I see a lot of people analyzing hip-hop from a Shakespearean literature perspective. I think, with Eminem and Lil Wayne as an exception, the best hip-hop is more influenced by spiritual scripture. At its best, hip-hop is evangelical, preachy, and focused on manifestation.
The reason Kendrick, for example, hits deep is because you can literally hear the Bible verses that were forced on his ancestors by the slavers.
And the reason Kanye is so inspiring is because you're listening to someone who took the gospel a bit more seriously than most of us.
Of course, you can't ignore the vulgarity and advertising nature of the craft, which is the capitalist attempt to make the craft accessible to those who are not so spiritually craving. A big part of that is Jay-Z's way of bragging. It is a sort of an Aleister Crowley-an rebellion against the Christian order. No wonder he comes off to many as satanic.
But all in all, good hip-hop is mostly a reinterpretation, rejection, or other sort of reaction to the Christian Bible for the American searching for freedom.
The beef season is back on and I will try to react to Kendrick vs The Game beef that is if Dot bites the bullet. But I am not going to do videos man, Black people need to embrace reading.
That is my top 4,3,5,2,1,6.