African American Slang

In this pioneering exploration of African American slang – a highly informal

vocabulary and a significant aspect of African American English – Maciej
Widawski explores patterns of form, meaning, theme, and function, showing
it to be a rule-governed, innovative, and culturally revealing vernacular.
Widawski’s comprehensive description is based on a large database of
contextual citations from thousands of contemporary sources, including lit-
erature and the press, music, film, and television. It also includes an alphabet-
ical glossary of 1,500 representative slang expressions, defined and illustrated
by 4,500 usage examples. Due to its vast size, the glossary can stand alone as
a dictionary providing readers with a reliable reference of terms. Combining
scholarship with user-friendliness, this book is an insightful and practical
resource for students and researchers in linguistics and general readers inter-
ested in exploring lexical variation in contemporary English.

m a c i e j w i d a w s k i is a professor of linguistics specializing in lexical

variation and its description. He has conducted research on slang since the
early 1990s and has written extensively on the subject. His recent books
include The Dictionary of City Names in American Slang (2011) and
Yinglish (2012).
African American Slang
A Linguistic Description

Maciej Widawski
University Printing House, Cambridge CB2 8BS, United Kingdom

Cambridge University Press is part of the University of Cambridge.

It furthers the University’s mission by disseminating knowledge in the pursuit of
education, learning and research at the highest international levels of excellence.

www.cambridge.org
Information on this title: www.cambridge.org/9781107074170
© Maciej Widawski 2015
This publication is in copyright. Subject to statutory exception
and to the provisions of relevant collective licensing agreements,
no reproduction of any part may take place without the written
permission of Cambridge University Press.
First published 2015
Printed in the United Kingdom by Clays, St Ives plc
A catalogue record for this publication is available from the British Library
Library of Congress Cataloguing in Publication data
Widawski, Maciej.
African American slang : a linguistic description / Maciej Widawski.
p. cm
“African American Vernacular English (AAVE).”
Includes bibliographical references and index.
ISBN 978-1-107-07417-0 (hardback)
1. Black English. 2. African Americans–Languages. 3. English language–
United States–Slang. 4. English language–Social aspects–United States.
5. African Americans–Social conditions. 6. African Americans–Education–
Language arts. I. Title.
PE3102.N42W43 2015
4170 .2–dc23 2014030463
ISBN 978-1-107-07417-0 Hardback
Additional resources for this publication at www.cambridge.org/delange
Cambridge University Press has no responsibility for the persistence or accuracy of
URLs for external or third-party internet websites referred to in this publication,
and does not guarantee that any content on such websites is, or will remain,
accurate or appropriate.
 Contents

Introduction page ix
Acknowledgments xiii
Abbreviations xv

1 Foundations 1
1.1 Terminology 2
1.1.1 African American 2
1.1.2 Related terms 5
1.1.3 Slang 7
1.1.4 Related terms 8
1.2 Methodology 12
1.2.1 Scope 12
1.2.2 Collection 15
1.2.3 Description 16

2 Forms 19
2.1 Combining 19
2.1.1 Compounding 19
2.1.2 Affixation 32
2.1.3 Phraseology 36
2.2 Shortening 43
2.2.1 Clipping 44
2.2.2 Initialism 48
2.2.3 Acronym 49
2.3 Conversion 50
2.3.1 Verbification 50
2.3.2 Nominalization 51
2.3.3 Other processes 52
2.4 Blending 53
2.5 Borrowing 54
2.5.1 Loanwords 54
2.5.2 Loan translations 56
2.5.3 Eponyms 57
2.5.4 Brand names 58
2.6 Creating 59
2.6.1 Coinage 59

v
vi Contents

2.6.2 Onomatopoeia 60
2.6.3 Respelling 61
Summary 64

3 Meanings 66
3.1 Figuration 66
3.1.1 Metaphor 67
3.1.2 Metonymy 68
3.1.3 Other processes 69
3.1.4 Figuration themes 73
3.2 Shifting 77
3.2.1 Generalization 77
3.2.2 Specialization 78
3.2.3 Melioration 79
3.2.4 Pejoration 80
Summary 81

4 Themes 83
4.1 Common themes 83
4.1.1 Body 84
4.1.2 Physiology 85
4.1.3 Sexuality 85
4.1.4 Alcohol 86
4.1.5 Drugs 87
4.1.6 Categorization 88
4.2 Specific themes 90
4.2.1 African Americans 90
4.2.2 Africana 91
4.2.3 Racism 92
4.2.4 Whites 93
4.2.5 Violence 94
4.2.6 Entertainment 95
4.2.7 Luxury 96
4.2.8 Geography 96
Summary 97

5 Functions 99
5.1 Social functions 99
5.1.1 Identification 99
5.1.2 Rebellion 102
5.1.3 Interaction 104
5.1.4 Secrecy 104
5.2 Psychological functions 105
5.2.1 Emotions 106
5.2.2 Humor 108
5.2.3 Toughness 110
5.3 Rhetorical functions 111
5.3.1 Informality 112
5.3.2 Stylization 112
5.3.3 Conciseness 114
5.3.4 Forcefulness 116
 Contents vii

