I don't care for hip hop, though I do like some things.
 
 
I am a long-time fan of the Beastie Boys, but to me, they're beyond any such simple denomination. Hip Hop is but one ingredient in what they do, at least compared to what I hear everywhere (which I guess is commercial hh). Likewise, back in the late 80's and early 90's, I was a huge fan of bands who borrowed from rap, like Faith No More or Anthrax. 
 
On it's own though, it has no real appeal to me. When it comes down to using samples, sequencing, recycling loops, using electronic drums & instruments and mixing albums, I'm a lot more impressed with people/bands like Dave Ogilvie/Skinny Puppy or Bill Leeb/Front Line Assembly.

Grohl is a class act. I'm not the biggest Foo Fighter's fan but there is a dude you can TELL loves to just be there doing what he's doing. Very honest vibe about him and it's refreshing. I'm very glad he made a go of it after Nirvana. I wish Krist had too but I don't think he wanted it. Love his bass playing (and Grohl's drum work).

Sh*t... by Krist I meant Noveselic obviously. lol

Beepster
Grohl is a class act. I'm not the biggest Foo Fighter's fan but there is a dude you can TELL loves to just be there doing what he's doing. Very honest vibe about him and it's refreshing. I'm very glad he made a go of it after Nirvana. I wish Krist had too but I don't think he wanted it. Love his bass playing (and Grohl's drum work).

Their first album was a staple of my DJ days - I could practically play all the songs of that record. I lost interest after that, for whatever reason, but I always respected the guy (even if it's sometimes a bit annoying to see some people treat him like a messiah, but then again, that's not his fault.)
 
I saw him with Them Crooked Vultures a few years ago. Man, he rocked those drums non stop and looked like he was having the time of his life for the entire duration of the show.

Rain
I don't care for hip hop, though I do like some things.
 
 
I am a long-time fan of the Beastie Boys, but to me, they're beyond any such simple denomination. Hip Hop is but one ingredient in what they do, at least compared to what I hear everywhere (which I guess is commercial hh). Likewise, back in the late 80's and early 90's, I was a huge fan of bands who borrowed from rap, like Faith No More or Anthrax. 
 
On it's own though, it has no real appeal to me. When it comes down to using samples, sequencing, recycling loops, using electronic drums & instruments and mixing albums, I'm a lot more impressed with people/bands like Dave Ogilvie/Skinny Puppy or Bill Leeb/Front Line Assembly.

Which brings us to the essence of what the hate for kanye really boils down to.  the most venomous assaults on kanye always boil down to people who don't like hip-hop.  Even within Hip-hop kanye, as a person is not well liked, but most ignore him.  Whenever kanye's success is brought into the equation, the typical downplay move seems to be to dismiss the genre. i always found it very interesting that PE is often bought up as a better representative of hip-hop when a closer examination shows that may be a paradox. Members of PE have said and done far worse than Kanye.  It's not the sampling, since a PE song would cost millions in sample clearence today.  It's not his outspoken views.  PE was a nice recruitment tool for the nation of Islam and went from campus to campus bringing farakhan to the masses. I think once critics decide to love or hate a group/artist they develop blinders

Although I wasn't a huge fan I did a pile of Foo covers in my old band (guit/vocals... so yeah, I was doin' Grohl). I like the heavier stuff and Low is actually one of my favorite songs (like something I listen to regularly). I just found their stuff hit or miss and yeah, easy to lose interest.
 
His drumming is phenomenal though. I'm sure you've hear Probot and the album he did with Queens of the Stone Age (which I did some covers from as well). Great stuff.

Who or what is 'PE'?

Beepster
 
 
His drumming is phenomenal though. I'm sure you've hear Probot and the album he did with Queens of the Stone Age (which I did some covers from as well). Great stuff.

Songs for the Deaf is a quality album Beep.
 
Love this song in particular, and the video is wonderful...
 

 
 

PE is definitely an outlier and I probably shouldn't have used them as an example but as punkoid I love that stuff.
 
And yes indeedy there was some ridiculous stuff said over the years by their members but I think Chuck is still a rock. Flav really went silly but I guess he was always silly.
 
The stuff I appreciate these days are the laid back, smooth talking rap bands with some nice funk/jazz/motown grooves and thoughtful lyrical content. I find when those guys get really acidic with the political/sociological sentiments it just has a lot more of an impact/emotional effect on me.
 
The sad part is I could not for the life of me name a single group that does that style. I just hear it in my general intertube travels (and back when I had a life pumping out of shops and clubs in my old hood) and I just love it. I'd totally play some jazzy guit or walking bass for an act like that.
 

We did that one, Strummy. It's a tricky bugger lemme tell ya but EVER so gratifying when you nail that psycho part at the end of the solo where everything is going nuts then slams down into that quiet little pinpoint bass riff.
 
I even did the little "PWANG" part before the next verse by raking my pick across the strings above the nut. Man, I miss that band.
 
And PE is Public Enemy.