You haven't read through all my posts if you're asking this, I pointed to his skin and pop sound as the reason he crossed over. But the arguments the author is making is about the content, how he's bringing some new thought and positivist to hip hop when we've had that before (minus the gay anthem) and it was ignored by whites. Dudes are acting like this is some long overdue movement in hip hop that will move the music forward when we've had acts that were very popular among hip hop consumers who did the same. they would have a more sound argument if they would just admit they love that he made his brand of hip hop upbeat and accessible to people who otherwise aren't fans of hip hop.
I'll admit that, didn't really read the article either but I kind of have the general sentiment, that it's going to take a white man to move hip hop into breaking down some of the last taboos in the culture.
You can't "minus the gay anthem" when that's like literally the last taboo/barrier to break down in hip hop. Even the anti-materialism isn't something I remember too much of in the mainstream, you are more than welcome to post examples, i'll hear you out.
I remember Kayne West going on a rant about gays and gay rights or something to that effect in an interview when he got rallied behind to kind of quell the prevalence of "gangsta rap" in favor for positive shyt, but I never heard him do a song about it and he has done nothing but perpetuation consumer/commercialism as well, he could have used his platform to do what macklemoore is doing right now. Common would have definitely gotten more of a look than someone like murs had he gotten more specific than just not being lumped in with the ignorant rappers.
It's like regardless of how you feel about those particular issues they need to be addressed at this point in time, I just hate that it's HIM that brought it to the forefront, who's fault is it though? Other rappers who already had the platform for not taking that leap? The illuminati and cac conspiracy commission keeping us from "evolving"?

