In high school, I had a friend who I’ll refer to herein as “1/2 Ton.” I nicknamed him this, because he later allegedly had a gold-plated handgun and I thought the added metal of the firearm was ridiculously heavy—hyperbolically weighing at least half a ton.
Although we had a number of noteworthy dissimilarities, one undeniable shared interest we maintained was musical congruity. For instance, we both enjoyed the lyricism of Spice 1 and E-40—West Coast artists who had unique styles which made them stand out among their competition.
In my opinion, these are two of the most underrated lyricists of the Left Coast. At any rate, when Spice 1 dropped his album AmeriKKKa’s Nightmare in ’94, 1/2 Ton and I were thrilled to discover that both aforementioned entertainers were featured together on the track “D-Boyz Got Love for Me.”
1/2 Ton had a dropped Chrysler Cordoba with an aftermarket stereo that caused his trunk to rattle. In Texas, vehicles like this are called SLABs (slow, low, and bangin’). Around Bomb City 1/2 Ton and I cruised, beatin’ down the block to the song.
I recall my friend laughing each time E-40’s verse referenced underwear (i.e., drawls, drawers, Fruit of the Looms, d-dun-dun-duns, etc.) and how the lyricist expressed how one should, must, or ought to engage in dumpin’ on one’s enemies (i.e., had to, got to, better, etc.). In particular, the lyricist states:
Nigga got outta line, I had to chop him
Reached into my drawers and pulled out my strap (pull out your strap)
Motherfucker got outta place, I had to chop him
Reached into my Fruit of the Looms and pulled out my strap (pull out your strap)
Nigga got outta place, you’se got to pop him
Reach up in your drawls and pull out your strap (pull out your strap)
Rookie get outta line, you better ice him
Reach into your d-dun-dun-duns and pull out your strap (pull out your strap)
Admittedly, I, too, used to laugh at the entertainer’s description of killing a person with a firearm retrieved from underwear. Now, thinking about E-40’s lyrics from the perspective of Rational Emotive Behavior Therapy (REBT), I pay closer attention to the demandingness aspect of the song.
For instance, irrationally believing that if people cross an invisible line that you demand they shouldn’t, you then must reach into your drawls, retrieve a firearm, and dump on them isn’t a component of rational living. Arguably, it’s a decent method of losing one’s freedom through irrationally-based logic. As an example, consider the following hypothetical syllogism:
Major premise: You demand not to be offended.
Minor premise: Because you’re offended by people, you must retaliate in order to restore your honor.
Conclusion: If you demand not to be offended, then you must be prepared to kill people in the name of honor.
Are you truly willing to take the life of another person simply because the individual got out of line? To me, answering in the affirmative is as silly as the notion of a person carrying around a strap in one’s d-dun-dun-duns.
In high school—when 1/2 Ton and I were ignorant about a significant number of life lessons, had underdeveloped brains, and behaved in an inappropriate fashion when acting out in the real-world the lyrics we heard through music—we fortunately didn’t dump on people for merely getting outta place. For this, I’m grateful.
Now, I teach people about a rational approach to life so that they may also think twice about dumpin’ from their drawls during moments of self-disturbance. Would you like to know more about how to take personal ownership of your actions in order to live a healthier life in this regard?
If you’re looking for a provider who works 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 old school hip hop REBT psychotherapist, I’m pleased 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 helping you to feel better, I want to help you get better!
Deric Hollings, LPC, LCSW
References:
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