There are just so many ways to enjoy the song and accompanying video for “Lip Gloss” by 17-year-old, Brooklyn-based rapper Lil’ Mama.

And dare I say that all of those way lead back to the song being important? Well… noteworthy at least.

But before we get into analysis, let’s take a moment to enjoy the video:

The first thing you may have noticed is that Lil’ Mama is pretty great rapper. Check out her flow in the breakdown that starts at 2:30. She enunciates every syllable, but she still sounds relaxed. And the way she says the word “poppin’” in the chorus? How awesome is that? It’s got a sassy little punch at the end that demands a smile.

I welcome Lil’ Mama because it has been far too long since an excellent female rapper burst onto the scene.

And musically, this song fascinates because it is the most accessible example I’ve heard of the hip-hop trend toward cutting all instrumentation out of a track . In other words: this song doesn’t have any musical notes. Not a one! Just hand claps and kick drums. Does my surprise make me old-fashioned? Maybe. But while it’s obviously connected to call-and-response traditions, this song is also like the pop manifestation of John Cage sitting down at the piano and not making any sound. How little music can you use and still call it a song?

This little, apparently. Because the song rules. (This Village Voice story would seem to agree.)

After the jump, it’s time to consider why Lil’ Mama’s image is a surprise.

Lil’ Mama’s image is a surprise because for all its swagger, it is still infused with innocence. In the video, she’s roaming the halls of a middle school, surrounded by lockers and teenagers, and she is — wait for it — wearing a sweatshirt and jeans.

I make this point because the last major star to debut with a video that placed her in a school was Britney Spears. In “…Baby One More Time,” Spears is dressed like a slutty Catholic school girl, white shirt tied up to reveal her navel, skirt cut short, and eyes full of come hither stares. She is a child presented as a sexual fantasy for others to enjoy. On the other hand, Lil’ Mama projects the youthful self-confidence of a kid who knows she’s cool and isn’t worried about much else. She’s not here for our pleasure. She’s here because she wants to point out that she’s awesome.

I call that “innocence” because here’s what Lil’ Mama boasts about: how boys think she’s cute and how her principal wants to borrow her lip gloss. At end of the video, we see her in the car with her mother, being told that she’s got enough inner beauty to make plenty of friends, lip gloss or no. And like plenty of teenagers, Lil’ Mama can’t really articulate her reaction. When her mom says, “Mama, it wasn’t the lip gloss. It was you all along,” our heroine can only say, “I know but… wow… like.”

Spoken like an actual kid, you know?

Hearing this song also makes me realize how long it’s been since we’ve had a rap single that was nothing but fun. It’s catchy, I can dance to it, and there are no lyrics that make me feel like I’m selling out my politics in order to groove. (I’ve wrestled with this problem on my blog.)

As that “Voice” story states, some hip-hop purists are demeaning Lil’ Mama for her candy-coated rhymes, but that’s an unhelpful attitude. If all hip-hop is dark or angry or sexual or otherwise “adult,” then it gets stale. After all, Young MC isn’t talking about much of anything in “Bust a Move,” nor are DJ Jazzy Jeff and Fresh Prince being anything but bubblegum in “Parents Just Don’t Understand.” But would we call those songs anything but amazing? We would not. And “Lip Gloss” deserves the same respect.