Is anyone here upset by "Booyakasha"?

[Bossk]

I watched the trailer and all over the Facebook page everyone has been saying that the new phrase "Booyakasha" (if that's even how you spell it) is taking over "Cowabunga". There's allot of hate on the Facebook page, but how do you guys feel?

I, personally, don't mind it as a phrase but I do sort of mind it replacing "Cowabunga" if that's the case.

[DonatelloFan]

Upset? It's a catchphrase. Cowabunga is part of our nostalgia, but not relevant anymore. I love mixing old and new, but come on, we need more new than old. It's a new generation. If we want to have this generation know about the old Turtles, let's let them watch it on dvd.

[Grimlock]

No, because I'm not an idiot.

[TurtleTitan97]

Nope, I'm really liking the new catchphrase. :)

[Jephael]

There's already a thread similar to this in the Nickelodeon section!

[pannoni1]

It should be the new toon's "Banzai!", being one of several well-known phrases, but not THE most prominant one used.

Someone must have been a fan of Ali G, as a wiki search for Booyakasha makes his page come up. Like "Cowabunga", it originated on a comedy show. For all you at SDCC, please support "Cowabunga!" like people did in London!

[Jester]

Gah! Does it matter? It's a catch phrase on a kid's TV show....

[shezcrafti]

I'm not upset, but I think they could have done better. I can't hear it without thinking of Ali G.

[Jester]

*wonders how many people thought of Chief Thunderthud when they heard "Cowabunga."*
PFtfxpbpxvg

[Sage Ninja]

whats wrong with just "booya"

[gobo]

Upset? No. Bewildered? Yes.
whats wrong with just "booya"
A little too Teen Titans...

[Cipher]

No, because I'm not an idiot.This is a good post.

[Xav]

I don't really care. Cowabunga is dated anyway.

[Ravenxl7]

Upset? F@$% no. I'm not an immature child stuck in the past. Cowabunga was great, but I'd rather it stay something of the past (it's more special that way). Maybe get referenced once or twice, but not continue to be Mikey's go-to phrase.

This is something I wish Hasbro would do. I'm really getting tired of the continued use of "one shall stand, one shall fall", "freedom is the right of all sentient beings", and " Autobots, roll out".

[Bossk]

I see. I was expecting something different. As I said, the Facebook page is raging all over the place, and I just wanted to see the opinions of the "true" fans. They all just say that the 80's show was the best and little mention of it's comic book origination.

I sort of mind it replacing cowabunga, but I think it's more of a matter of getting used to, honestly. I'm sure a couple of episodes in I won't care anymore, it just sounds a bit odd coming from them I guess.

[Eiko]

Nope it doesn't bother me its still the Turtles i know and love.

[MikeandRaph87]

*wonders how many people thought of Chief Thunderthud when they heard "Cowabunga."*
PFtfxpbpxvg

My father told me about that when I was little. Its a catchphrase that the Baby Boomers and Generation Y share but know from different shows of course. Why not let Generation O share the catchphrase? "Cowabunga says it all!":tgrin:

As for Booyakasha, Nick could have picked out something better if they did not want Cowabunga. :trazz:

[Mr.Turtle]

it just sounds a lil bit strange to me for now.

[Candy Kappa]

Why would I be upset about it, what kind of a idiot would be upset over a catchphrase?

[gobo]

Cybercubed.

[Powder]

I dislike it, strongly, but I'm not in uproar or anything. I'll come to be indifferent once I see that sweet ass animation flashing before my eyes.

[Slade]

I think the word itself is stupid, but I'm not upset about it.

[zkarlette]

The more I hear Booyakasha, the funnier it seems.

[Donnie]

Upset? It's a catchphrase. Cowabunga is part of our nostalgia, but not relevant anymore. I love mixing old and new, but come on, we need more new than old. It's a new generation. If we want to have this generation know about the old Turtles, let's let them watch it on dvd.

Have to agree with this...

[mysterycolor]

The more I hear Booyakasha, the funnier it seems.
agreed- and i think it will be perfectly fine :)
as others have said, this is a new show and therefore should have a new catchphrase- definitely not upset over here, just looking forward to the chance to watch it :)

[cloud]

Cowabunga is so 80s. It was never mentioned in the 2003 show nor in the original comics. People are just being ignorant. I don't see people raging out of the theater after watch The Dark Knight and whined that Batman is not in blue and gray tights like the 60s show.

So yea, go Booyakasha!!!!!!!!!!

[Jester]

Not to be "That guy" but "Cowabunga!" was mentioned a few times in the 4Kids series, often to the chagrin of Raphael. Heck, it's in the 1st episode.

[Walkabout]

Not at all.

Cowabunga, radical, bodacious etc still stand and always will-BOOMSHAKALAKA!!!

[Genesis]

It's not a big deal either way, but I think that it's hinting at the return of "Cowabunga." Anyone particularly upset about it doesn't seem to understand that they're both nonsense terms. They'd fight for whichever came first; they probably don't really hate "Booyakasha," per se.

[Original TMNT Cartoon Fan]

What does Booyakasha mean?

[Jester]

b00lc92lExw

[Powder]

Anyone particularly upset about it doesn't seem to understand that they're both nonsense terms. They'd fight for whichever came first; they probably don't really hate "Booyakasha," per se.

Nobody on this board is blinded by nostalgia. One term was a perfect fit as it was surfer lingo, the other is taken from some piece of s**t character nobody's cared about in ages. I haaaaaaaaaaate Ali G & that's where my frustration comes from.

[BubblyShell22]

I'm not upset about it at all. I like the new catchphrase a lot. It sounds almost like a Japanese war cry.

[psych23232323]

It's a lot better than Naruto's "Believe It"; that's for sure.

[Genesis]

Nobody on this board is blinded by nostalgia. One term was a perfect fit as it was surfer lingo, the other is taken from some piece of s**t character nobody's cared about in ages. I haaaaaaaaaaate Ali G & that's where my frustration comes from.I always thought it was just a screw-around with "booyah" that just caught on. Didn't know it started with that guy.

As for "Cowabunga," you probably know this, but even though the OT was going for the surfer slang that was prevalent once upon a time, the term itself came from Howdy-freakin'-Doody.

And while you're likely not "blinded by nostalgia," I'll betcha there's at least a few that are.

It's a lot better than Naruto's "Believe It"; that's for sure.Definitely. And while we're at it, "It's Ninja Time" can go crawl in a hole and die alone.

[ZariusTwo]

I can't stand the term "blinded by nostalgia"...people can have perfectly objective reasons to like old things y'know

[Donnie]

I can't stand the term "blinded by nostalgia"...people can have perfectly objective reasons to like old things y'know

Well if they can explain themselves to earn sufficient merit outside of "it was what I grew up with" then please do elaborate.

[Redeemer]

I think I am more annoyed by it then anything.....

[Jephael]

Nobody on this board is blinded by nostalgia. One term was a perfect fit as it was surfer lingo, the other is taken from some piece of s**t character nobody's cared about in ages. I haaaaaaaaaaate Ali G & that's where my frustration comes from.

I've never heard of this character, though judging from that dumb looking video something tells me I prefer not to know.

[Mona_Lisa]

I'm not upset, but I think they could have done better. I can't hear it without thinking of Ali G.

I agree, I'm not upset... But they could have come up with something better!!!

[Allio]

nope, because if I was, I wouldn't be able to do this

BOOYAKASHA *Pelive Thrust*

[ChromeDome]

I think the new catchphrase is fine. Although I grew up with Cowabunga, I like that the 2012 CGI cartoon is not using it. I believe that this version of the show should make itself standout from the previous versions, and while incorporating elements of the earlier toons is great, I don't think Cowabunga needs to be one of them.

I hope after the CGI show airs and the new merchandise is on the shelves, that when I go into Target I'll find a bunch of kids running through the aisles shouting "Booyakasha!"

We'll see :tsmile:

[Zany Orange Dude]

I think the new catchphrase is fine. Although I grew up with Cowabunga, I like that the 2012 CGI cartoon is not using it. I believe that this version of the show should make itself standout from the previous versions, and while incorporating elements of the earlier toons is great, I don't think Cowabunga needs to be one of them.

I hope after the CGI show airs and the new merchandise is on the shelves, that when I go into Target I'll find a bunch of kids running through the aisles shouting "Booyakasha!"

We'll see :tsmile:

Well said.:tsmile:

And you aren't the only one who hopes to see that! :twink:

[Mr.Turtle]

as raph said, it does sound weird coming frm mikey's mouth...

[Bossk]

I hope after the CGI show airs and the new merchandise is on the shelves, that when I go into Target I'll find a bunch of kids running through the aisles shouting "Booyakasha!"

We'll see :tsmile:
Yeah, that would make me happy to see it really popular like it used to be.


nope, because if I was, I wouldn't be able to do this

BOOYAKASHA *Pelive Thrust*
LOL:tlol: That would be so fun to do. I've been thinking of something somewhat similar as I've been wanting to get a Mikey mask and walk into a pizza place and just order a whipped cream pizza.

[SS_Turtle]

As others have said this is a kids show so it doesn't bother me. Do I like it? no but it doesn't bother me be bit.

[Mr.Turtle]

i still dont get it why they need a new catch phrase at all.

[BubblyShell22]

Because it's a new show and a new generation of fans, that's why.

[changepas39]

I rather like it!

[Mr.Turtle]

im more upset by the absence of casy in the 1st season.

