Freedom of Speech

As hip hop culture continues to phase towards mainstream culture, urban vernacular (or ebonics) has also increasingly become a part of everyday conversation. This is interesting not only because urban slang is commonly looked down upon by structural powers, authority figures, and academics alike even though it is a cultural phenomenon. The slang that these authority figures look down upon, is the same slang that their children probably throw around in the playgrounds, listen to on top 40 radio, or watch on television. Even Google's spell checker highlights the word ebonics with a red line because it is not considered to be a real English word. For a quick audio learning experience about ebonics, you can listen to Big L's appropriately titled song "Ebonics" or read the lyrics here at Lyrics freak. Many of these sayings are now out of date which is the beauty of the English language, it is always evolving. Contrary to what many say, urban vernacular is not a bastardization of the language. It is actually a portrayal in the ever changing structure and fluidity of youth and urban culture that should be embraced for what it is, a form of individual expression.

This is how slang gets phased into society:

Phrase first uttered in neighborhoods such as the South Bronx, Brownsville, Compton, East St. Louis, or other center of urban culture.

Becomes the code name for an illicit drug in previously mentioned neighborhood.

Mentioned in a HOT 97 shout-out past midnight.

Mentioned in a HOT 97 shout-out before midnight.

Becomes the nickname for a basketball player on the And 1 Mixtape Tour.

Used in a rap mixtape CD song that sells for five dollars.

Becomes the main phrase in the chorus of a mainstream rap song.

Is used in a Sportscenter highlight.

People start asking others what the phrase means.

Has one definition on urbandictionary.com

Has multiple definitions on urbandictionary.com

Makes it onto Wikipedia.

Makes it into movies such as Malibu's Most Wanted that are meant to poke fun at urban culture and others' obsession with it.

Your grandmother knows what it means.

Your grandmother rolls her eyes when somebody says it.

For Example: bling bling; phat; crunk

People such as the teacher in this video have even tried to address the cultural disconnect between urban slang and accepted "white" speech.



Although he thinks he's doing his students a favor by incorporating them with the rest of society, it is pretty racist and unfair to say that these children must fix something that they do not even know exists. Not surprisingly this "news" segment appeared on the fair and balanced Fox News. This is the equivalent of me wondering why certain folk say "howdy" as opposed to "whattup" or "hello."

Let people speak the way they speak. What is considered to be acceptable or unacceptable speech should be individual choices and not a societal one.

What it do.

That is all
-y