I held my nose above rap music for a long time. I regarded it as a lower form of music. I don't know why, I think it was probably a combination of its negative portrayal in the media at the time as well as a desire of mine to like things that were not mainstream. I listened mostly to classic rock and my dad's music back then. I always remember laughing at the media's onslaught on Eminem and yet looking back I completely accepted their position on him. I always considered him to be "one of those kinds of rappers." But now he is one of my favorites, more than any other rapper Eminem can so perfectly represent the entire spectrum of the human psyche. The anger in his words is so strong sometimes I have to turn him off. And in other songs I'm on the floor laughing.

So how did the media's opinion of him work its magic over me and why do most people still hold their noses over him and other rappers? 

The first rap song I realized I liked was High Fidelity by Jurassic 5.  If I had to put my finger on what I liked about it, I would have to say it was the actual music to it. Jurassic 5 employ a unique combination of samples, classic hip hop beats and DJing, as well as an assortment of surprising instruments. They regularly use flutes, horns, and I think I've heard a xylophone in there. At the same time, in front of the music, the handful of members in the rap group employ creative and socially conscious lyrics. Jurassic 5 is fast paced and their meter/flow is diverse. From their song Break:

We fully capable
Make no mistake if we
BREAK a few rules
Make a few moves
And drop a few jewels
On top of your views
Unstoppable dudes
Using third optical tools
To Rakaa few crews
You gotta confuse
Melodically
Use rap to sonically bruise cats
Harmonies move over
Chemically glued tracks the ripper

After Jurassic 5 I quickly absorbed as much rap music as I could find. I went through Biggie and Nas, Jay Z and Kanye, there's Lil Wayne and A Tribe Called Quest, the Fugees and Outkast, Mos Def and Eminem, Dre and Immortal Technique and so many more. (If you want to try politically conscious rap Immortal Technique has no competition.)

I've found rap to be some of the most eclectic kind of music there is. Inside the one term there are so many variations on subjects, styles, musical influences, and feeling. I find rap to be the sponge of all music. More than other types, rap takes on the styles and influences from the widest variety of sources. I've heard rap with jazz instruments, classical, traditional African, and contemporary electronic.

And yet it hip hop music stays on the margins. It of course tops the billboard charts, but it is shrugged off by serious art considerers as little more than a cultural fad that propagates a materialistic culture. So why does it stay to the side? At this point I feel like it has proven its legitimacy as an art form in that it has existed in one or another for at least 30 years and has yet to stop innovating. Why has the emergence of hip hop in culture resulted in such a strong opposition? But maybe if hip hop were to attain a more universal legitimacy it would lack a direction and a purpose and all innovation would stop.

What does everyone else think about the matter? I'd like to hear from people that don't really listen to rap music. And if anyone is interested I have a long recommendation list for all kinds of rap music.