What the ****, December 11, 2021
-snip-
This is the YouTube video of the interview which went viral and sparked a lot of comments about African American actor Denzil Washington.
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Edited by Azizi Powell
This pancocojams post presents explanations regarding the African American Vernacular English words "Y’all Not Finna Try Unc that Tip" that went viral in a Dec. 11, 2021 tweet by an African American woman whose screen name is "Tip".
This post also presents an excerpt from a newspaper article excerpt and a YouTube video that document the context in which that tweet was posted.
Explanations about the African American Vernacular English words that were used in the full sentence of that tweet are also included in this pancocojams post.
The Addendum to this pancocojams includes information about Denzel Washington and information about Damson Idris. The Addendum also includes an excerpt from an article about Damson's Idris' response to that Denzel Washington interview.
The content of this post is presented for linguistic and cultural purposes.
All opyrights remain with their owners.
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ARTICLE EXCERPT ABOUT THAT INTERVIEW AND THE SUBSEQUENT TWEETS
From https://atlantablackstar.com/2021/12/12/yall-not-finna-try-unc-fans-come-to-denzel-washingtons-defense-after-veteran-actor-says-hes-never-heard-of-snowfall-star-damson-idris/ ‘Y’all Not Finna Try Unc’: Fans Come to Denzel Washington’s Defense After Veteran Actor Says He’s Never Heard of ‘Snowfall’ Star Damson Idris; Posted by Atahabih Germain | December 12, 2021
During an interview on the red carpet at the premiere of his newly directed film “a Journal for Jordan,” the 66-year-old star was informed that Idris’ auditioned to act alongside him in his 2016 Oscar-winning film “Fences.” Washington then was asked if he was familiar with the “Snowfall” star, who gained recognition for his role as Franklin Saint on the FX crime drama series.
Appearing genuinely perplexed, the “Malcolm X” star asked, “Who are you talking about? I don’t know who that is. What show? ‘Snowfall’? No disrespect, Damson, no disrespect.”
Though fans had their fun with the short clip — many thought Washington referred to the 30-year-old as “Dancin” instead of Damson — they were quick to come to his defense, including one Twitter user who wrote, “Y’all not finna try Unc (Denzel Washington) like he a hating ass old head, he really ain’t know who Damson Idris was & he even said ‘I’ll go find out’ so he’s gonna research him & see his work & Damson will get that exposure lol.”
[…]
[Pancocojam's Editor's WARNING: There's lots of profanity in that twitter thread]
@TheShadeRoom
Damson Idris plays too much! 😭 Can y’all guess which actor he’s channeling? 👀
3:09 PM · Dec 2, 2021·Twitter for iPhone
-snip-
This tweet is attached to a clip of Black British actor Damson Idris looking in a mirror, [or pretending to] and saying about his hair cut :
"Un hun um hum. Look at that. Sharp. He he he Ha ha. Haha!. No body got a line up like me on television.
Nobody. “
-snip-
This is my unofficial transcription of that clip.
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Here's the full tweet about that interview with Denzel Washington [from that same twitter account]. Notice that words that have gone viral are only a portion of a sentence in that tweet..
Tip
@Tiff2xs
Y’all not finna try Unc (Denzel Washington) like he a hating ass old head"...
Y'all
From https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/y%27all
"variant of YOU-ALL
chiefly Southern
: YOU —usually used in addressing two or more persons"
**
finna
1. From https://www.dictionary.com/e/slang/finna/
..."WHAT DOES FINNA MEAN?
Finna, a contraction of fixing to, means “getting ready to do something.”
It’s used to express a goal to take some sort of action in the near future.
Finna, sometimes pronounced or spelled as finta or fitna, is a shortening of the expression fixing to, like gonna is a shortening of going to."...
-snip-
Click http://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2021/09/the-history-use-of-african-american.html for the Sept. 2021 pancocojams post that I retitled "What The African American Vernacular English Word "Finna" REALLY Means"
**
try
In the context of this tweet, the African American Vernacular English meaning of "try" is "accuse someone of something and verbally put them on trial", "to prosecute" and judge" them [for some preceived wrong doing"].
Here's a legal meaning for the word "try"
From https://legal-dictionary.thefreedictionary.com/Try
"Try
To litigate a legal controversy; to argue a lawsuit in
court as an attorney; to sit in the role of a judge or jury to investigate and
decide upon questions of law and fact presented in such an action.
West's Encyclopedia of American Law, edition 2. Copyright
2008 The Gale Group, Inc. All rights reserved.
-snip-
Here's a link to nother tweet with that meaning of "try"
https://twitter.com/erickfernandez/status/791683781916823554
Erick Fernandez
@ErickFernandez
Replying to
@ErickFernandez
WHO YOU FINNA TRY I BET IT AIN'T ME...
vine.co
Nathaniel Tenenbaum's post on Vine
#RnBFacebookfights
12:51 PM · Oct 27, 2016·Twitter Web Client
**
Unc
A shortened form of the word "uncle". In African American Vernacular English, "unc" (also given in capital letters) refers to one's relatives and also is a midlly affectionate term for men who are in the "older" range of middle age, but aren't yet elderly. If they were elderly, they would be called "grandpa". Read the definition below for "old head". An unc may also be referred to as an "old head" ("oldhead")
The third definition given below is the closest online definition that fit this African American meaning of "unc".
From https://www.dictionary.com/browse/uncle
"a brother of one's father or mother.
an aunt's husband.
a familiar title or term of address for any elderly man."
-snip-
Examples of humorous descriptions of the way that some Black "uncs" look, act, and the clothes they wear are found online.
