Translate

Showing posts with label United States culture. Show all posts
Showing posts with label United States culture. Show all posts

Saturday, October 11, 2025

The Origins & Multiple Contemporary Vernacular (Slang) Meanings Of The Word "Based"

Edited by Azizi Powell

This pancocojams post presents information about the origins and the multiple vernacular (slang) meanings of the English word "based".

The content of this post is presented for linguistics, historical, and socio-cultural purposes.

All copyrights remain with their owners.

Thanks to all those who are quoted in this post.

****
INFORMATION ABOUT LIL B, THE FIRST PERSON TO COIN A VERNACULAR MEANING FOR THE WORD "BASED"
From https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lil_B (retrieved October 11, 2025)
"Brandon Christopher McCartney (born August 17, 1989),[1][2] known professionally as Lil B and Lil B The BasedGod, is an American rapper and record producer. He began his career as a member of the Berkeley, California-based hip hop group the Pack in 2005, who signed with Too Short's Up All Nite Records, an imprint of Jive Records the following year. The group became best known for their hit song "Vans", their sole entry on the Billboard Hot 100, later releasing two studio albums before disbanding in 2010.

McCartney's extensive use of social media in his solo career and online persona has yielded a cult following. His work spans several genres, including comedy hip-hop, new age, jazz, indie rock and choral music. He calls his alter ego the BasedGod, and is credited with having coined the slang term "based", which originally denoted a lifestyle of positivity, impudence or boldness. By the late 2010s, the phrase had been used to describe stances or actions that negate political correctness; by the 2020s, the term had entered the mainstream and regained a neutral connotation.[3][4][5]

Lil B has been credited as "the godfather of internet rap" as well as one of the "most influential rappers" of the 2010s, influencing artists such as Kendrick Lamar, Playboi Carti, Young Thug, Lil Yachty, Chief Keef, Chance the Rapper, Yung Lean, Earl Sweatshirt, Black Kray, Bladee, Xaviersobased, and Tyler, the Creator, as well as actor Timothée Chalamet.

[…]

Artistry

McCartney and music critics refer to his rapping style as "based", a word that McCartney also uses to describe a positive, bold lifestyle. "Based" is a reclaimed word, as described by McCartney in Complex:[39][40]

Based means being yourself. Not being scared of what people think about you. Not being afraid to do what you wanna do. Being positive. When I was younger, based was a negative term that meant like dopehead, or basehead. People used to make fun of me. They was like, "You're based." They'd use it as a negative. And what I did was turn that negative into a positive. I started embracing it like, "Yeah, I'm based." I made it mine. I embedded it in my head. Based is positive."...

****
SELECTED INTERNET QUOTES ABOUT THE VERNACULAR (SLANG) MEANINGS OF "BASED"
These quotes are numbered for referencing purposes only.

SOURCE #1
From https://www.dictionary.com/e/slang/based/ Slang dictionary: based [beysd], September 6, 2018
"What does based mean?

Based is a slang term that originally meant to be addicted to crack cocaine (or acting like you were), but was reclaimed by rapper Lil B for being yourself and not caring what others think of you—to carry yourself with swagger.

Based has been appropriated by the alt-right online as a general term of praise, as if “un-woke.”

Where does based come from?

Based comes from the slang basehead, a term from the 1980s to describe people addicted to freebasing cocaine, a method which makes the drug smokable. The term basehead became synonymous with the crack epidemic that swept the United States at the time. Over time, calling someone based was a way of saying that they were a crack addict, or acting like one, especially in West Coast street slang.

In the way slang things go, people acting eccentric or abnormal were labelled based. At least that’s what seems to have happened with quirky West Coast rapper Brandon “Lil B” McCartney. In reaction to people calling him based, Lil B decided to redefine the term. In 2007, his group, The Pack, released their debut album, Based Boys. In a 2010 interview in Complex magazine, Lil B described his new definition of based: “Based means being yourself. Not being scared of what people think about you. Not being afraid to do what you wanna do.”

It’s not clear when Lil B started calling himself Based God, but by 2011 that nickname was firmly associated with him. Eventually, a cosmology of Based God (or BasedGod) emerged, referring to becoming a sort of higher power that Lil B could access, allowing him special abilities, such as the power to curse basketball player Kevin Durant.

The re-invented based, as a signal of power and swagger, was picked up by the alt-right/white nationalist community online in the 2010s. In 2014, during a controversy over female video-game reviewers known as Gamergate, conservative commentator Christina Hoff Sommers was referred to as Based Mom for pushing back against criticisms that video games and their culture are sexist. Since then, referring to alt-right or right-wing conservative figures as based has become a sign of approval in online social-media forums like the pro-Trump subreddit, r/The_Donald.


