"Mess With Me And I'll Mess You Up" & Other Confrontational Language In African American Foot Stomping Cheers (Part I - A- H)

Edited by Azizi Powell

Latest edition - November 16, 2024

This is Part I of a two Part pancocojams series that provides an alphabetized compilation of some of the text (word only) examples of foot stomping cheers that I've come across which include "You mess with me and I'll mess you up" or other confrontational language.

Click https://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2024/11/mess-with-me-and-ill-mess-you-up-other_14.html for Part II in this series. That post presents examples of these cheers that begin with the letter (J-Z).

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This pancocojams series about foot stomping cheers that include confrontation language is a sub-set of a larger compilation entitled "Foot Stomping Cheers Alphabetical List".

Click http://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2016/09/foot-stomping-cheers-alphabetical-list.html for Part I of that series. The links to the other part of that series are included in that post. That post also includes additional notes about the general topic of foot stomping cheers.

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WHAT I MEAN BY "AFRICAN AMERICAN GIRLS' FOOT STOMPING CHEERS"
By "African American foot stomping cheers" I mean cheers that originated (originate) among African Americans and were (are) almost always performed in their original form by African American girls. 

This description doesn't mean that these foot stomping cheers weren't (aren't) performed in their original un-modified textual (word) and/or foot stomping/hand clapping styles by females or males who weren't (aren't) African American.
-snip-
Examples of "modified" versions of these foot stomping cheers are found in Bring It On cheerleader cheer movies and among some contemporary "mainstream" cheerleader cheer repertoires.

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A DEFINITION AND A BRIEF HISTORY OF FOOT STOMPING CHEERS

"Foot stomping cheers" are a type of children's cheerleader cheers" that appears to have been very commonly chanted and performed by two or more African American girls between the ages of six and 12 years old as part of their informal recreational playtime.

Based on online documentation, this relatively new category of children's recreational play appears to have been very widely performed among African American girls throughout the United States from the mid to late 1970s to around 2009. The earliest documentation of these types of cheerleader cheers is the 1978 vinyl record entitled Old Mother Hippletoe, Rural and Urban Children's Songs. That record included four children's cheers, two of which I'd categorize as foot stomping cheers. That record's song notes indicates that these girls were chanting and doing "gymnastic movements" while they pretended to be actual cheerleaders.

More information about the cheers examples that are found in that 1976 record is given in the comment section below for this pancocojams post.

I coined the term "foot stomping cheers" in 2000 for this sub-set of children's cheerleader cheers that have distinctive textual structures and distinctive performance styles. The term "foot stomping cheers" distinguishes examples of that category from other cheerleader cheers. However, these compositions appear to usually be referred to as "rhymes", "cheers". "chants", steps", or "stomps". 

From the late 1980s to 2009 I collected examples of foot stomping cheers from my daughter and her friends, and from other African American girls in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania and some of its surrounding African American cities. My daughter also collected some examples of these cheers from African American girls in the mid 1990s as part of her role as a summer camp counselor in the Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania area. The general rule that foot stomping cheers were informally performed as leisure recreational activities were the shows that my after school groups which I named "Alafia Children's Ensemble" held in Braddock, Pennsylvania and in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania from 1990 to 2005. Read the comment section below for information about Alafia Children's Ensemble.

It's important to note that performing foot stomping cheers is a form of play acting. In confrontational foot stomping cheers girls dramatize "attitude", particularly being angry or  including being "tough", angry, and/or sassy. This doesn't mean that these girls express these emotions every day, all of the time.

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WHAT IS THE OVER-ALL CULTURAL MEANING OF FOOT STOMPING CHEERS THAT INCLUDE CONFRONTATIONAL LANGUAGE?

Foot stomping cheers that include confrontational language such as "mess with me and I'll mess you up" reflect the value that African American culture as a whole places upon being self-confident. That self-confidence is expressed by being outwardly strong, standing up for yourself, not (immediately) doing what people tell you to do, relying on your own abilities to protect and defend yourself and those people and things they care about. This value can be summed up as "giving attitude and talking tough". The words "mess with me and I'll mess you up" is one way that being tough is shown in foot stomping cheers.

It's important to note that being "tough" is one of the three highest values that were expressed in foot stomping cheers. The other two values are "being physically attractive and sexy (i.e. "being fine") and being well coordinated (i.e. being able to stay on beat while stomping and clapping and being able to dance.)  

Confrontational foot stomping cheers is just one category of foot stomping cheers. Other categories are "introductory cheers", "dance cheer", "romance cheers". The category of any foot stomping cheer is determined by the focus of the words in that cheer and it's possible that a cheer can be a combination of categories.

