Gangsta rap is like PHP: I enjoy it because I grew up with it, but it's getting hard to defend intellectually.
Setting aside jokes, I've listened to many different types of rap, but I don't like rap that's intellectual. I prefer the mainstream songs about drugs and partying (e.g. Rick Ross and Lil' Wayne) to the songs that try to start a dialogue about social issues (e.g. Common).
I'm open to hearing about intellectual issues when I read articles or listen to talk radio, but I really don't like music that tries to make a point because I associate music with entertainment. Interesting how the medium can affect the message on a person to person basis.
Sometimes when I'm stuck in traffic I'll say to myself, "Dead in the middle of little Italy little did we know that we riddled some middle man who didn't do diddly."
Girlfriend: "What was that?"
Me: "Oh...uhhh..nothing."
Amen! I'm a self proclaimed audiophile. I've dump an absurd amount of money, and even more time setting up my listening environment. I will have listening parties with other snobby audiophile types and we'll have in depth discussions about compression aggressivness, staging, balance, etc.. but even given all that, I'll still put on a Lil John album -- which is like the poster child for "dumb" music -- and rock out.
Sometimes it's OK to have a little fun while listening to music, people! Not everything needs to be deeply mindful and complex. Just pop in something that fits the moment and stirs up a little emotion.