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

Edited by Azizi Powell

Latest Edition - November 16, 2024

This is Part II 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.

This post presents examples of these cheers that begin with the letters "I"- "Z".

Click https://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2024/11/mess-with-me-and-ill-mess-you-up-other.html  for Part I in this series. That post presents examples of these cheers that begin with the letter ("A-"H"). Part I also includes a section on "Definition and a Brief History Of Foot Stomping Cheers".

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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. In addition, some of the words for "traditional" foot stomping cheers live on in softball cheers such as "Rock The Boat".

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

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.

WARNING- One example in this compilation as an amended for of a curse word.

I, J

I'M A STAR
hi my name is Aundrea and im a star mess with me and ill take you far!

Squad: Woo, she thinks she's bad. Woo, she thinks she's bad.

You: Correction baby, i know im bad.

Squad: Woo, she thinks she's bad. Woo, she

thinks she's bad.

You: Child please!

-Aundrea; 2/28/2007; cocojams.com

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INTRODUCE YOURSELF (Version #1)

Introduce yourself

to shy

introduce yourself

I try

my name (say your name)

yeah

I cheer for (say who you cheer for)

my sign is (say your sign)

and when I'm up I'm hot stuff

And when I'm down don't mess around

and when I'm me don't scream or shout or you'll get knocked out!
-De'ajaih; (African American girl); Garfield neighborhood of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania); 5/16/2006

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INTRODUCE YOURSELF (Versions #2)
"Hey girl, hey you, introduce yourself. Introduce yourself."

Then each individual girl says a rhyme about themselves, like,

"My name is Joan (group says "check") I'm from AC ("check") I come to say ("check") Don't mess with me ("Check it out")

-Joan C. (White American female who wrote that this was chanted by Black, Latino, and White girls at the Catholic High School in Atlantic City, New Jersey in the late 1970s; from an electronic message to Azizi Powell; 2/11/2007
-snip-
This is one of the earliest foot stomping cheers that I've come across.

Joan C's recollection of this year from the "late 1970s" places it in a similar time frame as the Washington, D.C. cheers that were collected in 1976 by kate Rinzler and featured on the 1978 Mother Hippletoe vinyl record. This cheer is also in the same time frame as the "Humpty Dumpty" cheer from New Orleans, Louisiana that is included in the 2016 book Yo Mama Mary Mack and Boudreaux and Thibodeaux: Louisiana Children's Folklore and Play" by Jeanne Pitre Soileau.

Ironically, Joan C and I both blogged on Mudcat's online folk music discussion forum, but I didn't "know" her. I had shared some foot stomping examples on several Mudcat discussion threads, and Joan sent me this example. Prior to her sending me that example, I had no idea that she was from my hometown of Atlantic City, New Jersey.

Notice that this contributor is a White American woman. I believe that this example probably came from the Black students at that high school.

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K, L

LET ME TELL YOU
GROUP: 5,6,7,8!!!! Well, Let me tell you!!!! About This Girl!!!! Her name Is {your name here} Taquina!!!! TAQUINA: Well, My name is Taquina and I'm da bomb!!!! GROUP: Ooh!!!! She think she bad!!!! TAQUINA: I know I'm rad!!!! GROUP: Ooh!!!! She think she cook!!!! TAQUINA: Watch me while I pop my collar!!!!
-courtney; 5/21/2007; cocojams 

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LIKE THAT
One person from the group: Attention Attention 1. 2. 3. 1. 2. 3

Like that. Ready. Okay.

Soloist #1: My name is Tatayane

And I’m LIKE THAT.

Mess with me and you will get a __* KICK BACK.

All you haters talkin this and that.

I’ll pass it to my home girl Sydney

__ Like that.

 

Soloist #2 : My name is Sydney

And I’m LIKE THAT.

Mess with me and you will get a __ PUNCH BACK.

All you haters talkin this and that.

I’ll pass it to my home girl Jacquala

___Like that.

 

Soloist #3 : My name is Jacquala

And I’m LIKE THAT.

Mess with me and you will get a __ SLAP BACK.

All you haters talkin this and that.

I’ll pass it to my home girl Kristina

___ Like that.
-Muffin (African American female, age 10; Fort Pitt Alafia Children's Ensemble, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania;, 10/2007; Collected by Azizi Powell
-snip-
The space indicates that you pause one beat before saying the next word.

