What Does it Mean if Someone Calls You a ‘British Cigarette’ or ‘UK Cigarette’ as a Diss?

In the world of sports, controversy is no stranger. One such recent incident involves the popular show, Gil’s Arena, where a comment made by Gilbert Arenas, a former NBA All-Star and a Lakers fan, sparked a wave of confusion and debate among viewers.

Does Sacramento Have the Ugliest People?

The controversy began when Arenas expressed his displeasure over Demar Derozan’s decision to sign with the Sacramento Kings. Arenas, known for his outspoken nature, did not hold back in expressing his views.

He vented his frustration by making a rather harsh statement about the city of Sacramento, claiming it has the ugliest people on average compared to all other cities in America. He alleged that the source of his information was a news article. This comment, as expected, did not sit well with many, leading to a flurry of criticism and backlash on social media from people living in the Sacramento area.

What Did the “British Cigarette” Diss Mean?

Amidst this controversy, Kenyon Martin, another member of the Gil’s Arena crew, revealed an interesting piece of information. He shared that someone on social media had referred to Arenas as a “British cigarette” or a “UK Cigarette”. This term left many viewers puzzled, wondering about its meaning and origin.

To understand this, we need to research the history of British slang. In the UK, what is now a three letter homophobic slur that starts with the letter “F”, has been commonly used as a slang word for cigarettes for most of the 20th century. This term, however, carries a completely different connotation in American English, where it is considered a derogatory slur against gay people.

The use of the term “British cigarette” or “UK Cigarette” to refer to Arenas is essentially a coded way of using this slur without explicitly saying it. It’s a form of diss that relies on the listener’s knowledge of both British and American slang to understand its intended meaning.

Essentially Kenyon Martin is saying that people on social media are calling Gilbert Arena’s gay. This might stem from the incident he had with LGBTQ rapper Saucy Santana.

The two were beefing on social media for some reason, and during one episode of Gil’s Arena, Gilbert admitted to mistakenly watching a Saucy Santana twerking video. According to Nick Young, Gilbert Arena’s even compared Saucy Santana’s butt to water. At the time social media all kinds of jokes were going viral on NBA Twitter.

Most people think Arena’s was just pushing the boundaries of trolling, but Sacramento King’s fans apparently think otherwise.

The History of the “UK Cigarette” Diss

The history of this diss is as intriguing as its meaning. The use of the term that begins with the letter “F” to refer to a cigarette can be traced back to the early 20th century in the UK. Some speculate that the phrase was coined because cigarettes were formerly made with a thin layer of material covering the filter to prevent lips from sticking to the paper.

Over time, the term crossed the Atlantic and entered American English, but with a completely different meaning. In the US the three letter word beginning with the letter “F” became a derogatory term used against gay people. This divergence in meaning between the two versions of English is what gives the “British cigarette” diss its potency.

It’s a play on words that exploits the linguistic differences between British and American English. A diss that is meant to go over most people’s heads, until you do some research to figure out the meaning.

The controversy surrounding Gil’s Arena and the “UK cigarette” diss serves as a reminder of the power of words and the importance of understanding cultural and linguistic nuances.

It’s a testament to the fact that words can carry very different meanings in different contexts, and that these meanings can be used to both communicate and obfuscate.

Moral of the story is don’t go calling anyone a “British Cigarette”, even if you are referring to a type of a cigarette.

When Gilbert Arena’s realized what the diss meant, all he did was laugh proving once again that there is really nothing you can say about him that will actually get him mad.