L to the Izz-eye, L to the Izz-why

I was comfortably ensconced on my living room floor, laptop open, and the guilty pleasure of the Fox Reality Channel on. As Gershwin wrote, “Summertime...and the livin’ is easy…” I had settled for a night of relaxation, mindless web-surfing, and maybe some writing if inspired. The call came about 10:45 pm. It was Lenny.

“Honey, do you know what H-O-V-A means?”

The pop culture portion of my brain kicked in, “H to the izzo, V to the izzay? That’s Jay-Z, honey. Why?”

The story came out with the background of the bar blaring into the phone as well. Lenny had gone out to a farewell party for an acquaintance of ours who was leaving for college. I passed on the shindig because it wasn’t our normal group we hang with. Apparently the celebrant has a soft spot for Jay-Z and was loading up the bar’s jukebox with his songs. When Lenny ran into another group of friends, the obsession with Jay-Z came up and no one knew the meaning to his mega-hit “Izzo (H.O.V.A.),” hence the call to the “only person who might have the answer,” according to Lenny.

Well – I didn’t know the answer. I know, I know…you’re COMPLETELY disappointed in me! When I hung up with Lenny, I had promised to figure it all out.

With the assistance of Google, I reached out into the internet vapor for the answers. But I began to think about slang terminology and its place in the world. I remember when I was younger, my parents and other adults would cringe whenever we used slang. The lecture was always the same. “How do you expect people to understand what you're saying if you keep using that jungle language?” It wasn’t the first time in history that that particular line was uttered by an authority figure, and I pretty damn sure that it won’t ever cease to exist.

I just wonder what is it about a younger generation’s slang that frightens others/elders?

I’ve heard teachers and debate coaching colleagues complain about how their young people talk to each other nowadays. They usually talk about how it “used to be” and how much better it was back “when I was their age.” I sit back and laugh usually. It’s amazing how age makes you forget!

Back when we were their age, we were doing the same thing! It doesn’t matter when you were born or what era you had grown up in. Youth is and will always be about expression. And language was the easiest form to spread! Not all of it is good, or even respectful…but speaking in the lexicon of your age group was a right of passage. You weren’t a rebellious youth until you had ticked off your parents by using slang!

“So’s your old man” is the 1920’s predecessor to todays “Yo mama.” In the 1960s, you were measured by how much “bread” you made at work, whereas in the 1990s, they wanted to know which “dead presidents” lined your wallet. In the 1980’s one might express unattractiveness as “butt ugly.” Today, elongating the A-sound in the word “damn” will do just fine.

The parallels are endless. See for yourself!

And while all “adults” mumbled about appropriateness when “we were their age,” we rolled our eyes and swore that we’d never turn out like the establishment. So, what happened? Did you forget?

While slang can be annoying, it’s the badge of the coming of age. Grant it, there are times when slang is appropriate (Trash talking at a pick-up game of basketball.) and when it should never be used (Saying to a jury, “Yo peeps, lemme break it down for you like ‘dis” is probably not recommended!). But that difference is something that has to be hashed out with open communication.

Language isn’t perfect, but it’s also ever evolving. But that’s the beauty of it all. Slang is new knowledge being added to the pot. Like I said, it’s nothing to fear – it’s something new to learn! Think of it this way – learn their language, you might have a better understanding of their problems. Or in Lenny’s case, you have a way to scare the crap out of them in the classroom.

You haven’t laughed hard enough until you hear Lenny declare to his students, “Don’t you get all up in my mess.” Oh…the look on their faces is priceless!

And for those of you wondering… H.O.V.A. is another one of Jay-Z’s nicknames. It is also short for “Jehovah.” Yes, THAT JEHOVAH! But before you get all bent out of shape, it is also a term of endearment used for male Jehovah’s Witnesses, i.e. “How goes it, young hova?” When Jay-Z raps the lyric “H to the izzo, V to the izzay,” he’s actually spelling it out. Kind of like Pig Latin or something.

See…learn something new everyday. Now go use it to scare a young person.