[Hero]

Its grown on me.

[mysterycolor]

Because it's a new show and a new generation of fans, that's why.
exactly!!!

[Mr.Turtle]

Its grown on me.

good luck with that.

[Xav]

Shouldn't this be in the Nick forum?

[Zog the Equalizer]

I don't really care that they have a new catchphrase, I just think the choice is strange. Anyone know if it actually means something in Japanese?

[Mr.Turtle]

^ is that japanese???????/

[mysterycolor]

google translate says it means "BOOYAKASHA" :kgrin:

[ScratchTheHotSpot]

I haven't posted anything on this site in a couple years now, but I had to write something about this...

I'm shocked, appalled, and deeply upset to hear this phrase, "Booyakasha".

The word means, in rough translation from Jamaican, "Death to the white man"

Jamaican's hold two fingers up in the air, to signify a gun, and shout "BOOYAH", to simulate the sound of a gun shot. This phrase is just a carry-on from that.


I'm from the UK, where Ali G was first shown on tv, and this phrase became instantly popular with everybody at my school. I would say this quite often, until I actually heard, from my mixed-raced friend's mother, who was from Jamaica, what this actually meant.

The word fits perfectly to the Ali G character, because he is a typical idiot, that is captivated by hip-hop / jamaican culture. The key word here, is IGNORANCE. That is what the whole Ali G character / joke was about, someone that has no idea what he was saying, or how they are acting, or the meaning behind it.

The fact that the writers have included this catchphrase into the show, is deeply disturbing for me, and shows complete ignorance, and lack of research on their part. Anyone that uses this word, are as ignorant as Ali G themselves.

Now, I know that you can say, "Oh the meanings of words change over the years", but the only reason, that this has become a popular saying, from my knowledge, is that Ali G made it so.

To put this in lamens terms, it is almost the same, as if Ali G said the "N-Word". In essence, it is basically the same thing. A white person, using a word that they shoudn't be using, which makes them look an idiot for doing so.

Another popular phrase from Ali G was, "It is because I is black?". Ali G is clearly not black, and its another example of how ignorance can be used in comedy.


I'd suggest all you fans, to email, or try to contact the writers of the show, as I will be doing, and urge them to take a second look at what this word means, and hopefully they will realise what a huge mistake it would be to include this into the show. Also, pm your friends, and get them to read this post, because clearly, no-one on this site knows what the word actually means...

TMNT should not be a tool for racial-ignorance-comedy, and I'm sure this is not their intention. For the love of god, PLEASE fix this Nickelodeon!!!

[Bossk]

I have never heard of such a thing, honestly. I have never even heard of the word "Booyakasha" until I saw the trailer for the new turtles. If that's true, then that could definitely be problem.

[cryan]

I think the new catchphrase is fine. Although I grew up with Cowabunga, I like that the 2012 CGI cartoon is not using it. I believe that this version of the show should make itself standout from the previous versions, and while incorporating elements of the earlier toons is great, I don't think Cowabunga needs to be one of them.

I hope after the CGI show airs and the new merchandise is on the shelves, that when I go into Target I'll find a bunch of kids running through the aisles shouting "Booyakasha!"

We'll see :tsmile:

Well,a buddy posted on another site that our TRU on Wednesday had the new TMNT figures out.I went there on Saturday and there was only one Splinter left.So,they are selling.

[Candy Kappa]

I haven't posted anything on this site in a couple years now, but I had to write something about this...

I'm shocked, appalled, and deeply upset to hear this phrase, "Booyakasha".

The word means, in rough translation from Jamaican, "Death to the white man"

Jamaican's hold two fingers up in the air, to signify a gun, and shout "BOOYAH", to simulate the sound of a gun shot. This phrase is just a carry-on from that.


I'm from the UK, where Ali G was first shown on tv, and this phrase became instantly popular with everybody at my school. I would say this quite often, until I actually heard, from my mixed-raced friend's mother, who was from Jamaica, what this actually meant.

The word fits perfectly to the Ali G character, because he is a typical idiot, that is captivated by hip-hop / jamaican culture. The key word here, is IGNORANCE. That is what the whole Ali G character / joke was about, someone that has no idea what he was saying, or how they are acting, or the meaning behind it.

The fact that the writers have included this catchphrase into the show, is deeply disturbing for me, and shows complete ignorance, and lack of research on their part. Anyone that uses this word, are as ignorant as Ali G themselves.

Now, I know that you can say, "Oh the meanings of words change over the years", but the only reason, that this has become a popular saying, from my knowledge, is that Ali G made it so.

To put this in lamens terms, it is almost the same, as if Ali G said the "N-Word". In essence, it is basically the same thing. A white person, using a word that they shoudn't be using, which makes them look an idiot for doing so.

Another popular phrase from Ali G was, "It is because I is black?". Ali G is clearly not black, and its another example of how ignorance can be used in comedy.


I'd suggest all you fans, to email, or try to contact the writers of the show, as I will be doing, and urge them to take a second look at what this word means, and hopefully they will realise what a huge mistake it would be to include this into the show. Also, pm your friends, and get them to read this post, because clearly, no-one on this site knows what the word actually means...

TMNT should not be a tool for racial-ignorance-comedy, and I'm sure this is not their intention. For the love of god, PLEASE fix this Nickelodeon!!!

So, is it Booyah that is the actual offensive slur (to Jamaicans) or with the added Kasha?

[Mr.Turtle]

I haven't posted anything on this site in a couple years now, but I had to write something about this...

I'm shocked, appalled, and deeply upset to hear this phrase, "Booyakasha".

The word means, in rough translation from Jamaican, "Death to the white man"

Jamaican's hold two fingers up in the air, to signify a gun, and shout "BOOYAH", to simulate the sound of a gun shot. This phrase is just a carry-on from that.


I'm from the UK, where Ali G was first shown on tv, and this phrase became instantly popular with everybody at my school. I would say this quite often, until I actually heard, from my mixed-raced friend's mother, who was from Jamaica, what this actually meant.

The word fits perfectly to the Ali G character, because he is a typical idiot, that is captivated by hip-hop / jamaican culture. The key word here, is IGNORANCE. That is what the whole Ali G character / joke was about, someone that has no idea what he was saying, or how they are acting, or the meaning behind it.

The fact that the writers have included this catchphrase into the show, is deeply disturbing for me, and shows complete ignorance, and lack of research on their part. Anyone that uses this word, are as ignorant as Ali G themselves.

Now, I know that you can say, "Oh the meanings of words change over the years", but the only reason, that this has become a popular saying, from my knowledge, is that Ali G made it so.

To put this in lamens terms, it is almost the same, as if Ali G said the "N-Word". In essence, it is basically the same thing. A white person, using a word that they shoudn't be using, which makes them look an idiot for doing so.

Another popular phrase from Ali G was, "It is because I is black?". Ali G is clearly not black, and its another example of how ignorance can be used in comedy.


I'd suggest all you fans, to email, or try to contact the writers of the show, as I will be doing, and urge them to take a second look at what this word means, and hopefully they will realise what a huge mistake it would be to include this into the show. Also, pm your friends, and get them to read this post, because clearly, no-one on this site knows what the word actually means...

TMNT should not be a tool for racial-ignorance-comedy, and I'm sure this is not their intention. For the love of god, PLEASE fix this Nickelodeon!!!

that's impossible... the shows not a japanese show. plus there's no reason for the turtles to use japanese catch phrase just because they r ninja. its true that ninja r frm japan but the turtles grow up in US.

[ScratchTheHotSpot]

I'm sorry, but some of the replies so far to my post, have been quite shocking say the least...

Mr. Turtle wrote:
"that's impossible... the shows not a japanese show. plus there's no reason for the turtles to use japanese catch phrase just because they r ninja. its true that ninja r frm japan but the turtles grow up in US."

I don't know what post you were reading, but I am talking about a Jamaican phrase, NOT Japanese... The filter from what I wrote, to what you understood, was unbelievable...



Candy Kappa wrote:
"So, is it Booyah that is the actual offensive slur (to Jamaicans) or with the added Kasha?"

The slur is not offensive TO Jamaicans, it is a slur USED BY Jamaicans, towards white people.



I have done a little more digging around the internet to find out a little more about the phrase, and most "Urban Dictionaries", have described the term to mean, "Something you say in celebration". This shows the clear level of ignorance / naivety to the origins of this phrase. Also, on these sites, people have posted similar explanations to mine, for the meaning of this word.

Most people, like myself, first heard this uttered by Ali G, which he used in celebration, as I, and most others originally thought it meant, when they first heard it.

Someone has also posted a Youtube video, of an interview with Ali G, explaining what Booyakasha means. His reply, was to say a load of garbage, on what he thought the word meant. Ali G is not a real person, but a character created by comedian Sacha Baron Cohen. So the reply given in this interview, is one of ignorance, and in charcter, which as I said before, is whole joke behind Ali G.


To carry on, and respond to what Candy Kappa wrote... I have heard the phrase, "Boo ya kah, Boo ya kah" at some point in my life, so the part that must translate to "white-person" must be the "Sha" part. Even so, the "boo-ya kah" part, still relates to guns, and gun violence, something that is hugely inappropriate for the turtles, let alone, a kids show.

The earliest usage of the word I have found so far, comes from a KRS-One song, called "Mad Crew" from the 1993 album, Return of the Boom Bap. The word features at the very start of this song. The lyrics go "Buck Buck Buck Buck Boo-ya-kah-SHAN". I'm a hip hop fan myself, and I know for certain, that "buck" is also associated with guns. For example, "Buck shots", would mean to shoot your gun off at someone.