Examples of based

"Since Lil B claims to have access to this higher power known as TheBasedGod, he was able to curse Durant after the Thunder All-Star disparaged his music in 2011".- Ananth Pandian, CBS Sports, June, 2016

**

"I’m enjoying the #based life. Living my best life!"
-
@d4d4t24sh, August, 2018


Who uses based?

Being based is a core part of Lil B’s brand, and so it’s no wonder he—and his fans—are all about that based life. In this hip-hop subculture, it’s all about being a based God—someone with “maximum swagger, a mansion, sports cars… we think the point is that you can have whatever you want.

[…]

A catch phrase for Lil B fans is Thank You Based God—a sort of tongue-in-cheek conflation of a sincere thanks to God and an expression of Based God fandom. It even has its own acronym: TYBG. This catchphrase is a popular meme, typically shown over image macros of someone crying dramatically.

On the other side of the spectrum, alt-right, white nationalist, and other Trump supporters online have, incongruously, adopted based for their own purposes. They routinely post on forums like Reddit with headlines describing someone whose actions they approve of as based (e.g. “Based Boris Johnson refuses to apologize for saying women in burkas look like letterboxes.”).

In 2016, Slate writer Ben Mathis-Lilley perhaps best summed up this strange turn of events with based, worth quoting at length:

 “So what we have here, then, is a word that was created amid an addiction epidemic in urban communities being adopted by bigoted fans of a presidential candidate who was demonstrated unprecedented contempt for, and ignorance of, said communities.” 

****
SOURCE #2
From https://www.reddit.com/r/EnglishLearning/comments/mrz4yx/can_anyone_help_me_understand_the_word_based/

1. "r/EnglishLearning

[deleted], 2020
"Can anyone help me understand the word "based"?

Of course I know its original meaning. But on reddit I often see some people comment with only a single word "based" and is actually upvoted which means it makes sense. But I have no idea what it means and I really want to figure it out. Is it a meme?"

**
2. [deleted], 2020
From urban dictionary:

«A word used when you agree with something; or when you want to recognize someone for being themselves, i.e. courageous and unique or not caring what others think. Especially common in online political slang.

The opposite of cringe, some times the opposite of biased.»"
-snip-
There are at least two different commenters whose screen names were later "deleted" from this discussion thread. From the last quoted comment in this pancocojams compilation, it appears that "luke_duck" was the screen name of most if not all of the other comments ascribed to "deleted" except for comment #1. 

**
3. 
theGoodDrSan, 2020
"More or less, yeah. It's originally a reference to Lil B, the Based God, and it basically came from his fans"

**
4. 
[deleted], 2020
“Based pretty much means “I agree” but of course it can also be used ironically/sarcastically.”

**
5. [deleted], 2021
"It definitely used to be incel rhetoric - I remember seeing it in screenshots of incel forums years ago and back then it was used for agreeing with a view that’s generally unpopular outside of those forums, but popular within them (eg “based and redpilled”). But I would say these days it’s moved away from that and is used by the general population to mean “something I agree with”.

**
6. SpookySovl, 2022
"Before it was used by the incels it came from hip hop. Lil B popularized it by being the "Based God" (he says he took the name from people who did freebase cocaine because they were called baseheads so he turned it into the word based and rolled with it)."

**
7. Bulletbling,2022
“Everyone my age (in their 20s) uses it this way: "he's based". It's an adjective used to say that someone basically isn't afraid to speak their mind and speaks the truth (or speaks facts).”

**
8. STIGANDR8, 2021
"No it doesn't. It's a right wing word meaning the opposite of Woke.

Based is someone who is confident in their traditional opinions of the world and not swayed by the current zeitgeist of liberal thought. Aka: There are only 2 genders"

**
9. TiggrrZ, 2021
"Not true. In common parlance, it generally means what u/luke_duck said. Maybe it's a generational thing but it is very common for people my age (young adult) to use it to mean that they agree with something and think it is cool. It's almost never a political thing from my experience."...

****
Thanks for visiting pancocojams.

Visitor comments are welcome.

Friday, August 2, 2024

‘Kamala Harris Dares Donald Trump To "Say It To My Face"


WSJ News, Jul 30, 2024  #WSJ #Trump #Harris

At a rally in Atlanta, Vice President Kamala Harris said she hopes Trump will reconsider debating her, as his campaign waffles on a debate scheduled for Sept. 10.

****
Edited by Azizi Powell

This pancocojams post showcase an excerpt of a rally by Vice President Kamala Harris in Atlanta, Georgia.

The transcript of that video is included in this post along with information about the meaning of the words "Say it to my face".

This pancocojams post also showcases a YouTube video of a high school stomp and shake cheerleader taunting cheer that includes the words "Say it to our face".

The content of this post is presented for historical, socio-cultural and political purposes.

All copyrights remain with their owners.

