HipHop Producers, The New DJ or the New MC? Options

[fameONE]

Twenty years ago, people listened to a song because of the artist; the emcee. There wasn't a stress on who was in front of the soundboard because all eyes were on the person(s) in the booth.

Today, producers are as big as artists, probably even bigger. Some say that this takes away from the poetic element of hiphop and furthers the genre into a state of mainstream 'pop.'

To name a few producers:

KanYe West, Dr. Dre, Just Blaze, Swizz Beatz, Play N Skills, Skillz, Missy Elliot Timbaland, Jermaine Dupri, David Banner, Lil John & the Eastside Boyz, Jazzy Pha, The Heatmakerz, Mannie Fresh, Baby, 9th Wonder, DJ Danger Mouse, DJ Muggs, The Alchemist, Needlez, RZA, DJ Premier, Mixmaster Mike, DJ Z-Trip, The Neptunes, Madlib, Ant, DJ Quik, Eminem, Scott [BITER] Storch, Wyclef Jean, 88 Keyz, Alicia Keys, etc

How do you think this redirected attention is helping/hurting hiphop?

Discuss.