I beg to differ: i have always found puff daddy a maker not a creator,he basically kept nicking ideas off other producers and turned them into a bland mainstream thing (not to mention the image he projected, a cancerous virus). That guy had a crucial role in the regression of(mainstream) US black music, which certainly wasn't in such a great shape then (and still isn't).
Dre probably did some nice things in his earlier years but i never bought that gangsta **** (besides his Beats headphones are just a ripoff, ah ah!). He is another one who nailed a few nails into the (mainstream) hip hop coffin. That guy was an innovator up to a certain point and he was lucky the US majors bought that gangsta crap, as it could provide them more money by brainwashing uneducated youths.
I don't generally endorse form over substance.
Dave Kelly (not to forget Lenky) most certainly influenced a fair number of US r&b/rap producers who made millions by "borrowing" ideas from 90's hardcore dancehall. Like you, i feel sad that a vast majority of JA music doesn't sound more Jamaican these days, but it must be said that in the late 90's and the early 2000's, they led the way and were overtaken once more by mainstream US producers who took, remixed, blended their sounds and regurgitated them as weaker formulas. (Major Lazer does the same today, though it must be said that the guys seems to have a more genuine respect for the original dancehall culture - the one that was played at sound systems much more often than in clubs).
As for french reggae, deep inside, you know damn well you are wrong: there are a lot a fine musicians in our country now and a good number of them get a tip of the hat from JA artists. That says tons more than your prejudices. I would agree with you if you said the same thing about vocalists but about musicians, that's most unfair. For reasons that are your own, you have been harping on the same pet peeves for many years on forums. A forum is a place where people debate, so rest assured that there are a lot of people who don't agree with you. French reggae has improved by leaps and bounds in the last 20 years. Of course, not many people will come to contradict you on an anglo-saxon forum!
