The New York Times has come under fire from fans of Lil B, a.k.a. The BasedGod, for ignoring his role in creating the slang term “based.”
The controversy stems from a new article published by the New York Times called “Did Trump Really Give Nicki Minaj a $1 Million ‘Gold Card’ Visa?” in which a definition of “based” is given. According to the paper, it’s “a slang word used to describe a bold move or someone who projects disregard for how others feel about their actions.”
Internet denizens are speaking out against the New York Times’ definition for good reason, considering that there is no mention of Lil B, who is synonymous with the term and is generally credited with coining it.
The rapper has long referred to himself as the BasedGod, and has consistently used the term in mixtape and song titles going all the way back to the 2007 debut album Based Boys by his then-group The Pack.
See some reactions below.
Lil B once defined what “based” means in a video, after the word started to gain traction.
“You could be based with no car, no clothes, and no money to spend at the mall,” he said. “‘Based’ is how you feel inside. It means getting comfortable with yourself and your friends, and moving on with your lives to a place where you love and trust yourself.”
“It’s about building your own genuine style for people to love who you are,” he added.
Lil B’s erasure from the definition of “based” comes at a time when much of his music catalog has vanished from streaming services, likely because of licensing or sampling issues. The BasedGod has promised that “We going to figure this out!”