5.4 Cultural functions 117

5.4.1 Wordplay 117
5.4.2 Word battle 118
5.4.3 Assimilation 119
Summary 122

Conclusion 124

Glossary 128
Bibliography 272
Sources 277
Index 292
 Introduction

This book presents a linguistic description of African American slang, a highly

informal vocabulary coined by or typically associated with African Americans.
It grew out of my professional involvement and personal interest in the subject
as a sociolinguist, lexicographer and educator. I consider African American
slang linguistically innovative and culturally revealing, and feel it deserves
scholarly attention. This introduction describes why, how and for whom this
book was written, why it is original, and what it contains.
African American slang is a significant part of African American Vernacular
English (AAVE) and an important component of American slang. In the mid
1980s, slang lexicographer Robert Chapman opined: “With the prominence of
black people in the armed forces, in music, in the entertainment world, and in
street and ghetto life, the black influence on American slang has been more
pervasive in recent times than that of any other ethnic group in history” (1986:
xi). This influence is increasing: one of the most authoritative experts on slang,
Jonathan Lighter (1994: xxx-xxxi) lists it among the most important influences
on general American slang, as do such prominent slang scholars as Connie
Eble (1996), Michael Adams (2009), Tom Dalzell (2010), Jonathon Green
(2010) or Julie Coleman (2012). The significance of African American slang is
aptly illustrated by two facts: (1) slang statistically makes up at least 10 percent
of all vocabulary known by the average American, and (2) African Americans
today constitute over 13 percent of all United States citizens, thus being the
second largest non-white ethnic group in the country.1 These figures speak for
themselves and are reflected by the enormous linguistic and cultural import-
ance of African American slang. As evidenced by its high occurrence in the
nationwide entertainment media, African American slang is more and more
popular among Americans regardless of their ethnic origin and exerts an
increasingly marked influence on general American English.

1
Estimates based on data found in Lighter (1994) and available from the US Census
Bureau (2014).

ix
x Introduction

The main impetus behind writing this book stems from this linguistic
and sociocultural significance, yet there are other reasons as well. African
American slang – just as with slang in general and AAVE in the recent past – is
still commonly perceived as a deficient deviation from standard English (see,
for instance, Lapp 2004: 56 or Wolfram 1998: 103–111). Quite undeservedly
so! In reality, linguistic features of African American slang are as systemic as
those of AAVE, those of slang and those of standard English. In other words, it
is a perfectly rule-governed linguistic system which incorporates aspects of
experience that are culturally specific. To paraphrase linguist Connie Eble
(1996: 2), African American slang is part of the common lore of language
rather than an anomaly. In fact, it is often richer in its linguistic expression than
general slang, which is evident in how readily African American slang is
borrowed by other ethnic groups in the United States. And so, quoting African
American scholar and poet Clarence Major, my goal is “to bring to the
language we call [African American] slang a better name [and] a better
reputation” (1994: xxvii).
Another reason is the surprising scarcity of book-length monographs focus-
ing specifically on the linguistic description of African American slang. While
many excellent books have been written on AAVE since the 1970s – works by
William Labov (1972), Joey Dillard (1972), John Baugh (1983), Salikoko
Mufwene (1998), John Rickford (1999), Walt Wolfram (1999), Shana
Poplack (2000), Lisa Green (2002) or Geneva Smitherman (2006), for
example – they focus on its sociolinguistic variation, historical development
or educational implications, and only in a limited way concern African Ameri-
can slang. The same is true about hip-hop – the subject of books by Samy Alim
(2006) and Marcyliena Morgan (2009) – an important source of slang which
nevertheless cannot account for the entirety of African American slang. Nor
does African American slang feature specifically in general books on slang: the
several pages in Connie Eble (1996), Michael Adams (2009) and Julie
Coleman (2012) – although valuable contributions to the field – are hardly
enough. Introductory essays in the dictionaries by Clarence Major (1994) and
Geneva Smitherman (2000a), seminal books on the subject, are extremely
helpful but necessarily limited since these books focus on a lexicographic
presentation of slang lexicon rather than its systematic, descriptive analysis.
Consequently, one must look elsewhere. Information is scattered in books on
AAVE and hip-hop usage, or in materials on general slang. This scarcity is
especially perceptible by students of linguistics, American studies or African
American studies who need a practical source of information on the subject
from a purely linguistic viewpoint.
This work is an attempt to remedy this situation. Written in the fashion of
traditional descriptive linguistics, it focuses on the analysis of slang expres-
sions based on a large database of authentic lexical material. It explores
 Introduction xi

