The dozens is an element of the
African AmericanAfrican Americans are citizens or residents of the United States who have origins in any of the black populations of Africa. In the United States, the terms are generally used for Americans with at least partial Sub-Saharan African ancestry...
oral tradition in which two competitors, usually males, go head-to-head in a
improvisedImprovisation is the practice of acting, singing, talking and reacting, of making and creating, in the moment and in response to the stimulus of one's immediate environment and inner feelings. This can result in the invention of new thought patterns, new practices, new structures or symbols, and/or...
competition of often good-natured, ribald trash talk. They take turns
insultAn insult is an expression, statement which is considered degrading and offensive. Insults may be intentional or accidental...
ing—cracking, West Coast dissin'", or ranking on—one another, their adversary's mother or other family member until one of them has no comeback. This is called
playing the dozens or
doin' the dozens, and sometimes
dirty dozens, The dozens is a contest of personal power—of wit, self-control, verbal ability, mental agility and mental toughness.
The dozens is an element of the
African AmericanAfrican Americans are citizens or residents of the United States who have origins in any of the black populations of Africa. In the United States, the terms are generally used for Americans with at least partial Sub-Saharan African ancestry...
oral tradition in which two competitors, usually males, go head-to-head in a
improvisedImprovisation is the practice of acting, singing, talking and reacting, of making and creating, in the moment and in response to the stimulus of one's immediate environment and inner feelings. This can result in the invention of new thought patterns, new practices, new structures or symbols, and/or...
competition of often good-natured, ribald trash talk. They take turns
insultAn insult is an expression, statement which is considered degrading and offensive. Insults may be intentional or accidental...
ing—cracking, West Coast dissin'", or ranking on—one another, their adversary's mother or other family member until one of them has no comeback. This is called
playing the dozens or
doin' the dozens, and sometimes
dirty dozens, The dozens is a contest of personal power—of wit, self-control, verbal ability, mental agility and mental toughness. Each putdown, each "snap", ups the ante. Defeat can be humiliating; but a skilled contender, win or lose, may gain respect. The dozens is one of the contributing elements in the development of
hip hopHip hop music originated in 1970s block parties in New York City, specifically The Bronx. Hip hop culture, including rapping, scratching, graffiti and breakdancing. In the 1930s more than a sixth of Harlem residents were from the West Indies, and the block parties of the '80s were closely similar...
, especially the practice of
battling.
The dozens can be a harmless game, or, if tempers flare, a prelude to violence. While the competition, on its face, is usually light-hearted, smiles sometimes mask real tensions. But in its purest form, the dozens is part of an African-American custom of verbal sparring, of
woofin'The phrase wolf ticket is a corruption of woof ticket, and also known as a wuf ticket, is an African American slang expression for the practice of verbal intimidation, "sellin' woof tickets," that was misinterpreted...
and signifyin', intended to defuse conflict nonviolently, descended from an oral tradition rooted in traditional West African cultures.
"Yo momma", or "yo madra" are common, widely recognized argumentative rejoinder in African-American vernacular speech, is a cryptic and sometimes comical allusion to the dozens. Four examples would be, "Yo momma is so fat, when she jumps in the air, she gets stuck!" or "Yo momma is so stupid that she failed a survey!" or "Yo momma is so stupid she sold her car for gas money!" or "your momma is so stupid it took her 2 hours to watch
60 Minutes60 Minutes is an American investigative television newsmagazine, which has run on CBS since 1968. The program was created by long time producer Don Hewitt who set it apart by using a unique style of reporter-centered investigation. It has been among the top-rated TV programs for much of its life,...
!"
History of the dozens
The term
the dozens is believed to refer to the devaluing on the auction block of slaves who were past their prime, who were deformed, aged or who, after years of back-breaking toil, no longer were capable of hard labor. These enslaved human beings often were sold by the dozen. In
Still Laughing to Keep from Crying: Black Humor, African American author and professor Mona Lisa Saloy writes:
An alternate history of the name is that the word "dozen" has nothing to do with the number twelve; that it is a modern survival of an English verb—"to dozen"—dating back at least to the fourteenth century and meaning "to stun, stupefy, daze" or "to make insensible, torpid, powerless." The object of the game is to stupefy and daze with swift and skillful speech.
