“Aiyo, this ain’t mumbo jumbo: it’s Mumpo Slizz”

These days, it’d be unheard of for a hip hop artist to start every song with the same line. But that’s exactly what Mumpo Slizz did back in the 80s. And despite the creative ways he deployed his famous opener, it’s probably the main reason people today criticize him for being too “old school.” They also focus on how he only used that single “AAAA/AAAA…” rhyme scheme, the seemingly endless “wiggity wiggity wiggity wack”s, and the way every song told a story about a single day in Mumpo’s life from sunrise to sunset.

To which I say: you’re missing the point. Yes, in Mumpo’s day, rap music had strict rules about meter, form, and content. But the same was true of poetry in Shakespeare’s time. That’s as good a reason as any for why you can never dislike something because of its structure or conventions. Instead, when it comes to Mumpo, you need to pay attention to things like his descriptions of the sun setting after a good day. They’re some of the greatest nature raps from any period. He’s also a funny person. I don’t have any specific examples but whenever I think of him, I get a strong vision of this witty guy, always cracking jokes, but not in a mean way.

That’s why he’s my pick for 5th greatest rapper of all time. Check back tomorrow for number 4.