Bum rap
Meaning
An unfair or undeserved accusation or punishment.
Origin
In the bustling streets and smoky backrooms of early 20th-century America, the word "rap" began to take on a new, darker meaning within the criminal underworld and police precincts. Far from a musical genre, a "rap" was an accusation, a charge, or even a conviction. If you "beat the rap," you escaped justice; if you "took the rap," you accepted blame. But when an individual found themselves wrongly accused or unfairly punished—a common plight in a sometimes-corrupt system—they had been handed a "bum rap." The addition of "bum," a derogatory term for something worthless or inferior, perfectly encapsulated the injustice of an undeserved charge, solidifying the phrase's place in American slang.
Examples
- He got a bum rap when he was blamed for the entire project's failure, even though he only played a minor role.
- Many felt the singer received a bum rap from the media after a minor scandal escalated into a major controversy.