In 1929, the
boogie-woogieBoogie-woogie has the following meanings:* Boogie-woogie , a piano-based music style* Boogie-woogie , a swing dance or a dance that imitates the Rock-n-Roll dance of the 1950s...
pianist
Speckled RedSpeckled Red was born Rufus Perryman in Monroe, Louisiana. He was an American blues and boogie woogie piano player and singer most noted for his recordings of "The Dirty Dozens", legendary exchanges of insults and vulgar remarks that have long been a part of African-American folklore.The family...
recorded a song entitled "The Dirty Dozens" which includes lyrics such as "I like yo' momma—sister, too/I did like your poppa—but your poppa would not do./I met your poppa on the corner the other day/I soon found out he was funny that way." (
Kokomo ArnoldKokomo Arnold was an American blues musician.Born James Arnold in Lovejoy's Station, Georgia, Arnold received his nickname in 1934 after releasing "Old Original Kokomo Blues" for the Decca label; it was a cover of the Scrapper Blackwell blues song about the Kokomo brand of coffee...
, one of the most popular American
bluesBlues is the name given to both a musical form and a music genre created within the African-American communities in the Deep South of the United States at the end of the 19th century from spirituals, work songs, field hollers, shouts and chants, and rhymed simple narrative ballads...
musicians of the 1930s, also recorded much the same song under the title "The Twelves" in 1935.)
In 1959,
Bo DiddleyBo Diddley , born Ellas Otha Bates, was an American rock & roll singer, guitarist, and songwriter. He was known as "The Originator" because of his key role in the transition from blues music to rock & roll, influencing a host of legendary acts including Buddy Holly, Jimi Hendrix and Eric Clapton...
released "Say Man" on
Checker 931Checker Records was started in 1952 as a subsidiary of Chess Records. Like Cadet Records it stopped releasing records around 1971.Its most known artists include young Aretha Franklin, Five Blind Boys of Mississippi, J. B. Lenoir, Lowell Fulson, Little Milton, Arthur Crudup, Little Walter, Sonny Boy...
(with "The Clock Strikes Twelve" as the
B-sideA-side and B-side originally referred to the two sides of 7 inch vinyl records on which singles were released beginning in the 1950s. The terms have come to refer to the types of song conventionally placed on each side of the record, with the A-side being the featured song , while the B-side, or...
), which featured him trading insults with his percussionist Jerome Green. The lyrics are not sung, but spoken conversationally over a musical background; this track has been described as a precursor of
rapHip hop as a cultural movement "manifest in B-boying , graffiti writing, DJing and eMCeeing/rapping – is an artistic commitment to seize freedom from oppressive social conditions...
.
Alternative hip hopAlternative hip hop is a sub-genre of hip hop music that is defined in greatly varying ways. Allmusic defines it as follows:...
group
The PharcydeThe Pharcyde is an alternative hip hop group from South Central Los Angeles, where the group's members grew up. The original four members of the group are Imani , Slimkid3 , Bootie Brown and Fatlip . DJ Mark Luv was the group's first DJ, followed by producer J-Swift and then the late J Dilla...
released a song on their debut album
Bizarre Ride II: The Pharcyde entitled "Yo' Mama", the lyrics of which consist entirely of snaps.
In 2004, the Wayans Brothers, comedians
Keenen Ivory WayansKeenen Ivory Wayans is an American actor, comedian, director and writer known as the host and creator of the FOX sketch comedy series In Living Color, which also starred Jim Carrey, Jamie Foxx, brothers Damon Wayans, Shawn Wayans and Marlon Wayans, sister Kim Wayans, David Alan Grier, Tommy...
,
Shawn WayansShawn M. Wayans is an American actor and comedian who starred in In Living Color and The Wayans Bros. He is the brother of Keenen Ivory, Damon, Marlon, Kim and Nadia Wayans.-Personal life:...
, and
Damon WayansDamon Kyle Wayans is an American stand-up comedian, writer and actor, known as one of the popular Wayans brothers.-Early life:...