patterns of form, meaning, themes and functions of African American slang in

order to enhance our understanding of this phenomenon and demonstrate that
it is a creative and rule-governed system, in no way deficient in comparison
with standard English. Additionally, it presents an extensive selection of
representative African American slang expressions, defined, annotated and
illustrated by thousands of real-world examples, thus serving as a practical
and useful reference work. At the same time, the book deliberately avoids
discussion of extralinguistic themes such as the sociocultural context, public
perception, or the historical development of African American slang. It also
focuses on synchronic rather than diachronic description; in other words, it is
based on the state of African American slang as used today and not in the past.
Finally, although aimed at linguists, culture scholars and educators, this book
is written in a manner which is hopefully also suited to the general readership
as it avoids linguistic nomenclature, though this is explained when necessary.
This book also differs from other monographs on the subject in that it is
based on a large database of authentic lexical material and draws from it
extensively. The main idea behind creating such a database was to get as
much exposure to African American slang as possible and to record its usage
in natural contexts from various contemporary sources. To that end, the
citations have been collected from diverse contemporary African American
sources including film, television, magazines, literature, the internet and utter-
ances by African Americans; however, non-African American sources were
also included in the database to see the impact African American slang has had
on the general slang used in America. The material was collected during my
research in the United States in 1999–2000 and 2009–2014, but, in a broader
context, constitutes part of my extended professional involvement starting in
the early 1990s in collecting, documenting, analyzing and translating slang.
Detailed information on the database can be found in the first chapter.
The descriptive character of this book is reflected in the organization of its
content. It follows the formalized description of slang used in my earlier
works, covering a wide range of linguistic topics and allowing an examination
of slang from various perspectives. Chapter 1 (Foundations) has an introduc-
tory character: it defines the main linguistic terminology associated with
African American slang, including AAVE, slang and related terms; it also
explains the research methodology employed in data collection and presents
the format of description used in this book. Chapter 2 (Form) deals with the
morphology of African American slang and presents wordbuilding processes
such as combining, shortening, conversion, blending, as well as borrowing and
creating. Chapter 3 (Meaning) focuses on the semantics of African American
slang: it examines the processes of figuration such as metaphor or metonymy,
and analyzes the main semantic shifting processes such as generalization,
specialization, melioration and pejoration. Chapter 4 (Themes) deals with
xii Introduction

lexical fields in American slang presenting the most productive themes,

including those common to the general slang and those specific to African
American culture or seen from an African American perspective. The last
chapter (Functions) concerns pragmatic aspects of African American slang: it
discusses its social, psychological, rhetorical and cultural functions. Chapters 2
through 4 are appended with brief summaries which are meant to make the
book more user-friendly, especially in an educational context. An integral part
of the book is the extensive Glossary: making up roughly half of the volume, it
could easily stand as a dictionary in its own right. The Glossary lists represen-
tative expressions of African American slang appended with definitions and
usage examples, and is intended to serve as a practical and useful reference.
Usage is illustrated extensively with examples from the database throughout
the book, and reliance on citational evidence is a distinctive feature of this
book. The examples are clearly set off from the main text and grouped in
separate paragraphs. Their purpose is to illustrate linguistic patterns of African
American slang, show slang expressions in context, and authenticate their
usage by clearly identified dates and sources. There are over 1,000 examples
in the main text of the book and a further 4,500 examples in the Glossary. All
examples were taken from the larger, aforementioned database of citations.
Viewing slang from the position of an outsider, as most sociolinguists and
lexicographers do, affords a more detached and thus perhaps a more objective
description. I hope that this research-based scholarly monograph will inspire
the reader to perceive African American slang as it is: a significant, innovative,
rule-governed sociolinguistic phenomenon inherently connected with African
American culture, and an important lexical contribution to American English
deserving attention and appreciation.
 Acknowledgments

I wish to thank Professor John Rickford of Stanford University, author of

African American Vernacular English: Features, Evolution, Educational
Implications, for his tremendous support for the project, his valuable remarks,
and his lavish hospitality during my research stay in Stanford and Berkeley;
Professor John Baugh of Washington University in St. Louis, author of Black
Street Speech: Its History, Structure, and Survival, for his encouraging com-
ments and generous support for the book; Professor Jonathan Lighter of the
University of Tennessee at Knoxville, editor of the Random House Historical
Dictionary of American Slang, for his insightful remarks on slang and his
cordial hospitality during my Fulbright Scholarship in Knoxville; Professor
Jacek Fisiak, OBE, of University of Social Sciences in Warsaw, author of
Linguistic Change Under Contact Conditions, for his unstinted enthusiasm for
my academic endeavors.
At Cambridge University Press I would like to thank Helen Barton for her
generous support and continued interest in my project resulting in the publica-
tion of this book; Kay McKechnie for her superb copy-editing; and Joanna
Breeze and Helena Dowson for their excellent management of the production
of the book.
I also wish to thank Professor Malgorzata Kowalczyk, author of American-
isms, a fellow sociolinguist-lexicographer participating in my Slang Project at
the University of Gdansk, for her expert assistance in the management of the
lexical database; Professor Michael Adams of Indiana University, author of
Slang: The People’s Poetry, for reading portions of the manuscript and
offering several constructive suggestions and incisive comments; and Phillip
Goss of Evansville, Indiana, a consulting editor of my Polish–English Diction-
ary of Slang and Colloquialism, for his enormous assistance in editing the
entire manuscript.
Let me also express my appreciation to three people who long ago inspired
my later professional pursuits: Andy and Peggy Newman of St. Louis,
Missouri, for arousing my interest in slang and colloquial English, and my
African American uncle, Walter Tefreden, of Paramaribo, Suriname, for intro-
ducing me to the world of soul culture.
xiii
xiv Acknowledgments

