African American English's Regional Dialects: Phonetics/Sound
Philadephia AAE: categorical absence of the distinction between tense and lax /æ/ for 'cat' or 'apple' (Labov & Fisher 277)
The vowel space figure shows us the vowel space, we are looking at the short-a category
Sample 3: "Feels Like" by MikeQ & Kevin JZ Prodigy
Annotations
00:00:00 - 00:00:01
Cunt, cunt, cunt, cunt
00:00:02 - 00:00:03
Cunt to the feminine, what
00:00:02 - 00:00:07
Black LGBTQ+ Discourse
00:00:04 - 00:00:05
To the feminine and pussy, what, what
00:00:06 - 00:00:07
Feminine, pussy, cunt, cunt, cunt
00:00:08 - 00:00:09
Black Sonic Traditions
00:00:08 - 00:00:09
(This is a DJ MikeQ production) Feminine, pussy, pussy, pussy, what
00:00:10 - 00:00:11
Feminine, soft cunt, to the cunt, cunt
00:00:10 - 00:00:21
Black LGBTQ+ Discourse
00:00:12 - 00:00:13
Feminine, soft cunt, to the what, cunt
00:00:14 - 00:00:14
Feminine, soft cunt, to the cunt, cunt
00:00:15 - 00:00:17
Feminine, feminine, feminine, feminine, feminine, feminine, cunt, cunt, cunt
00:00:18 - 00:00:21
Feminine, feminine, feminine, feminine, feminine, feminine, cunt, cunt, to the cunt
00:00:22 - 00:00:26
Cunt, cunt, cunt, cunt, cali, cunt, cunt, cunt, meow, cunt, meow, cunt, to the cunt, meow, uh
00:00:27 - 00:00:30
Black Sonic Traditions
00:00:27 - 00:00:30
To the meow, cunt, meow, to the meow, meow (Rrr)
00:00:27 - 00:00:30
Black LGBTQ+ Discourse
00:00:31 - 00:00:37
Black Sonic Traditions
00:00:31 - 00:00:33
Titty, dick-tick, brr, to the titty, diggy-diggy, dick-tick, brr, cat
00:00:34 - 00:00:37
Riggy, tick, cunt, cali, cunt, cunt, feminine to pussy cunt, feminine to pussy, what, cunt
00:00:38 - 00:00:40
Feminine, cunt, cunt, flip, cunt, cunt, cali, cat, cat, kitty, kitty, kit-kat, cunt
00:00:41 - 00:00:42
To the rit-tit, titty, titty, dick-tick, cunt
00:00:43 - 00:00:44
To the puss, puss, pussy, pussy, puss, cunt
00:00:45 - 00:00:48
Black Sonic Traditions
00:00:45 - 00:00:48
Meow, cunt, titty-tit, cat-tat, rig-tit- tat-tat, pussy cunt, kit-kat, uh
00:00:45 - 00:00:48
Black LGBTQ+ Discourse
00:00:49 - 00:00:49
Riggy, tat-cat, to the rrr
00:00:50 - 00:00:52
To the rrr cat, cat, to the kit-kat, cunt
00:00:53 - 00:00:53
East cunt cat, to the cat-cat
00:00:54 - 00:00:55
Black Sonic Traditions
00:00:54 - 00:00:55
Meow, meow, meow, meow, meow, uh-uh, cunt
00:00:54 - 00:00:55
Black LGBTQ+ Discourse
00:00:56 - 00:01:06
Black Sonic Traditions
00:00:56 - 00:00:59
Tid-id-id-dit, tid-id-id-dit, tid-id-id-dit, tid-id-id-dit, uh
00:01:00 - 00:01:03
Rrr, rit-tit, rrr, rit-tit, rrr, rit to the dit-tit, uh
00:01:04 - 00:01:06
Rrr, rit-tit, rrr, rit-tit, rrr, rit to the dit-tit, cunt
00:01:07 - 00:01:10
Meow, uh-uh-uh, rat, cat-cat cat, meow, uh-uh-uh, rat, cat-cat
00:01:11 - 00:01:21
Black Sonic Traditions
00:01:11 - 00:01:14
R-r-rat, r-r-rat, r-r-rat, cat-cat, a rat-tat-tat, brr, uh
00:01:15 - 00:01:18
Rrr, rat-tat, rrr, rat-tat, rrr, rat-tat, rrr, rat-tat
00:01:19 - 00:01:21
Rrr, rat-tat, rrr, rat-tat, ta titty-titty-dit-tat, cunt
00:01:22 - 00:01:23
Feels like, like, to the like, ah
00:01:24 - 00:01:25
Feels like, to the like, like, ooh
00:01:26 - 00:01:27
Feels like, like, to the like, like, ow
00:01:28 - 00:01:29
Feels like, to the like, like, ooh
00:01:30 - 00:01:31
Feels like, to the like, like, ooh
00:01:32 - 00:01:33
Feels like, like, to the like, like, ow
00:01:34 - 00:01:35
Feels like, to the like, like, ooh
00:01:36 - 00:01:36
Feels like, like, to the like, like, ow
00:01:38 - 00:01:40
Feels like I'm goin' in circles, y'all like a maze, I can't get through
00:01:41 - 00:01:42
Should I go, should I go, should I go left?
