The slang term “lady lumps” refers to women’s breasts, originating from the Black Eyed Peas’ song “My Humps”. The song’s lyrics are sexually suggestive and focus on physical appearance, leading to criticism for being offensive and exploitative. However, some argue that it is a parody of the club scene and commentary on the treatment of female musicians in popular music.
The slang term “lady lumps” refers to women’s breasts. It is derived from a song originally performed by the Black Eyed Peas, a hip hop group based in Los Angeles, California. The song, “My Humps”, became immensely popular in the US shortly after its release, appearing on charts and best-selling radio playlists and spawning a number of parodies, along with slang terms and lyrical catchphrases, including which “lady lumps” for the breast.
“My Humps” appeared on the 2005 album Monkey Business. The song was written by will.i.am, one of the group’s members, and includes extremely sexually suggestive lyrics. The “humps” in the title are the buttocks, while the “humps” in the lyrics are the breasts. The song’s lyrics suggest that people are entranced by the singer’s physical characteristics, leading them to spend large sums of money on her. Specific luxury brands are mentioned in the lyrics, and in the video for “My Humps,” the singer can be seen dancing with an assortment of men who gawk at her bumps as she carries an array of designer bags and other expensive gifts.
The song’s melody has a tendency to linger in the brain, and some listeners voted “My Humps” one of the most irritating songs of 2005. Those who were irritated by the song could find examples of it everywhere from radio stations to television shows on the Internet, and a number of singers including the notoriously raunchy Peaches and songwriter Alanis Morissette have parodied the song.
Some critics have argued that “My Humps” is offensive and exploitative, as well as sexually suggestive. The focus on appearance and “driving brothers crazy” in the lyrics has drawn the ire of some people in the feminist community, as well as people who dislike stereotypes about black men’s sexual preferences. The song also seems to imply that women are manipulative, using their bodies to get what they want from the people around them. However, sexually suggestive and profane lyrics are a well-established part of the rap and hip hop tradition in the United States, so picking one song in particular for its lyrics could be considered rather counterproductive.
Other critics have pointed out that the Black Eyed Peas are known for making socially conscious music which often includes commentary on society. The song and accompanying music video could be seen as a parody of the club scene, where women are judged by physical appearance, and as a commentary on the role of female musicians in popular music. Many female musicians find themselves categorized by body part, from “lovely bumps” to “humps”, rather than being judged on their merits as musicians, and this is often a source of frustration for female artists. The music video also includes a subtle tease of the glitzy and often flamboyant music videos used to promote female artists’ songs.
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