Basic bitch
Basic bitch (or simply basic) is a slang term in American popular culture used to describe bland, ordinary people – usually but not always women[citation needed] – whose preference for certain name-brands or products with mass appeal demonstrates their uncritical conformity, lack of originality or coolness[citation needed]. The term originated in hip-hop culture and began to appear in rap music in 2010. It rose in popularity through songs, blogs, and videos from 2011 to 2014, when the basic bitch phenomenon was parodied by College Humor.[1][2][3] Because of the ambiguity of the term, many websites were created that attempted to explain the specific tastes and interests of the basic bitch[citation needed].
Interpretations of the cultural resonance and meaning of the term vary: it is seen by some as a critique of materialism in popular culture, as well as a method for singers to distinguish themselves from the masses and highlight their own coolness[citation needed]. It is also criticized for being an overly vague and misogynistic insult.
Their male counterparts are usually regarded as "basic bros".[4][5][6]
History[edit]
The term "basic bitch" was created by comedian Lil' Duval and was first recorded in Urban Dictionary in 2009.[7][3] Over the next two years, it appeared in several American rap songs. In the songs "Hard in the Paint" by Tyga and "I'm a Human Being" by Lil Wayne, the singers insist that they are not basic bitches, while in the song "Basic Bitch" by The Game, the singer warns others to avoid basic bitches because they are "fake".[7]
In 2011, rapper Kreayshawn debuted her song "Gucci Gucci," which included the chorus: "Gucci Gucci, Louis Louis, Fendi, Fendi Prada ... basic bitches wear that shit so I don't even bother." Google searches for the term "basic bitch" dramatically increased in popularity in 2013, and in 2014 College Humor released a parody video of a wife being diagnosed by a doctor as a basic bitch, to the horror of her husband.[8][2][3]
Interpretations and criticism[edit]
Referring to an object or a person as "basic" has a variety of connotations. When used to refer to people, it can mean a criticism of shallow materialism; in songs that use the term, popular luxury brands like Gucci and Prada are referenced to suggest that the people who wear them are buying rather than earning their fashionableness and social status. Decrying the basic bitch's love of bland, boring products like Ugg boots and Starbucks pumpkin spice lattes is a rhetorical technique that allows the singer to appear cooler by comparison.[9]
Feminists have criticized the cultural trend of using "basic bitch" as an insult, pointing out that those who call out other women for being basic bitches are "dismissing all cultural feminine signifiers" and "make assumptions about a woman's interests and habits based on her gender."[10] Widespread usage of the term to mock the behavior and interests of girlfriends or wives "conforms to the most bland and uncreative stereotypes of late capitalist femininity" and suggests a misogynistic attitude toward all women.[9]
In addition to its misogynist undertones, the term has been criticized for being too broad and vague; its ambiguity may have led to the rise in popularity of websites that aimed to explain the specifics of what makes a basic bitch.[7][not in citation given]
See also[edit]
References[edit]
- ↑ "How To Tell if You're a Basic Bitch". Youtube. Retrieved 24 December 2014.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 Schreiber, Abby (October 16, 2014). "Why are 'basic bitches' taking over the zeitgeist right now?". Paper. Retrieved December 24, 2014.
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 Alter, Charlotte (April 30, 2014). "How Conformity Became a Crime". Time. Retrieved December 24, 2014.
- ↑ "50 Signs You're Dating a Basic Bro". The Phoenix Times. 10 December 2014.
- ↑ "Most Basic Bros in Sports". Bleacher Report. 10 December 2014.
- ↑ "23 Phrases That Let You Know You're Talking To A Basic Bro". MTV. 10 December 2014.
- ↑ 7.0 7.1 7.2 Maggie Lange (April 10, 2014). "The 'Basic Bitch': Who Is She?". NYMag.com. Retrieved September 15, 2014.
- ↑ Alex Abad-Santos (April 22, 2014). ""Basic": a beginner's guide to everyone's favorite new insult". Vox.com. Retrieved September 15, 2014.
- ↑ 9.0 9.1 Michael Reid Roberts. "The Life and Death of American Slang, Part II: Bae and Basic Bitch". The American Reader. Retrieved September 15, 2014.
- ↑ Daisy Buchanan (April 14, 2014). "Why I'm proud to be a 'basic bitch'". The Guardian. Retrieved September 15, 2014.
Further reading[edit]
- Malone, Noreen (October 14, 2014). "What Do You Really Mean When You Say 'Basic Bitch'?". NYMag.com.
- Gould, Emily (October 30, 2014). "Regrets of my "basic bitch" Halloween costume". Salon.com.
- Gay, Jason (April 21, 2014). "Emma Stone: Funny, Fashionable, 4 New Films". Vogue.
- Henderson, J. Maureen (December 8, 2014). "The B Word: Why We Should Embrace Being 'Basic' Instead Of Scorning It". Forbes.
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