Zungguzungguguzungguzeng

[DISCLAIMER]

I can’t recall what CD I first purchased from Yellowman, a Jamaican reggae and dancehall deejay who engaged in toasting. Per one source, toasting is defined as a style of lyrical chanting which — in dancehall music and reggae — involves a deejay talking over a riddim (“rhythm”).

Arguably, toasting is what rappers and lyricists do when performing what The D.O.C. referred to as “Rhythmic American Poetry” (R.A.P.) on his song “The Formula” (1989). I’ll address toasting a bit more herein. For now, allow me to continue focusing on a dancehall legend.

Though I wasn’t as familiar with Yellowman’s full body of work, I recall hearing his sample “nobody move, nobody get hurt” on Eazy-E’s song “Nobody Move”, written by MC Ren, from Eazy-Duz-It (1988). When getting ready for school, I often listened to the song in seventh grade.

In any event, I eventually amassed several discs from Yellowman. Among those CDs was Zungguzungguguzungguzeng (1987) that featured the track “Zungguzungguguzungguzeng”. Yet, I had no idea what the phrase meant, about which one source states of Yellowman’s explanation:

Yellowman: Zunguzunguzeng is a slang, you know? It can mean anything. Like, I can say I’m gonna zunguzunguzeng you, which means I gwine kill you. And I can look on a girl and say, I want to zunguzunguzeng you. It mean I want to ‘f’ you.

It have many meaning. … But it was a political song, for Michael Manley. Like, “zunguzungunguzunguzeng, you shouldn’t trouble Mr. Manley, boy.” So I turned it into “zunguzungunguzunguzeng, jump for happiness and jump for joy”.

When viewed through the lens of Rational Emotive Behavior Therapy (REBT), I think of the ABC model and how the irrational belief known as demandingness functions. Essentially, a rigid form of this belief causes self-disturbance while the flexible usage results in self-distress.

As an example, when describing “Zungguzungguguzungguzeng”, Yellowman states that “you shouldn’t trouble Mr. Manley.” In this instance, context is needed when determining whether or not the demandingness narrative is inflexible or flexible.

For instance, suppose a person declares that you absolutely shouldn’t trouble Mr. Manley and, if you dare to do so, there’ll be severe consequences for your actions. This would constitute use of a rigid belief that causes self-disturbance (i.e., anger, seeking retribution, and so on).

Alternatively, if a person requests that you preferably shouldn’t trouble Mr. Manley and, if you opted to do so, there wouldn’t be any repercussions toward you. Rather, this flexible belief would cause one’s own self-distress (i.e., frustration, seeking to terminate a relationship, etc.).

This brings me to the matter of toasting. I recently watched the documentary Microphone Check: The Hidden History of Hip-Hop, directed by Tariq Nasheed, and I was flexibly self-distressed into a disappointed disposition at how a narrative of victimhood overshadowed the film.

My interpretation of the documentary was that only United States-born black people had a legitimate claim to the subculture of hip hop. Still, I wasn’t surprised by Nasheed’s apparent characterization of this topic, given his ostensible racial grievances expressed elsewhere.

Nonetheless, I was taken aback by how the director seemed to have disparaged toasting as an unlikely form of rapping. It’s as though Nasheed absolutistically couldn’t (i.e., shouldn’t) have allowed anyone other than his preferred group to lay claim to the roots of hip hop. Ridiculous!

Of course, being a professional practitioner of REBT, my self-distress was merely fleeting. Humorously, I imagined saying to those involved in the documentary, “I’m gonna zungguzungguguzungguzeng this,” meaning, I’m going to disregard this. (It can mean anything.)

Personally, toasting is a legitimate form of lyricism. With this effective belief, I say as Yellowman did in “Zungguzungguguzungguzeng”, “Yuh fe jump fe happiness and jump fe joy. Zung-gu-zung gu-gu zung-gu-zeng!” Respect to the reggae and dancehall deejays. One.

