Biz Markie was more than a knucklehead. He demonstrated how enjoyable hip-hop can be.

 If you read enough about Biz Markie, the rapper who died on Friday, you'll come across terms like "goofball" and "clown." But it's the sound of one word in particular that has encapsulated the hip-hop legend's influence for more than 30 years

That wailing delivery of the word “you” (as in “Yeeeeeewwwww — you got what I need”) came courtesy of his best-known musical gift to the world: the breezy, pleading heartbreak anthem “Just a Friend

Consider how long it's been since you last heard it: Since its 1989 debut, the song has been a fixture of advertisements, karaoke showstoppers, mall stroll, cookout singalongs, dance parties, and every other social event when you might need or desire a grin on your face

Hip-hop aficionados of a particular generation will recall the performer's contagious energy in the song's music video, who wore a powdered, Mozart-style wig. And his endearing, unmistakable grin from ear to ear.