I see your point & it's valid to an extent & you asked it yourself, "What message are we sending the kids?" That's why the mainstream is where it's at. Hollywood has always been fake & where the money is at, but all of a sudden we demand rappers to be real?
That is not the message I want my kids to get. That in order to be a rapper you have to rap about your real life issues, or not do it at all. First lesson to my kids would be like so...
"See the skinny bald guy with tattoos son? See the big fat guy son? Not me, son I'm talking about the guy in the picture (LOL!) That's 2Pac & Biggie. They were rappers way before you were born & were legends, but lost their lives over stupidity. Death Row Records was a label everybody dreamed of being on at one time & would of made more money, but you know what happened? Them guys kept trying to prove they were gangsters & you know the 2 places real gangsters will end up at?"
"That's right, son in prison or dead. So, if your smart enough to take people away for a little bit by entertaining them, do it and make your money. Stay away from the nonsense and them people who talk trash. You'll never make everybody happy in this world, so don't worry about them or what you need to prove to them. You owe them nothing. The movie & music industry are fake son, but that doesn't mean you have to be fake within yourself. Go for your dream, be successful and never look back or take a time out unless it's worth it."