Part of hip hop in the early 90s, had a very "pro-black", and "anti-white" feeling in some artist's songs. Groups such as Public Enemy, X-Clan, to name a few. These artists were heavily influenced by a black-rights activist called Malcom-X. Someone who, unlike Martin Luther King, thought that African Americans should show violence towards white people, rather than a peaceful protest. Which is why you probably won't learn about this guy in school, but you WILL learn about Martin Luther King, and rightfully so.


To reiterate my whole point... The usage of this word in pop culture these days most likely comes from Ali G, and what this charcter THOUGHT the word meant. I say it again, the key word with the character, was IGNORANCE. He said things like this, without knowing what it really meant.

The very sad thing, is that people use the word like Ali G used it, not knowing that they are appearing to others, that DO know what it means, as ignorant and naive people.

I would like to use this analogy... Did you ever hear a word when you were younger at school being used by your friends, and when you came home, and used it infront of your parents, you were immediately told-off for using a naughty word, which you originally thought was ok? I'm afraid that this is one of those situations, but on a unbelieveable scale.

I had no idea that this word was still popular in main stream culture until I heard it on the new TMNT trailer. Quite frankly, I'm pretty shocked.

[Mr.Turtle]

^ but thats not possible either, why d they use a catch phrase to insult themselves?

[Leonardo87]

No I'm not upset; just annoyed that people are complaining over this new catchphrase.

[Mr.Turtle]

No I'm not upset; just annoyed that people are complaining over this new catchphrase.

lmao......

[ScratchTheHotSpot]

^ but thats not possible either, why d they use a catch phrase to insult themselves?

Mr. Turtle Im not sure you are quite grasping what I'm trying to say...

By "insult themselves" are you talking about Ali G using this word? Because he is white himself, and saying "Booyakasha", (Death to the white man) would not make sense?

Well you are quite right. Ali G uses this word because he is an idiot. That is where the whole comedy and joke is behind this character.

You laugh at Ali G because he is saying things that black people normally say when referring to being oppressed by white people. As I said before, one of his other popular catch phrases was, "Is it because I is black?". This is a ridiculous thing to say as a white-man, and was the whole basis of the comedy. You laugh at Ali G, because he is an idiot.

What is it that you find so hard to understand? I'm not sure how I could explain it any clearer than I already have.

[Mr.Turtle]

was that u said :"Booyakasha". The word means, in rough translation from Jamaican, "Death to the white man"?

[ScratchTheHotSpot]

was that u said :"Booyakasha". The word means, in rough translation from Jamaican, "Death to the white man"?

You do know that the Jamaican people that use this word, are Black, and of African origin, you know that right?

I'm sorry if I'm wrong about you, but it seems like you being deliberately stupid here.

[Candy Kappa]

That's Mr. Turtle for ya

[Mr.Turtle]

You do know that the Jamaican people that use this word, are Black, and of African origin, you know that right?

I'm sorry if I'm wrong about you, but it seems like you being deliberately stupid here.

r u stupid or me? where's ur logic? i cant believe u...

[Lethal Lullaby]

r u stupid or me? where's ur logic? i cant believe u...

You don't need logic, silly. YOU are stupid. That is all.

[ScratchTheHotSpot]

Thanks guys, I was starting to go a little crazy whilst reading Mr. Turtle's comments.


Just to follow on from my previous comments about the origin of the word, and when it was used in the KRS-One song that I referred to. KRS-One had a notorious feud with another rapper called MC Shan. Which may be why he added the letter 'N' to the end of "Sha", which would mean, "Shoot / Kill MC Shan", but he is saying it in a more discrete way. The feud wasn't completely between these rappers, but more their entire crews which started in around 1986. I'm just trying to give as much information as possible on this subject.

I still maintain that the "Booyaka", comes from Jamaican origins meaing to kill, or to shoot, and "Booyakasha" would be directed towards white people. As I said before, this was told to me many years ago from my friends mother, after hearing the Ali G phrase, when she first heard us using it. You may think this is all "hear-say", but I don't think it's a subject that should be taken lightly, and should be researched alot further by the TMNT writers, than just looking at "Urban Dictionaries". I don't think that slang related to gun violence is a good reflection of what TMNT is all about.

[Mr.Turtle]

^ right, ur logic is the animation made by white men use a catch phrase to insult themselves? that sounds crazy to me.

[ScratchTheHotSpot]

This is because, like I once was, and many others still are, the writers think that it's just a meaningless word that can be thrown about to mean anything they want. Just like Ali G used it.

This is what I'm trying to explain here. It's a crazy situation that needs to be addressed.

Sacha Baron Cohen used it with the Ali G character, to show that he was completely ignorant to what the word meant. The irony is, that not many others knew what it truely meant either.

That is the sad thing, Ali G has made it so popular, that it's almost unbelieveable now, to hear that it means something else...

[Cowabunga Carl]

Scratch you'd have more luck trying to have a conversation with a rock.

[Mr.Turtle]

but is this word really meaningless?????

Scratch you'd have more luck trying to have a conversation with a rock.



and wut r u? a glass?

[Cowabunga Carl]

and wut r u? a glass?

That makes no sense at all you know right?

[Mr.Turtle]

^ do u mean no sense at all?

[Jester]

I swear you only play dumb....

[Mr.Turtle]

but never play off.

[Cowabunga Carl]

You know, yup going on ignore list.

Anyway on topic. It doesn't bother me. I don't know how many of you watch Red Dwarf but it's the same thing that happened to them. They chose a word they didn't realize meant something gross and disgusting. They made it have a new meaning for their show. When it was pointed out to them they just said, that isn't what it means here so no we wont change it. We are giving it a new meaning and power.

I assume that is what happened here. Words only mean what you will let them mean.

[Jester]

Can I ask what that word was?

[Mr.Turtle]

^of course Booyakasha, ur playing dumb again, pally...


but could it be some other meanings? good ones?

[Cowabunga Carl]

Can I ask what that word was?

It was Smeg. Apparently it has something to do with not cleaning parts of the body properly and a filth that forms.

[Mr.Turtle]

or...not...

[Jester]

Never would have known....:P

As for Booyakasha, it has so many assumed meanings, I'm not sure if it's a huge deal....

[Cowabunga Carl]

Things only become big deals when people get offended. If people would just realize the context and the intent behind things we could avoid some of these kind of things. But because people can't we end up with things like this.

[Newton Gimmick]

The slur is not offensive TO Jamaicans, it is a slur USED BY Jamaicans, towards white people.

To reiterate my whole point... The usage of this word in pop culture these days most likely comes from Ali G, and what this character THOUGHT the word meant. I say it again, the key word with the character, was IGNORANCE. He said things like this, without knowing what it really meant.

The very sad thing, is that people use the word like Ali G used it, not knowing that they are appearing to others, that DO know what it means, as ignorant and naive people.

I had no idea that this word was still popular in main stream culture until I heard it on the new TMNT trailer. Quite frankly, I'm pretty shocked.

I clipped your quote, just to let you know I was responding to you. I've read all your posts. I appreciate what you're trying to say, but there's a few things you need to know.

Boo-yah, has been around as an expression for decades. It was not attached to anything. If people in Jamaica have used it in the past for some sort of slang, so be it, but it clearly predates that and is not nefarious in origin.

You seem pretty certain that Booyakasha was used by Ali G as some sort of super subverse joke that he didn't "understand" it's meaning. Yes this is true. He didn't understand it's meaning, because it has no meaning. It's jibberish.

It would work as subverse humor if he was saying a slang that was derogatory to himself. However there is no evidence to suggest this other than the occasional mention that someone heard somewhere that it meant "death to the white man". But if this were true, it would be well documented and unfortunately it's not. I get that Ali G was stupid and that would be part of his character, but there's nothing anywhere that seems to indicate that booyakasha was used in this way.

The expression BOOYAKA, was an expression used for a gun shot and while this may have been adopted by Jamaicans at some point, it predates them by hundreds of years. It was a phrase used in Africa for gun shot, but actually even predates guns where it used to describe a loud bang. Early European explorers documented it. It is not racist in any manner.

Ultimately, the whole "it's a Jamaican slang phrase" is an urban myth. Ali G used the word because it was a popular expression of black UK youth in the late 90's meant as celebratory cry. No different than Booyah before it. It was just added to and expanded.

It has since been added to the urban lexicon as popularized by Ali G as an expression of celebration, which traces right back to it's origin.

[Mr.Turtle]

i still think when the turtles say Booyakasha, they sound like they r frm a totally different universe...

[Jephael]

i still think when the turtles say Booyakasha, they sound like they r frm a totally different universe...

Must... resist... urge... to make... Michael Bay joke!!!

[Jester]

http://www.thebodi.eu/img/page/fb-like-button.gif Jester Likes This.

[Hero]

Whatever the past uses or possible meanings, its an example of Bricolage. :)


In cultural studies bricolage is used to mean the processes by which people acquire objects from across social divisions to create new cultural identities. In particular, it is a feature of subcultures such as, for example, the punk movement. Here, objects that possess one meaning (or no meaning) in the dominant culture are acquired and given a new, often subversive meaning. For example, the safety pin became a form of decoration in punk cultle

I've heard the word 'sick' to describe something cool, yet its been otherwise used to describe something grotesque or someone evil.

