Based? Based On What? The Chad-Affiliated Slang Phrase Explained

The ever-evolving terrain of online slang inevitably finds its way back to Lil B. Whether it's the phrase ""let him cook":https://knowyourmeme.com/memes/let-him-cook-let-that-boy-cook, being down bad or the topic at hand, being based. There are various interpretations of the word "based," ranging from typical use in AAVE slang, ironic use in internet-pilled circles, to nefarious use in anti-woke propaganda. But to understand use, we must first delve into its roots: to Lil B, the Based God.

Where Does The Word 'Based' Come From?

The coinage of the word "based" is largely attributed to the rapper Lil B, who shared his thoughts behind using the word in his music and daily life in a 2010 interview with Complex magazine. Supposedly, the word "basehead" would often be levied against him as an insult, prompting him to try and reclaim its meaning through his own words and music. The word grew to widespread use primarily through the Based God meme, where people would overlay variations of the phrase, "thank you based god" or "based god fucked all my bitches" on different photos.

Where Does The Phrase 'Based And Redpilled' Come From?

Sometime in the early 2010s, a pair of geniuses on 4chan inadvertently coined the phrase based and redpilled which combines a common interpretation of based as non-cringe, and the word redpilled being an analogy for anti-establishment thought borrowed from the film The Matrix. Being redpilled has found a niche in conservative memes, and the phrase "based and redpilled" is often used to evoke an anti-woke, anti-establishment sensibility.

Based? Based On What?

A popular off-shoot of the slang term "based" is the slang misinterpretation meme, where the use of popular and "improper" vernacular is mocked by repeated insincere questioning, not unlike the Funny? Funny How? meme.

What Is The Based Department?

The based department is a fictitious organization often used as a reaction meme to indicate someone's acknowledgment of a fact or opinion as based. The meme is sometimes in the form of a cell phone screenshot, where they can be seen receiving a call from the so-called "based department."

How do you use "based" in a sentence?

• Person A: "No school tomorrow, it's a snow day!
  Person B: "OMG, based."

• Person A: "Did you see what Kanye tweeted yesterday, it was so based."
  Person B: "Based? Based on what?"
  Person A: "Antisemitism, mostly."

For a full history of the term "Based," be sure to check out our entry on the slang term here for even more information.