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I remember my very first album was License to Ill by the Beastie Boys, back in 1986. In the first track, "Rhyming and Stealing" the Beastie Boys compare themselves to pirates and other popular criminals. They say:
"Housing all girlies from city to city"
http://www.metrolyrics.com/rhymin-stealin-lyrics-beastie-boys.html
That album was released in 1986. I see other use of housing after that, but I haven't seen much before that:
In 1987 - Schooly D - Housing the Joint - Schooly D is using the word "housing" as in stealing.
In 1988 - EPMD - Housing - Where the EPMD seems using the word "housing" more in the sense of winning.
Also in 1988 - Ultramagnetic MC - Kool Kieth Housing things - Again seems to be using "housing" more in the sense of winning.
I don't see anything earlier than 1986 but there doesn't seem to be anyway to search for words in songs very well. This is the best that I saw:
Welcome to the forum jaylaprade. I missed that episode. And I couldn't find the track you refer to in the podcasts. Could you provide a direct link, and then perhaps we can answer your question.
I do find it curious that "house" as a noun is pronounced with a soft "s" and as a verb with a hard "s" (= "z"). Same with "housing". Post that link, and I'm sure someone here will be able to help you out. Thanks!
The May 4 broadcast was a rerun of the "Wet Brick" show, November 23, 2013. It's not listed here as a May 4 podcast here, but I use Miro for blogs and podcasts, and it's listed there.
The full show and excerpt are posted on this site. And Jay adds a lot detail than G&M broadcast.
I scarf pizza; if I had to quaff quickly, instead of me housing the beer, I'd more likely be hosed by it.
OK, thanks for that link deaconB. Just listened to that podcast, so to get back to the original question posed by jaylaprade ...
I believe Grant's explanation makes the most sense, with the term deriving from hiphop. I searched all my usual online slang resources and couldn't find a thing. So this must be a relatively new idiom. The general meaning seems to be: house (verb) to dispose of quickly, to do away with, to destroy, to defeat, to consume rapidly. [Edit: And it is indeed pronounced with a hard "s" like the more common verb.]
Personally, I hadn't heard the term before this discussion. But then, I don't listen to much hiphop.
Martha Barnette
Grant Barrett
Grant Barrett
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