IIRC. Damien Trotter used the phrase 'Booyakasha' on one of the Only Fools & Horses Christmas Specials. Anyone seen that show? I believes there's a US version in the works starring Christopher Lloyd.

[Vincent]

I'm shocked, appalled, and deeply upset to hear this phrase, "Booyakasha".

The word means, in rough translation from Jamaican, "Death to the white man"

Jamaican's hold two fingers up in the air, to signify a gun, and shout "BOOYAH", to simulate the sound of a gun shot. This phrase is just a carry-on from that.
It's just onomatopoeia. It does not mean "death to the white man", it literally means "boom" or "bang bang".

[ScratchTheHotSpot]

Boo-yah, has been around as an expression for decades. It was not attached to anything. If people in Jamaica have used it in the past for some sort of slang, so be it, but it clearly predates that and is not nefarious in origin.


Would you mind please expanding on this point? You say that it predates usage in Jamaica? This was something I was not aware of, and have found no evidence of so far.



You seem pretty certain that Booyakasha was used by Ali G as some sort of super subverse joke that he didn't "understand" it's meaning. Yes this is true. He didn't understand it's meaning, because it has no meaning. It's jibberish.

It would work as subverse humor if he was saying a slang that was derogatory to himself. However there is no evidence to suggest this other than the occasional mention that someone heard somewhere that it meant "death to the white man". But if this were true, it would be well documented and unfortunately it's not. I get that Ali G was stupid and that would be part of his character, but there's nothing anywhere that seems to indicate that booyakasha was used in this way.


Unfortunately, it is not well documented because of the fact that most people in the world, think that its meaningless. There are plenty of other places on the net I have found, that support the explaination given to me first hand. Obviously, hear-say is difficult for you guys to believe, and that's totally understandable. Anything written on the net, you must approach with caution.

Due to the internet being as young as it is, something like this, I feel, would not be well documented. Ali G first became popular in the UK, in the year 2000, but also appeared on screens afew years before this. That's 12 years of ill-informed people passing around this word, thinking it to mean "nothing". Truth is not a democracy. So for me, the most popular understanding of the word, as claimed by the internet, holds very little truth in my mind, as most of these explanations have been written since the popularization of Ali G.



The expression BOOYAKA, was an expression used for a gun shot and while this may have been adopted by Jamaicans at some point, it predates them by hundreds of years. It was a phrase used in Africa for gun shot, but actually even predates guns where it used to describe a loud bang. Early European explorers documented it. It is not racist in any manner.


This, I have never heard of, would you be able to please show some evidence to support this history?


Ultimately, the whole "it's a Jamaican slang phrase" is an urban myth. Ali G used the word because it was a popular expression of black UK youth in the late 90's meant as celebratory cry. No different than Booyah before it. It was just added to and expanded.

It has since been added to the urban lexicon as popularized by Ali G as an expression of celebration, which traces right back to it's origin.

I fear that it has reached "urban myth" status, and for me, this is very sad. I feel that my source, for the meaning, was very reliable.

You say this was a celebratory cry for black youth in the UK before Ali G, but the meaning 'death to the white man' could be very appropriate for this demographic, as a celebratory cry. It would also support even more, the usage by Ali G, in the context of ignorance...


Old Hob:
I appreciate that words take on new meanings over time, but the Red Dwarf, Smeg analogy, seems slightly different to this... The meaning in Red Dwarf was one of a derogatory nature, which if they used it, meaning what it originally meant, it would still apply. Personally, I feel that the producers of the show, were perhaps seeing what they could get away with on the BBC. Something that many comedians and artists are always pushing to do, to get away with something that society deems inappropriate.

Which leads me back to Sacha Baron Cohen, who probably laughed his ass off, at the ignorant white youth of the UK, going around shouting "booyakasha".

I'd like to remind everybody once again, that Ali G was a character which used racial terms used in black society, which was clearly stupid for him to use, as he wasn't black. That was the whole joke, and the meaning behind this character. To show that people use words in ignorance or naivety, and not really understanding what they actually meant. But ironically this is what has ended up happening with the phrase "booyakasha".

To use words that this character used in the same way that he did, and believing that they hold no significance, or to rely on the definition that Ali G thought they meant, seems crazy to me.

[Vincent]

but the meaning 'death to the white man' could be very appropriate for this demographic, as a celebratory cry.
The idea that "booyakasha" means "death to the white man" is just a rumor cooked up by racists, just like the idea that "Wu Tang" means "death to the white man". It's a myth. Not true. It may have been used by some people in a similar context, but that doesn't change the fact that it doesn't mean what you think it means. It means "boom". That's it. It's onomatopoeia, and it is not inherently aimed toward any group of people. "Booyakasha" means "death to the white man" as much as "boom" means "death to the gay man". The fact that there's a terrible song that goes "Boom bye bye Inna batty bwoy head" doesn't mean that the word "boom" is by itself homophobic. Similarly, there is nothing in the word "booyakasha" to suggest any racist message.

[Mr.Turtle]

yea its not a big deal, lots word has an opposite meaning in slang too. like "sick".

[ScratchTheHotSpot]

So an onomatopoeia that relates to shooting off guns in celebration, is appropriate for TMNT? The culture that this word originates from is way-off what TMNT is all about.

Regardless of it's meaning, the fact there have been numerous debates about this word on internet forums since the popularization of Ali G, should surely indicate that this is a bad choice, for a catch phrase, on a childrens TV show.

I understand that such a shocking suggestion, as the one I made, can warrant some form of denial, but I don't think this issue should be swept under the rug as some of you wish it to.

The suggestion that it now means the same as what Ali G meant it, is pretty naive in my opinion.

A catch phrase used by a character that was based on ignorance to black culture, suggests to me, that this is the type of ignorance and personality that the writers wish Michelangelo, and the other TMNT to have.

[Vincent]

So an onomatopoeia that relates to shooting off guns in celebration, is appropriate for TMNT? The culture that this word originates from is way-off what TMNT is all about.

Regardless of it's meaning, the fact there have been numerous debates about this word on internet forums since the popularization of Ali G, should surely indicate that this is a bad choice, for a catch phrase, on a childrens TV show.

I understand that such a shocking suggestion, as the one I made, can warrant some form of denial, but I don't think this issue should be swept under the rug as some of you wish it to.

The suggestion that it now means the same as what Ali G meant it, is pretty naive in my opinion.

A catch phrase used by a character that was based on ignorance to black culture, suggests to me, that this is the type of ignorance and personality that the writers wish Michelangelo, and the other TMNT to have.

Would you be offended if Mikey yelled out "boom"?

[ScratchTheHotSpot]

Would you be offended if Mikey yelled out "boom"?

If the word "Boom" was as ambiguous as this, then yes, I think that would be a problem. But as it is NOT, I fail to see how that is a fair comparison.

[Mr.Turtle]

how abt "sonic boom"?

[Jester]

The idea that "booyakasha" means "death to the white man" is just a rumor cooked up by racists, just like the idea that "Wu Tang" means "death to the white man". It's a myth. Not true. It may have been used by some people in a similar context, but that doesn't change the fact that it doesn't mean what you think it means. It means "boom". That's it. It's onomatopoeia, and it is not inherently aimed toward any group of people. "Booyakasha" means "death to the white man" as much as "boom" means "death to the gay man". The fact that there's a terrible song that goes "Boom bye bye Inna batty bwoy head" doesn't mean that the word "boom" is by itself homophobic. Similarly, there is nothing in the word "booyakasha" to suggest any racist message.
Please tell me I'm not the only one who thought this:
G2y8Sx4B2Sk
When I read this post. :D

[Genesis]

Well, you beat me to it, but... yeah. Inigo is my favourite character from The Princess Bride.

[Vincent]

If the word "Boom" was as ambiguous as this, then yes, I think that would be a problem. But as it is NOT, I fail to see how that is a fair comparison.
It quite literally means the same thing, and always has meant the same thing.
I also think you're misusing the word "ambiguous". The word "boom" is in fact very ambiguous out of context, and so is "booyakasha", which is exactly why it is not - or shouldn't be - offensive.
If the word inambiguously meant "I am going to shoot you", then it would be a problem, but the fact is it's just a sound, no different from "boom". Now, if the catch phrase was "brrrrap!", you might have a case against it, since that's pretty inambiguously the sound of an automatic firearm, but booyakasha is - while popularly in reference to a hand gun - just "boom", and could just as well refer to fireworks or even metaphorical explosiveness, as it always has.

ETA: The word "Booya" was used at least once in the 4Kids series. I don't remember exactly when, but I think it was Honeycutt who said it.

[ScratchTheHotSpot]

First of all, Ambiguous means, Open to more than one interpretation / Doubtful or uncertain.
Secondly, I think you mean unambiguous, which means the opposite to ambiguous, ie. Something that is very clear. Inambiguous is not a word.

It is clear to see by researching the internet that "Booyakasha" is VERY ambiguous in it's meaning. Which I have pointed out numerous times. The debate over this word begun over the internet since the popularization of it by Ali G.


The word "boom" is in fact very ambiguous out of context

"Boom" is not ambiguous at all in it's meaning. I think everyone here can agree that, it's as you say it is, an onamatopeia in it's purest form. A word that descirbes a sound. The actual USE of the word "boom", can be used in a whole range of contexts. This does not mean that it's ambiguous, as you suggest, just that it can used for many diffferent situations.