Thanks to Kamala Harris and thanks to all those who are quoted in this post. Thanks also to the girls who are featured in the stomp and shake cheerleader video and thanks to the publishers of these videos.

****
WHAT DOES "SAY IT TO MY FACE" MEAN?
urbandictionary.com* has several entries for "say it to my face". All of those reader submitted definitions agree that "Say it to my face" is a retort that is directed to someone who is insulting or saying something critical about someone outside of that person's presence. The person who is being talked about dares the insulter to repeat what he or she said in front of them, The implication is that the insulter would be too scared to do that since they would have to face the consequences of their words. 

*WARNING: urbandictionary.com features reader submitted definitions. All of the urbandictionary.com entries for "say it to my face" happen to include profanity and some also include sexually explicit language. 

The earliest urbandictionary.com entry for "say it to my face" was published in 2010 and the latest entry for that saying was published in 2020. It's likely that the saying "Say it to my face" predates 2010.

****
THE COMPLETE TRANSCRIPT OF THIS VIDEO

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=st2qqAo-OKY

This auto-generated transcript includes my addition of punctuation, and capitalizations.

" So, Georgia it is so good to be back. And I am very clear the path to the White House Runs right through this state. And you all helped us win in 2020. And we going to do it again.

In 2024 our Administration worked on the most significant border security bill in decades. Some of the most conservative Republicans in Washington DC supported the bill.  Even the border patrol endorsed it.  It was all set to pass. But at the last minute, Trump directed his allies in the Senate to vote it down. Right, he tanked, tanked the bipartisan deal because he thought it would help him win an election-
which goes to show Donald Trump does not care about border security.  He only cares about himself.

The momentum in this race is Shifting.  And there are signs that Donald Trump is feeling

[Applause]

It.  You may have noticed. So last week you may have seen

1:26

he pulled out of the debate in September he had previously agreed to do.

So so so, here's the thing. Here, here's the funny thing about that. Here's the funny thing about that.

So he won't debate.  But he and his running mate sure seem to have a lot to say about

[Applause]

Me -and by the way don't you find some of their stuff to just be plain weird.

[Applause]

Well,

[Applause]

Donald, I do hope you'll reconsider to meet me on the debate

[Applause]

stage because, as the saying goes-

“If you got something to say, say it to my face.”
-snip-
The video shows that the audience behind Kamala Harris were very familiar with that "If you have something to say, say it to my face" saying. 

 ****
A HIGH SCHOOL STOMP AND SHAKE CHEER THAT INCLUDES THE WORDS "SAY IT TO MY FACE"

You Don't Want No Problems, You Just Talk Like You Do!



Blk CheerMom TV, 
Apr 15, 2023  #stompandshake #cheer #blackexcellence

The full video of the high school stomp and shake cheer battle at a high school game. Absolutely love these young ladies 💯❤️
snip-
Here are the words to that cheer that I transcribed from that video: 

Cheer captain - You don't want no problems.

You just talk like you do.

All of the cheerleaders -  Let me show you

That you don’t want no problems. 

You just talk like you do.

Say it to our face.

Knuck if you buck.

Step up out them bleachers.

Wassup?

Get buck!

****
PANCOCOJAMS EDITOR'S NOTE
By showcasing this stomp and shake cheer, I don't mean to imply that the line "say it to my face" or "say it to our face" originated with that cheer.

If you know of any contemporary songs or any other cheers that include the words "Say it to my face", please share that information in the comment section below. Thanks!

****

Thanks for visiting pancocojams.

Visitor comments are welcome.

Friday, May 3, 2024

When Was The Word "Ninja" First Used As A Replacement For "The N Word"?

Edited by Azizi Powell

Latest revision - May4, 2024

This pancocojams post presents some online information and comments about the use of the word "ninja" as a replacement for the pejorative that is commonly known as "the n word."

This post also presents comments about when the word "ninja" began to be used as a substitute for "the n word". This pancocojams post also presents some comments about why and how "ninja" has been used online as a substitute for the "n word". In addition, this post showcases a few examples of the derogatory use of the word "ninja" by African Americans about another African American..

The content of this post is presented for historical, linguistic, and cultural purposes.

All copyrights remain with their owners.

Thanks to all those who are quoted in this post.

****
PANCOCOJAMS EDITOR'S NOTES
Here are my conclusions about the use of the word "ninja" as a substitute for (synonym for) "the n word" as of May 4, 2024)

Additions and corrections are welcome. 
 
- My online reading suggests that the word "ninja" was first used by White Americans as a replacement for the n word around 2003. In those contexts, the word "ninja" largely had a derogatory (insulting) meanings, both as a group referent for Black people and as an individual referent for Black people. 