This book has been a work in progress for many years. During this time,
several ideas from it were incorporated into my other work, specifically being
the basis for two academic papers: “Compounding in African-American
Slang” published in 2011 in Kwartalnik Neofilologiczny of the Polish
Academy of Sciences, and “Figuration and Shifting in African-American
Slang” published in 2013 in Studia Anglica Posnaniensia. Some ideas were
also incorporated into my teaching practice and were discussed during my
lectures, seminars and presentations, specifically at the University of Gdansk
and the University of Social Sciences in Warsaw. I hereby wish to thank my
audiences for their interest and valuable feedback.
The examples presented in this book come from a database which draws
from various sources covering literature, television, film, music, press, social
media and others. Every effort has been made to identify the original sources
of these examples. Sometimes, however, in cases such as lyrics from unpub-
lished rap songs, obscure unprinted material or ephemeral web pages, this
proved to be challenging. Should any oversights be brought to my attention,
I will be happy to include appropriate updates in any subsequent editions of
this book.
The lexical material used in this book was verified and expanded using
library resources at the following academic institutions: Arizona State Univer-
sity (Tempe), City University of New York, Columbia University (New York),
Duke University (Durham, NC), Harvard University (Cambridge, MA),
McGill University (Montreal), New York University, Princeton University,
San Francisco State University, Simon Fraser University (Vancouver),
Stanford University, Tulane University (New Orleans), University of
Alabama (Birmingham), University of Alabama (Tuscaloosa), University of
Arizona (Tucson), University of British Columbia (Vancouver), University
of Calgary, University of California (Berkeley), University of California (Los
Angeles), University of California (San Diego), University of California (Santa
Barbara), University of Chicago, University of Gdansk, University of Miami
(Coral Gables), University of Mississippi (Oxford), University of North Car-
olina (Chapel Hill), University of North Florida (Jacksonville), University of
Ottawa, University of Social Sciences (Warsaw), University of Tennessee
(Knoxville), University of Toronto, University of Washington (Seattle),
University of Wisconsin (Madison), Yale University (New Haven, CT) as well
as New York Public Library and Library of Congress (Washington, DC). Due
acknowledgment is given.
 Abbreviations

While this book generally avoids abbreviations in the main text, the following
grammatical and bibliographical abbreviations appear in the Glossary:

adj. adjective
adv. adverb
excl. exclamation
n. noun
num. numeral
phr. phrase
pron. pronoun
v. verb

bk Barbara Kipfer and Robert Chapman, Dictionary of American

Slang (2007)
cm Clarence Major, Juba to Jive: A Dictionary of African American
Slang (1994)
gs Geneva Smitherman, Black Talk: Words and Phrases from the
Hood to the Amen Corner (2000)
jg Jonathon Green, Green’s Dictionary of Slang (2010)
rk Randy Kearse, Street Talk: Da Official Guide to Hip-Hop and
Urban Slanguage (2006)

xv
1 Foundations

Because this book is essentially descriptive, little space has been devoted to the
presentation of the linguistic and philosophical theories underlying slang,
AAVE slang in particular. Some fundamental theoretical considerations can
be brought down to a few main ideas which are briefly presented below and
featured throughout the book. This introductory chapter provides information
on two practical matters directly linked with linguistic description: it explains
the terminology used throughout the book and outlines the methodology
employed in the study.
The most fundamental theoretical assumption of this book is that it is non-
theoretical. Instead, it is descriptive in nature and the approach advocated here
is essentially that of traditional descriptive linguistics. Such an approach
involves the analysis of a database of thousands of lexical items in search of
patterns of form, meaning, theme and function. Rather than looking at what is
theoretically feasible in a language, descriptive linguists study the actual
language used in natural situations in an attempt to show how empirical
investigations of linguistic data can shed new light on previously unanswer-
able research questions. Although the reader will find numerous theoretical
implications throughout the book, the main attitude is descriptive and empir-
ical rather than prescriptive and theoretical; the focus is on observation of
language in use leading to theory, rather than vice versa. Moreover, there is
no special concentration on any particular linguistic theory. Nevertheless, the
book does have certain fundamental theoretical preconceptions, and these are
briefly explained below.
Language is considered here not as some autonomous, abstract system, but
as being closely connected to its coiners and users. Such a view stems directly
from sociolinguistics, a discipline of linguistics concerned with the study of the
relationships between language and society. Developed in the late 1960s,
sociolinguistics was a reaction to the autonomous linguistics represented by
Noam Chomsky and his followers who studied language as an idealized and
self-sufficient system without any connection to social context in order to find
a basic universal grammatical structure. In sociolinguistics, language is viewed
as a social phenomenon, analyzable only in a social context; what is more,
1
2 Foundations

language is not considered to be monolithic, but rather composed of varieties,

of which none is linguistically superior to another.
Consequently, all forms and usages of language are considered to be worthy
material for linguistic inquiry. It is not the monopoly of learned authorities
whose opinions dictate which forms of language should be used and which
should be avoided. Instead, language should be objectively analyzed without
passing any evaluative judgments. Such a view is derived from descriptive
linguistics, a discipline concerned with the analysis of language as it really is
and not as it should be. Descriptive linguists insist that the use of language
should be described rather than prescribed: no part of language should be
excluded from analysis just because it is considered ungrammatical or non-
standard. That being said, all language forms and usages – be they standard,
non-standard, colloquial or regional – deserve scholarly attention.