Confrontational cheers aren't the only sub-category of foot stomping cheers that include a somewhat subtle element of confrontation in which the soloist refuses to do what is asked of her. For example, there are elements of confrontation in what I refer to as "Command/compliance" cheers. Those cheers are usually considered to be a combination of introductory and dance style cheers. (The category of foot stomping cheers is determined by what the cheer's mostly words focus on.)

"Command/compliance" are the first two steps in particular cheers that begin with and  repeat with each soloist these following formula:
1.The group commands (or asks) the soloist to do something ( such as "show me how you get down").
2. The soloist initially refuses (declines) by saying something like "No way".
3. The group demands (asks) the soloist the same thing again
4. The soloist agrees to do what is asks of her. The soloist demonstrates that she is strong and not a push over by refusing to immediately do what the group demands (or asks) her to do.

Here's an example of a command/compliance cheer (that is part of the introductory/dance foot stomping cheer categories)   

Group: Hey, Shaquala!

Soloist #1: Yo! *

Group: Innn-TRO-duce yourself.

Soloist #1: No way.

Group: Innn-TRO-duce yourself.

Soloist #1: Okay.

My name is Shaquala.

Group: Hey! Hey!

Soloist #1:They call me Quala.

Group: Hey! Hey!

Soloist #1: My sign is Aries.

Group: Hey! Hey!

Soloist #1: I like to dance.

Group: Hey! Hey!

Soloist #1: I wanna be a dancer for the rest of my life.

-Tazi M. Powell; Pittsburgh, PA mid. 1980s; transcribed from audio tape by Azizi Powell, 1997
-snip-
In the context of those cheers, the soloist's response of "No way" means that "I'm not going to show you how to do that dance right now just because you ask me to."  The "no way" response doesn't mean "I don't know how to do what you want me to do". 

When the word "Yo" became outdated, it was replaced by the word "What" or "Hey what". 

A somewhat modified version of this "Introduce Yourself" cheer was popularized by its inclusion in the first movie in the 2000 Bring It On cheerleader movie series.

Click https://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2024/01/examples-of-introduce-yourself-get-down.html for the pancocojams post entitled "Examples Of "Introduce Yourself", "Show Me How You Get Down" & Other Examples Of Command/Refusal Foot Stomping Cheers". That post includes a YouTube video of the "Introduce Yourself" cheer that was performed in the 2000 Bring It On movie.

Examples of "Introduce Yourself" foot stomping cheers that I have collected are given in Part II of this pancocojams series.

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SOME EXAMPLES OF FOOT STOMPING CHEERS THAT INCLUDE CONFRONTATIONAL LANGUAGE  (that begin with the letter "A"-"H" or include examples with another title that are forms of cheers that begin with "A" or "H".

The examples in this pancocojams compilation include elements from other foot stomping cheer categories besides "confrontational cheers". Based on what their words focus on, some of these examples combine confrontation words with "introductory" words, "dance" words, and/or "romantic" words. 


Additional information about a specific cheer or an explanation of a word or words in that cheer may be given after its example in that particular pancocojams series.

 A, B

ANGELS GO SWINGING

Group: Angels go swinging

angels go swinging!

angels go swinging,

Angels go Swinging!

Solo: My name is Katy

I'm number 1

my reputation has just begun

so if you see me just step aside

'cause me and my man

don't take no jive

Group: Uh, you thank (think) you bad

Solo: Bad enough to make you mad

Group, Uh, you thank you cool

Solo: Cool enough to go to high school

Group: Uh, you thank you fine *

Solo: Fine enough to MO, **

fine enough to Macho (not really sure what this line means or if we were even saying it right)

fine enough to hula hoop,

fine enough to kick yo' duke

Everyone: say what, say what

say what say what say what

-Joi;( Birmingham, Alabama; 1990s), cocojams.com

-snip-
This is a form of the cheer "Hollywood [Goes] Swingin"

The contributor shared that "Angels" is the name of their sports teams at this predominately African American Catholic school.

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BOOM TICK TOCK

Boom tick tock

Look at that girl.

Boom tick tock

Look at that girl.

In the mini skirt.

Yoiu mess with her

You get your feelings hurt.

She knows karate

From the front to the back.

Jump ____*/ [Someone randomly calls out an action word; insert a girl's name] She's all that.
-Naijah S.; (African American female, 9 years old; Hazelwood section of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania; January 14, 2011; Collected by Azizi Powell

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C, D

CALL REPUTATION

this is a saying call reputation

 

my name is yonnqa

i'm number one

my reputation has just begun

so if you see me step a side

cause i don't take no jive

oh think she cool

correction baby i no i'm cool

i no karate

i no kunfu

you miss with me

i co it on you

rasasol o dazzo o ox2

-yaya ; 2/23/2007, cocojams.com

-snip-

This is a form of the "Hula Hula" cheer.