, released
The Dozens, a Dozens game for
mobile phoneA mobile phone or mobile is a long-range, electronic device used for mobile telecommunications...
s. The movies
White Men Can't JumpWhite Men Can't Jump is a 1992 film starring Woody Harrelson and Wesley Snipes as basketball hustlers, co-starring Rosie Perez. The film was written and directed by Ron Shelton and released in theaters on March 27, 1992 by 20th Century Fox.-Plot:...
, 8 Mile8 Mile is a American hip-hop drama film, directed by Curtis Hanson and starring Marshall Mathers , Kim Basinger, Brittany Murphy, and Mekhi Phifer....
, and
House PartyIn the English-speaking world the term house party refers, typically, to a type of party where medium to large groups of people gather at a the house or apartment of the party's host. The people present at any one party may contain high school, secondary school, college, university students, and/or...
include exchanges of snaps. In addition to that, the
MTVMTV is a cable television network based in New York City and launched on August 1, 1981. The original purpose of the channel was to play music videos guided by on-air hosts known as VJs...
"reality-TV" series
Yo Momma, which stars
Wilmer ValderramaWilmer Antonio Valderrama is an American actor and television personality, best known for the role of Fez in the sitcom That '70s Show, the host of the MTV series Yo Momma, and the voice of Manny in the children's show Handy Manny.-Early life:Valderrama was born in Miami, Florida, the son of...
(of
That '70s ShowThat '70s Show is an American television sitcom that centered on the lives of a group of teenagers living in the fictional suburban town of Point Place, Wisconsin, from May 1976 to 12:00 AM, January 1, 1980. It debuted on the FOX television network on August 23, 1998 and ran for eight consecutive...
fame) is entirely focused around coming up with "the dozens" to say to an opponent.
In 2008, the hip-hop group Hot Stylz released the single
Lookin Boy"Lookin' Boy is the first single released by the rap group Hotstylz from their album Get on My Family. The single features Yung Joc. The song is a game that derives from The dozens, but instead replaces the classic "Your Mama" opening references, with clever, quick-witted quips ending with the...
, whose lyrics comprise a game of the dozens. In this song, the game is referred to as Lookin' Boy, as each insult is of the form "You are an <
insultAn insult is an expression, statement which is considered degrading and offensive. Insults may be intentional or accidental...
> lookin' boy."
The dozens in comedy
Richard PryorRichard Franklin Lennox Thomas Pryor III was an American comedian, actor, and writer. Pryor was known for his unflinching examinations of racism and customs in modern life, and was renowned for his frequent use of colorful, vulgar, and profane language and racial epithets...
referenced the dozens in his 1975 comedy routine
"That Nigger's Crazy", saying that "white folks" did not know how to play. At the time, his stand up act was intended to bring out into the open the latent discrimination of African Americans that still existed in American society at that time, one decade after the
Civil Rights BillThe Civil Rights Act of 1964 was a landmark piece of legislation in the United States that outlawed racial segregation in schools, public places, and employment...
was enacted into law.
Aside from the Wayans Brothers with their dozens sketch on
In Living ColorIn Living Color was an American sketch comedy television series, which originally ran on the Fox Network from April 15, 1990 to May 19, 1994. Brothers Keenen and Damon Wayans created, wrote, and starred in the program. The show was produced by Ivory Way Productions in association with 20th Century...
, comedian-actor
Eddie MurphyEdward Regan "Eddie" Murphy is an American actor, voice actor, film director, producer, comedian and singer. He is the second-highest grossing actor in motion picture history. He was a regular cast member on Saturday Night Live from 1980 to 1984, and has worked as a stand-up comedian...
often based his stand-up routines on a reversal of the dozens, the purpose of which was boasting about one's own self rather than insulting someone else. Examples of this can be found in his known comedy albums,
ComedianA comedian or comic is a person who seeks to entertain members of an audience, primarily by making them laugh. This might be through jokes or amusing situations, or acting a fool, as in slapstick, or employing prop comedy...
, Delirious, and the soundtrack to the film
Eddie Murphy RawEddie Murphy Raw is an American stand-up comedy film directed by Robert Townsend and starring Eddie Murphy. It was Murphy's second feature stand-up video, following Eddie Murphy Delirious. The 90 minute show was filmed in New York City's Felt Forum, the venue in the Madison Square Garden complex...
