Doug E. Fresh & Slick Rick "La Di Da Di"

Hyperbole and rap go hand-in-hand. Rappers have long declared they're the "best," "greatest," or "first."

Doug E. Fresh and Slick Rick have legitimate claim to many such proclamations as "La Di Da Di" fits a lot of those descriptions.

A narrative tale about a day in the life of its central character, the song was unlike most rap at the time, which was more about boasting than actual storytelling.

"La Di Da Di" set the groundwork for Slick Rick's career, and he's widely regarded as the first -- and perhaps greatest -- storytelling rapper.

Not to be outdone, Doug E. Fresh ("The World's Greatest Entertainer") is the only instrument on the record. His beatboxing grabs your attention at first, but like a good house band that knows its job, it almost fades into background because it's so, damn good, occasionally returning to the forefront to remind you just how good it is.

"La Di Da Di" may be the most-sampled and covered song of all time, according to one web site. This fact led me to an early-semester discussion with my writing students about sampling, which I once caught on video because one of my colleagues, who sat in on my class, said she couldn't believe what I did.