the dozens

the dozens, in African American culture, a game of verbal combat typically played by young men. The participants match wits by exchanging humourous insults, usually before an audience. Some versions of the dozens incorporate rhyme; in the 1960s those were important to the development of rap. The dozens received considerable attention from scholars during the 1960s as the Black Power movement and a black urban culture developed, and these ritual insults persisted into the 21st century.

The topics available for criticism in the dozens include family, dress, appearance, economic status, and physical characteristics. The most common topic of insult in the dozens, though, is a person’s mother. The phrase “Your mama…” serves to let the other participants know that the dozens has begun. The insults often take the form of puns and exaggerated comparisons.