-The online documented use of the word "ninja" by White Americans as a replacement for the n word was particularly noted (on urbandictionary.com) in 2007 and afterwards. 
 In those contexts, the word "ninja" largely had a derogatory (insulting) meanings, both as a group referent for Black people and as an individual referent for Black people. 

Read Part B of this post.

-The online documentation by African Americans of the word "ninja" as a replacement for "the n word" appears to have begun around 2017. I believe the use of the word "ninja" was/is a result of and reflect/ed/ reflects the growing position among African Americans that "the n word" was/is offensive. The use of the word "ninja" instead of other substitutes for the n word was/is because "ninja" is a  two syllable words that is similar in spelling and sound to the n word, and because the word "ninja" was/is already established as a substitute for "the n word" in United States culture (via its use with that meaning by non-Black Americans).

  Depending on the context, the word "ninja" had/has either neutral, positive, or derogatory (insulting) meaning,  
-snip-
Also, click https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5Ns-kXeQCMk published by 
foreignimage, June 24, 2010 [summary statement] "To all my ninjas in the world!"

That video and some of its comments document the use of the word "ninja" as a positive or negative referent from an Asian person to other Asian people.

Here's a description of that video:
WARNING- This link provides historical contexts for the n word and includes a form of the n word spelled out and the n word fully spelled out. 
https://ainoko.wordpress.com/2010/07/01/fun-serious-look-ninja-queer-and-nigga-say-what/
"T
he below video is a humorous look at this entire discussion, told through the lens of Asian-Americans using ‘ninja’ as a slang word for a certain buddy-relationship as well as a word to demean within that context.  It’s a laugh, a question, a reflection".
-snip-
From what I read, White Americans used the word "ninja" those ways before Asian Americans and African Americans used that word with those meanings. 


****
PART A -THE USE OF THE WORD "NINJA" BY NON-BLACK PEOPLE AS A REPLACEMENT FOR "THE N WORD"

These selected quotes are given in no particular order and are numbered for referencing purposes only.

ONLINE SOURCE #1
From https://grantland.com/hollywood-prospectus/ninja-a-short-history-of-a-less-troublesome-word/ "Ninja: A Short History of a Less Troublesome Word" by Alex Pappademas, March 20, 2012
"Here is Katy Perry karaoke-rapping Jay-Z and Kanye West’s “N****s in Paris,” because, I don’t know, a search engine became sentient and demanded it, maybe? Anyway: It is, like this needs to be said, shit of the cray variety. The first time you watch it, it’s actually suspenseful — what is Katy Perry, a German/Portuguese/Irish person, going to say when she gets to the two points in the song where the word “n****” appears in the lyrics? Will she say “n****”? Will she say nothing? Did she think she’d get away with this because she did it in England? Or because five years ago she put out a song called “Ur So Gay” and barely anybody got mad? Why is she doing this?

[…]

Perry, though, uses the word “ninjas.” I’m not sure who first came up with this as an N-word work-around, but credit for popularizing it goes to the writers behind the Ego Trip family of media products; at an Experience Music Project panel discussion in Seattle in 2003, they suggested it as a substitute for any white people in the audience who wanted to participate in the Missy Elliott sing-along they were about to lead from the dais. Ego Trip’s fictional white owner/pimp Ted Bawno drops “ninja” on Twitter a lot. It’s also the preferred alternate N-word of Juggalo Nation, both because they need a non-racist word that means basically the same brotherhood-born-of-oppression thing and because they think ninjas are f--kin’* awesome. Which they totally are. …
-snip-
I added italics added to highlight these words.

This is the way that the n word is given in that article.

*The word "f--kin" is fully spelled out in this article except for the "g" at the end of that word.

Here's information about juggalos from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Juggalo.
"A juggalo (feminine juggalette, or juggala in Spanish)[1] is a fan of the hip hop group Insane Clown Posse or any other hip hop group signed to Psychopathic Records. Juggalos have developed their own idioms, slang, and characteristics.[2] The Gathering of the Juggalos,[3] alternatively known as just "The Gathering", is a notable annual festival held by juggalos and the artists that they support, which have included rap stars such as Busta Rhymes, Ice Cube, and MC Hammer; over its first eleven events (2000–2010),[needs update] the festival drew a total attendance of about 107,500 fans, averaging nearly 9,800 per year, with a peak of 20,000 in 2010.[4]”…
-snip-
Click https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Insane_Clown_Posse for information about The Insane Clown Posse (ICP).
The Insane Clown Posse is a White American music group and it appears that almost all of their fans are White. This music group shouldn't be confused with the African American originated Hip Hop dance form of "clowning" and its dancers. It appears that most "clowning" dancers are African American. "Clowning" is a precursor to "krumping", a Hip Hop dance form that has Black and non-Black dancers throughout the United States and Europe.