Here are some examples from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=04_8QGR9p-w&ab_channel=LelandBryant "If your uncle ain't on the grill like this...don't invite me", Leland Bryant, Jul 2, 2018
Summary statement: "Unc showing you how it's done..."
-snip-
Here are two comments from that video's discussion thread:
1. Mike Gillispie, 2020
"Laugh at unc if you wanna, I bet unc food was good 😂
😂😂🤣🤣"
**
2. Dioxyde from Carbono [ The Infamous One ], 2021
"He's old, he has fat, he's black, he has a watch
He's THE UNCLE"
-snip-
A number of YouTube videos on Anthony Adams' channel include skits about and descriptions of "uncs". Here's a line from his 2016 video entitled "Family Members at The Barbecue"
From https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8SCWEf1Dlok&ab_channel=AnthonyAdams
"Hey
unc. You still got the tag on, playa”. [2:25 in that video]
"Tag" here means "price tag" for a new article of clothing. "Playa" here is a midly affectionate term meaning someone who considers himself as being street wise, and able to "pull" [attract] women".
**
hatin'
From https://www.dictionary.com/browse/hater
Informal. a person who thrives on showing hate toward,
criticizing, or belittling other people or things, usually unfairly:
The guy is just a hater, looking for a fight."
**
ass
In the context of this tweet, the word "ass" means "someone"; i.e, The word "ass" is used as a quick referent for the entire body.
For instance: "Get your ass over here." and "He's a lazy ass".
-snip-
Click https://reallifeglobal.com/ass/ for a 2013 article by Justin entitled "34 Ways to Use the Word ASS: Idioms, Slang and Collocation".
**
old head (often written as "oldheads")
From https://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=Old%20Head
"Old Head
An old person
That old head is crazy!!!
by Sean M. September 10, 2002
-snip-
The term "old head" can be used as a term of respect or disrespect. The opposite of "old head" is "young blood" (a young person).
-snip-
"A hatin' ass old head" is an old head who hates on people (or certain people, or a certain person).
-snip-
Click https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0Sh3IgGWItA&ab_channel=AnthonyAdams for the
2017 comedy skit entitled "Oldheads overdress for everything" by Anthony Adams. The summary for this video skit reads "Don't matter where you're going, Oldheads will overdress!".
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ADDENDUM #1: INFORMATION ABOUT DENZEL WASHINGTON & INFORMATION ABOUT DAMSON IDRIS
From https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Denzel_Washington
"Denzel Hayes Washington Jr. (born December 28, 1954) is an
American actor, director, and producer. Known for his performances on the
screen and stage, he has been described as an actor who reconfigured "the
concept of classic movie stardom".[1] He has frequently collaborated with
directors Spike Lee, Antoine Fuqua, and Tony Scott. He has earned various
awards including two Academy Awards, three Golden Globe Awards, a Screen Actors
Guild Award, and a Tony Award.[2] In 2016, he received the Cecil B. DeMille
Lifetime Achievement Award. In 2020, The New York Times ranked him as the
greatest actor of the twenty-first century.[3]...
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From https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Damson_Idris
"Damson Idris (born 2 September 1991) is a British actor. He
currently stars on John Singleton's crime drama Snowfall, which debuted 5 July
2017 on FX.[1][2] He played the co-lead in Netflix's sci-fi action film Outside
the Wire (2021).
Early life and education
Idris was born in Peckham, South-East London, and is of
Nigerian descent….
Career
....Idris's breakout role is Franklin Saint, an ambitious
19-year-old drug dealer in Los Angeles, in the FX crime drama Snowfall from
John Singleton, which debuted in July 2017. The first series of Snowfall — set
in 1983 as the United States is on the verge of the crack cocaine epidemic —
weaves together the stories of several characters whose lives will soon collide
because of drugs.[2] Idris auditioned through video in London before flying out
to Los Angeles, where he spent the day with Singleton, who wanted to ensure
Idris had mastery of the accent.[8] To practise his American accent he worked
with rapper WC, who tutored him on not just an authentic accent but the
mannerisms specific to South Central Los Angeles.[9] Idris earned strong
reviews for his performance; Malcolm Venable of TV Guide called him
"nothing short of captivating."[10] The second series of Snowfall,
set in 1984, premiered in July 2018.[9]
[…]
Personal life
Idris is a devoted football fan and supports Manchester
United F.C. He said his hero is American actor Denzel Washington. In 2017, he
told Interview magazine, "[Denzel is] phenomenal. I didn't know I wanted
to be an actor, but once it found me I looked at whom people were saying were
great. I looked at who I wanted to be like. Not just in acting, but in their
personal life as well. Being a well-rounded person, a fine example of good taste
and prestige and class, that's what I really chased, so he was the person that
did it for me."...
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ADDENDUM #2: "Damson Idris responds to Denzel Washington saying he doesn’t know him"
From https://news.yahoo.com/damson-idris-responds-denzel-washington-020509467.html
by Aisha Powell
...when an interviewer on the red carpet for the new film [Denzel] Washington directed, A Journal for Jordan, asked him about the comparisons and [Damson] Idris’ open admiration for him, he was noticeably confused.
[...].
“Not Denzel Washington not knowing who Damson Idris is,”
said one Twitter user about the exchange.
Another user posted that the exchange was innocent, writing, “Denzel Washington having no clue who Damson Idris is, is so innocently cute! But when he called him “dancing” I truly lost it!!!”
The video eventually made it to Idris, who jokingly changed his name on Twitter to “Dancin Address,” and tweeted, “Call me Dancin Address from now on. I won’t answer to anything else.”.
December 12, 2021
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