If you’re looking for a provider who tries to work to help understand how thinking impacts physical, mental, emotional, and behavioral elements of your life—helping you to sharpen your critical thinking skills, 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

Photo credit, fair use

References:

Discogs. (n.d.). Yellowman – Zungguzungguguzungguzeng. Retrieved from https://www.discogs.com/release/725546-Yellowman-Zungguzungguguzungguzeng

Fraley, J. (2024, June 18). ‘Microphone Check’ documentary explores ‘Hidden History of Hip-Hop’ at E Street Cinema in DC. WTOP News. Retrieved from https://wtop.com/entertainment/2024/07/microphone-check-documentary-explores-hidden-history-of-hip-hop-at-e-street-cinema-in-dc/

Hollings, D. (2024, July 9). Absolutistic should beliefs. Hollings Therapy, LLC. Retrieved from https://www.hollingstherapy.com/post/absolutistic-should-beliefs

Hollings, D. (2024, March 19). Consequences. Hollings Therapy, LLC. Retrieved from https://www.hollingstherapy.com/post/consequences

Hollings, D. (2024, October 27). Correlation does not imply causation. Hollings Therapy, LLC. Retrieved from https://www.hollingstherapy.com/post/correlation-does-not-imply-causation

Hollings, D. (2022, October 31). Demandingness. Hollings Therapy, LLC. Retrieved from https://www.hollingstherapy.com/post/demandingness

Hollings, D. (2022, March 15). Disclaimer. Hollings Therapy, LLC. Retrieved from https://www.hollingstherapy.com/post/disclaimer

Hollings, D. (2025, March 12). Distress vs. disturbance. Hollings Therapy, LLC. Retrieved from https://www.hollingstherapy.com/post/distress-vs-disturbance

Hollings, D. (2023, September 8). Fair use. Hollings Therapy, LLC. Retrieved from https://www.hollingstherapy.com/post/fair-use

Hollings, D. (2024, May 17). Feeling better vs. getting better. Hollings Therapy, LLC. Retrieved from https://www.hollingstherapy.com/post/feeling-better-vs-getting-better-1

Hollings, D. (2025, March 5). Five major characteristics of four major irrational beliefs. Hollings Therapy, LLC. Retrieved from https://www.hollingstherapy.com/post/five-major-characteristics-of-four-major-irrational-beliefs

Hollings, D. (2023, October 12). Get better. Hollings Therapy, LLC. Retrieved from https://www.hollingstherapy.com/post/get-better

Hollings, D. (2022, August 24). Green with anger. Hollings Therapy, LLC. Retrieved from https://www.hollingstherapy.com/post/green-with-anger

Hollings, D. (2024, September 24). Happy place. Hollings Therapy, LLC. Retrieved from https://www.hollingstherapy.com/post/happy-place

Hollings, D. (n.d.). Hollings Therapy, LLC [Official website]. Hollings Therapy, LLC. Retrieved from https://www.hollingstherapy.com/

Hollings, D. (2024, September 26). Interpreted reality. Hollings Therapy, LLC. Retrieved from https://www.hollingstherapy.com/post/interpreted-reality

Hollings, D. (2023, September 19). Life coaching. Hollings Therapy, LLC. Retrieved from https://www.hollingstherapy.com/post/life-coaching

Hollings, D. (2025, June 17). One. Hollings Therapy, LLC. Retrieved from https://www.hollingstherapy.com/post/__one

Hollings, D. (2024, July 10). Preferential should beliefs. Hollings Therapy, LLC. Retrieved from https://www.hollingstherapy.com/post/preferential-should-beliefs

Hollings, D. (2024, May 5). Psychotherapist. Hollings Therapy, LLC. Retrieved from https://www.hollingstherapy.com/post/psychotherapist

Hollings, D. (2022, March 24). Rational emotive behavior therapy (REBT). Hollings Therapy, LLC. Retrieved from https://www.hollingstherapy.com/post/rational-emotive-behavior-therapy-rebt