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M, N

MY NAME IS ___  (Version #1)
cheer cheer my name is Allie
what?
my name is Allie
and I'm from the valley
and we're gonna kick you butta.
-Allie; 9/17/2006, cocojams.com

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MY NAME IS __  (Version #2)
I remembered this cheer from when I was little. (Say this with attitude) You say:

"My name is _________ and I'm a star you mess with me I'll take you far." Others say: "Woo, she thinks she's bad." You say: "Correction baby, I know I'm bad." Others say: "Woo, she thinks she's bad." You say: "Child, please!" (As you say the last line, you put your hand up as if motioning "stop") You repeat this cheer until everyone on the squad has had a turn.
-kelly, 9/27/2006, cocojams.com

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MY NAME IS ___ (Version #3)
SOLO:My name is Naomi on the Phone with my Daisy Dukes on

if you see me on the street boy you better speak to me.

GROUP:Oo she think she bad

SOLO: At least i use a wash rag

GROUP: Oo she think she cool

SOLO: Soap and water will do

GROUP:Oo she think she fine

SOLO: Fine Fine #9 take yo man anytime, he took me out he brought me back he besta have my cadillac. he brought you 1 he brought me 2, married me and divorced you.

he taught me Karate and taught me Kung Fu. mess wit me

and i'll do it on you

GROUP:Bang Bang choo choo train

wind her up she'll do her thang

SOLO: I can't

GROUP:Why not

SOLO: I said I can't

GROUP:WHY NOT?

SOLO: I said my back is aching and my bra's too tight. my

booty's shakin from the left to the right

GROUP:Left Right Left Right yo mama is a ugly sight

-Naomi; 1/17/2007, cocojams.com

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MY NAME IS ___ (Example #4, Fragment)
My name is Shakeila and I’m number one

I step to the beat and I no it’s fun

all these haters go to hate like this so all

I got to do is left right left.
-Shakeila; age 11; Fort Pitt School's Alafia Children's Ensemble, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, 10/16/2007, [from a written survey that I gave out to students in after-school classes]
-snip-
Shakeila wrote "no" instead of "know".

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MY NAME IS ____ (Example #5)
I learned this from my girl sara My name is (enter your name)

and as u can see i the finest chick in Albany

im rough and though cant touch my stuff m

fly like a butterflie i sting like a bee thats why all the boys

tell me break it down shawty

-Samantha; 11/25/2008, cocojams.com

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O, P

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Q, R
RAZZLE DAZZLE (Version #1)
I hate these cheers, they are for like the 1st grade, here is a good chant:

Razzle Dazzle, razzle dazzle hi we are the Hornets and we are number one and in this razzle dazzle has just began so if you see us step aside cause we dont take no jive, razzle dazzle razzle dazzle Oh she thinks she bad, lord honey we know we're bad our skirts are green our shirts are white, step to us be ready to fight, razzle dazzle razzle dazzle.
-Cassie and Becca ; 5/22/2006, cocojams.com

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RAZZLE DAZZLE (Version #2)

*=one clap razzle dazzle (***) razzle dazzle (***) our names are cats (or any other team) we're number one our reputation has just begun. so if u see us just step aside, cats (or other team) baby dont take no jive. (GROUP 1) ohhh they think their bad. (GROUP 2) correction baby we know we're bad. (GROUP 1) ohh they think their hot. (GROUP 2) ladies....PLEASE!!!
-Hannah, 9/25/2006, cocojams.com

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RAZZLE DAZZLE (Version #3)
Razzle Dazzle (all the girls are in a circle, one girl goes in the middle to sing)

my name is ____ i'm number 1,

my razzle dazzle has just begun

so if you see me better step aside

cause this bad girl don't take no jive

(everybody else in the cirle:) ooh. she thinks she's bad

correction baby, i KNOW i'm bad

ooh. she thinks she's fine

fine enough to blow YOUR mind

razzle dazzle uh huh uh huh

razzle dazzle uh huh.

WOO WOO razzle dazzle uh huh

uh huh razzle dazzle uh huh.

WOO WOO (repeat with everybody in the circle)
-liz ; 6/22/2007, cocojams.com

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ROCK THE BOAT (Version #1)

Rock the boat,

Rock, rock the boat

[repeat]

My name is Yasmin (rock the boat)

I know I'm fine (rock the boat)

Just like my sign (rock the boat)

My sign is Leo

I go bang-bang choo choo train

Wind me up and I do my thing

Reeses pieces butter cup

Don't mess with me, cause I'll mess you up,

Rock the boat, rock rock the boat...
-Yasmin H. (Latina female; memories of East Brooklyn, New York, in the late 1980s), 2/25/04
-snip-
Yasmin noted that te words in parenthesis were chanted by the other members of the cheerleading squad.