Before you say, "Booyakasha" is used in different situations, I would like to say that this is true, but stems from the fact that Ali G has made this a popular phrase, and that it seems to have been accepted in pop culture, due to ignorance of it's meaning and origin.

You claim that "Booyakasha" is also an onamatopeia, which I some-what agree with, due to the fact that the "Boo-ya-ka" part, certainly has been used to describe gun shots in that way, and originates from Jamaican gun culture. Something that as you say, when referring to the word "Brap" meaning automatic gun fire, would be a problem in your opinion. I am glad you brought this up, as I never would have thought to use the word "brap" as an analogy, but basically, it's the same thing as "booyakasha". In my experience, the word "Brap" is also used in the same ignorant way as "booyakasha", something that people yell out, because they think it "sounds cool".



To everybody else, posting your one-liner, inane comments, just shows you aren't taking this seriously, and show utter ignorance and denial to this issue. Something which I half-expected would happen. That's all I have to say to you guys.

[Mr.Turtle]

see, it d be a lot easier if they use cowabanga...

[Vincent]

It is clear to see by researching the internet that "Booyakasha" is VERY ambiguous in it's meaning.
And I never contradicted this fact. It is indeed very ambiguous. It can mean gunshot, it can mean explosion, it can be used metaphorically, just as "boom" can. This is a form of ambiguity.

"Boom" is not ambiguous at all in it's meaning.
"Boom, headshot." "And then my computer went boom." "And boom, there it was." "So I told him, 'Well, so's your face!' Boom!" "Boom shaka laka shaka laka shaka boom." Ambiguous. Ambiguous as to what exactly is going boom, and why, unless context is given. Ambiguous in exactly the same way that "Booyakasha" is. Booyakasha, without context, is ambiguous because it's just a sound and you don't know what's supposed to be making that sound. Yes, often it's a pistol of some sort, but it's not limited to that, and sometimes it's just a sound of emphasis, similar to how some people use "boom" to emphasise a sudden change or a supposedly well placed retort.

Before you say, "Booyakasha" is used in different situations, I would like to say that this is true, but stems from the fact that Ali G has made this a popular phrase, and that it seems to have been accepted in pop culture, due to ignorance of it's meaning and origin.
Ali G wasn't the first person to use "booyakasha" symbolically. He made it more mainstream, but it was in metaphorical use long before Cohen created that character, and one doesn't have to be ignorant of the onomatopoeic or even historical origins of the word to use it in such a way. It's not specifically a pro-gun word; it's a power word, much like the aforementioned uses of "boom" as a power word. Other power words include Yee-haw and Cowabunga. Now, Yee-haw and Cowabunga are not exactly onomatopoeic words, but to say that the act of yelling "booyakasha" promotes gun violence is no more on point than saying that yelling "cowabunga" is a mockery of native Americans (the word "kawabonga" came from Chief Thunderthud, a native American stereotype character on Howdy Doody).

Booyakasha.

[Cryomancer]

I always hoped that Next Mutation would have used up the entire catchphrase warehouse and we wouldn't need any from then on but no such luck.

Cowabunga was never really very good, in my opinion. Even in the OT, only Mikey really said it most of the time, and the other characters didn't even really seem to enjoy it themselves sometimes either. I think it was just part of his surfer persona and he was the "cool" one so it became bigger than it ever really needed to, so I've never felt too attached to it to begin with. Maybe I'm just tired of hearing it every time I put a coin into the arcade game in MAME over so many years.

[Jester]

It's an Indian profanity if you go by the 45RPM recording about it:
PFtfxpbpxvg

[Mr.Turtle]

mikey: cowabanga!
raph: Booyakasha!
mikey: cowabanga!
raph: Booyakasha!

....

[Vincent]

Somebody mentioned this in another thread, but at least it's a lot better than "It's ninja time!".

[Ninjinister]

Why would anybody be "upset" by it? It's a miniscule part of the show. Don't sweat the small stuff.

[ScratchTheHotSpot]

Vincent,

The comparison to the word 'Boom' is ridiculous.

The main ambiguity I am talking about is in the word's meaning. As I said in my original post, back on page 3, I have considered for years, this to be a racial slur above all else.

The talk about onamatopeia, has quite frankly, detracted this whole debate from the initial point I was making. There is no way, that you can compare the ambiguity in the meaning of "Booyakasha" to the word "Boom", as you seem so adament on doing.

Lets be clear, the ambiguity, lies in it's meaning, NOT it's context. This debate about what "Booyakasha" means, and whether or not it's racist, has been going on around the internet for years, since it was made popular in main stream culture by Ali G.

So whether or not you agree that it's a racial slur, the very debate and uncertainty about its meaning, indicates to me, that it's a bad choice for a catch phrase on a children's tv show.

[Jester]

I guess the bigger question is how many people see its meaning as "KILL WHITEY!" and how many people just see it as a nonsense word used in celebration. If the majority believes it has no negative racial connotation, then majority rules.

[ScratchTheHotSpot]

Unfortunately, truth is not a democracy.

As I've tried to explain here, the notion that this is a nonsense word, stems from Ali G making it popular, and by him using it as a nonsense word. Ali G was a character based on ignorance, that was trying to demonstrate in comedic way, the very thing that has occured with this word.

I go back to the 'Brap' word. For example, if you heard a bunch of children running around shout "Brap brap brap", alot of you would hopefully stop and think. Hopefully you would say to yourself, "Why has this 'brap' phrase become so popular?". The reason would be, that hip hop culture has made it so popular. A culture, that in the main stream, is currently based on violence and criminal activities. This is because these types of topics, is what sells records these days. The children running around shouting "brap brap brap", have no idea that it is supposed to represent automatic gun fire. They are using this because they are naive, and have not been educated to its true meaning. I feel that there should be some responsibilty, in this case adults, to point out what that phrase really means.

This is a big problem with hip hop culture becoming so main stream. The actions that start from a violent, street level, are taken to the pop culture stage, because the media are ignorant to the meanings, and implications of these words and actions. The media don't care about implications, all they care about, is finding the next thing that will give them "cool" status.

I'm not saying that the creators of tmnt are deliberately doing this with the word, "booyakasha", I am just explaining a deep rooted problem with today's media, and that without education, ignorance will unfortunately rule.

[Mr.Turtle]

Why would anybody be "upset" by it? It's a miniscule part of the show. Don't sweat the small stuff.

yea as i said, some ppl just tend to worry abt lil things.

[Vincent]

Vincent,

The comparison to the word 'Boom' is ridiculous.

The main ambiguity I am talking about is in the word's meaning. As I said in my original post, back on page 3, I have considered for years, this to be a racial slur above all else.
You have considered. Okay. That's very considerate of you, considering something to be something, but please consider providing some evidence to back up your claim. The claim that "booyakasha" means "kill the white man" sounds to me very similar to the wide spread, completely unfounded and easily disproven rumor that the "Wu Tang" in "The Wu Tang Clan" means "kill the white man" (in actuality, Wu Tang, as in Wudang Chuan, is a Chinese martial arts term, heard in for example some old martial arts movies, which is something the RZA famously is a huge geek about).

The talk about onamatopeia, has quite frankly, detracted this whole debate from the initial point I was making. There is no way, that you can compare the ambiguity in the meaning of "Booyakasha" to the word "Boom", as you seem so adament on doing.
Oh, isn't there? What, then, is the etymology of booyakasha, if it's not onomatopoeic? How did the word form? What is its root? Could it be...boom?

Lets be clear, the ambiguity, lies in it's meaning, NOT it's context. This debate about what "Booyakasha" means, and whether or not it's racist, has been going on around the internet for years, since it was made popular in main stream culture by Ali G.

So whether or not you agree that it's a racial slur, the very debate and uncertainty about its meaning, indicates to me, that it's a bad choice for a catch phrase on a children's tv show.
There is actually a traceable, genuine case for the claim that "cowabunga" is in a sense racist (not that it means something racist, but that its origins are, in fact, racist, in that it originates from a character who would by today's standards be considered an offensive ethnic stereotype).
Chief Thunderthud. There's a source right there. Unless there's an earlier use of the word "cowabunga" (or kawabonga or any similar variation), the origin of the word "cowabunga" is directly connected to mid-20th century ethnic stereotyping.
But even so, I personally don't think using the word "cowabunga" is racist, because it has transcended its origin and been given a different cultural significance through surfers and subsequently cartoons, such as Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles and The Simpsons. However, if you're going to make the claim that booyakasha is racist, two things are required of you to remain honest:
1. Provide credible sources about your claims about the meaning (definition, not occasional usage) of "booyakasha" being racist.
2. Take the same stance against "cowabunga". (This is something you'll have to do whether you can demonstrate your case against "booyakasha" or not, since you've already established your stance about words of racist origin.)

And if you can't find any real evidence to back up your claim, and still maintain that booyakasha is racist just for having been used in a racist context by some people, you might as well say the same thing about terms like "zippedy do da" and "superman".

I go back to the 'Brap' word. For example, if you heard a bunch of children running around shout "Brap brap brap", alot of you would hopefully stop and think. Hopefully you would say to yourself, "Why has this 'brap' phrase become so popular?". The reason would be, that hip hop culture has made it so popular. A culture, that in the main stream, is currently based on violence and criminal activities. This is because these types of topics, is what sells records these days. The children running around shouting "brap brap brap", have no idea that it is supposed to represent automatic gun fire. They are using this because they are naive, and have not been educated to its true meaning. I feel that there should be some responsibilty, in this case adults, to point out what that phrase really means.

