Keyboards

Whats the best keyboard to purchase on the market right now.
I'm using a Mpc2000xl, and dealing with a hiphop music.
My budget can't exceed $500.00

edriol midi keyboard a spin off company by roland. under 200 buck they come in 31, 61, 76 keys.

Get a sound module and a controller keyboard. You'll have way more options than just looking at keyboards because you won't be paying for a sequencer (you don't need one, you got the MPC).

Look at some joints from E-MU, or the Roland JV series. They give you plenty of room for expandability...

Get Reason 2.5, you can get it as cheap as free (maybe $80 for a low-latency sound card), if you know how to use FX and mix in general you can get as good a sound as a triton (I've used both). Sequence everything through the MPC. Otherwise, Motif rack, then Triton rack, then everything else for hip-hop.