Here's some information about the song "Rock The Boat": from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rock_the_Boat_(The_Hues_Corporation_song
 "Rock the Boat" is a song by American trio The Hues Corporation, written by Wally Holmes. "Rock the Boat" was first featured on their 1973 debut studio album Freedom for the Stallion. [released 1974]

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ROCK THE BOAT (Version #2)
Hey all! Did anyone do cheers? Me and my girls used to "battle" other groups of girls from different neighborhoods. My favorite:

Rock the boat

rock, rock the boat

Rock the boat

rock rock the boat

My name is Mocha

(chorus sings) Rock the boat

I'm feeling fine

(chorus)Rock the boat

Just like my sign

(chorus)rock the boat

My sign is GEMINI

I say bang, bang choo-choo train

wind me up and I do my thang

Reeses Pieces, Butter cup

you mess with me and I'll F*ck you up

 

If my momma EVER knew I was cursing like that!!
-Sexy Mocha (Brooklyn, New York), http://www.greekchat.com/gcforums/showthread.php?t=5627 Remember When, 7/31/2000
-snip-
This is the way this cheer was written in that comment.

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ROCK DAT BOAT (Version #3)
my names (girls name)(group says)rock da boat
(person says)i am feeling fine (groups says)rock
da boat (person says)you mess with me(group
says)rock da boat(person says)i`ll blow you mind
(group says) rock da boat
-Olivia ; 3/10/2008, cocojams.com

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ROCK THE BOAT (Version #4)
this is how we do it at my school:

rock the boat dont tip it over

rock the boat dont tip it over

my name is __

yeah!

im feelin fine!

yeah!

u mess with me

yeah!

ill blow ur mind

so bang bang choo choo train

u look at me and i do my thang

no recces pieces no butter cup

i kno karate i kno kung fu

u mess with ill mes with u!

 

i kno its tottaly off to wat everyone else is sayin but thats wat we sing on the bus all the time.
-slimeshady100, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P9QuTsAtQPY, 2010

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ROCK THE BOAT (Version #5)
Leader: My name is (players name)

Team: Rock the boat

 

Leader: I'm feeling fine

Team: Rock the boat

 

Leader: Mess with me

Team: Rock the boat

 

Leader: I'll blow your mind

Team: Rock the boat

 

Team: I said a bang, bang choo choo train

Team: Rock me out while I do my thing

 

Team: I know karate, I know Kung Fu

Team: You mess with me, I'll mess with you

 

Team: Rock the boat

Team: Don't tip it over

 

Team: If you do

Team: This game is over

 

Team: R-O-C-K rock it baby, rock it

Team: B-U-S-T but it baby. bust it
-Fastpitch Softball TV Show, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jMUbayycB10&ab_channel=FastpitchSoftballTVShow , Sept. 8, 2013
-snip-
This is an example of a foot stomping cheer whose textual (word) structure and (probably) its accompanying foot stomping/hand clapping activity have been modified by "mainstream" sports teams.

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S, T

TABA
This is a call and response chant from the late 70's early 80's Elkhart Indiana

All: Taba Taba Tab. First person: My name is Sonji.

Rest of Group: Tab. First person: I go to school.

Group: Tab. First person: I'm supercool.

Group: Tab I used to gamble. Group: Tab

First person: But now I don’t. Group: Tab

First person: And never will. Group: Tab

First person: Me and my man. Group: Tab

First person: In the van. Group: Tab

First person: Had a fight. Group: Tab

First person: Last night. Group: Tab

First person: He knocked me down.

Group: Tab. First person: I got back up

Group: Tab. First person: And kicked his butt childhood.

 

The chant starts over again with the next person in the group and so on.
-Sonjala A. (African American female); 3/15/2008, collected by Azizi Powell
-snip-
The word "childhood, in this example, is probably a folk processed form of the exclamation “chile please”.

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TETHER BALL (Version #1)
Little black girls at Windsor Hills Elementary School in Los Angeles, CA during the early 1990s chanted this rhythmic taunt in a circle on the playground:

(all) Tether ball (clap), tetherball (clap)

(all) ooosha-asha (twist body/butt from side to side)

(all) Tether ball (clap), tetherball (clap)

(all) ooosha-asha (twist body/butt from side to side)

(solo) My name (clap) is __________

(all) Tether (clap) ball

(solo) I'm (clap) (some adjective/adjective clause that describes yourself)

(all) Tether (clap) ball

(solo) You mess (clap) with me

(all) Tether (clap) ball

(solo) I'll (clap) (some adverbial clause that rhymes with your adjective/adjective clause and describes what you'll do to someone/how you'll protect yourself)

(all) Tether (clap) ball
-Milan W; (Los Angeles, California), November 18, 2009, cocojams.com

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TETHER BALL (Version #2)
...Then there was this other call & response cipher (which I don't hear too many people mention outside my generation and region)...