This is a big problem with hip hop culture becoming so main stream. The actions that start from a violent, street level, are taken to the pop culture stage, because the media are ignorant to the meanings, and implications of these words and actions. The media don't care about implications, all they care about, is finding the next thing that will give them "cool" status
There's a certain amount of irony in the fact that you use the term "hip hop culture" while clearly having no idea what that means. Please look up Afrika Bambaataa and Zulu Nation, and then stop using the term "hip hop culture" in relation to gangsta rap, if you're also going to be adamant that the original meaning of words should affect what contexts it is appropriate to use them in today.

On a fun side note, are we also going to decide that it's okay to say the F word on a children's cartoon because it originally described an object's motion in relation to another? 'Cause I'd be cool with that.

ETA:
Here's General Levy in 1994, using Booyaka as a (completely non-racist and non-violent) salute in a classic jungle/DnB/dance track:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-0oNU5wJEP0
Certainly predates Ali G.

ETA again:
Oh, and Casey Jones definitely said "booya" in a season one episode of the 4kids show. I don't remember which one, but I watched it this morning, so it must've been somewhere between episodes 6 and 8.

[ScratchTheHotSpot]

The only credible "proof" I can give you, would be to search "Booyakasha white" into google. You will see many pages of internet forums, comments on youtube etc. debating the same thing. To be clear, I am not talking about proof of it's meaning, but proof of ambiguity to it's meaning. To say, or try to give you proof of the racist meaning over the internet, is no more credible than you presenting proof to me that it does not mean this, and that it's a non-sense word, or whatever you want to use to dispell the claim. The fact is, the meaning is ambiguous, and (since Ali G) it has been for some time. Just because more people now seem to think that it's a harmless word, does not mean that the majority is right. As I said before, truth is not a democracy.

Just to repeat again, why I came to my own conclusion to the meaning, I heard this first hand from a Jamaican woman, who was the mother of a former school friend, around 12 years ago when this phrase first became wide spread. To you, this is hear-say, and I totally understand why you won't take this for granted. For me, I had absoloutly no reason to dispute this when I was told it.


For me to take the same stance against cowabunga, as I have to booyakasha, would mean that "cowabunga" is a direct racial slur. As you said above, it is merely connected to a racial stereotype, not a direct racial insult, as booyakasha is suggested to be. The words themselves are on different levels of racism, one is connected to stereotype, one is a direct insult. So I'm afraid I cannot take a stance against cowabunga as I do to booyakasha. The stereotype is racist, as is the insult, but a word connected to a stereotype, for me is not on the same level as the direct insult.





There's a certain amount of irony in the fact that you use the term "hip hop culture" while clearly having no idea what that means. Please look up Afrika Bambaataa and Zulu Nation, and then stop using the term "hip hop culture" in relation to gangsta rap, if you're also going to be adamant that the original meaning of words should affect what contexts it is appropriate to use them in today.


Ok, you are clearing nit-picking here that I have used "hip-hop culture" in my comment, instead of being more precise, and saying "gangster rap" instead. To "gangster rappers", they consider themselves "hip hop", so that is why I used that phrase. Also, the state of hip hop today in pop culture, a high percentage is "gangster rap" as you coined it. So I apologise for not being so specific in my wording. My key point in that comment was about the ignorance in the media today. Something that you seem to have just ignored, failed to respond to, so you found something within my comment, that you felt you could respond to.

I am fully aware of those groups you mentioned, but I put the question to you, "Where are those types of groups today?" Hip-hop groups that raise awareness to black culture? There aren't many, if any at all being played on MTV or your local radio station... please educate me if there are. The lack of these groups as I see it, is because that isn't seen as "cool" in the media these days.



ETA:
Here's General Levy in 1994, using Booyaka as a (completely non-racist and non-violent) salute in a classic jungle/DnB/dance track:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-0oNU5wJEP0
Certainly predates Ali G.

ETA again:
Oh, and Casey Jones definitely said "booya" in a season one episode of the 4kids show. I don't remember which one, but I watched it this morning, so it must've been somewhere between episodes 6 and 8


In previous posts have also said that "boo ya ka" and "boo ya" predates Ali G. This has been disscussed. Have you found anything that predates Ali G, regarding the full word we are talking about here? I have explained my feelings towards these kinds of words in previous posts, and why they are used, and are popular in the media today, so I won't repeat myself.

[Genesis]

So, um... just to break up the "I'm right!" "No, I'm right!" argument...

It's = it is

Its = denotes possession

Example: It's ambiguous in its meaning.

But to engage in the craziness, Vincent has got it right, in this case. To assert that one peculiar interpretation of a nonsense word is the only meaning it has is just plain silly, especially when its etymology is most likely the explosive onomatopoeia that Vincent described about seven times over.

[Vincent]

The only credible "proof" I can give you, would be to search "Booyakasha white" into google. You will see many pages of internet forums, comments on youtube etc. debating the same thing.
You'll find the same arguments over what Wu Tang means. That doesn't give any weight to the rumors.

To be clear, I am not talking about proof of it's meaning, but proof of ambiguity to it's meaning. To say, or try to give you proof of the racist meaning over the internet, is no more credible than you presenting proof to me that it does not mean this, and that it's a non-sense word, or whatever you want to use to dispell the claim. The fact is, the meaning is ambiguous, and (since Ali G) it has been for some time. Just because more people now seem to think that it's a harmless word, does not mean that the majority is right. As I said before, truth is not a democracy.
Truth is not a democracy, but it's also not affected by the wide spread of unfounded claims on the Internet.
Youtube comments are not credible sources, sorry.

Just to repeat again, why I came to my own conclusion to the meaning, I heard this first hand from a Jamaican woman, who was the mother of a former school friend, around 12 years ago when this phrase first became wide spread. To you, this is hear-say, and I totally understand why you won't take this for granted. For me, I had absoloutly no reason to dispute this when I was told it.
Around 12 years ago? The salute "Booyaka! Booyaka!" has been around for a bit longer than that.

For me to take the same stance against cowabunga, as I have to booyakasha, would mean that "cowabunga" is a direct racial slur. As you said above, it is merely connected to a racial stereotype, not a direct racial insult, as booyakasha is suggested to be. The words themselves are on different levels of racism, one is connected to stereotype, one is a direct insult. So I'm afraid I cannot take a stance against cowabunga as I do to booyakasha. The stereotype is racist, as is the insult, but a word connected to a stereotype, for me is not on the same level as the direct insult.
That is, if it were a direct insult, which is just something you've heard.

Ok, you are clearing nit-picking here that I have used "hip-hop culture" in my comment, instead of being more precise, and saying "gangster rap" instead. To "gangster rappers", they consider themselves "hip hop", so that is why I used that phrase. Also, the state of hip hop today in pop culture, a high percentage is "gangster rap" as you coined it. So I apologise for not being so specific in my wording. My key point in that comment was about the ignorance in the media today. Something that you seem to have just ignored, failed to respond to, so you found something within my comment, that you felt you could respond to.
No, I was commenting on the ignorance in the media as well. the ignorance that has equated gangsta rap with hip-hop, even though the very foundation of hip-hop culture (as established by Afrika Bambaataa and others, over three decades ago) is one of non-violence and peacefully embracing the arts as a substitute for delinquency.

I am fully aware of those groups you mentioned, but I put the question to you, "Where are those types of groups today?" Hip-hop groups that raise awareness to black culture? There aren't many, if any at all being played on MTV or your local radio station... please educate me if there are. The lack of these groups as I see it, is because that isn't seen as "cool" in the media these days.
See, here's where you're contradicting yourself. On the one hand, you insist that booyakasha means something (and that this should affect modern usage) because you've heard it used to mean something (even though you can't provide anything other than rumors and assertions to support this), and you point to the "ignorant media" as being at fault for the word losing its meaning (which you can't seem to demonstrate that it ever had), and yet you use the term "hip-hop culture" exactly the way the ignorant media does (which directly contradicts its intended meaning), and insist that this is fine when confronted about it. Can we have a bit of consistency here?

In previous posts have also said that "boo ya ka" and "boo ya" predates Ali G. This has been disscussed. Have you found anything that predates Ali G, regarding the full word we are talking about here? I have explained my feelings towards these kinds of words in previous posts, and why they are used, and are popular in the media today, so I won't repeat myself.
1994, M Beat and General Levy release the single "Incredible (wicked)", popularizing "booyaka" with kids in the UK. Levy, when asked if "booyaka" is supposed to signify a gun shot, says that it's just a salutation in the jungle scene (although this doesn't account for how it entered the jungle scene or what usage it had before then, and I can't seem to find any specific pre-1994 references so far; here and there, it's been said that the word was used in Jamaica in the 1980s, and some sources even say Africa before that, but I'm surprised to not have found anything solid to back this up so far).
1996, Sacha Baron Cohen creates Ali G (a satire of UK Jungle/DnB and gangsta rap fans).
2000, Ali G gets his own TV show in the UK, "Da Ali G Show", where he uses both "booyaka" and "booyakasha" among his many catchphrases. Also in 2000, Ali G appears in Madonna's music video "Music", exposing him to the international market, thus raising interest in his show.
2002, the feature film "Ali G Indahouse" is released, giving Ali G further exposure, and with him "booyaka" and "booyakasha" reach international mainstream status.
2003, Ali G brings "Da Ali G Show" to the US; the secondary character Borat becomes popular.
2006, By the time Cohen makes the film "Borat: Cultural Learnings of America for Make Benefit Glorious Nation of Kazakhstan", "booyakasha" has a life of its own.
2012, "Booyakasha", now a part of modern slang, is adopted by the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles.

