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[Hip-hop Term] What does “my men” (maimen) mean?

[Hip-hop Term] What does “my men” (maimen) mean?
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Have you ever seen people on social media or the radio calling their friends “my men”? It’s become quite common, but it originally was a term favored by B-boys.

Even if you’ve never heard it aloud, I think some of you have seen it in writing.

You kind of get the meaning so it’s not a problem, but when asked to explain it properly, it’s hard to do so.

For those people, this article will explain it in detail.

Meaning / synonyms

[Hip-hop Term] What does “my men” (maimen) mean?

What is the source language of the etymology?EnglishIt is.

The spelling is “My Man.”

A literal translation into Japanese would be “my man,” but please don’t be creeped out (lol).

It does not include any nuances of “Boys Love,” just so you know!

With affection,Men call each other that.

If I had to give an English synonym, it would be “brother” (as in someone you’re close to like a sibling).

By the way, overseas this kind of close relationship between men is...BromanceIt is said.

These kinds of funny expressions might start being used in Japan before long, you know.

Conversely, when Japanese girls use it with the same sex as a joke, it’s cute!

Be careful when a woman uses it with a man—make sure you don’t give him the wrong idea (lol).

Examples of use overseas

As mentioned earlier, in close relationships between mencall to actionis used for

So I think this is how it’s used in everyday conversation.

Everyday conversation examples

[Hip-hop Term] What does “my men” (maimen) mean?「Hey, My Man"!" — Hey!

[Hip-hop Term] What does “my men” (maimen) mean?

“Hi, Bro!” — Oh!

[Hip-hop Term] What does “my men” (maimen) mean?

"What’s up?" — How’s it going?

[Hip-hop Term] What does “my men” (maimen) mean?

“Yeeaahhh, Fxxxing Good!!” — I’m on fire!

Caution

Interestingly, it’s used for addressing people.

「He is My Man.」

If you use it in contexts other than the callouts above, it implies a relationship that goes beyond bromance.

「Ummm……Boys Love……」

I think this is probably the kind of reaction I’ll get (lol).

I’ve had some lame slip-ups at drinking parties in the past.

I said “He is my bro” to mean that we’re really close, and everyone was stunned.

After that, someone said to me, 'So he was actually your real brother.'

When using words like this abroad,face-to-faceLet's use it.

Example used in lyrics

It even appears as lyrics (rap lyrics) in American hip-hop.

Mellow My Man / The Roots

In this song, it's also used as the title.

https://youtu.be/RKERQtZZmnI?t=5s

Starting from around 0:05,

「Coolin out with my manIt’s used in the intro that goes “Malik B~.”

It can be confirmed that it has been used several times since then.

When you listen to the local pronunciation, it sounds like “Mame~,” doesn’t it?

As the title suggests, it’s a mellow and good song.

So, to the main point: how is it used in Japan?

Let's look at it in the next chapter.

Example usage in Japan

It’s often used even when you’re not face-to-face.

I feel it’s used more casually than it is overseas.

It's old, but for a common term, I think it has a similar nuance to 'nicoichi' or 'mabudachi.'

Isn’t it the case that many people use that term for friends they often hang out with, companions, or their best friends?

He's my bro!

In Japan, it’s fine to use it in ways other than this kind of appeal.

Examples of use on social media

https://twitter.com/yui_79_/status/950723494601416704

https://twitter.com/no_el_083/status/950334171104272385

https://twitter.com/sho_1st/status/950305357481431040

https://twitter.com/Nana27chan/status/949304649353318401

It seems like it’s even being used by girls, especially among the younger generation!

While B-boys use it with a nuance of “comrade,” I feel that young girls use it with a lighter, positive nuance—more like “besties forever.”

After all, I think the influence of hip-hop is incredible.

Example used in lyrics

It seems it was also used in J-rap starting around the 2000s.

LEXUS GUCCI / DABO

Released in 2001, this is a track by DABO, the MC from NITRO MICROPHONE UNDERGROUND.

He appears around 2:59 with the phrase, “Three steps back, self-proclaimed my man ~.”

That’s a pretty edgy lyric!

The Incomplete Duo / Creepy Nuts

Recently, it has also been used in songs by the unit Creepy Nuts, comprised of R-Shitei, the champion of Freestyle Dungeon, and the skilled beatmaker DJ Matsunaga.

Starting around 0:14, it's used like: “How you doing? To all my many homies who are struggling—”

By the way, the phrase “choushi donai?” is the Kansai-dialect version of the English “What’s up?”

Lastly

It originally comes from clubber slang (terms used by people familiar with clubbing), so if someone who isn’t used to it tries to use it in everyday conversation, it might sound a bit awkward.

People who haven’t used it before might want to try it in a lighthearted, jokey way!

If a quiet person suddenly starts using it, it might come across as getting carried away (lol).

How about deliberately using it with a casual vibe from now on?