Intelligent lyrics are a key reason some listeners choose certain rappers. Many notice that flashy jewelry can hide a lack of depth, while legends like Biggie, Pac, and Ghostface earn respect for their words. Fans also talk about how race and personal history shape expectations in hip‑hop.
![“I think people were genuinely addicted to hip hop in the 90s, addicted to the idea of empowerment. I think it came from [the fact that] the rappers in the 90s, their parents coming from the 70s, had such a rich variety of records to sample.” quote by M.I.A](https://sms4smile.com/q/img-quotes/855/m-i-a-3418_empowerment_i-think-people-were-genuinely-addicted-t_1920052.jpg)
![“I mean, it's not just the rappers, you know what i'm saying? People want to attack anybody that's a large figure, you know what I'm saying? They did it to [Michael] Jordan, they did it to [Mike] Tyson, they did it to Bill Cosby, you know what I'm saying? They're gonna' attack you if you on top.” quote by The Notorious B.I.G](https://sms4smile.com/q/img-quotes/ac8/the-notorious-b-i-g-8034_attack_i-mean-it-s-not-just-the-rappers-you-kno_27728.png)