And don't try to tell me that "booyakasha" means something different than "booyaka", because either "sha" is an extension or "booyaka" is a shortened form of "booyakasha", both of which are things that happen to slang words all the time.

Your turn. Give me some references. Years, people, media appearances of "booyakasha". I can't seem find any examples of "booyakasha" being used in the media before Ali G, and by the looks of it, it seems like the "sha" may possibly have evolved in the UK at some point after General Levy popularized "booyaka" in the UK in 1994 (possibly by kids wanting to make the word their own, or maybe even by Cohen himself), although I'd love to see what missing pieces you can find. The word "booyaka" was most likely used before 1994, but I'd like to see some examples if you're going to claim it was specifically racist.

[Candy Kappa]

I think Viacom is strong enough to fight those who tries to pin racism on a catchphrase in one of their children's television show.

If any countries have any issues with it, it'll probably be re-dubbed in that country

[ScratchTheHotSpot]

Genesis,
Pointing out my typing errors, grammar, and punctuation mistakes, is not really much of a contribution to this debate. I think you, and everybody else knew my original intention, whenever I mixed up "it's" with "its" or vice versa.




Truth is not a democracy, but it's also not affected by the wide spread of unfounded claims on the Internet.
Youtube comments are not credible sources, sorry.


Yes, exactly the point I was making with that comment. Internet sources from forums, or whatever, aren't credible sources for the meaning, which ever side you take for it's meaning. It gets you no closer to one single definition. What it doesn't do though, is prove that there is ambiguity with the meaning of "booyakasha".



Around 12 years ago? The salute "Booyaka! Booyaka!" has been around for a bit longer than that.


As I stated in posts before this, the full word I'm talking about it "booyakasha". That was the word which I was given the definition of. Not "boo ya ka", please don't mix this up.



No, I was commenting on the ignorance in the media as well. the ignorance that has equated gangsta rap with hip-hop, even though the very foundation of hip-hop culture (as established by Afrika Bambaataa and others, over three decades ago) is one of non-violence and peacefully embracing the arts as a substitute for delinquency.



you use the term "hip-hop culture" exactly the way the ignorant media does (which directly contradicts its intended meaning), and insist that this is fine when confronted about it. Can we have a bit of consistency here?


Hip-hop encompasses gangster rap. All gangster rap, is a form of hip hop. Not all hip hop, is gangster rap, when talking about the full history of the art form. That's the difference, and we seem to agree on this point. I never equated gangster rap with hip hop. I was pointing out, that in pop culture today, a high precentage of hip hop music in the main stream is concerned with violence.


I'm not going to quote your whole history that starts from 1994, but in previous posts, I found reference to "boo ya ka" in a song made in 1993 by KRS-One, an artist that is known to use influences, and flavours of Jamaican culture. You may think, "wow one year, big deal?", but it's an artist releasing a song on a different continent, and a different genre of music to that of General Levy. Both of which, have used Jamacian culture in their work.

I don't think you can conclude that "boo ya ka" is a shortened version of "booyakasha", because as you pointed out, you can't find any uses of "booyakasha" in mainstream culture, before Ali G.

You also seem confused, that I have suggested "boo ya ka" to be racist. This is not the case. All I have suggested about "boo ya ka", and also "boo ya", is that it's a onomatopoeic word, that derives from the sound of shooting off a gun, in a very similar way to the phrase "Brap" has been derived. There has been no suggestion anywhere, that those two phrases, which you speculate to be shortened versions of "booyakasha" are racist. Please don't confuse the distinction I've made.

I'd also like to address what you said about General Levy, and the response to whether this signifies a gun-shot. Would he really admit to it anyway? A pop song, that includes references to gun-violence. Something which would probably catch alot of heat in the UK, as the UK's gun laws are pretty strict. You all know that the word "Ninja" was censored in the UK, around this time, and replaced with "Hero", regarding TMNT. So is it really a suprise that "boo ya ka" was claimed to be innocent?

I also don't recall Ali G purely using the shortened "boo ya ka" at all. It was almost always "booyakasha", and is the word that has become attached to this character. Without going back, and watching every episode, plus the feature film, I cannot know this for certain, but I would definately put money on the fact that "boo ya ka" on its own, was rarely used.

[Mr.Turtle]

I think Viacom is strong enough to fight those who tries to pin racism on a catchphrase in one of their children's television show.

If any countries have any issues with it, it'll probably be re-dubbed in that country

maybe they will redub it back to cowabanga.

[Vincent]

I wrote a really long post responding to everything you just said, ScratchTheHotSpot, but then, thanks to your KRS-One reference, I found something, and Youtube crashed my browser (thanks, Google Chrome). But that doesn't matter, because this overshadows most, if not all of what I had typed.

There were two 1993 tracks where KRS-One said something like "booyaka". One being "Mortal Thought", and the other being "Mad Crew", where he said something like "Buck-buck-buck-buck, booyakashan!".
Well, that certainly brings us closer to the answer.
I also found a couple of references to the Irish word "buíochas (http://www.forvo.com/word/bu%C3%ADochas/)", meaning "praised be" or "thanks". Considering how many Irish people were sent to Jamaica in the 1600s (and yes, also considering the Jamaican influence on KRS-One), this seems like a very likely part of the origin of Booyakasha/Booyakashan. The gunshot-onomatopoeic use of "booyaka" may have been a back-formation (and the two easiest ways to find out whether this happened before or after 1993 would be to either ask KRS-One what he meant, or to find an earlier reference to booyakasha, booyakashan or booyaka).
Still nothing on the "kill whitey" angle, though. But let's keep looking.

This is all very interesting. It'd be really funny if it turns out TMNT are yelling out the equivalent of "Have a nice day!" as a battle cry.

[zkarlette]

Well the saying Booyah was already used commonly and it meant to be an exclamation of joy.
Kasha Is a cereal so...they are probably excited for cereal?

[Genesis]

Oh, you guys know I'm just teasing. My inent was to try and steer things in another direction, but perhaps simply avoiding this thread is my best option, from here on out.

[Vincent]

In my current rewatching of the 4Kids series, I have so far encountered two booya's. One from Casey, as mentioned earlier, and one from Mikey (in Notes from the Underground, Part 3).

[ScratchTheHotSpot]

Well in the interest of moving this debate forward, I suggest we put aside the racial insult meaning of "booyakahsa". It is clearly debatable, as we've discussed.

I think a word from irish imigrants that moved to a country, 300 - 400 years ago, seems a little unlikely that this is the most probable origin of the word as you've suggested. Of course, anything is possible, its just seems that this is stretching things abit far.

I've found an interesting link here,
http://www.djklusta.co.uk/index.php?id=62

The explanations listed here seem to link the words "Bo" "Booyaka" and "Boomshot" as similar words, that simulate gunshots. The interesting part, is the part that says, "In jamaica people used to fire blanks all the time when a tune was big."

In my previous post about the KRS-One song, Mad Crew, I also explained about a conflict between, KRS and a rapper called MC Shan. To me, the intent of the "shan" part in "booyaka-shan", would suggest to me, that this was directed at that rapper, and certainly not in a celebratory way, but more to do with shooting off rounds in MC Shan's direction, some-what metaphorically.

I think that the use of the celebratory meaning is appropriate in such contexts as Jamaican-related music culture, as the origins of the art-form, comes from places where guns were let off in celebration.

I just feel that when the word is removed from that context, it starts to aquire more ignorant characteristics. For example, the "brap" analogy I used afew posts back. You seemed to agree that, that would be a problem if the tmnt used that as a catch-phrase. To me, the words "brap" and "booyaka" are very similar in the way that they were derived, which would be, a simulation of gun fire. Well the reason that you agreed it would be a problem, is because the context of guns is removed, when it's used in tmnt.

This is essentially my under-lying point, that the context of tmnt, is far removed from the original context of "booyaka". Even "brap" now seems to be a popular word to shout in celebration, but you wouldn't hear the phrase "brap" in rock music, because it doesn't fit that genre of music.

That is also what Ali G tried to demonstrate. When the use of a word is taken out of context, and said just to "sound cool", it appears idiotic, and ignorant, to the point that it can be considered comical.

Whether the "sha" part means anything or not, the "booyaka" part certainly points towards guns used in celebration, or guns used in hatred.

[Vincent]

In my previous post about the KRS-One song, Mad Crew, I also explained about a conflict between, KRS and a rapper called MC Shan. To me, the intent of the "shan" part in "booyaka-shan", would suggest to me, that this was directed at that rapper, and certainly not in a celebratory way, but more to do with shooting off rounds in MC Shan's direction, some-what metaphorically.
That does seem quite plausible.