00:01:43 - 00:01:44
Should I go, should I go, should I go right? Uh
00:01:45 - 00:01:46
Feels like I'm goin' in circles, y'all like a maze, I can't get through
00:01:47 - 00:01:48
Should I go, should I go, should I go left?
00:01:49 - 00:01:50
Should I go, should I go, should I go right?
00:01:51 - 00:02:05
Black Sonic Traditions
00:01:51 - 00:01:52
Rat-tat-tat-tat-tat-tat-uh
00:01:53 - 00:01:54
Ra-ta-ta-ta-ta-tat-tat-tat-oh
00:01:55 - 00:01:57
Rat, ta-duh-duh-tat, ta-duh-duh-tat
00:01:58 - 00:01:59
Ta-ta-tat-tat-tat-ow
00:02:00 - 00:02:02
Brr, cat-cat, brr cat-cat goin in what-what
00:02:03 - 00:02:05
Brr, cat-cat, brr cat-cat goin in what-what
00:02:06 - 00:02:09
Feels like I'm goin' in circles, y'all like a maze, I can't get through
00:02:10 - 00:02:11
Should I go, should I go, should I go left?
00:02:12 - 00:02:13
Should I go, should I go, should I go right?
00:02:14 - 00:02:17
Feels like I'm goin' in circles, y'all like a maze, I can't get through
"Black LGBTQ+ Sound and the Politics of Illegitmated Language: Ballroom Soundscapes, Mixes and Beyond"
Sample 3: "Feels Like" by MikeQ & Kevin JZ Prodigy
Annotations
00:00:00 - 00:00:01
Cunt, cunt, cunt, cunt
00:00:02 - 00:00:03
Cunt to the feminine, what
00:00:02 - 00:00:07
Black LGBTQ+ Discourse
00:00:04 - 00:00:05
To the feminine and pussy, what, what
00:00:06 - 00:00:07
Feminine, pussy, cunt, cunt, cunt
00:00:08 - 00:00:09
Black Sonic Traditions
00:00:08 - 00:00:09
(This is a DJ MikeQ production) Feminine, pussy, pussy, pussy, what
00:00:10 - 00:00:11
Feminine, soft cunt, to the cunt, cunt
00:00:10 - 00:00:21
Black LGBTQ+ Discourse
00:00:12 - 00:00:13
Feminine, soft cunt, to the what, cunt
00:00:14 - 00:00:14
Feminine, soft cunt, to the cunt, cunt
00:00:15 - 00:00:17
Feminine, feminine, feminine, feminine, feminine, feminine, cunt, cunt, cunt
00:00:18 - 00:00:21
Feminine, feminine, feminine, feminine, feminine, feminine, cunt, cunt, to the cunt
00:00:22 - 00:00:26
Cunt, cunt, cunt, cunt, cali, cunt, cunt, cunt, meow, cunt, meow, cunt, to the cunt, meow, uh
00:00:27 - 00:00:30
Black Sonic Traditions
00:00:27 - 00:00:30
To the meow, cunt, meow, to the meow, meow (Rrr)
00:00:27 - 00:00:30
Black LGBTQ+ Discourse
00:00:31 - 00:00:37
Black Sonic Traditions
00:00:31 - 00:00:33
Titty, dick-tick, brr, to the titty, diggy-diggy, dick-tick, brr, cat
00:00:34 - 00:00:37
Riggy, tick, cunt, cali, cunt, cunt, feminine to pussy cunt, feminine to pussy, what, cunt
00:00:38 - 00:00:40
Feminine, cunt, cunt, flip, cunt, cunt, cali, cat, cat, kitty, kitty, kit-kat, cunt
00:00:41 - 00:00:42
To the rit-tit, titty, titty, dick-tick, cunt
00:00:43 - 00:00:44
To the puss, puss, pussy, pussy, puss, cunt
00:00:45 - 00:00:48
Black Sonic Traditions
00:00:45 - 00:00:48
Meow, cunt, titty-tit, cat-tat, rig-tit- tat-tat, pussy cunt, kit-kat, uh
00:00:45 - 00:00:48
Black LGBTQ+ Discourse
00:00:49 - 00:00:49
Riggy, tat-cat, to the rrr
00:00:50 - 00:00:52
To the rrr cat, cat, to the kit-kat, cunt
00:00:53 - 00:00:53
