The fans have changed in every aspect of media and entertainment...
(1) There was a time fans could listen to Busta Rhymes, laugh at Biggie when they hear "Hit Em Up" but still go out there and bump Biggie songs, listen to Nas and the Wu Tang, but still zone out to Bone Thugs N Harmony...
Today's fans have been condition to think in terms of "it is either this or that" pick one mentality...Look at the Windows vs Mac...Samsung Galaxy vs iPhone and etc...This mentality has infiltrated hip hop...
If you don't sound like Drake, then forget about dipping into that fan base...So, a new up and comer is forced to sound like Drake...Thus, everybody starts sounding the same...
If you have beef with MC One, then forget about dipping into that fan base...So, all rappers are all buddy buddy and unwilling to to say "that nicca is wack, b"...The level of competition drops for the sake of cross promotion...
If rappers (who are suppose to be the experts) don't challenge their peers and call them out for being wack, why should the fans...?
Think about this, if a University physicists told you a theory about something, how would know if it is valid or not if another expert doesn't give it an honest review...? That's why scientific journals have peer reviews...It is a way of picking as much bullshyt out of publishing as possible...But rappers are too afraid to review their peer in fear of being black balled...
(2) Fans have been OBSESSED with their favourite rappers' personal lives...These would rather see their favourite rappers marry the prettiest strippers, live in the biggest houses and etc then hear them spit either thought provoking bars and/or slick clever bars...
They say "behind every great man there is a great woman" and fans have essentially taken the role of the "great woman" being the scenes...Fans actually believe that their favourite rappers' social success is also theirs...
This psychological phenomenon is fascinating to me...
The game has changed