova exuding with confidence as he enters the prime of his life?

Either or, he still extended an olive branch, and invited Wayne to be a part of his American Gangster extravaganza. But when you have a certain God-given ability, I guess some form of brashness is acceptable.

Bare in mind, this is not to keep the entire subject on El Presidenté himself, because there are plenty of other talented performers that too have a knack for being witty with vocabulary.But their net worth is not estimated around 547 million dollars, so it’s pretty difficult for their names to get an honorable mention on a mainstream level.

Last year, BET dubbed the North Carolina group of Little Brother “too smart for their audience.” So what does BET do with them this year? They invited the head MC, Phonte to participate in their “cipha” segment on the BET Hip-Hop Awards Show. Then, during his turn to rhyme, [he] addressed the issue of his group being too smart for their viewers. On a side note: What exactly does being too smart mean? Right now it seems that beats and hooks rule the Hip-Hop world, and there’s nothing wrong with that all.

Even I too enjoy an occasional new dance step, a nice little groove, or what have you. But in recent years, I can’t remember any songs that I can recite the lyrics to, from front to back. I may be able to jump in on a couple of hooks or so, but that’s about it.

It seems that a lot of artists bypass the whole lyrical process of creating music, and look for the latest trend to catch a fan base. It’s true that bubblegum-chewing, allowance-receiving, adolescents of the world are the yay/nay-say’ers of all that’s holy these days. But that shouldn’t be a reason for “so-called” artists to abandon the culture just to fit into the MTV generation.

I do agree that the whole “keeping it real” phase is dead and gone, because people have bills to pay and families to take care of. And that’s why it’s been all about the Benjamins for some time now. But once you lose your integrity and credibility, it’s pretty difficult to buy that back. Regardless of how much you’ve banked recently.

In my opinion; lines that reference you to having more money than a billionaire, killed more people than the mafia, and having a bigger artillery display than Al-Qaeda doesn’t count as lyricism. They might hold weight on your average mixtape, but that type of subject matter won’t stand the test of time.

With the exception of few artists, it seems the more lyrical you are, the less records you’re bound to sell. It’s unfair to rate today’s MC against someone the likes of Tupac [Shakur], but his music is still felt in current times because his words struck a chord with whoever listened to him.

When thinking of his legacy, people are reminded of phrases like; “Don’t trust my lady/cause she’s a product of this poison/I’m hearin’ noises/think she’s f**kin’ all my boys/can’t take no more/I’m fallin’ to the floor/beggin’ for the Lord to let me into Heaven’s door” (taken from "So Many Tears").

The irony of that situation is a lot of non-lyrical, and gimmicky rappers consider an icon like Tupac [Shakur] their hero. So if you put a person with his status on such a high pedal stool, do you think you’re doing him any justice with half-assed material?

The truth of the matter is, that everyone that comes into the “game” claims that they’re going to change it in some way, shape, or form. But when it’s all said and done, how do you want to be remembered? By beats that you can’t take credit for, because you didn’t produce them? A dance that helped you get Youtube views, so you could secure a record contract? Or do you wanted to be remembered by your powerful words, that can set a foundation. A foundation that won't have a single crack in it when its assessed down the road.

The choice is up to you.Your Hip-Hop career can’t last forever, but the impact you have, and how you choose to bow-out of it; can. 

Check out last week's Sixth Sense: Trouble Prone Rappers