No one does weird/unexpected subcultures like the Japanese. The latest – brought to our attention by Huff post LatinoVoices – is the kind of cultural mashup we love: Japanese Cholos.
Photo credit: http://urban-japan.tumblr.com/
I’m not sure how or why the Japanese developed an affinity for a Chicano scene that peaked in the late 90s, but I’m so happy they did because it gives me the chance to do maybe my favorite thing ever: make up portmanteaux. Remezcla may not have been the first to discover this new Japanese cholo scene, by God we’ll be the first to name it’s participants. Here are my proposals:
1. Jolos. Duh. This one is almost too easy, but you can’t deny it’s got a ring to it. Plus it’s what my non-English speaking abuela sounds like whenever I try to get her to say “YOLO.”
2. Chicanese For some reason this word makes me think of that Barenaked Ladies song “One Week.” Which almost makes me want to take it out of the running altogether.
3. JapanESEs Because “ese” is cholo slang. See what I did there?
4. Gueysians Domo arigato, gueeeeeey.
5. Japangstas
You know, like japanese gangstas. I’m scraping the bottom of the barrel here.
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Okay, gotta go spend the rest of my night trying to make one of these a Twitter trending topic #ORALE