1.1 Terminology
It is important to explain the major terminology used throughout this book.
The most fundamental term and the object of this study is “African American
slang,” featured in the title of this book. As has been mentioned before, it is
understood as a subset of the larger vocabulary of African American Vernacu-
lar English (AAVE), while concurrently making up a part of the even larger
lexicon of American slang. The terms “African American” and “slang” have
both generated various definitions and synonyms, often discordant or confus-
ing, so it is crucial to define these terms and their analogues precisely.

1.1.1 African American

“African American” is a fairly broad and general premodifier used in the
context of the speech of African American people, its alternative and more
precise term being “African American Vernacular” (AAV). According to
Baugh (in Mesthrie 2001: 709), “African American” suggests a direct relation-
ship to the linguistic legacy of slavery in the United States: in that, the term
refers exclusively to the speech of the descendants of African slaves rather than
the speech of recent African immigrants to the United States. The addition
of “vernacular” suggests that it is used by ordinary, working-class speakers
rather than by all African Americans; vernacular will appear with the same
additional meaning in other terms discussed below. The term is a part of
numerous compound phrases such as the one featured in title of this book: in
this sense, “African American slang” means slang coined and used by African
Americans in the United States.
However, when used alone, “African American” (or “African American
Vernacular”) is somewhat unclear due to its debatable origins. Briefly put,
 1.1 Terminology 3

some scholars, the so-called “Anglicists,” consider it to be a variety of English

rather than a language in its own right. They argue that it developed through
the contact of black slaves with the non-standard varieties of British English
spoken by the white settlers and slave-owners in North America. Other
scholars, the so-called “Creolists,” maintain that it is a language in its own
right rather than a variety of English. They argue that it developed as blacks
speaking various African languages came into contact under conditions of
slavery on the coast of west Africa, in the Caribbean and in the southern
United States. There are other theories concerning the origin of African Ameri-
can Vernacular – such as the one proposed by “Neo-Anglicists,” who admit
some creolized elements while maintaining a basically Anglicist position – but
they are beyond the scope of this work. Still, as observed by Wolfram and
Schilling-Estes (2006: 224), the status of the term will probably continue to be
debatable “due to limitations of data and historical time-depth involved.”
There have been other terms in use as well, some of which caught on, others
of which have faded into obscurity. Scholars such as Smitherman (2000a: 1)
and Green (2002: 6) list several such terms, the most prevalent and in current
use include: African American Vernacular English, Afro-American Vernacular
English, Black English Vernacular, Ebonics, as well as African American
Language, Black Language and Black Talk. The following are occasionally
encountered as well: Black Dialect, Black Accent, Ghetto Speech, Jive Talk
and Hip-Hop Talk. Most of these terms are used more or less interchangeably,
but their meanings do not always overlap. It is thus necessary to introduce
appropriate terminological distinctions.
African American Vernacular English (alternatively termed African Ameri-
can English, AAVE or AAE) is a fairly recent term from the late 1980s,
currently used most widely among linguists (Rickford 1999: xxi). It is also
the broadest and most general term. Baugh (in McArthur 1996: 133) defines
it as a variety of “English used by a majority of US citizens of Black African
background.” As any variety of English, it has specific phonological, lexical
and syntactical components; although distinct from standard American English,
it is rule-governed and characterized by logical and structural integrity. How-
ever, AAVE is not homogeneous, but then again, neither is the speech of white
Americans. Moreover, not all African Americans speak it: there may be those
whose speech does not differ in any special way from general American
English, just as there may be those who can shift from one variety of English
to the other, depending on the context. Note that when the nominal element
“English” is dropped, the term may be used in another meaning, referring to
African American speech considered as a language separate from English,
although derived from it in the process of decreolization.
Afro-American Vernacular English (alternatively termed Afro-American
English) is the synonymous predecessor of AAVE, used especially often in
4 Foundations