. Other examples of the dozens in reverse, from other comedians, can be found in the cable TV program
Def Comedy JamDef Comedy Jam is a HBO television series produced by Russell Simmons. The series had its original run from July 1, 1992 to January 1, 1997. The show has returned on HBO's fall lineup in 2006. Def Comedy Jam helped to launch the careers of several African-American stand-up comedians.- Some...
, which was a production of Def Jam founder
Russell SimmonsRussell Wendell Simmons , is an American entrepreneur, the co-founder, with Rick Rubin, of the pioneering hip-hop label Def Jam, founder of another label, Russell Simmons Music Group, and creator of the clothing fashion line Phat Farm.Russell Simmons is the younger brother of Daniel Simmons, Jr and...
's company.
George CarlinGeorge Denis Patrick Carlin was an American stand-up comedian. He was also an actor and author, and he won five Grammy Awards for his comedy albums....
also referenced the dozens in his
Occupation: FooleOccupation: Foole is the fourth album released by United States comedian George Carlin. It was recorded on March 2 and 3, 1973 at the Circle Star Theater in San Carlos, California, and released in October of that year...
album while talking about his upbringing in Manhattan: "You wanna play the dozens?/Well the dozens is a game/But the way I fuck your mother/Is a goddamned shame."
In popular culture
- In season 3, episode 02 of House
House, also known as House, M.D., is an American television medical drama that debuted on the Fox network on November 16, 2004. The program was co-created by David Shore and Paul Attanasio; Fox officially credits Shore as creator. The show's central character is Dr...
, House mentions the dozens after Foreman insults Chase.
- An AMP Energy television commercial aired during National Hockey League
The National Hockey League is an unincorporated not-for-profit association which operates a major professional ice hockey league as a joint venture for its self perpetuating membership of 30 franchised member clubs located in the United States and Canada...
broadcasts portrayed Buffalo SabresThe Buffalo Sabres are a professional ice hockey team based in Buffalo, New York. They are members of the Northeast Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League .-Founding:...
goaltenderThis article is about the goaltender in ice hockey. For the similar position in other sports, see goalkeeper. For the basketball foul, see goaltending....
Ryan Miller competing against Los Angeles KingsThe Los Angeles Kings are a professional ice hockey team based in Los Angeles, California. They are members of the Pacific Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League...
goaltenderThis article is about the goaltender in ice hockey. For the similar position in other sports, see goalkeeper. For the basketball foul, see goaltending....
Jean-Sébastien AubinJean-Sébastien Aubin is a Canadian professional ice hockey goaltender who plays for the DEG Metro Stars of the Deutsche Eishockey Liga .-Playing career:...
in the dozens followed by the tagline "A goalie must react in 0.5 seconds." Miller wins with a "yo-mamma" joke delivered in Mandarin Chinese.
- A skit from animation series Robot Chicken
Robot Chicken is an American stop motion animated television series created and executive produced by Seth Green and Matthew Senreich along with co-Head Writers Douglas Goldstein and Tom Root...
s Star Wars special has Luke SkywalkerLuke Skywalker is the main protagonist of the Star Wars films Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope, Star Wars Episode V: The Empire Strikes Back and Star Wars Episode VI: Return of the Jedi...
and Emperor Palpatine engage in a "yo' mamma" fight (with Star Wars-themed lines like, "Yo momma so stupid, she went to Bangkok to get a TIE Fighter."), which Luke wins.
- A similar competitive insult show called Vilification tennis has evolved at the MN Renaissance Festival. In the show, two teams of two volley insults back and forth in a stylized doubles tennis match.
- On the TV show, The Jeffersons
The Jeffersons is an American sitcom that was broadcast on CBS from January 18, 1975, through June 25, 1985, lasting 11 seasons and a total of 253 episodes produced by T.AT. Communications Company from 1975-1982 and Embassy Television from 1982-1985...
, George JeffersonGeorge Jefferson is a fictional character played by Sherman Hemsley in American television sitcoms All in the Family and its spin-off The Jeffersons...
plays the dozens (actually referring to it as "the dozens") with the Caucasian-appearing biracial son of the Willises, Allan Willis, to test Allan's mettle as an African-American, with Allan passing the test.