Click https://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2024/05/information-about-two-african-american.html for the pancocojams post on this subject entitled "Clowning" And "Krumping" (Information About These Two African American Originated Hip Hop Dance Forms)".

****
ONLINE SOURCE #2
WARNING: The urbandictonary.com website contains content that include profanity, pejorative language, and sexual explicit language.   

Pancocojams Editor's note:
As of May 3, 2024 urbandictonary.com has 38 pages of viewer submitted definitions for the word "ninja" (given as a single word) and 3 additional pages of "ninja" given with a second word. Some of those definitions are the standard meaning of the word "ninja". However, a mall number of those definitions presents different iterations of statements that "ninja" is a replacement for "the n word". 

This 2005 definition is the earliest date for an example of that online site's definition of "ninya" as a synonym for "the n word":

https://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=Ninjas&page=32
"ninja

Ninja- slang word for N----r*...often used by black people from the hoods or people who wish they were black.

yo ninja did you check out that hunnies ghetto bootie!"

by Cheri April 25, 2005
-end of quote-
-snip-
*This word is fully spelled out in this comment.
-snip-
2007 is the year that has the largest number of examples of  viewer submitted definitions of the word "ninja" as a substitute for the "n word". These types of urbandictionary.com definitions are given from 2005 to December 2022. 

A number of these urbandictionary.com definitions of ninja indicate that it is used by White people as a substitute for "the n word" in order to avoid having any negative consequences from Black people.

Here are a few additional examples of urbandictionary.com definitions of ninja as a replacement for the n word (with numbers added for referencing purposes only (#1 is given at the beginning of this section)

I want to highlight the example that is given as #8 below which cites a 2006 movie referent that is likely an example of the use of ninja as a substitute for the n word. 

I also want to highlight the example that is given as #9 below which indicates that the Black rapper E40 used "ninya" as a substitute for the n word in 2006. 

2. https://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=Ninjas&page=21 
"ninja

A substitute word that white people can use instead of saying "nigga".

What is up my ninja?

This my main ninja

ninja please"

by G788 May 6, 2007

**
3. https://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=Ninjas&page=23
"Ninja

This is the replacement word for white people to call someone a ni--er* and it be ok.

Wow, that oreo is being such a ninja right now."

by Collierflower January 20, 2009
-snip-
*This word is fully spelled out in this definition.

The slang definition that is usually given for the word "oreo" is a Black person who "talks and acts White".

**
4. https://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=Ninjas&page=23

"ninja

an acceptable alternative to the N word for white people to use when singing along to black music

realest ninjas

luda is one hell of a ninja, hos in different area codes hell yeah

michelle he's a ninja, go for it!

nat went ninja then came back???

by hanrose November 23, 2007

**
5.https://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=Ninjas&page=23
"ninja

A word white frat guys can use to supplement the need for the word nigga without detection.

"We'd better cross the street here, those ninjas look irritable." "

by PLPimp August 10, 2006

**
6. https://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=Ninjas&page=26
"Ninja

N. Used in place of the word ni--a* or n--er*, often used by a white person and/or in the presence of black people.

"Yo, you know Zach Fisher?"

"Do I know him? Man, that kids my ninja"

by Fran Vinokur June 13, 2007
-snip-
*These words are fully spelled out in this definition.

**
7. https://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=Ninjas&page=26
"ninja

a racial term referring to african american people when you don't want them to know when you are talking about them in a public place.

Damn, there is alot of ninjas in the club tonight."

by jake. October 6, 2007

**
8. https://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=Ninjas&page=27
"Ninja

A. Adjective. Slang term for a friend. Derived from the word Ni--a*, Ninja is a more politically correct term to use but imply's the same thing. A T-Shirt highlighted in the movie Bench warmers stated "Strictly For My Ninjas" Playing on the words of the hit rap song "strictly 4 my niggaz" performed by 2 Pac. See also Nin.

B. Noun. Slang term for an American Muslim woman in full garb.

A. What up Ninja?

B. Oh look our hostess at Applebees tonight is a Ninja.

by Brian Patterson May 3, 2007
-snip-
*This word is fully spelled out in this definition.
Here's some information about the Benchwarmers movie: 
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Benchwarmers
"The Benchwarmers is a 2006 American sports-comedy film … it tells the story of three nerds and a billionaire forming the titular baseball team to take on the little league baseball teams."...