the 1960s and 1970s. While it may still be occasionally encountered, it is

considered dated and is perceptibly less used nowadays by African Americans
who seem to favor the modifier “African” over “Afro-.” Note that “Afro-”
itself was preceded by several other terms including “Black” (still used,
especially outside North America), “Negro” (once a standard term, now dated
and used only in historical contexts), and “colored” (also considered dated).
Black English Vernacular (alternatively Black English or BEV), a term
coined by Labov in 1970s, has been used as another popular synonym for
AAVE. Labov (1972: xiii) defines it as a general cover term for “the whole
range of language forms used by black people in the United States.” While the
definition is straightforward, the term itself may be vague when taken out of
context: it fails to capture the reference to America and may theoretically
refer to the English language used by any black person in any country, for
instance by English-speaking Nigerians or English-speaking British people
of African descent. Moreover, as pointed out by Crystal (2005: 306), this
term might suggest that all African Americans use the same variety. Also, the
very adjective “black,” at least in the United States, has recently been replaced
by the more recent expression “African American”; the same observation is
applicable to similar terms discussed below. Note again, that just as with
AAVE, when the nominal element “English” is dropped, the term may refer
to African American speech considered as a language separate from English.
Ebonics in another term for the speech of African Americans. Rickford
(1999: xxi) considers it “very similar if not identical to AAVE” but not widely
used by linguists. A blend of “ebony” and “phonics,” it was coined in 1973 by
African American psychologist Robert Williams (Williams 1975) in order to
“throw off the pejorative stereotypes of terms such as substandard,
nonstandard or dialect, applied to the speech of African Americans”
(Williams 2008: 80). The term originally was broader and extended to West
African and Caribbean speech varieties and occasionally has also been used to
refer to the entire field of study of African American speech patterns. Today,
much like AAVE, Ebonics has two diametrically different meanings, reflecting
its fiery political history. It can be understood as a non-standard (or
substandard) variety of English used by African Americans. Such a meaning
is often assigned by mainstream linguists who consider Ebonics to be just
another variety of English. However, Ebonics can also be understood in yet
another way: as a language in its own right rather than a variant of English.
This meaning was promoted in 1996 by California’s Oakland School Board in
a failed attempt to level the educational opportunities for African American
children. It was a dramatic moment in the history of African American English
that showed how much disdain the general public had for this kind of speech.
The term is favored especially by African American scholars who highlight
its distinctness. Moreover, since the term originally had an international
 1.1 Terminology 5

orientation, Smitherman (2000b: 20) proposes the term “US Ebonics,” which
is a helpful alternative to AAVE to maintain the international orientation of
Williams’s original definition of Ebonics while at the same time concentrating
its focus on the United States in particular. Interestingly, Ebonics is sometimes
mistakenly equated with slang: as noted by Wolfram (1999: 67), “in [the]
Ebonics debate of 1997, African American Vernacular English (AAVE) was
often inaccurately called slang and broken English.” Adams (2009: 76) added:
“many opponents of the [Oakland] proposal caricatured AAVE as slang and in
doing so meant to stigmatize it.”

1.1.2 Related terms

African English (alternatively termed African English Vernacular) is occasion-
ally encountered as being synonymous with African American. However,
its meaning is fundamentally different. As observed by Bokamba and Todd
(in McArthur 1992: 20), it principally refers to the English language as used in
Africa, for instance in Ghana or Uganda, rather than to AAVE. In other words,
when used as a synonym for AAVE, it is a misnomer.
African American Language (alternatively termed African American
Vernacular) is another term used for the speech of African Americans. How-
ever, it is not a synonym for AAVE and refers to the speech used by African
Americans considered as a language distinct from English rather than as one of
its varieties. Its synonymous predecessor, Afro-American Language (alterna-
tively termed Afro-American Vernacular), was used especially often in the
1960s and 1970s but is rarely encountered nowadays.
Black Language (alternatively termed Black Vernacular) is yet another term
sporadically encountered in the context of the speech of African Americans.
Again, this is a rather imprecise expression since it may theoretically refer to
any language used by black people, as for instance Yoruba, Swahili or Xhosa
that are used in Africa and have little to do with the kind of English language
used by African Americans in the United States.
Black Talk is a popular and catchy term listed by Smitherman (2000a: 1) for
African American speech. Still, it is rather imprecise because it may refer to
any language used by black-complexioned people, whether speaking English
or not. On the other hand, when used in an African American context, it may
serve as a neat and serviceable umbrella term for any speech used by African
Americans, and to some extent, it is similar in scope to AAVE.
Black Dialect is another term sporadically encountered for the variety of
English used by African Americans. This is, however, a misnomer. Dialect
principally refers to a variety of language which is regionally distinctive, while
the speech of African Americans is not essentially regional, being rather
uniform throughout the United States. Although there are some regional
6 Foundations

