Maybe instead of getting all offended about it, we should simply charge it to the game. And there will always be people who use certain words out of context to discredit others. With the way that hip-hop culture has penetrated mainstream society over the last 30 years, words and their usage are no longer private affairs. But, as with the so-called N-word, it's hard to legislate who says what when these words circulate so freely in pop culture. That's especially true if the person calling you a thug doesn't necessarily have your best interests at heart. These include ''Book of Thugs,' and the not to be missed 'Back by Thug Demand.'īut to call yourself a thug, though, is different than being called one by someone else. There's the Bone Thugs-N-Harmony, 'Thuggish Ruggish Bone,' and Jay-Z's 'Justify My Thug.' Atlanta rapper Young Jeezy, the man who claims that he's not a rapper, he's a motivational speaker, has an album entitled 'Thug Motivation.' Meanwhile, Miami rapper Trick Daddy seems to be on thug overdose, having released several albums with thug in the title. The myriad ways that rappers use thug has always been quite creative, actually. To be a thug is to be considered hard, real and authentic. Thug has become badge of honor among those who embrace the up-from-the-streets ethos.

But like so many other things, hip-hop gave the word new meaning. Has thug come substitute for the contested N-word without all the social baggage? Does the frequent use of this term to describe young black men simply slide under the radar? Thug, of course, did not originate with hip-hop. It discussed the word as it's been used to describe Atlanta Falcon quarterback Mike Vick by some radio talk show hosts, bloggers and others. The pejorative usage of thug was the subject of a recent Atlanta Journal Constitution article. For many people, though, thug is pejorative term describing young black men who were considered criminals. He called himself a thug and even had the phrase Thug Life tattooed across his chest. The late Tupac Shakur made this word famous. Here I am referring to the ubiquitous word thug.įor a long time now, thug has been part of the hip-hop lexicon. And I'm not talking about the so-called N-word this time. A certain hip-hop word is now inciting heated discussion over usage and meaning. That statement's all the more relevant when you consider how hip-hop has affected language in the modern age. TODD BOYD: American icon Muhammad Ali once said that words are more powerful than fists.

And now commentator Todd Boyd considers how the old adage sticks and stones may break my bones has flipped in this modern age.

Thug life acronym