Tuesday, May 27, 2008

Tuesday's Top Ten: Overused Phrases or Words In The Black Community

  1. Y'ahmsayin (Rappers are paid to speak so in effect they ought to be masters of the english dictionary. By definition a lyricist ought to have a pretty firm grasp of the language with which he speaks and earns a living with, right? Well if you've heard a rapper talking to a reporter or another individual this is not the case. This word rears it's head at the end of sentences as if it were a period or some other sort of exclamation point. Do I know what you're saying? Are you seriously asking me this? I've just heard you talk for 5 minutes and go on and on about nothing at all and I'm not even sure you know what the hell you're saying. If you have to ask this question after expressing yourself then you've got some more work to do in making how you feel known.)
  2. Y'ahmean (this is cousin to previously stated 'y'ahmsayin' and just as ignorant.)
  3. Like (No lie, I've heard grown man say 'like' as if they were teenage white girls from Laguna Beach. It's only supposed to be used as a metaphorical term to stress likeness, rappers of all people ought to understand when this is most useful but always use and abuse the word with reckless abandonment.)
  4. 'At the End of the Day' (This is a phrase that basketball players and rappers alike use as often as air. So annoying. So stupid. At the end of the day shouldn't be used unless you're telling me that the sun sets or the store closes or something that actually occurs then. Black people are the only people that OD on this one right here. Seriously we need to let this one die.)
  5. I'm Saying (You're saying, I'm listening, we're all clear on what we're doing. No need on repeating this every five seconds.)
  6. 'Nuff Said (One of the all-time most cringe-worthy phrases to reach internet hip-hop messageboards ever. When someone is feeling themselves or what they just said so much they always use this like that puts the exclamation point on something. This is lame, people. Stop doing this to yourselves. Automatic loss to you, your mother, your father the doctor or midwife that delivered you and anyone else who had anything to do with your arrival into this world.)
  7. On Some ______ Shit (Rappers do this all the time. Very very annoying. Very unimaginative. You can almost insert any word in the blank and make a Hip-Hop safe/friendly word in perfect syntax. On some real shit, this shit sucks. Give it up.)
  8. You Feel Me (aka the Omar Little Syndrome)
  9. Basically (When you hear this word, you're almost certain to encounter some non-scientifc, fact deficient bullshit nonsense thereafter. The word itself implies that someone isn't giving you anything verbatim but instead is winging the next string of words off the top of their head.)
  10. Nigga (So easy, yet so unabashedly true. Nigga is pivotal to any conversation between black. It's such a mainstay that often times it slips out in talks with you and your white friends and makes things uncomfortable for a little bit. I'm not going to lie like I don't use the word too but since we can't quit it cold turkey we've got to really ween ourselves off of it. )

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