I don't even know what you cats are arguing about.
40 is more relevant than KRS and Rakim because he tries to be. They haven't really made any overt effort to work with many new artists or even consistently put out new music.
40 put out "Choices" and had half the rap game, new and old, in the video. Could Rakim and KRS do that? Maybe, but the point is they never even tried. They don't really do interviews, radio appearances, etc. as often as 40.
And I honestly don't get the "old rappers" argument in relation to KRS and Ra. 40's first album came out in 1993. That's only 6 years after "Paid In Full" and "Criminal Minded".
People talk about 80's rappers as if it was 30 years before the 90's. All three of the people this thread is about, are old as fukk.
Fred.