What is your definition of "Hip-Hop"?

I've been a fan and a product of hip-hop for as long as I can remember. It plays a major influence in my life. I think most people over look the fact that hip-hop is not a genre of music and confuse it with rap. Rap is also a product of hip-hop, but it is not the same thing as hip-hop. Hip-hop is far greater than rap. Hip-hop is a way of life. It's an entire culture. It is the way you dress, walk, talk, how you carry yourself, your entire swagger, demeanor, etc. So I don't understand how people can say one person is not hip-hop because they aren't a great "rapper". I too used to be a hater. Because of the fact that I rap, and lyrics are so important to me, I disliked the artist like Soulja Boy. He is one of the greatest artist of our time and because he lacks so much lyrical complexity he's seen as someone who is not hip-hop. This is wrong. Soulja Boy is more hip-hop than you know. He came out doing something at a time no one else was doing. No one else had the mind set, creativity, or even the courage to attempt. What inspires me about Soulja Boy is the fact that he has fun doing what he does. He raps, dances and make beats. Minus the producing this sounds a lot like Big Daddy Kane's resume, does it not? Look at Tupac Shakur. Arguably one of the greatest artist of all time. He was not very lyrical at all. In fact, he too lacked a great deal of lyricism. But his passion for his craft, creativity and his love of art allowed him to be one of the most influential, heartfelt and sincere rappers ever. When artist like Nas make statements like "hip-hop is dead", whether or not it is, it will begin to die. Nas has a very strong influence on the youth, and hip-hop culture. So when he says something, whether or not you felt that way before, you begin to believe him. It all coincides with the theory of "The Secret". Law of attraction. I feel that we as a whole need to think more about what we feel before we generate an opinion about someone, something, or an idea/issue. Look at it from all angles and think outside of the box. Ask yourself why you feel the way you do. It doesn't make you crazy to question yourself. This is just my opinion(s) on the topic at hand. How do you feel?