For any jazz-hop or hip hop heads out there, gotta love "The Hop" from A Tribe Called Quest. Can't help but purse my lips and vibe back and forth to it.
No doubt. Some old school De La is worth mentioning too.
There's so much stuff out there in so many different styles that I really can't imagine how someone could possibly dismiss the entire genre. Most people start out with late 80s-early 90s Jazz Rap like De La Soul and the aforementioned ATCQ, but unfortunately a lot of people also get stuck there. Hip Hop evolves exponentially, and there's so much crazy stuff coming out in both the mainstream and underground (terms that are quickly becoming irrelevant) that there's gotta be something relateable to you somewhere. I guess what I'm saying is anyone feel free to ask for suggestions or recommendations. I live for that kind of shit.