It's not so much me praising anybody, but I'm not gonna act like there's some artists doing this stuff that's not advancing their careers. Now that said, Mars, Menacide, SKR, Q-Strange, V Sinizter...alot of these cats that have fan bases and are doing shows still have yet to really reach that brass ring. Say what you say about Prozak and Grave Plott, but these guys got nationwide distro, rocked several tours, so they kinda reached that one step alot of the aformentioned artists still haven't (to that extent, anyway).
Far as the genre going downhill...I personally would love to see more act that actually come with skills, with lyrics, with creative and exciting ways to come with shit. I'll admit it sucks, just not seeing that right now. But I never really get the argument about the issues some fans have with images and the crazy voice shit. That's Horror, plain and simple. Not everyone's gonna have Flatlinerz or Gravediggaz in mind when they rap. I personally think there should be a balance: Horrorcore with that hip-hop sensibility (again, focus on lyricism and creative subject matter), and the more low brow low rent horror rap shit. That would be a direct reflection of the horror movie genre: you got the good shit, then you got the B-level "so bad it's good" shit that garners more of a cult base. There's enough underground money for everybody.