Do-Rags Change the World?

For the unfamiliar, as many may be, though not for long, we must first ask: what is a Do-Rag?

I had originally surmised that the word came from a combination of the words “dew" and "rag,” having only heard it, bandied about here and there in oral tradition in the rough streets of Ottawa. I had foolishly thought that it served the practical purpose of sopping up sweat from the wearers head. I had noticed that it was sometimes worn by professional athletes, mostly in the NBA or NFL, where sweat in one’s eyes or on the court must be a particular hazard. However, this is apparently not the case.

A do rag is a large handkerchief that you wrap around your head in a particular way, similar to a bandanna, though, covering the whole scalp, in an effort to protect your “do.”

It may have originated with G.I.s in Vietnam, or may date back as far as emperor Menelike II of of Ethiopia (Aug 17, 1844 –Dec 12, 1913). What good it would do for protecting a “do” from a Vietnamese sniper, I do not know. It may alternately be spelled “doo-rag,” “du-rag,” or “durag,” with no apparent change in the meaning.

The “do rag” is solely an item of personal statement, a sideline fashion item that expresses one’s inner “badassness.” Apart from wearing it on one’s head one may also keep their do-rag around one’s belt loops. This is particularly “badass” as any functional value of the do-rag is removed and only its “bad ass” element remains behind. Be sure to watch which side you hang it on. If one were to hang in on the left side, that would be the “crip side.” If you wander into the wrong neighborhood with this conspicuous label you may find yourself confronted by gang members for being off your “turf”.

The do-rag has recently taken on a new level of cultural importance following the popularity of rap artist T.I., who’s biting lyrics in his song "Swing Your Rag" have led to a neo do-rag movement. A small sample of the songs lyrics succinctly describe this evolution: “I don’t dance, no way. I pull my do-rag out and wave it around. I pull my Gucci rag out and wave around.” The actions involved in the lyrics are easily understood, but what of the meaning behind them?

Through the lyrics may seem simple, this do-rag waving movement has lifted the do-rag to a symbolic level. Through this song T.I. is making, I think, a carefully constructed protest against the need to prove yourself by dance to any man or woman within the highly judgmental confines of a dance club. The extremely overt action of standing isolated within a club and furiously waving about a large piece of cloth, perhaps in general protest, or perhaps in response to being asked to dance, shouts louder than words could over the club bass that there is no need to please anyone but yourself. The selection of a very expensive designer rag allows the waver to maintain that he is still a successful “go getta” and is choosing not to dance and not tha he is unable.

Once emphatically alone in his do-rag waving, a whole host of followers have rallied around T.I. and now pass their Friday nights furiously waving their own, usually neutral coloured, do-rags in dance clubs across the North American continent.

There is yet no word that the phenomenon has spread beyond North America, inquiries into Europe have only had the response “mais c’est de la merde, non?”

Still the phenomenon continue to grow here, seemingly without limit, and one has to wonder if this will eventually remove straight male dancing from night clubs altogether, leaving only circles of barefooted women and gay men to actually dance.

Lisa Robbins, a frequent club goer and girlfriend to Josh Adams, a do-rag waving follower, had this to say.

“At first I thought it was weird like. He never liked to dance anyways, and when he did he just grabbed me all over, and you know, sometimes that's nice like, but sometimes you just want to dance. He’d get all moody and pissy if I wouldn’t let him touch me. Once he tried dancing near me by himself but got angry and said it was gay. He got really drunk that night. Then one time I ask him to dance and he just whips that thing he started wearing off his belt and started waving it in my face. At first I thought it was some new dance and tried to go along with it, but he kept whipping me in the eye. Now I dance with my girlfriend while he and some other guys stand in a corner drinking cheap champagne and waving their do-rags at anyone who comes near them. It’s really fucked up. Why doesn’t he just stay home? He says that’s gay too. I don’t get it.”

Despite the protests of girlfriends, other club goers and gang leaders, do-rag wavers maintain that they are engaging in a serious protest and refuse to back down. I asked Josh to possibly sum-up the socio cultural influence he thinks do-rag waving has and will continue to have across North America. “It ain’t stupid,” Josh replied angrily, flicking his do-rag towards my face “and I ain’t gay,” he added before stomping off to refill his champagne glass, do wag quivering at his side, ever ready, to lash out for his cause. With such energy firing Josh and fellow do rag-wavers it seems there is no end in sight to this dance club phenomena, this crusade to change the world.