** 
9. https://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=Ninjas&page=28

ninja

Ninja is a less derogatory word for ni--a* first made popular by Bay Area rapper E-40

"Bay Area ninja my ninja""

by BO$$TYCOON February 7, 2006
-snip-
*This word is fully spelled out in this comment.
I'm not sure if this commenter means that E-40 promoted the use of the word ninja instead of the n word for everyone or just for non-Black people. If E-40 promoted the use of ninja just for non-Black people, what was the earliest year that Black people began using the word "ninja" as a replacement for the n word? Did some African Americans actually begin using the word "ninja" as a replacement for "the n word" in 2005 as given in definition #1 that is given above? Is there any documentation for the use of this word by Black people for that date or other dates prior to 2024?
-snip-
In addition to the urbandictionary.com definitions of ninja as a replacement for the n word, two viewer submitted definitions indicated that the word "ninja" was associated with the fans of the White American rap group Insane Clown Posse:

https://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=Ninjas&page=10
1.
"ninja

This word is NOT a replacement for Ni--a* or a safe word for a whiteboy,Insane Clown Posse use this word as a term for a real ninja,a silent dealy assassin,they use the term in a song that is about what it would be like to be a ninja

Damn I wish I could be a ninja"

by adproof July 26, 2006
-snip-
*This word is fully spelled out in this comment.

**
2.

"Ninja

A slang term, made famous by the rap group the Insane Clown Posse, meaning Homie, or freind

Juggalo 1: What up, Ninja?

Juggalo 2: Not Much,Homie, Got some Faygo?"

by Matt Stegall June 20, 2007
-snip-
"Juggalo" is a referent for fans of the White American rap group Insane Clown Posse and "Faygo" is a brand of carbonated soft drinks that are associated with that rap group and their fans.  

****
ONLINE SOURCE #3 
From https://www.reddit.com/r/rap/comments/14yr6ne/replacement_words_for_the_nword_for_rap_covers/ Replacement words for the n-word for rap covers?; r/rap

1. Sleepyyypandawuh, 2023
"Hello! I’ve been exploring and learning rap. And lots of the songs I want to practice on have the N-word in it and I don’t feel comfortable or right to even say it. Even if I’m alone. I’m just tryna be respectful here haha.

Any recommendations on words that would be a good replacement? Thank you!

And no I don’t want an n-pass (yes people told me to get an n-pass. So weird 😅)

Edit: I’m an Asian girl for those who asked. Idk why that’s relevant. But thank you so much for these recommendations~! Some are hilarious and clever haha

Edit 2: To clarify, I’m asking this question cause i don’t like saying the n-word. Even if I get a pass, I’m alone, etc, I just don’t like saying it. I ain’t tryna start debates when it’s okay to say it or not. I just don’t like saying it. I’ve had many black friends who have been deeply affected racist uses of the n-word. And I just don’t feel good and hate that word. Especially seeing how it has effected people in history and present day. Bro I just wanted a substitute word or any alternative things to do when it comes up. Dat ittt."
-snip-
"n-pass"= a colloquial term that means that a Black person or some Black people gave a non-Black person "permission" to use "the n word". 

**
2. 
SovietW0lf101, 2023
'
When I went to a method man and Redman concent, they told the crowd to say ninja haha"

**
Reply
3. 
nobodyno111, 2023
"Was it for that song that they literally say the word in every other line ? Lmao"

**
Reply
4. SovietW0lf101, 2023
"lmao, they themselves said it every song, but instructed the crowd right before Shame on a Ninja by Wu Tang"

**
5. supervilliandrsmoov, 2023
"E4
0 has been doing it for his ninjas for at least 15 years"

**
6. TechN9ne2000, 2023
"That's pretty common in juggalo music"
-snip-
By "that's", the commenter means "using the word "ninja" as a substitute for "the n word".

**
6. [deleted], 2023
"Yea, that's been a good alternative for the last 20 years, I wanna say it got increasingly popular in the 2010s."

**
7. xxDankerstein, 2023
"I saw Nas last year, and he took the N word (mostly) out of all of his songs. I thought that was pretty cool, especially because I had been learning some Nas songs and was having the same problem with trying to find replacements.".

**
8. splitzideradioshow, 2023
"Say ninja or don’t say it all unless necessary but say ninja instead"

**
9. Great_Income4559,2023
"Most black people I’ve rode with and listened to music and sh-t* with think it’s weird white people don’t say ni—a* when singing. Most said that in a song it’s ok cus it’s just lyrics but don’t just run around saying it. Of course it’s not a rule and if you aren’t cool with them don’t say it and prob a good rule to not say it at all but I believe the definition is changing for the word. Means more of just a friendly term than a racial slur. Other countries have no problem with the word but of course they don’t have the same history with it."
-snip-
*These words are fully spelled out in this comment.

**
10. keenan34, 2023
"In the penitentary we say Ninja. thast where it came from."

**
11. TherealDaily, 2023
"ninja was a go-to swap for many ppl, but I'm not sure why you have to say it? Are you referring to singing or rapping the lyrics and you are afraid to say it? You might want to just omit certain words in some songs."