- The 1992 animated film Bebe's Kids
Bébé's Kids is an animated feature produced by the Hudlin Brothers and Hyperion Pictures, directed by Bruce W. Smith, and released on July 31. 1992 by Paramount Pictures. The first ever animated feature to feature an all-Black main cast, the film is based upon comedian Robin Harris' "Bébé's Kids"...
, which features black characters and a focus on black humor, features a "yo' momma" fight between two of the characters.
- In the 1996 film, The Nutty Professor, the title character has several "yo' mamma" fights with a stand-up comedian.
- The Jay-Z
Shawn Corey Carter , better known by his stage name, Jay-Z is an American hip hop artist and businessman. He is one of the most financially successful hip hop artists and entrepreneurs in America, having a net worth of over $150 million, shipping over 30 million copies of his albums in the United...
song "It's Hot (Some Like It Hot)", from his 1999 album Vol. 3... Life and Times of S. CarterVol. 3… Life and Times of S. Carter is the fourth studio album by American hip hop rapper Jay-Z, released December 28, 1999 on Roc-A-Fella Records. It exhibits a return to the street-oriented sound of his debut album, Reasonable Doubt . Vol. 3… initially received generally positive reviews from...
, includes the following line written in the 3rd person: "Everytime we play 'the dozens,' he's buggin out."
- Heist
Heist is a crime thriller written and directed by David Mamet. The film's cast includes Gene Hackman, Danny DeVito, Delroy Lindo, Sam Rockwell, Ricky Jay, and Rebecca Pidgeon.Tagline: Love makes the world go 'round... Love of Gold.-Plot:...
, the 2001 film by David MametDavid Alan Mamet is an American author, essayist, playwright, screenwriter, and film director. His works are known for their clever, terse, sometimes vulgar dialogue and arcane stylized phrasing, as well as for their exploration of masculinity...
, mentions "the dozens" in a scene where Gene HackmanEugene Allen "Gene" Hackman is an American actor and currently a novelist.Hackman has made 80 films. He came to fame in 1967 when his performance as Buck Barrow in Bonnie and Clyde earned him his first Oscar nomination...
threatens Sam RockwellSam Rockwell is an American actor, appearing primarily in independent films.-Early life:Rockwell was born in Daly City, California, the son of actors who divorced when he was five years old. He was raised by his father, Pete Rockwell, in San Francisco while his mother, Penny Hess, stayed behind in...
with a lead pipe after Rockwell makes a joke about Hackman's character's relationship with his wife. "Oh, so you want to play the dozens?" Hackman intones over Rockwell as the latter cowers on the floor.
See also
- Avoidance speech
Avoidance speech, or "mother-in-law languages", is a feature of many Australian Aboriginal languages, some North American languages and Bantu languages of Africa whereby in the presence of certain relatives it is taboo to use everyday speech style, and instead a special speech style must be...
(mother-in-law languages)
- Call and response
Call and response is a form of "spontaneous verbal and non-verbal interaction between speaker and listener in which all of the statements are punctuated by expressions from the listener", as stated by Smitherman....
- Diss track
A diss track or diss song is a song primarily intended to disparage or attack another person or group. While musical parodies and attacks have always existed, the trend became an increasingly common in the hip hop genre as part of the hip hop rivalry phenomenon.-Background information:Almost...
- Extempo
Extempo is a lyrically improvised form of calypso and is most notably practised in Trinidad and Tobago. It consists of a performer improvising in song or in rhythmic speech on a given theme before an audience who themselves take turns to perform...
- Mother insult
- Roast (comedy)
A roast, in North American English, is an event in which an individual is subject to publicly bearing comedic insults, praise, outlandish true and untrue stories and heartwarming tributes. The implication being that the roastee is able to take the jokes in good faith and not as serious criticism...
- Vilification tennis
- Wolf ticket
The phrase wolf ticket is a corruption of woof ticket, and also known as a wuf ticket, is an African American slang expression for the practice of verbal intimidation, "sellin' woof tickets," that was misinterpreted...
- My Wife and Kids
My Wife and Kids is an American sitcom that ran on ABC from March 28, 2001, until May 17, 2005, starring Damon Wayans and Tisha Campbell-Martin, produced by Touchstone Television. It was created by Wayans and Don Reo....