You compare with embarrassing white people calling each other “Nigger”. Not offensive, racist white people call each other “Nigger”. There’s my point.

The word “Faggot” can be so offensive, so, so, offensive, but it’s not always intended to be so. It’s hard to fully explain the power of the English language when it comes to words with origins in pure disrespect, but the best thing about it is its evolution.

If they aren’t saying ‘I’m not a homosexual when I say this’ or ‘this is crap’ I’d be amazed…and those are dissing being gay. Sorry but they are. Like bitch and ho are usually put downs – yup you can self identify and reclaim the word, but otherwise it’s a diss, a put down.

Now if there was any big gay rappers using faggot, homo, queer then I’d be all behind that.

You probably think Chris Moyle’s use is acceptable…it aint, sorry. Like white people saying ‘wassup my n***er’ it’s embarassing, wrong and way out of order. I get really depressed when I hear a fave rapper of mine calling someone a faggot…in fact they usually stop being a fave of mine. Including some surprising people, like Immortal Technique.

No trial, no debate, simple. If you can’t be bothered to look for real rap music; if you can’t hear the soul of a people in hip-hop (the culture); if you can’t relate to it on any level whatsoever – THEN FUCKING WELL LISTEN TO THE SMITHS TILL THE DAY YOU FUCKING WELL DIE.

Watch the episode of South Park about the word “Faggot”. Common is actually very homophobic, which is strange considering how many gay fans he has.

Dizzee Rascal is underground but he has had 2 (soon to be 3) back-to-back number 1 hits on his own independent label. I think Dizzee is a bit shite at the moment too.

British hip-hop is a mess. If this article was about the attempted cross-over attempts by British rappers killing the music, I’d agree 100%.

With respect, you can take offense to whatever you like in this world, the intent defines the message and that should always be the case. Every time somebody says “No homo” they’re not saying “I hate gay people” every time somebody describes the shitty weather as gay they are not saying “I hate gay people and this weather is like them”.

Don’t delude yourself, it’s very offensive, as offensive as the N-word if used by someone who isn’t black. So is No Homo, and derogatorily calling stuff ‘gay’.

I would know, you’re talking to a gay hiphop fan.

And yeah I love Lupe and Kanye, and what I know of Common’s stuff. As well as underground stuff like Sage Francis or Kid Cudi (or is he overground now, LOL) and British rap like Dizzee and Braintax and Stig et al. Shame a lot of the good stuff is underground and not really shouting about it…the only recent example of someone coming from the streets here seems to be Chipmunk.

The argument that hip-hop is homophobic is an outdated one in my opinion. The use of the phrase “No homo” mirrors the use of the word “Gay” as a derogatory or even “Faggot” which do not automatically refer to an anti-gay sentiment. I’m not saying hip-hop is “Gay-Friendly” (what is?) but I don’t buy the idea that just because of the phrase “No homo” (which I use) it is automatically homophobic. I believe it’s less homophobic than ever.

In terms of KRS1 and Rakim, there’s a message in the words of all the greats you have to decode. To lump Jay-Z into a category with T-Pain is offensive. If anything, I believe KRS1 and Rakim had to do less to do more. A great rapper in 2010 will reach kids and teach kids in way more creative ways. I’m not saying there isn’t a load of faking and B-S’ing going on around that, but unless you’ve heard Young Jeezy talk about the trap, Plies talk about freedom and Freeway talk about Islam, you’re not speaking for the people. You’re speaking about them.

There are definitely “Underground” rappers who say some pretty relevant things that aren’t given the push for whatever reason that say Mims or Soulja Boy are given, but they don’t have a divine right to be popular. Lupe Fiasco is allowed to say those things in the commercial market, as is Kanye West, as is Common, as is Wale.

Don’t make it ‘good’ even if the ‘kids’ (hmm kids like EMI, Warners, Sony BMG? Kids don’t have the paychecks or the funding – the white older men do) are controlling it. Who controls hiphop? I think atm you’ll find the bank balance does sadly.

Yes it’s a generalisation, yes. Yes even I could list loads of artists who do none of those…but they’re not the ones you’ll find on MTV, VH1 or the charts.

That’s why hiphop is commercially a spent force. Maybe time for a regroup and rethink? But while the ‘kids’ are buying pap like Lil Wayne, Jay-Z, TI, T-Pain and Lil Jon nothing will change on that front…with the companies that might pay the next KRS-1 or Rakim to do something that will reach beyond the hiphop underground anyway.

Hip-Hop never wanted to be defined by the music “they” accept. Hip-Hop controls its innovations internally before they cross-over. Popular culture hasn’t dictated a hip-hop trend since MC Hammer and Vanilla Ice. Uncle Murder makes “that run and kill the Po-Lice music” they’ll never understand that. K’Naan makes Somali immigrant music, could they be any further removed?

I personally want to know when white people are going to give up on vapid, repetitive, emotionless indie music. While hip-hop may no longer inspire the middle class rebel Guardian readers, it’s doing a lot for a lot of real people around the world. New and old.

But that Biggie stuff is super-wrong.