[SilentKnight]

For the most part, I wouldn't consider being able to appeal to the masses by putting out music that they'll easily buy into intelligent, at least not the type of intelligence I'm looking for in rap music and definitely not the type of intelligence I can agree with.
Let's face it, most people out there are pretty much "sheep" in terms of music. Entire masses of people will buy into specific genres just to try and fit in with a certain crowd and feel special. Sell-out rappers know that these people will continue to buy their CDs regardless of musical quality and talent. These people will continue to buy their CDs just to fit in with their own little social circle and so said rappers continue to market themselves as gangsters and thugs with little concern for what they produce.
So basically, they're just good at marketing themselves, that's all. I suppose you could say that that is in a sense clever and intelligent since they're making a lot of money by doing little work. But like I said, it's not the type of intelligence I can agree with or support.