Here we go again. Just when we thought that the argument between Gucci Mane and T.I. over who invented trap music was finally finished, Chief Keef has potentially started a whole new round of discourse.
Last night, Keef tweeted, "Do you guys love me for creating Mumble???," crediting himself as the sole inventor of one of rap music's most controversial genres: mumble rap.
For those of you who aren't in the know, mumble rap is the sub-genre of rap that exemplifies slurred delivery, heavy references to the usage of narcotics, and general weirdness. It often gets mixed up with the currently popular "Soundcloud Rap" sub-genre, and has come to include popular artists like Lil Uzi Vert, Lil Yachty, and Playboi Carti.
The term is often given a negative connotation, prompting some rappers to shun the label. Case in point being the Migos song, "Narcos," off their Culture II album, where part of the hook says, "Real rap, no mumble."
To Keef's credit, he has come to be considered by some to be one of the most influential rap artists in recent memory, despite his brief period of mainstream success. Aspects of his music can be found everywhere in the new generation of rappers, and he's typically given credit for being the artist to bring Chicago's "Drill" scene to the masses, so it's possible that his claim to the mumble rap crown is legitimate.
While there haven't been any other artists to step up to the plate and challenge Keef on his claims, surely there's someone else out there who feels that they were the true inventors of mumble rap.
What do you guys think? Did Chief Keef actually invent mumble rap, and if so, is this something that he should even be proud of having invented?