varieties, they were more pronounced in the past; today, as noted by Major
(1994: xxxi), they are less potent due to massive development in communi-
cation, increased transportation, and travel opportunities. Moreover, as
Wolfram (1999: 2–3) pointed out, “language specialists often object to the
popular usage of ‘dialect’ because of the different possible interpretations the
term can have and because of the negative sense it may carry; dialect is
sometimes used to refer to a particular social or geographical variety of English
that is not the standard one.” More importantly, however, the speech of
African Americans is more social and ethnic in nature than it is regional, so
more appropriate terms might include “social dialect” (or “sociolect”) and
“ethnic dialect” (or “ethnolect”), referring to varieties of a language used by
certain social and ethnic groups and serving as a distinguishing mark of
sociocultural identity.
Black Accent, used even more sporadically, is another term for the speech of
African Americans. This is because the term “accent” is even narrower than
“dialect” and refers solely to phonological characteristics of a regional variety
of language. In other words, “Black Accent” pertains to African American
pronunciation and cannot account for the entirety of African American speech,
including lexicon and syntax. Moreover, note again that the speech of African
Americans is more social and ethnic in nature rather than regional, so the term
is a misnomer.
Ghetto Speech (alternatively called Ghetto Talk) is another term proposed
for African American speech. The term was suggested by Smitherman
(2000a: 1) as nearly synonymous with the present-day urbanized speech of
African Americans. However, the term has an understandably narrow
application: its first element suggests that it refers to the speech of ghetto
communities, excluding African Americans who do not live in ghettos; more-
over, the term “ghetto” may not necessarily refer to African American ghettos,
but may also be used in the context of Hispanic ghettos, for instance.
Jive Talk (alternatively called Jive Speech) is also sometimes encountered.
The term contains the slang word jive – which is one of the rare expressions
traceable back to Africa, meaning “deception” – and has very limited applica-
tions. McArthur (1992: 548) describes it somewhat vaguely as “the slang or
jargon associated with the earlier 20th century with such African American
forms of music as jive (‘a type of swing or jazz’),” slang and jargon being
treated as the same type of language. He also adds the second meaning of the
term: “in the later 20th century, an informal term for flattering, deceptive,
exaggerated, meaningless talk, especially among black Americans; double
talk.” Consequently, the term can hardly function as a synonym for African
American speech as a whole.
Last but not least, there is Hip-Hop Talk (alternatively termed Hip-Hop
Speech). It is sometimes equated with the speech of African Americans. This is
 1.1 Terminology 7

understandable in light of the global popularity of hip-hop as a quintessentially

African American phenomenon, and indeed the linguistic contribution of hip-
hop to current African American speech is immense; as evident in this book, it
is even more visible in slang. Alim (2006: 2–3) calls this type of language a
“Hip-Hop Nation Language” or “HHNL” and says that “it lends itself to a
holistic treatment of all elements of Black Language.” Alim is right in stressing
the significance of the special relationship between hip-hop and the speech of
African Americans. However, the term “Hip-Hop Talk” cannot account for the
entirety of African American speech. Identifying this term with AAVE may
seem an exaggeration: for instance, there have been other important lexical
contributions to African American speech such as those from blues and jazz.
Moreover, while hip-hop is essentially an African American phenomenon, it is
created by members of other ethnic groups as well. Finally, not all African
Americans create or listen to hip-hop, which has acquired an international
status.

1.1.3 Slang
Lexicographer John Ayto (1998: v) aptly calls slang “lexis in extremis.” While
slang in itself is extreme, it also tends to generate extreme attitudes. Most
people, consciously or not, use it because of its expressiveness, brevity or
humor. Many fiercely detest slang because of its crudeness and vulgarity,
although they themselves may inadvertently use it. Few are fascinated by its
linguistic and cultural richness, though they may not necessarily use it. As it
happens, very few professional linguists study slang as their main academic
field. Instead, slang is mostly described by amateurs who often lack the
necessary knowledge to adequately analyze it. As a result, slang continues to
be misunderstood and is perceived as a mere sensational or vulgar deviation
from standard language. No wonder it has such a poor reputation. As observed
by Lighter (1994: xi), “the public employs the term [‘slang’] as a simple
synonym for a subjectively ‘bad’ English.” Interestingly, such an understand-
ing of the term slang is important for the understanding of the negative
associations some people may have with the term “African American slang.”
Slang is considered difficult to define and characterize. This is largely
because of its fleeting character, alleged vagueness, and change of meaning
over time. As a result, definitions of slang abound and, to quote Chapman
(1986: x): “like proverbial blind men describing an elephant, all correctly,
none sufficiently, we tend to stress one aspect or another of slang.” Accord-
ingly, some scholars, such as Thorne (1990: iii), focus on the stylistic
dimension of slang, especially noting its high degree of informality and its
colloquial character. Others, such as Chapman (1986: xii-xiv), focus on its
psychological element, especially the application of slang to express emotions.
8 Foundations

Others, such as Eble (1996: 11), emphasize the social element of slang,
especially its function as a marker of group identification. Others, such as
Dumas and Lighter (1978: 5–17), stress the rhetorical aspects of slang, espe-
cially highlighting its deliberate use for desired stylistic effects. Finally,
scholars such as Coleman (2012: 26–116) stress the developmental aspects
of slang and are focused on the “natural history” of slang from its creation and
development to its metamorphosis and spreading into wider use.
In an attempt to formulate a more holistic definition, one can integrate all of
the above aspects and define slang as follows:
Slang is a highly informal and unconventional type of vocabulary. It is perceived as
deeply expressive, attractively catchy, and deliberately undignified. It consists of
standard expressions modified in some way or appended with new meanings, and
sometimes of entirely novel expressions. Slang is coined chiefly by members of
social, occupational or ethnic groups which are typically separate from mainstream
society, yet it is often adopted by larger social segments. It is employed in place of
standard expressions to convey some extra information of a psychological, social or
rhetorical nature. It thus provides alternative, highly informal synonyms for referents
already named in the language, but sometimes gives names for referents for which there
are no standard expressions, or which have yet to be named. (Adapted from Widawski
and Kowalczyk 2012: 18)

This definition is important especially in the context of African American

slang. Aside from defining the type, formation and functions of slang, it also
describes the coiners and users of slang: “members of social, occupational
or ethnic groups which are typically separate from mainstream society.” The
definition also mentions the dissemination of slang among larger segments of
society. Such is the nature of any type of slang, but, as will be demonstrated in
this book, it is especially applicable to the African American variant.

