Hip-hop is still going strong. It managed to survive the untimely deaths of rap kings such as Notorious B.I.G. and 2Pac and shifted to a new focus: Although artists such as Jay-Z and Snoop gained commercial success while maintaining their street creditability, hip-hop became a marketing product. Violence was on the rise, rappers got into trouble with the law some innocent (Puffy Daddy), some guilty. And some of the elite rappers left the game because things were not what they used to be. Artists such as Puffy, Missy Elliott and Busta Rhymes have entertained us with million-dollar videos. Rappers are becoming CEO's, starting clothing lines(Sean John), owning film companies, and stepping up to defend the culture. And with dominating artists such as Nelly, Eminem, Lil' Bow WOW, Lil' Romeo, Dre, Outkast and many more putting it down, hip-hop is here for the long run. It's not just music, it's a way of life.