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CAN YOU DIG IT?

All: So can you dig it?

Yeah.

So can you dig it?

Soloist #1: My name is Maria.

And I’m a flick flick.

And I’mma punch you in your lip.

So can you dig it?

Group: What?

Soloist #1: So can you dig it?

Group: What?

Soloist #1: I was sittin by the fire

Watchin it get higher

With my man,

You understand.

Cause I’m a special kind of lady

With a special kind of man.

I get to see my baby

WHENEVER I can.

So can you dig it?

So can you dig it?

 

(Repeat entire cheer with the next soloist, who says her name or nickname, and the same words. Continue with this pattern until every member of the group as had one turn as soloist).
- African American girls ages 6-12 (Lillian Taylor Summer Camp (Kingsley Association; Pittsburgh, PA, collected by Tazi Powell, between 1989-1992)

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CHECK ME OUT

Check me out

check check me out

My name is Tamia

(Check)

And I'm a cheerleader

(check)

You mess with me (check)

I'll break you jaw

(check)

[Then they say]

Ol', she thinks she bad

[Then I say]

Honey, child I know I'm bad.

[They say]

Ol' she think she fine

[I say]

Fine, fine Blow your mind

Take your boyfriend any time

Bring him home. Bring him back

And make him have a heart attack. 
-Tamia, 12 year old African American girl, Maryland Oct 29. 2005; collected by Marimba Johnson for Azizi Powell

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E,F

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G, H

___ HAS THE POWER 

All:(including soloist named or nickname):

Ree Ree* has the power

to scream and shout.

But Deandre** has the power

to knock

you

out.

Say what?

To knock

you

out.

Okay.

 

[Repeat the entire cheer with another girl’s name or nickname or with another boy’s name or nickname]
-Riantai (Ree Ree); African American female, age 8; Faison Primary School (Homewood area of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, October 30, 2009; collected by Azizi Powell, October 30, 2009
-snip-
* Girl in your competitor' cheerleading squad’s name or nickname

**Girl in your cheerleading squad

"tracks" is another term for "(hair) weaves i.e.- fake or real hair that is attached to a female's hair to lengthen it and/or give it more body

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HOLLYWOOD GOES SWINGIN
All: Hollywood goes swingin

Hollywood goes ___swingin

Swingin for the good times

Swingin for the bad times

Soloist #1: My name is Zizi

I’m cool and the gang

Mess with me. I’ll do my thang

If you see me walkin down the street

You betta speak.

Long time, no see

Sexy as I wanna be

Some hittin me high

Some hittin me low

Some hittin me on my-

Don’t ask what

Group: What?

Soloist #1: My b-u-tt butt

That's what.
- T.M.P, (African American female, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, 1985-1986); also collected by Tazi Powell (from African American girls, Pittsburgh [Lillian Taylor Camp], 1989, 1990

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HOLLYWOOD GOES SWINGING 

All: Hollywood goes swingin;.

Swingin’ for the good times.

Swingin’ for the bad times.

Soloist #1: My name is Ebony.

(And) I’m cool and the gang.

You mess with me

And I’ll do my thang.

My sign is Libra

And that’s alright.

Cause all Libra’s

Are out of sight.

All: Hey you,

Check it out!

You! You!

Check it out!

-TMP, Pittsburgh, PA, mid 1980s; collected by Azizi Powell
-snip-
Repeat cheer with next soloist who gives her astrological sun sign.

The cheer continues until everyone has had one turn as the soloist.

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HOLLYWOOD KEEP SWINGING (Version #2)

I don't remember all of it but it went something like this:

My name is __________, my number is one,

my reputation is having fun,

those who see me step aside,

mighty (Zodiac sign) don't take no jive.

 

My name is ______, my number is two,

my reputation is loving you,

those who see me step aside,

mighty (Zodiac sign) don't take no jive

 

My name is _______, my number is three,

my reputation is being free,

those who see me step aside

mighty (Zodiac sign) don't take no jive.

 

Each person in the group would pick a number and it would go around until you get to the number 10. I don't remember all the rhymes, but I am sure creative people can think of stuff to say.;)
-sigmadiva, 03-25-2003, http://www.greekchat.com/gcforums/archive/index.php/t-31403.html  Old School Chants
-snip-
In a subsequent post to that discussion thread AKA2D '91 wrote "That was our Hollywood Keep Swinging!"