Tether ball, tether ball/
Oosha, asha!/
Tether ball, tether ball/
Oosha, asha!/
My name's (enter your name)
(tether ball),
super cool,
(tether ball)
You mess with me
(tether ball)
You's a fool (tether ball)
I got this man
(tether ball)
On my mind (tether ball)
You mess with him
(tether ball)
Your butt is straight up mine.
Oooh.
Tether ball,
tether ball/
Oosha, Asha! etc.

You make up your own rhyme of bravado...

-Nikkole Salter (Los Angeles, California), comment in discussion thread for vlog https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KfzHL_1PdbY "Let's Discuss: Black Girl Childhood Hand Games and Sing Songs")"
-snip-
I reformatted this example from sentence form to line form.

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TWO WAY PASS AWAY
All: Two way pass away. Two way pass away.
Soloist #1: Well, my name is Shana.
Group: Two way pass away.
Soloist #1: And if you don’t like it,
Group: Two way pass away.
Soloist #1: You can kiss what I twist.
And I don’t mean my wrist.
-African American girls (around 8-12 years old), Braddock, Pennsylvania*, collected by Azizi Powell, 1985

(Repeat the entire cheer from the beginning with the next soloist and continue repeating until every member of the group has had one turn as the soloist.)
-snip-
This is the first foot stomping cheer that I directly collected. Years later, I realized that this cheer probably has its source in the Mardi Gras Indian song "Tu Way Pac A Way" (or similar spelling).  

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U, V

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W, X 

WHAT YOUR HEART BEATING FOR

What your heart beatin for?

What your heart beatin for?

You scared?

What your heart beatin for?

You scared?

I’m not

But they is.

I’m not

But they is.

They betta fall back

Before they get slapped [or cracked].

My name is Raya

And I’m not with that.

[the next soloist immediately starts the cheer again and says the same thing except she gives her name or nickname at the end.
-Canraya E, African American female, 11; and Sha’ona K, age 11, collected by Azizi Powell, June 2008
-snip-
This is a cheer that these girls learned from the Garfield Gators (community little league football cheerleaders). Both girls do foot stomping, individual handclapping chant, the soloist is the only one who talks, the other girl does foot stomping along with her but didn’t say anything.

The second girl is silent and expressionless. She id doing the same foot stomping beat as the soloist while that girl speaks.

This taunting cheer was performed to foot stomps that alternated with (individual) hand claps}. Both girls said the first two lines and then one girl said the rest of the cheer. The second girl continued to do the foot stomping movement while the first one said the chant and continued to do the foot stomping movement. The cheer was then repeated from the beginning with the new "soloist" who says her name and the exact same words. Sometimes minor changes are made, for instance instead of saying "slapped", you can say "cracked".

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Y, Z

YOU AINT GOIN NO WHERE
Entire Group: You ain’t goin no where
no where
You ain’t goin no where
You ain’t goin no where
no where
You ain’t goin no where
Hey Shadeya
Shadeya
(Soloist #1): Too shy
Group: Introduce yourself
Shadeya: I’ll try
My name is Shadeya
I cheer for Garfield.
My sign is Libra.
And when I’m up
Group: When she’s up.
Shadeya: I’m hot stuff.
Group: She’s hot stuff.
Shadeya: And when I’m down.
Group: And when she’s down.
Shadeya: Don’t mess around.
Group: Don’t mess around
Shadeya: Don’t make me scream
cause you will be _knocked _out.
-Shadaya, Fort Pitt School; (Garfield), 2002; collected by Azizi Powell; I also collected the exact same cheer in 2008 from Conraya and another girl from the same school.
-snip-
" __ " means to pause a beat. * name your community or school athletic cheerleading team; "my sign" means the person's astrological sun sign.

Repeat the entire cheer from the beginning with the next soloist who says her name or nickname, the name of the sport or community team she cheers for. The girl doesn't have to really be a cheerleader. She is engaging in dramatic play- that is-she's pretending to be a cheerleader.

Continue this pattern until every one in the group has had one turn as the soloist.

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This concludes Part II of this pancocojams series.

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