User:Peteclarkanderson/sandbox/Dope to the Soap

“Dope to the Soap” is an American slang phrase which is used to indicate an item, person, event, etc.. is deemed pleasing or “cool” to the person using said phrase  Below is a brief history of the phrase, although due to the history of the phrase largely being an oral tradition, a definitive time line is difficult to establish.

Dope. Soap.

You see, it’s a rhyme

But it’s also a play on a old colloquialisms. Playing back to the early twentieth century.

Early on, even as far back as the pioneers, soap was made using strings, or “ropes,” to dip into wax.

Hence. Soap on a rope.

Now, many decades later, the term “dope” came into existence, referring to mainly to marijuana or cocaine, depending on your locale. So now, “dope” was a cool term.

However, with the crack epidemic of the 1980’s, dope, now frequently referring to said crack (also referred to as “crack cocaine”) became a direct path to prison. In prison, there is a widespread belief that, when in the shower, if you “drop the soap,” you will be sexually assaulted, so now dope and soap are both directly tied to negative aspects of life.

However, with prison reform, drug reform, but mainly educational reform, we now know that the sexual assault rumor in prison is likely highly unfounded.

With the exception of specified offenders, we find that prisoners generally keep to themselves, including shower time, bathroom time, etc.

So, those of us educated and curious about the entire process have come full circle.

Soap on a rope simply alludes either to the Amish (who doesn’t love the Amish), or the pioneers (who doesn’t love the pioneers).

Hence soap on a rope. Is dope.

Dope to the soap.