Why have the terms "baby mama" and "wifey" taken on a negative connotation?

Halle Berry is a “baby mama” and LaLa Vazquez-Anthony was a “wifey” so is it really that bad??

Recently, we’ve noticed that women are becoming more and more sensitive to the idea of being called “baby momma” or “wifey” as opposed to “my son/daughter’s mother” or “wife”. It seems that the terms that were once tossed around the urban community so freely, in an endearing way, have taken on negative connotations that women don’t want to be associated with.

In 2000, the R&B group Next released one of their biggest singles “Wifey” off of their album Welcome II Nextasy. The song was far from disrespectful or misogynistic, on the contrary, the record celebrated the the things that a man wants in the woman that he will spend the rest of his life with.

The bridge reads as follows:

Someone I can spend my life with

Leave the keys to the Benz

Wedding band with your gems

You’re someone I feel all right with

Someone to have my kids

Someone I can depend

The term “baby mama” is literally derived from the phrase “my baby’s mother”. There doesn’t appear to be anything pejorative about the words themselves, however after several songs, jokes, and commentary about the subject. The idea of being a “baby mama” was almost like saying “hoe”.

In 2001, Oscar Award-winning (doesn’t that sound crazy?), Tennessee hip-hop pioneers, Triple 6 Mafia released their single “Baby Mama” featuring La Chat from their album Choices: The Album. The song wasn’t nearly as sweet and reverent as “Wifey”. It depicted the “baby mama” as a nuisance and someone of unsavory character.

What is it about these terms that have caused such a stir??

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