XXL reports:

The lack of hardcore hip-hop has seemingly coincided with rappers being exposed in the last two years.

Though not a rapper per se, Akons street credibility took a hit when thesmokinggun.com reported that the hookmans rap sheet was fabricated back in April 2008. Kon had reportedly only spent a few months in prison for stealing one BMW rather than serve a 4 1/2 years term for being the ring leader of a car theft ring. Meanwhile, three months later, Plies, hip-hops self-proclaimed goon came under fire for allegedly being a college kid who lied about his criminal past. Last but not least, Rick Ross was outted for being a correctional officer the same month. Presently on a campaign to bring hardcore hip-hop back, 50 Cent weigh in on the correlation between rapperss questionable street creds and the lack of interest in gangsta rap.

With Plies, if you say hes a college kid, so what? the Queens rapper told XXLMag.com. I wish I was a college kid. I wish I didnt grow up under the circumstances I had to grow up under. I would have liked to just go to college and study business.

I see him rap about the girls a lot, so thats true, he continued. From my perspective, Plies, his strong hit records are about femalesand Bust It Baby and that type of material. To me thats authentic. He gon get the girls. You see him, decked out, hes right, girls like him. Thats official.

As expected, Fif had a different take on the Rick Ross controversy. What was awkward was being part of law enforcement and completely writing drug dealer material and the biggest drug dealer in the world material, Fif explained. That was a little bit fictional. I mean hip-hop in generalI dont think anybody is actively out, anybody with good sense aint actively out doing exactly what they said on the record or they wont actually last cause youll get attention from law enforcement based on what you saying.

Can you imagine what its likewhen you convince the general public that youre that person, youre also convincing law enforcement, Fif added. This is why you dont see me out and about as often as you see these other guys at frivolous events, just wherever. Im not with it.