East cunt cat, to the cat-cat
00:00:54 - 00:00:55
Black Sonic Traditions
00:00:54 - 00:00:55
Meow, meow, meow, meow, meow, uh-uh, cunt
00:00:54 - 00:00:55
Black LGBTQ+ Discourse
00:00:56 - 00:01:06
Black Sonic Traditions
00:00:56 - 00:00:59
Tid-id-id-dit, tid-id-id-dit, tid-id-id-dit, tid-id-id-dit, uh
00:01:00 - 00:01:03
Rrr, rit-tit, rrr, rit-tit, rrr, rit to the dit-tit, uh
00:01:04 - 00:01:06
Rrr, rit-tit, rrr, rit-tit, rrr, rit to the dit-tit, cunt
00:01:07 - 00:01:10
Meow, uh-uh-uh, rat, cat-cat cat, meow, uh-uh-uh, rat, cat-cat
00:01:11 - 00:01:21
Black Sonic Traditions
00:01:11 - 00:01:14
R-r-rat, r-r-rat, r-r-rat, cat-cat, a rat-tat-tat, brr, uh
00:01:15 - 00:01:18
Rrr, rat-tat, rrr, rat-tat, rrr, rat-tat, rrr, rat-tat
00:01:19 - 00:01:21
Rrr, rat-tat, rrr, rat-tat, ta titty-titty-dit-tat, cunt
00:01:22 - 00:01:23
Feels like, like, to the like, ah
00:01:24 - 00:01:25
Feels like, to the like, like, ooh
00:01:26 - 00:01:27
Feels like, like, to the like, like, ow
00:01:28 - 00:01:29
Feels like, to the like, like, ooh
00:01:30 - 00:01:31
Feels like, to the like, like, ooh
00:01:32 - 00:01:33
Feels like, like, to the like, like, ow
00:01:34 - 00:01:35
Feels like, to the like, like, ooh
00:01:36 - 00:01:36
Feels like, like, to the like, like, ow
00:01:38 - 00:01:40
Feels like I'm goin' in circles, y'all like a maze, I can't get through
00:01:41 - 00:01:42
Should I go, should I go, should I go left?
00:01:43 - 00:01:44
Should I go, should I go, should I go right? Uh
00:01:45 - 00:01:46
Feels like I'm goin' in circles, y'all like a maze, I can't get through
00:01:47 - 00:01:48
Should I go, should I go, should I go left?
00:01:49 - 00:01:50
Should I go, should I go, should I go right?
00:01:51 - 00:02:05
Black Sonic Traditions
00:01:51 - 00:01:52
Rat-tat-tat-tat-tat-tat-uh
00:01:53 - 00:01:54
Ra-ta-ta-ta-ta-tat-tat-tat-oh
00:01:55 - 00:01:57
Rat, ta-duh-duh-tat, ta-duh-duh-tat
00:01:58 - 00:01:59
Ta-ta-tat-tat-tat-ow
00:02:00 - 00:02:02
Brr, cat-cat, brr cat-cat goin in what-what
00:02:03 - 00:02:05
Brr, cat-cat, brr cat-cat goin in what-what
00:02:06 - 00:02:09
Feels like I'm goin' in circles, y'all like a maze, I can't get through
00:02:10 - 00:02:11
Should I go, should I go, should I go left?
00:02:12 - 00:02:13
Should I go, should I go, should I go right?
00:02:14 - 00:02:17
Feels like I'm goin' in circles, y'all like a maze, I can't get through
"Black LGBTQ+ Sound and the Politics of Illegitmated Language: Ballroom Soundscapes, Mixes and Beyond"
New York AAE: /r/ devocalization, or derhoticization; /bought/ raising; and realization of /boat/ (Blake, Shousterman, Newlin-Lukowicz 278)
Ex: /mutha/, /call/ /caught/, West Indies realization of /boat/
Sample 2: "Miss Honey" by Moi Renée
Annotations
00:00:05 - 00:00:07
Miss Honey, Miss Honey
00:00:08 - 00:00:11
Miss Honey, Miss Honey
00:00:12 - 00:00:15
Miss Honey, Miss Honey
00:00:16 - 00:00:19
Miss Honey, Miss Honey
00:00:20 - 00:00:23
Don't you hear me calling you, Miss Honey?
