wyminc/bougie-jank

jank bougies only

Really? You're going to devote an entire explainer to a pedantic semantic distinction only like 27 people care about?

Yes. I am going to do exactly that.

Why?

Because it's fun! Like, you know how you might see a flyer advertising a concert Jaheim is holding in a Arby's parking lot next weekend — the first stop on his national tour comprised of concerts in Arby's parking lots? And you'll think to yourself "Why the hell is Jaheim 1) touring and 2) having concerts in Arby's parking lots?" But then you find yourself bored on that weekend, and you decide to hit up that Jaheim concert in the Arby's parking lot, and you have a great time, and you leave thinking "Wow. I'm glad I attended that Jaheim concert in that Arby's parking lot!"

Well, this is the equivalent of that.

I see. So, praytell, what is the difference between bougie, boujee, and bourgie/bourgeois?

Well, the best way to answer this would be chronologically. We'll start with which word came first, and go from there.

Each of these words stem from Bourgeoisie — a French word that means middle class.

Here's what Wiki, the Goddess of Accessible and Uncitable Information, has to say about it:

The "bourgeoisie", in its original sense, is intimately linked to the existence of cities recognized as such by their urban charters (e.g. municipal charter, town privileges, German town law) so there was no bourgeoisie "outside the walls of the city" beyond which the people were "peasants" submitted to the stately courts and manorialism (except for the traveling "Fair bourgeoisie" living outside urban territories, who retained their city rights and domicile).

In Marxist philosophy the bourgeoisie is the social class that came to own the means of production during modern industrialization and whose societal concerns are the value of property and the preservation of capital, to ensure the perpetuation of their economic supremacy in society. Joseph Schumpeter saw the creation of new bourgeoisie as the driving force behind the capitalist engine, particularly entrepreneurs who took risks to bring innovation to industries and the economy through the process of creative destruction.

None of this shit has much relevance to today's definitions, spellings, and connotations, but I included it because I've never used domicile in a piece before.

Anyway, as I stated in a piece about Bougie that I completely forgot I wrote already three years ago, Bourgie/Bourgeois describes a certain upper-middle to lower-upper class lifestyle more dependent on and defined by activities, ancestry, and legacy than actual income. These are the brothas and sistas whose great-grandparents actually founded Alpha Phi Alpha and Delta Sigma Theta, whose Jack and Jill cotillion was their prom, and who “summer” places where people who use “summer” as a verb “summer.” Basically, think of Whitley Gilbert, paper bag tests, and quiche tasting parties (???) and whatever the fuck else they do at Martha's Vineyard.

Bourgie/Bourgeois has also become a bit of a pejorative, particularly in the South. The reference is often attached with a tinge of disdain, as it ultimately exists as a synonym for uppity and pretentious. Calling someone Bourgie/Bourgeois isn't necessarily fighting words, but it might get you disinvited from a skating party or a wine train book club.

Bougie, on the other hand, doesn't carry as much racially-tinged historical context. I wouldn't even quite call it an evolution of Bourgie/Bourgeois, as what it describes and what Bourgie/Bourgeois describes are two completely different types of people. Bougie Black people are mostly urban, have completed some form of secondary education, and, most importantly, possess and are mindful of a certain urban/educated aesthetic. These are the people discussed and deconstructed in my Shit Bougie Black People Love series.

What also distinguishes Bougie from Bourgie/Bourgeois is that while the only hood Bourgie/Bourgeois Black people have ever known is the hood of their Range Rovers, Bougie Black people have a relationship with the hood. They may not be hood, but they might be from the hood and still feel a level of comfort there. (Also, if the difference between being hood and being from the hood isn't clear, then this probably isn't the right explainer for you.)

This brings us to Boujee. Which has been popularized in a very popular Migos song that confuses me because I don't know why it's a thing because it sounds like a million other songs I've heard that all sound like they were created in a mumble trap generator. Anyway, Boujee describes the type of nouveau/hood rich that would totally, definitely cook up some dope with an Uzi. They may have even made more money last year than their Bougie and Bourgie/Bourgeois counterparts, but the IRS would never, ever, ever know.