**
12. PhantomLeap1902, 2023
"Ninja, same syllable count and sound. The a on the end helps with flow most times"

**
13. inipow, 2023
"This is simple .

There is no such a thing as a pass . There is no excuse ,reason or salvation in the use of a racial slur that has been responsible for not just denigration but irreparable harm by people it has NOT HARMED .

DO NOT SAY IT !

Or do say it and as my grandmother used to say give your soul to God because your ass is ...

Now ask yourself

Why would I want to say a word I KNOW is HARMFUL??? Especially since I a Asian am giving homage to a art form primarily created and performed by Black people 🤷🏿‍♀️"

**
14. 
teamWSB, 2023
"I’m black and hate the word, so I love this question and concept.

Brotha and homie are my go to. But honestly even bruh or dude works. Doesn’t have be two syllables, it’s all about the cadence/delivery.

 “Memorize” the song with the self edits and it becomes second nature to not say the stupid n word with the rappers."

**
15. 
puffgreene, 2023
"everyone in these comments is white this is not the right sub to ask lol. its not that hard to just skip the word, replacing it with a word that sounds similar is pretty weird."

****
ONLINE SOURCE #4
From https://www.reddit.com/r/TooAfraidToAsk/comments/1bgdyh7/did_that_word_ninja_become_a_pejorative_or_a/ "Did That Words Ninja Become a Pejorative Or A Substitute For The N Word? r/TooAfraidToAsk,  March 2024

1. haku13f, March 2024
"I’ve seen the emoji 🥷🏽 as a stand in for the N-word but it’s mostly POCs that have used it."...
-snip-
The ninja emoji doesn’t show up on online pages in comments that apparently used it. I believe that emoji was cancelled. 

The rest of this comment and some other comments in that discussion thread refer to an Asian woman being reprimanded or fired at work because she said "ninja" and was reported to her job's human resource department for being a racist. 

**
2. Manowar274, March 2024
"
I’ve seen it used online as a replacement for it so that text filters don’t flag it but that’s about it. It’s all contextual and in the context it was used in the post doesn’t seem racially charged at all."

**
3. Panoglitch, March 2024
..."the word [ninja] was sometimes subbed for the slur in ‘clean’ versions of songs, and I remember seeing the phrase ’ninja please’ as long as 30 years ago

**
4. Terrible-Quote-3561,March 2024
"The only time I’ve heard that was on some black-created content aimed at teens years ago. Probably mostly to get around censors.

**
5. Staugustine95,March 2024
"The only time I have heard it was on Black Dynamite when they fight black ninjas. The ninjas would say stuff like “my ninja” or “ i know a ninja” and the funniest one was “ninja please!”
-snip-
This comment and other comments in this discussion thread refer to the names of online gaming channels.

**
6. BadBloodBear, March 2024
"In Leprechaun 4: In da Hood. The Leprechaun says "What's up my ninja"."

**
7. Renal923,March 2024
"So, I’ve def seen it used as a replacement for the n word on social media to get around censors. But never in the context you’ve described

Gaming channels were using it to get around demonetization."

**
8. HorneePandas, March 2024
"It comes up again in the sequel Back 2 Da Hood. When the white dude is buying weed at the basketball courts and says the N word. So they tell him people dont say that anymore, t's Ninja now."

**
9. OldKentRoad29,March 2024
"It's used online because people don't want to get banned or have their comment deleted. It's also kind of like a joke term. Although, that's online."

****
ONLINE SOURCE #5
From https://emojipedia.org/ninja
"Ninja

A person dressed as a ninja with a black hood, a mask covering the lower half of their face, and the hilt of a knife or sword emerging from behind their shoulder.

The now-discontinued Microsoft ZWJ sequence 🐱‍👤 Ninja Cat did not include the ninja emoji at all as it was developed several years before ninja was approved. It combined 🐱 Cat Face and 👤 Bust in Silhouette and was only available from Microsoft prior to the debut of the Fluent emoji set in November 2021."

****
ONLINE SOURCE #6
From https://www.distractify.com/p/what-does-ninja-emoji-mean-on-tiktok "What Does the Ninja Emoji Mean? It's Being Used In Place of a Slur on TikTok" by Joseph Allen, April 8, 2022
"Thankfully, TikTok and other social media apps have been smart about curtailing hate speech and other offensive forms of speech that are used on their platforms. Unfortunately, even as apps like TikTok attempt to censor certain kinds of horrible speech, those who want to use it find ways around these filters. Most recently, the ninja emoji has gained popularity in some circles on TikTok for a less than great reason.

The 🥷 is being used in place of the n-word.

If you see a ninja emoji under a video that is not explicitly about ninjas or something related to ninjas, you may naturally wonder why the emoji is there at all. As it turns out, some users have been using the emoji in the place of the n-word on TikTok in order to evade TikTok's filter and get away with using the word. Of course, the politics of this word are enormously fraught.