00:00:24 - 00:00:26
I know you hear me calling you, Miss Honey
00:00:27 - 00:00:28
The bitch knew that I'd be back
00:00:29 - 00:00:30
She knew that I was not gone long,
00:00:31 - 00:00:34
Miss Honey, Miss Honey
00:00:35 - 00:00:36
Where's the bitch, she's got some nerve
00:00:37 - 00:00:40
Here I am and feeling fierce!
00:00:41 - 00:00:43
Miss Honey, Miss Honey
00:00:44 - 00:00:47
Miss Honey, Miss Honey
00:00:48 - 00:00:51
Don't you hear me calling you, Miss Honey?
00:00:52 - 00:00:55
I know you hear me calling you, Miss Honey
00:00:56 - 00:00:57
Don't you hear me calling you?
00:00:58 - 00:01:02
Don't you hear me calling you, Don't you hear me calling you, Miss Honey?
00:01:03 - 00:01:04
The bitch knew that I'd be back
00:01:05 - 00:01:06
She knew that I was not gone long,
00:01:07 - 00:01:10
Miss Honey, Miss Honey
00:01:11 - 00:01:12
Where's the bitch, she's got some nerve
00:01:13 - 00:01:18
Here I am and feeling fierce! Miss Honey
00:01:19 - 00:01:21
Miss Honey, Miss Honey
00:01:22 - 00:01:26
Miss Honey, Miss Honey
00:01:27 - 00:01:29
Miss Honey, Honey, Honey, Miss Honey
00:01:30 - 00:01:33
Miss Honey, Honey, Honey, Miss Honey
00:03:12 - 00:03:46
Outro performance
"Black LGBTQ+ Sound and the Politics of Illegitmated Language: Ballroom Soundscapes, Mixes and Beyond"
/calling/ realization --> /bought/
Sample 1: "Cunty (Feels Like)" by Kevin Aviance
Annotations
00:00:01 - 00:00:13
The introduction of the song is a repetitive percussive/horn element that serves as the foundation of the beat and eventual layering of other percussive elements. The use of camera flash sounds (not present in the sample "PURE/HONEY") provides an extra visual element, demanding the listener to focus on Aviance's critical vision of self.
00:00:14 - 00:00:38
From the repetitive bumps to the break of the cymbals, there is a build up and crescendo met with the visual performance by Aviance. A mash-up of several performances, the visuals are edited (sped up and slowed down) to match the time of the beat in the song. This use of multiple videos express a variety of embodied performances, from open-mouth laughter, to twirls, spotting and fashioning herself with a feather boa.
00:00:39 - 00:00:46
She's cunt, he's cunt, they're cunt, I'm cunt She's cunt, he's cunt, they're cunt, I'm cunt
00:00:47 - 00:01:01
The adlib repitition of "cun-" is present and similarly sampled in "PURE/HONEY". This is an example of remixing and repetition that interjects on language legibility, privileging sound to repeat the unit 'cun-' to create a repetitive beat alongside the percussive elements.
00:01:10 - 00:01:39
Feeling cunt, feeling tea x3 Feeling cunt, feeling tea x2 (sped up) Feeling cunt, feeling tea x3 Feeling cunt, feeling tea x2 (sped up)
00:01:10 - 00:01:39
Aviance moves slowly between the phrases “Feeling cunt, feeling tea”, which gradually gets sped up into the signature mix of “cunt-tea” and the eventual “Cunty” repetition sampled by “PURE/HONEY”. The compounding of words /cunt/ and /tea/ not only represent a linguistic innovation but also a semantic shift of the two words into one: /cunty/
00:01:40 - 00:01:56
Cunty x8 Cunty x16 (sped up)
00:01:40 - 00:01:56
This is an example of a Black queering of sound through mixing. Aviance is innovating on language as well as sound, crossing linguistic boundaries and imbuing new semantic content that would otherwise be lost in the sample of the song in "PURE/HONEY"
00:01:57 - 00:02:10
Cunty x14
00:02:11 - 00:02:40
Feeling! like a daisy, Feeling, like a lily, Feeling, a rose, Feeling like an orchid! x2
00:02:41 - 00:02:55
Feeling! X8
00:04:55 - 00:05:04
Cunty x8
"Black LGBTQ+ Sound and the Politics of Illegitmated Language: Ballroom Soundscapes, Mixes and Beyond"
"Feeling like a rose" --> /boat/ realization and "an orchid" --> derhoticization -/r/