Hollings, D. (2024, July 18). REBT flexibility. Hollings Therapy, LLC. Retrieved from https://www.hollingstherapy.com/post/rebt-flexibility

Hollings, D. (2024, January 4). Rigid vs. rigorous. Hollings Therapy, LLC. Retrieved from https://www.hollingstherapy.com/post/rigid-vs-rigorous

Hollings, D. (2025, January 15). Satisfaction. Hollings Therapy, LLC. Retrieved from https://www.hollingstherapy.com/post/satisfaction

Hollings, D. (2022, November 1). Self-disturbance. Hollings Therapy, LLC. Retrieved from https://www.hollingstherapy.com/post/self-disturbance

Hollings, D. (2024, September 17). The E-C connection. Hollings Therapy, LLC. Retrieved from https://www.hollingstherapy.com/post/the-e-c-connection

Hollings, D. (2022, November 2). The formula. Hollings Therapy, LLC. Retrieved from https://www.hollingstherapy.com/post/the-formula

Hollings, D. (2025, February 28). To try is my goal. Hollings Therapy, LLC. Retrieved from https://www.hollingstherapy.com/post/to-try-is-my-goal

Hollings, D. (2025, April 18). Tolerable FADs. Hollings Therapy, LLC. Retrieved from https://www.hollingstherapy.com/post/tolerable-fads

Hollings, D. (2025, January 9). Traditional ABC model. Hollings Therapy, LLC. Retrieved from https://www.hollingstherapy.com/post/traditional-abc-model

Hollings, D. (2022, November 25). Victimhood. Hollings Therapy, LLC. Retrieved from https://www.hollingstherapy.com/post/victimhood

Marshall, W. (2009, February 5). Zunguzung revelations. Wayne & Wax. Retrieved from https://wayneandwax.com/?p=1054

Overstand87. (2013, September 29). Yellowman - Nobody Move Nobody Get Hurt [Video]. YouTube. Retrieved from https://youtu.be/CjYP0n1k7YU?si=UFPwVcGkm4H3UFOV

Romer, M. (2019, February 20). Toasting: A callback to ancient chants. LiveAbout. Retrieved from https://www.liveabout.com/toasting-definition-3553018

Shamflip. (2008, April 8). Eazy E – Nobody Move [Video]. YouTube. Retrieved from https://youtu.be/hHWHEtoqTF4?si=RatKfKQDU8-UnmIR

Soundcloud. (n.d.). Yellowman – Zungguzungguguzungguzeng [Image]. Retrieved from https://soundcloud.com/vp_records/yellowman-zungguzungguguzungguzeng

UPROXX. (2013, April 17). The D.O.C. - The Formula (Official video) [Video]. YouTube. Retrieved from https://youtu.be/9k1XyvwM4no?si=rWz92qcZVKkcH9Wm

Wikipedia. (n.d.). Dancehall. Retrieved from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dancehall

Wikipedia. (n.d.). Eazy-Duz-It. Retrieved from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eazy-Duz-It

Wikipedia. (n.d.). Eazy-E. Retrieved from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eazy-E

Wikipedia. (n.d.). MC Ren. Retrieved from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/MC_Ren

Wikipedia. (n.d.). Michael Manley. Retrieved from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Michael_Manley

Wikipedia. (n.d.). Reggae. Retrieved from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Reggae

Wikipedia. (n.d.). Tariq Nasheed. Retrieved from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tariq_Nasheed

Wikipedia. (n.d.). The D.O.C. Retrieved from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_D.O.C.

Wikipedia. (n.d.). Toasting (Jamaican music). Retrieved from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Toasting_(Jamaican_music)

Wikipedia. (n.d.). Yellowman. Retrieved from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yellowman

Yellowman – Topic. (2016, February 19). Zungguzungguguzungguzeng [Video]. YouTube. Retrieved from https://youtu.be/X-tfYbRK2OA?si=rlNTML7ByoetPCe7