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HOLLYWOOD NOW SWINGING/DYNOMITE
Hollywood now swingin'! (4 times)

CALL: Name is Nita.

RESPONSE: Hollywood now swingin'!

Similarly

I know how to swing.

Everytime I swing.

Stevie come around.

CALL: He popped me once!

He popped me twice!

All I felt was -dynomite!

RESPONSE: Dynomite, dynomite! (Twice)

Dynomite!

CALL: Here she is.

RESPONSE: Dynomite!

Similarly

Foxy Brown!

You mess with me,

I'll shoot you down!

Down, down,

To the ground,

Up, up,

CALL: Just out of luck!

RESPONSE: Dynomite, dynomite! (Twice)
-Barbara Borum and other Washington, D.C. schoolgirls, recorded in 1976 in Washington, D. C. by Kate Rinzler, album notes Kate Rinzler, "Old Mother Hippletoe, Rural and Urban Children's Songs"; http://www.newworldrecords.org/linernotes/80291.pdf ; 1978

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HOLLYWOOD ROCK SWINGING 
Hollywood rock swinging.

Hollywood rock swinging.

My name is Aniesha

I'm number one

My reputation is having fun

So if you see me just step aside

"Cause mighty Aniesha don't take no jive.

 

Hollywood rock swinging.

Hollywood rock swinging.

My name is katrina

I'm number two

My reputation is me and you

So if you see me just step on back

'Cause mighty Katrina don't take no slack.

 

Hollywood rock swinging.

Hollywood rock swinging.

My name is Natasha

I'm number twelve

My reputation is ringing that bell

So if you see my just step aside

"Cause mighty Aniesha don't take no jive
-Apples On A Stick: The Folklore Of Black Children by Barbara Michels and Bettye White (1983; p. 14)
-snip-
That book's preface indicates that the source of all of the examples in that book were Black children from Houston, Texas.

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HOLLYWOOD NOT SWINGIN 
When we were kids, what were some of your favorite hood cheers? Post 'em here. Mine was "Hollywood Not Swingin'"

Hollywood not swingin', Hollywood not...swingin'

Hollywood not swingin', Hollywood not...swingin'

Well my name is Yella, my number's 1,

My reputation is havin' fun,

So if you see me just step aside,

Because this light chick don't take no jiiiiiiiiivvveeee... .

-Cocaine, no location given, http://www.lipstickalley.com/showthread.php/43158-Hood-Cheers, 8/18/2006
-snip-
WARNING: That discussion thread includes profanity and sexually explicit references

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HULA HULA (Version #1)
Group: Hula Hula.

Who think they bad?

Soloist #1: I do.

Group: Hula Hula.

Who think they bad?

Soloist #1: I do.

Well, I think I’m bad cause

Cara’s my name

and love is my game.

I got this boy on my mind

and Lord knows he’s fine.

I got his name on my shirt

and don’t call it dirt.

Group: Ooh, she thinks she’s bad.

Soloist #1: Correction, baby I KNOW I’m

bad.

Group: Ooh, she thinks she’s fine.

Soloist #1:Fine enough to blow YOUR

mind.
-TMP.; Pittsburgh, PA, memories of mid. 1980s (cassette recorded in 1992 ; transcribed in 1996 by Azizi Powell)
-snip-
My guess is that the word "hula" in this cheer's title comes from the word "hollah" ("holler"), a colloquial word for "hello".

"Hula Hula’s" beat is stomp clap; stomp stomp clap. "Stomp clap; stomp stomp clap" appears to be the most often used foot stomping beat. Another beat is stomp clap, stomp clap).

All foot stomping cheers begin with the right foot.  

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HULA HULA (Version #2)
Hula Hula
Who thinks she's bad now
Hula Hula
Who thinks she's bad)

I think I'm bad
'Cause Shelly's my name
Black is my color
And love is my game

(Ooh, She think she bad)

[posturing] Ooh, I know I'm bad.

(Ooh, she think she bad)

Ooh, I know I'm bad

(Ooh, she think she bad)
Chile, go kiss my ass (or “Chile, your breath is bad” or “Chile go take a bath”)

repeat rhyme from the beginning.
-bublackberry (African American woman); Connecticut; received by Azizi Powell via email from cocojams , 11/11/05 .

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HULA HULA (Version #3)

Hula Hula

Now who thinks they bad

Hula Hula

Now who thinks they bad

I think  I'm bad

'Cause Acie my name

Take a sip of my potion

And dance in slow motion

Uh-huh

She think she bad

Baby baby don't make me mad

Uh-huh

She think she cool

Baby baby don't act a fool

Uh-huh

She think she sweet

Sweetest person you ever meet

Uh-huh

She think she fine

Baby baby I'll blow your mind
-Apples On A Stick: The Folklore Of Black Children by Barbara Michels and Bettye White (1983; p. 13); That book's preface indicates that Black children from Houston, Texas were the source of all of the examples in that book.

