Ok you don't listen to ALL hip-hop then? Just top 100? Well 2 time grammy-winning artists Arrested Development had religious-themed rap music in the 90s that reached commercial success that didn't rap about gangster stuff. Also in the mainstream top 100 category Tupac had preachers starting songs, heavy Christian themes in his music, and him on a GD cross (post-mortem pic but still) lol Kanye is a product of his influences and those influences run deeper than Kanye. He can't help it that he was a middle class kid who would have been clowned if he rapped for the streets. He took advantage of his connections to nudge his was into the spotlight. Plus his quote from Drink Champs about being a culture vulture to Backpack Rap says it all. Pop over hip-hop.