Chunk Up the Deuce

[DISCLAIMER]

Not long after Texas rapper Lil’ Keke dropped his 2006 album Minor Setback for the Major Comeback, I recall people throwing up two fingers in pictures when photobombing—moving into the frame of a photograph as it’s being taken as a joke or prank. As an example:

Although peace signs were used in photos throughout my youth, the hand gesture became popular in pictures once again due to Lil’ Keke’s track from the album, “Chunk Up the Deuce”, which featured Texas emcees Paul Wall and UGK (lyricist Bun B and rapper Pimp C).

Noteworthy, the song also featured a sample of Lil’ Keke’s verse from “I’m a Boss Freestyle” which was on DJ Michael “5000” Watts’s 2004 album Swishahouse – Choppin’ Em Up 9 on which Lil’ Keke states (in a mixed sample on “Chunk Up the Deuce”):

I chunk up the deuce for the South and the North

Boys talking down, and boys wanna hate

I chunk up the deuce for the South and the North

Boys talking down, don’t make me pull out the choppa

I chunk up the deuce for the South and the North

Boys talking down, I’ll leave ‘em on the streets dead

I chunk up the deuce for the South and the North

Boys talking down, I got them diamonds in my mouth

Chunking up the deuce is a Houstonian hip hop phrase that means to throw up a two-fingered peace sign, sometimes sideways, as a way of saying “peace out” or “I’m done.” It can also relate to a gang sign, as was common in my youth, in which case it represents violence.

In “Chunk Up the Deuce”, Lil’ Keke presumably refers to both the peaceful and violent meanings of the phrase (i.e., he chunks up the deuce for peace regarding various regions, though he’ll also leave someone dead in the streets). I’ve been at both stages of this phrase in my life.

Therefore, after the track dropped, I was amused by photobombing behavior that represented duplicity—contradictory doubleness of thought, speech, or action. In particular, I found it funny how chunking up the deuce could’ve resulted in conflict at one stage in my life.

Yet at another stage, the hand gesture was little more than a way of expressing peaceful intent. When contemplating this matter further, I think about the two main techniques of Rational Emotive Behavior Therapy (REBT): the ABC model and unconditional acceptance (UA).

Before going further, I’ll issue a unique disclaimer. I’m well aware of the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations (RICO) Act. Therefore, I won’t implicate myself in any actual criminal activity from my past. I’m not giving the feds RICO ammunition to use against me.

Therefore, I’ll refer to a fictional gang, Hoover Street Deuces (the “Deuces”), from the 1992 film South Central. (You listening, feds? You can’t convict off of implied affiliation with a fictional gang.) Unique disclaimer aside, allow me to provide a psychoeducational lesson on REBT.

Hypothetically speaking, imagine young Deric having been friends (though never formally affiliated) with the Deuces in high school. This fictional gang set used chunking up the deuce as a challenge to other gangs. In this stage of life, the hand gesture represented violent intent.

Suppose that on one occasion young Deric, whose friends were Deuces, chunked up the deuce to a rival gang set. When doing so, the provocative gesture wasn’t well-received. In this imaginary scenario, suppose that violence erupted. That was a retroactively teachable moment.

REBT uses the ABC model to illustrate that when an undesirable Action occurs and one Believes an unhelpful narrative about the event, it’s one’s unfavorable assumption and not the occurrence itself that causes an unpleasant Consequence. In REBT, this is known as self-disturbance.

As an example, young Deric hypothetically chunked up the deuce while stating, “Deuces, cuzz!” (Action). One of the rival gang members of young Deric’s friends then likely Believed, “He shouldn’t disrespect us, and it’s awful that this crab is chunking up the Deuces’s sign!”

With that unfavorable self-narrative, the individual endured unpleasant Consequences such as anger (emotive) and feeling as though his chest was pounding (sensory), as he withdrew a knife from its concealed position (behavioral). (Of course, this is hypothetically speaking, feds.)

Addressing how people upset themselves with unhelpful attitudes, the ABC model incorporates Disputation of unproductive assumptions in order to explore Effective new beliefs. Also, only Beliefs are Disputed, as Actions and Consequences of one’s self-narratives aren’t challenged.

Imagine that instead of hypothetically having guns drawn on him in response to the Consequences of his unhelpful Beliefs, the rival gang member of young Deric’s friends had instead said to himself, “Although I’d prefer not to be disrespected, I’m not entitled to respect.”

One supposes that in this imaginary scenario the rival wouldn’t have wound up begging not to be left “on the streets dead,” à la Lil Keke. In this regard, the ABC model could’ve hypothetically saved an individual’s life. (Feds, I’m still talking about a fictional scenario herein.)

Additionally, REBT uses the technique of UA to relieve suffering. This is accomplished through use of unconditional self-acceptance, unconditional other-acceptance, and unconditional life-acceptance. What may’ve been the outcome of the hypothetical rival when using UA?

Imagine that instead of unproductively demanding that he deserved respect from others, the rival acknowledged the limits of his control or influence. Before ever needing to use the ABC model, this individual could’ve engaged the hypothetical scenario with a healthy mindset.

“I can control only my reaction to situations,” he plausibly could’ve told himself, “So it doesn’t matter what happens in life, to include someone who’s friends with the Deuces chunking up the deuce, I can tolerate and accept seeing a hand gesture I don’t like, as well as being disrespected.”

One imagines that peace, rather than violence, would’ve resulted in regard to the fictional scenario described herein. Hypotheticals aside, the ABC model and UA can literally save lives. Whereas I once (may’ve) advocated violence, [chunking up the deuce] now I prefer peace.

If you’re looking for a provider who tries to work to help you understand how thinking impacts physical, mental, emotional, and behavioral elements of your life, I invite you to reach out today by using the contact widget on my website.

As the world’s foremost hip hop-influenced REBT psychotherapist, I’m pleased to try to help people with an assortment of issues from anger (hostility, rage, and aggression) to relational issues, adjustment matters, trauma experience, justice involvement, attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder, anxiety and depression, and other mood or personality-related matters.

At Hollings Therapy, LLC, serving all of Texas, I aim to treat clients with dignity and respect while offering a multi-lensed approach to the practice of psychotherapy and life coaching. My mission includes: Prioritizing the cognitive and emotive needs of clients, an overall reduction in client suffering, and supporting sustainable growth for the clients I serve. Rather than simply trying to help you to feel better, I want to try to help you get better!

Deric Hollings, LPC, LCSW

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