Interesting! You're right. Reading this was like attending that Jaheim concert in that Arby's parking lot!

Thanks! I don't even feel bad anymore after discovering that Tressie was able to say what it took me 800 words to say in 140 characters.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Damon Young Damon Young is the editor-in-chief of VSB and a columnist for GQ.com. His debut memoir in essays, What Doesn't Kill You Makes You Blacker (Ecco/HarperCollins), is available for preorder.

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AKA The Sauce Damon Young 1/18/17 5:41pm Speaking of bougie….

Is it wrong to have a first date at Starbucks or a park?

I got into a fb argument about this and I need answers.

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miss t-lee AKA The Sauce 1/18/17 5:47pm Is the park the only part of the date? I'm not leaving the house for Starbucks, dawg.

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LMNOP AKA The Sauce 1/18/17 5:48pm No, coffee or a park is a good first date.

If you like the person and end up talking for two hours that's fine. If you don't like them that much, just chug down your coffee and call it a date.

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AKA The Sauce miss t-lee 1/18/17 5:53pm Part one if coffee goes well.

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miss t-lee AKA The Sauce 1/18/17 5:57pm I'm still on the fence. You'd have to be hella engaging.

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HouseOfBonnets Damon Young 1/19/17 9:59am *pops in before training * Sooooo are we in agreement to wear all black and ignore TV coverage tomorrow? Personally I will be engaged in rachet television. https://uploads.disquscdn.c…

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AKA The Sauce HouseOfBonnets 1/19/17 10:00am Agreed

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PDL - Cape Girl Shero HouseOfBonnets 1/19/17 10:07am Ratchet tv sounds way more healthy than ingesting lies and bigotry of the person that cheated to become "not my president."

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Valerie HouseOfBonnets 1/19/17 10:08am Yes. I plan on binge watching something on Netflix….while at work. No one is really there on Fridays anyways.

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Cleojonz HouseOfBonnets 1/19/17 10:10am I will definitely be in my mourning black tomorrow.

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Valerie Damon Young 1/19/17 9:58am Had to delete previous embed comment. But Lol https://uploads.disquscdn.c…

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AKA The Sauce Valerie 1/19/17 10:00am So she performing for Trump?

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Valerie AKA The Sauce 1/19/17 10:18am Yes, I just want her to sit down for a couple of forevers.

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Val Valerie 1/19/17 10:34am She seems delusional.

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Valerie Val 1/19/17 10:43am She is

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Lex Damon Young 1/19/17 11:54am Off topic…yall remember the inauguration potluck at my job I was talking about? They're asking for all the food to be low sodium lolllllll…so far I've heard popcorn with raisins (wtf), chinese chicken salad with no dressing :/ and guess what….green bean casserole haaaaaaaaahahahahahahaha (i'm laughing to keep from crying fr)

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miss t-lee Lex 1/19/17 11:56am This sounds like the worst potluck ever.

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mr. steal your costco samples Lex 1/19/17 11:58am low sodium is impossible.

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Cheech Lex 1/19/17 11:58am Even though that green bean casserole is going to be made with cream of mushroom soup and fried onions, i.e. 2 different flavors of sodium-in-a-can.

I still say bring a bigass bag of cheetos.

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VeronicaMars Lex 1/19/17 11:59am Yuck

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Tam Damon Young 1/19/17 11:22am I'm not sure how legit this is, but apparently a subset has already gathered for inauguration. ://uploads.disquscdn.com/image…

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Val Tam 1/19/17 11:25am His loyal supporters have arrived. SMH.

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AKA The Sauce Tam 1/19/17 11:27am Well https://media.giphy.com/med…

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grownandsexy2 Tam 1/19/17 11:27am I’d be willing to bet it’s true. They did say, they would show up awhile back. If anyone doubts what Trump is about, this speaks volumes.

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Brooklyn_Bruin Tam 1/19/17 11:28am Man, don't make me leave the office. I'm four blocks up from there

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