Whether the "sha" part means anything or not, the "booyaka" part certainly points towards guns used in celebration, or guns used in hatred.
While I at first was near certain that booyaka was derived from onomatopoeia, I'm now split just about 50/50 between that and the "buíochas" theory in terms of plausibility (words can go through many strange uses and transformations in a few centuries). However, I think we can both agree in either case that it definitely has a history of being used to evoke the idea of gunshots. Then again, so has "booya", and that was spoken at least twice in the 4Kids series (and I seem to remember one more instance from previous viewings), so this is not the first time some form of the word has appeared in TMNT. In my opinion, at this point in time, the origins and past uses of the word has lost relevance, due to having gained a new meaning. This is something that happens to words. They achieve wider use, and take on new meanings. Some words go from describing mundane things to becoming sexualized or violent, other words go from describing sexual or violent or even medical things and end up becoming mundane. "Idiot" used to be a medical term (and now it's not even offensive to use as an insult, unlike "retarded" which was also a medical term until more recently - most likely, nobody will consider that word offensive to the mentally disabled either in a generation or two, as it will no longer have the same association), gay used to mean happy (now it means homosexual), awesome and awful both used to mean awe-inspiring (now one means very nifty and the other means very bad).
This is called semantic change, and it happens all the time. Booya, Booyaka and Booyakasha are now primarily used as greetings and cowabunga-like exclamations (as everything from battle cry to friendly greeting), and there is plenty of precedent for "booya" being used in cartoons aimed at children (and even in TMNT).
Brap is still being primarily used to signify machine gun fire, and is not in wide use as a multi-purpose greeting, and probably won't move very far in that direction unless the pronunciation changes to be less obviously reminiscent of a machine gun, such as by replacing the rolling R with a typical Anglo-American R sound. If that happens, and "brap" reaches the same status "booya(ka(sha))" has today, the only reason I'd have a problem with the TMNT using it as a catchphrase at that hypothetical point in the future would be the fact that I personally think it sounds like a burping goat.

[Mr.Turtle]

In my current rewatching of the 4Kids series, I have so far encountered two booya's. One from Casey, as mentioned earlier, and one from Mikey (in Notes from the Underground, Part 3).

great...comes frm 2 bone head...

[shihe]

I was certainl not expecting Cowabunga to be the catchphrase.

Booyaksha sound weird though, "gungoolah" level weird. But who knows, it might grow on me. Though I thought "Cowabunga" was a universal catchphrase back then, as where I've hear nobody say "booyaksha" before the show footage.


Oh well, trivial stuff.. As long as they have A catchphrase, I'm ok with it. (Though nothing beats TURTLE POWER).

[gobo]

Not to wanting to stifle this educational debate, but should we have this tangential conversation moved to its own thread? It's kinda derailing the topic. We've already had someone admit that they'll be avoiding this thread from now on. I'm sure a mod would help you out with suggested move. :)

EDIT: Maybe that was another thread I was thinking of where someone recently admitted they'll be avoiding it from now on. :ohwell:

[Vincent]

great...comes frm 2 bone head...
I have no idea what that means.

Booyaksha sound weird though, "gungoolah" level weird.
I seem to remember seeing "Goongala" in the Mirage comics.
...Yup.
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/7/75/Caseyjones-tmnt10.jpg/250px-Caseyjones-tmnt10.jpg
But yeah, it's a weird one. I personally find "Booyakasha" less weird, though. Probably because I've heard it before, and know it's a thing people say, whereas I'm fairly certain Goongala was invented specifically as a war cry of Casey Jones.

[ScratchTheHotSpot]

Yep, all those above points about words changing are very true. Some words I didn't know had changed so much, and haven't researched, but I'll take your word for it. :)

I do understand that booya is now being used in an exclamation of excitement, but it does make me feel slightly sad inside, as I feel it's still very applicable to the meaning it held in the 90s, and early 2000s, when it was very similar to how "brap" is being used as a type of "In your face" insult / phrase that relates to gun usage.

It just seems like phrases like this get passed around, and eventually reach a totally different "area" in culture. For example, a kids tv show, because people that use it, are ignorant to its true meaning in my opinion, and when it's debated by the producers for example, they say, "Oh, all the kids are saying it these days, it's got to be ok right?".

This attitude just worries, and almost annoys me. The amount of times I've heard words like "brap brap" on tv used by people who simply shouldn't be using it, and I've face-palmed, I've lost count. I just think that with the current technology we have with the internet, we have the power to fight this loss of meanings of words, like we never have before. Especially words that relate to subjects such as violence. I feel like we have the power to open eyes, and combat ignorance.

It's also interesting that alot of people have posted comments saying that they have never even heard the word "Booyakasha" before. Which to anyone that knows about Ali G, knows that this is undoubtebly HIS catchphrase, as much as yabba-dabba-doo is to Fred Flintstone. I guess the reason would be, is that there is such a difference in age gaps, between the target audience for the upcoming tmnt show, and the target audience for Ali G. Also the amount of time that Ali G has been out of the public eye, is a big contribution to this. I almost scared myself when I had to write, "Ali G was first shown 12 years ago". To some of the current fans of TMNT, this is a lifetime or more! pffffff... I feel old! lol :)

Gobo,
You were correct, the post about avoiding this thread is on this page, somewhere near the top I think... I don't think it should be moved to another thread necessarily, it seems relatively on topic. I would say I am upset by booyakasha, for the 4 pages of reasons above :) But to be honest, I think we've covered enough ground in order to bring this debate to somewhat of a close. I feel that anymore, we would surely be repeating ourselves.


On another note, this Mr. Turtle guy, just seems to be full of these one-liner comments that don't really contribute to much, and for you regulars, they must get pretty annoying! I've only been back here for this past week, and already there has been numerous comments I've seen that are just pointless. Is there not any kind of regulation against users posting things like this? Getting a high post-count seems to be high on this guy's agenda.

[Vincent]

This attitude just worries, and almost annoys me. The amount of times I've heard words like "brap brap" on tv used by people who simply shouldn't be using it, and I've face-palmed, I've lost count. I just think that with the current technology we have with the internet, we have the power to fight this loss of meanings of words, like we never have before. Especially words that relate to subjects such as violence. I feel like we have the power to open eyes, and combat ignorance.
I think this is where we look at things differently. While I can see your point of view, I can't say I agree with it. Language naturally evolves, and it always has. Words will lose meaning and gain new meaning, spellings will change, as will pronunciations, and in the case of words relating to violence, I personally am of the opinion that it's a good thing when violent connotations disappear from a word. It means the non-violent use is stronger than the violent use. Peace conquers war, in a sense. Which means violence has lost. Words are symbols. Cultures change the significance of symbols all the time, and I'd rather see a violent symbol turn non-violent than the other way around (the swastika comes to mind, as an example of a non-violent symbol that was given a violent meaning by the Nazis).

How about some punch?
http://www.nationwideparty.com/store/images/6663%20punch%20bowl.gif

Of course, the TMNT are violent, so it's kind of almost a lateral move in this case, if the gunshot theory is correct:P

[Mr.Turtle]

I have no idea what that means.


I seem to remember seeing "Goongala" in the Mirage comics.
...Yup.
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/7/75/Caseyjones-tmnt10.jpg/250px-Caseyjones-tmnt10.jpg
But yeah, it's a weird one. I personally find "Booyakasha" less weird, though. Probably because I've heard it before, and know it's a thing people say, whereas I'm fairly certain Goongala was invented specifically as a war cry of Casey Jones.

its in 2k3 too.

[ScratchTheHotSpot]

I do see your point about good over evil I guess. But the transition from one to the other, can be a painful experience. :)

I suppose I just feel the same way about ignorance to words, as tmnt fans do about the potential ignorance that would occur with Michael Bay's "Alien" Ninja Turtles :P

lol sorry, I know that's a sensitive subject, but I just felt I had to go there to demonstrate my feelings, and relate it to something that's a passionate topic around here.

(No antagonism intended)


When the new show finally hits, I guess we will see how much the apparent catch phrase really does feature.

[Kris]

I will admit that I was actually taken aback when I first heard Michelangelo say booyakasha instead of cowabunga, but by no means was I upset by it. It definitely grew on me after a while, but I still like cowabunga too.

[CyberCubed]

Why would you bump this up from 2012? This is from 3 years ago.

[Prowler]

It was indeed weird the first time I've heard him say "Booyaksha!". Totally did not except that and can't say I've liked it much either. My reaction was "WTF why is this show making an Ali G reference?"

I mean, I get it that "Cowabunga!" is a very outdated term, but "Booyakasha!" isn't exactly very up to date either. Ali G hasn't been relevant in quite a while. Nor has Borat or any Sacha Baron Cohen character. I mean, to be honest, I gotta admit that I'm not sure that he was the first one coining the term, but I can't think of anyone else using the term before him.

Anyway, was the user in this thread serious about "Booyakasha!" meaning "death to the white man" in Jamaican Patois? I have never heard of anything like that. And a quick google search shows nothing that states that the word originally had a racist connotation against white people.

[Jester]

Why would you bump this up from 2012? This is from 3 years ago.
Because he wanted to answer the question....nothing wrong with opening an old thread, if you're continuing the conversation. If the post was, "Yes, I was" then maybe I could see your rage.

[Original TMNT Cartoon Fan]

I have no problem with that.

[mikey22]

it shuld have been used when alig was saying it! so if this show was 12 years older it would have been okay

[Powder]

it shuld have been used when alig was saying it! so if this show was 12 years older it would have been okay

The point has always been that the turtles take old outdated slang & make it hip again. Cowabunga came from the 60's, dog.

It'd be stupid as hell if the turtles were saying current sh*t, it'd get dated really quick, & be mad cringe-worthy.

I'm thankful we don't have Mikey going on about his swag & whatever idiotic catch-phrase teens use nowadays. It's bad enough I have to see shirts where Leo takes a "shellfie"...