Where Has Hip Hop Gone

Now a days everybody wants to be Starscream or Bobby Brown and they refuse to play their position or share the spotlight. Whatever happened to rap groups or better yet the MC and the DJ? I grew up in an era where the guy that supplied the beats(that's right beats new jacks not tracks) was just as important as the guy that spit the lyrics. Where would Rakim ALAH beat without Eric B.? Would there be A TRIBE CALLED QUEST without Alid Shaid? The Fresh Prince can't make HE'S THE DJ I'M THE RAPPER without DJ Jazzy Jeff. Public Enemy don't sell records without Terminator X. DJ Premier helped put Guru on the map and make Gang Starr a household name. Get the picture yet. You can't have one without the other. Now a days guys like Jermaine Dupri,Pharell,Dr. Dre, etc want to call themselves producers. I guess they are to good spin records ,position themselves in the background, and call themselves DJ'S. Also there is nothing wrong with spitting rhymes with a partner ala EPMD and rock the mic day in and day out. Run DMC,EPMD,NICE AND SMOOTH, and SALT AND PEPA graced us with hits that to this day are classics. I don't know who decided it was weak to share the mic or the spotlight with a partner or crew, but I miss seeing Heavy D and The Boyz rap as well as dsiplay their dance moves. Kid N Play as well Scoop and Scrap from Big Daddy Kane gave us many enjoyable moments and they turned simple videos into classics. Today's MC'S feel it is ok to have guest appearences all over their CD'S, but there is no way in hell they would be part of a duo or group and make records. Go figure. Oh well there is always Jukebox. Uh my bad Youtube to keep us reminded that there was once a time when people shared the spotlight, made money, partied and enjoyed the company they kept without fear of being ORIGINAL. I'm out like THE SYMPHONY not the Cypher mutherfucker. Long live KNOWLEDGE REIGNS SUPREME OVER EVERYONE AKA KRIS PARKER AKA KRS1 AND BOOGIE DOWN PRODUCTIONS.