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HELLO (A Version of "Hula Hula")

H-e-l-l-o,

we are here

to say hello to Mocha

Mocha is my name

and cheering is my game

Pink and purple are my colors

don't you worry 'bout my lovers.

(Uhm she think she bad)

Correction baby, I know I'm bad.

(Uhm, she think she cool)

Cool enough to steal your dude.

(Uhm, she think she fine)

Fine enough to blow his mind.

-”Miss Mocha, http://www.greekchat.com/gcforums/showthread.php?t=31403&page=5, 03-28-2003

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STEP STEP TAKE A STEP (A version of "Hula Hula")
Step, Step, Take a Step

You got it

Come on

Again

Break it down now

Krissy is my name

Uno is my game

Blue is my color so don't worry bout my lover

Take a sniff of my potion

Rub it down like lotion

(Ooo she think she bad)

Correction baby I know I'm bad

(Ooo she think she cool)

Cool enough to steal yo dude

(Ooo she think she fine)

Fine enough to blow his mind

(Ooo she think she hip)

Hip hip potato chip, mess with me I'll bust yo lip

Girl, girl stop yo lying, least my man don't leave me crying

See that house on top of that hill? That's where me and my baby gon' lip
-snip-
Cookie, http://thechocolatetease.blogspot.com/2013/03/childhood-rhymes.html , March 11, 2013
-snip-
This is an example that is referred to as a "rhyme" by that the blog hostess (who identified herself in the comments as "Cookie". Cookie indicates that these are "childhood rhymes I used to play on the West side of Detroit while I grew up :)". The blog's title ("chocolate tease") and the photo of a Black girl on the blog serve to document that the blog's host is an African American woman. 

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WHO NOW WHO NOW (a version of Hula Hula)
Who now Who now, Now who think they bad

Who now Who now, Now who think they bad

I do

I know I'm bad cause Afro's my name

Uh Huh

Football's my game

Uh Huh

Black is my color dont u worry about my lover

Um she think she bad

Bad bad super bad, bad enough I know I'm bad

Um she think she tough

Tough tough super tough tough enough to kick your butt

Um she think shes fine

Fine enough to blow Eric's mind

Um she think she's cute

Cute enough to steal your dude

-Afrochic (Memphis, Tennessee), http://www.greekchat.com/gcforums/showthread.php?t=31403&page=5 Old School Chants, 03-30-2003

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HUMP DE DANDA 

All: Hump De Danda

Hump Hump De Danda

Hump De Danda

Hump HumpDe Danda

Soloist #1: (Well) My name is Toya.

Group: De Danda, Hump Hump De Danda

Soloist #1: I’m super cool.

Group: De Danda Hump, Hump De Danda

Soloist #1: You mess with me

Group: De Danda Hump, Hump De Danda

Soloist #1: and you’re a fool.

Group: De Danda Hump, Hump De Danda

Soloist #1: I’m goin down

Group: De Danda Hump, Hump De Danda

Soloist #1: to touch the ground.

Group: De Danda, Hump, Hump De Danda

Soloist #1: I’m comin up

Group: De Danda, Hump Hump De Danda

Soloist #1: to mess you up.

All: Humpty Dumpty

sat on ah wall

Humpty Dumpty

had a great fall.

Oosh, ain’t that funky now.

Oosh, aint that funky now.

Oosh, ain’t that, Oosh ain’t that

Oosh, ain’t that funky now.

 

(Repeat the entire cheer with the next soloist)
-African American girls (ages 6-12 years old; Lillian Taylor camp, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, collected by Tazi Powell, 1990 or 1991 

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HUMP DE DUMP 
Hump-dee-dump (2x)
My name is _____. Dee-dump
I go to school. Dee-dump
I know I'm cool. Dee-dump
Cause I'm as fast as a dollar and nobody can make me holla but my man.*Said with 'tude and a body roll when we say man.
DiamondPlatinum, Jun 24, 2017 https://www.lipstickalley.com/threads/black-girl-rhymes-what-was-yours-growing-up.1196979/page-3
June 24, 2017
-snip-
This blogger noted that she was from the Midwest. [the Midwestern region of the United States]
-snip-
"'tude"= attitude [sassiness]

WARNING: some rhyme examples or comments on lipstickalley.com continue profanity, sexually explicit content, and the "n word".

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This concludes Part I of this 2 part pancocojams series.

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