Because of its hateful origin, you should avoid using it entirely, especially if you aren't Black. The main controversy that has swirled around the emoji more recently has stemmed from white women in particular who appear to be using the emoji as a way to refer to all men. Those who know what the emoji actually refers to find these uses of it offensive, and have been unafraid to sound off about it online.

"Why do white girls on TikTok think it’s okay to use the ninja emoji when talking about men?" one person wrote.

"It be a lot of non-Black girls on TikTok tryna cover up using the N word by using the ninja 🥷 emoji," another person added.

Clearly, the use of the emoji has become problematic, at least in some circles of the internet.

[…]

The n-word is one of the most politically loaded words in America, but TikTok has obviously taken steps to crack down on the use of it in videos and captions. The ninja emoji may be an attempt to circumvent that rule, but clearly it's been an unwelcome one online. Whether that means those using the emoji are likely to stop is another question entirely.”

****
PART B - THE USE OF THE WORD "NINJA" BY BLACK PEOPLE (AFRICAN AMERICANS) AS A SUBSTITUTE FOR THE N WORD : 

The word "ninja" used by an African American as a positive or a neutral referent that substitutes for the n word:
 
1. 
E-40, August 6, 2017
  https://m.facebook.com/e40/photos/a.10151718377127050/10154688747957050/?type=3- Who grew up on this album? We was just some street ninjas out of Vallejo California with a prayer a hope a wish & a dream..." 

"Take baby steps my ninja"
-snip-
This comment was written by rapper E-40 in his Facebook page entitled "Don't go broke tryin to get rich". 

**
3. E40 Mogul 🥂🎩 on Instagram, https://www.instagram.com/e40/p/B3e1m85gefP/ October 11, 2019
"It's 30-ism, my ninjas I been doin' it since Khaleesi's dragons was baby lizards...

****
The use of the word "ninja" by African Americans as a derogatory, insulting referent that substitutes for "the n word" :

The following three examples are a very small sample of the use of the word "ninja" as an insulting referent for  ESPN commentator Stephen A Smith. These comments and many others were posted online after Stephen A. Smith's rant on Fox New's Sean Hannity's television show that African Americans should identify with Donald Trump (here called "the orange") because of the way that he is being treated by the United States criminal justice system. It's likely that this commenter is African American.

Stephen A Smith made other comments on that Fox News for which he later apologizing (at least two times) on his podcasts. Smith's comments went viral and labeled him a "ninja", among other terms. In this context, the African American use of the word "ninja" was/is derogatory. 

Click https://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2024/04/stephen-smith-called-buck-dancer.html  for the pancocojams post entitled "Some People Say That Stephen A. Smith Is A "Buck Dancer": Comments From Various YouTube Podcasts About Stephen A. Smith's Appearance On The Sean Hannity Show & His Subsequent Apologies"

1. @JT-qc4et,2024,April 2024, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zFuQaiD5cy8 "STOP IT STEPHEN A. SMITH! Smart Blacks Don’t Relate To Trump For Obvious Reasons" by Defiant Lawyers - Nullifying Systemic Racism, Apr 21, 2024
"Dude need to stick to sports.  Ive never listened to this ninja anyway. There is no perfect political system but ain’t no way in west hell I’ll vote for the orange"

**
2. @kenriley655,April 2024, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zFuQaiD5cy8 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zFuQaiD5cy8, "STOP IT STEPHEN A. SMITH! Smart Blacks Don’t Relate To Trump For Obvious Reasons" by Defiant Lawyers - Nullifying Systemic Racism, Apr 21, 2024
"Shame on you.  House ninja"
-snip-
"House ninja" is an updated term for "house n--ger". During United States slavery, a short hand summary divided enslaved Black people into two categories: house slaves and field slaves. The house slaves were considered to be most likely to support White people against Black people, including "snitch" on (tell on) Black people who were planning to run away to achieve their freedom. 

**
3. @titusnixon, April 2024, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SLT2xx2L6zA "STEPHEN A SMITH still doesn’t get it!", by Coach D, Apr 25, 2024 "When they get a head scratching, We sick boss Buffoon, they get a real one. Stephen Smith is the buck dancing champion, he’s out buck dance Jason Fatlock*. Isn’t it funny how these two buck dancers can’t stand each other. That because they both want to be that go to Ninza** that the racist can point to as their friend"
-snip-
*The last name "Fatlock" is a purposely written putdown of Jason Whitlock’s last name. Jason Whitlock is an African American conservative who Stephen A. Smith has argued with and criticized on Smith's ESPN series.  

** "Ninza" may be a typo or is a purposely respelled form of the word "ninja". 

****
Thanks for visiting pancocojams.

Visitor comments are welcome.