1.1.4 Related terms

A good notion of what slang is can be derived from juxtaposing it with similar
subsets of the lexicon often confused with slang. These include non-standard,
colloquialism, jargon, vulgarism, taboo, euphemism, idiom, neologism and
dialect. These terms are loosely used as synonyms for slang, and though they
share certain characteristics with slang, their respective semantic scopes are
different. Let us discuss them below.
Slang should be distinguished from non-standard or substandard language.
These two terms include expressions which, unless used for stylistic effect, are
excluded from standard English. Their connotations are rather negative. Such
terms are typically used in an educational context for expressions which have
become markers of illiteracy or ignorance. McWhorter (2003: 17) links them
with the faulty usage of children and newcomers to the language. Simply put,
 1.1 Terminology 9

they are ungrammatical, while their users are considered too uneducated or
incapable of using the corresponding standard forms. Examples include: ain’t
(“be not” or “have not”), them (“the”), irregardless (“regardless”) or bestest
(“best”). While these expressions are non-standard, they are not slang.
“Colloquial” and “informal” are terms often equated with slang. These two
terms denote expressions more common in conversation than in formal
writing, usually conveying the feel of casual naturalness. The same can also
be said of slang, which is colloquial in itself and belongs to the spoken part of
language. Still, not all colloquial expressions are slang; for instance, shut up
(“be quiet”) and be crazy about (“be very enthusiastic about”) are colloquial
but not slang. Lighter (1994: xv) defines colloquialism as “an expression more
typical of the unstilted voice of daily conversation, and of a writing intended to
convey such a voice, than it is of formal, carefully edited prose,” and contrasts
it with slang which “carries a greater sense of opposition to form than does the
merely colloquial.” Slang, then, is manifestly divergent and its deliberately
undignified tone is the main difference between itself and colloquialism.
Jargon, or the highly technical terminology typical of specific occupations,
is another subset of vocabulary often mistaken for slang. While much slang
also originates inside groups united by their vocations, the two terms are
fundamentally different. Jargon is a precise and professional nomenclature
developed among specialists chiefly to facilitate cooperation. Slang, on the
other hand, is a non-technical and lighthearted vocabulary developed among
colleagues chiefly for expressiveness or exclusivity. Examples of jargon
include words like emesis (“vomiting”), thoracotomy (“a surgical incision
made in the chest wall”) or endoscope (“a miniature camera on a long thin
tube inserted into the body during medical exams”), all taken from the medical
profession. Such expressions are not slang.
Vulgarism has also created much misunderstanding with regard to slang.
Naturally, all vulgarisms by definition are slang and such expressions as dick
(“penis”), piss (“urine”), shit (“excrement”) and tits (“breasts”) are indeed
vulgar. However, not all slang is vulgarism and such expressions as ammo
(“ammunition”), comfy (“comfortable”), dork (“idiot”), hottie (“sexually
attractive person”) or weed (“marijuana”) are not vulgar in the least. Moreover,
the term “vulgar” should also be distinguished from “offensive”: the former is
largely used in the context of sex and scatology; the latter involves subjects
considered to be social taboos. While all vulgar expressions are inherently
offensive, there are slang expressions which are offensive because of violating
social taboos but are not necessarily vulgar, for instance gook (“person from
Eastern Asia”), greaseball (“Italian”) or lezzie (“lesbian”). Finally, one can
distinguish among the various levels of vulgarity or offensiveness. Slang
dictionaries – for instance Widawski (1998), Kipfer and Chapman (2007) or
Widawski and Kowalczyk (2011) – sometimes differentiate between
10 Foundations

expressions considered to be extremely vulgar and offensive, for instance fuck

(“have sex”) or cunt (“contemptible or despicable woman”) and expressions
that are less so, such as screw (“have sex”) or bitch (“contemptible or despic-
able woman”) marking them appropriately. Sometimes more elaborate classi-
fications are employed, for instance in Lighter (1994 and 1997) or Spears
(2000).
Taboo is sometimes confused with slang as well. It refers to an expression
or subject that is forbidden or disapproved of because it is considered
socially unacceptable. In English, taboo subjects involve sex, scatology,
religion or race, while examples of taboo expressions include cornholing
(“sodomy”), ragging (“menstruation”), Jesus Freaking Christ (“I am surprised
or annoyed”) or kike (“Jew”). Interestingly, as observed by Jay (1992:
223–230), it is now socially more reprehensible in the United States to use
taboo expressions referring to race than religion, sex or scatology. A notable
example is the linguistic history of the slang synonyms for the standard
expression “African American”: nigger, negro, colored and black, all of which
have gradually become taboo to one degree or another. On the other hand, via
the process of reappropriation, such expressions tend to lose their negative
connotation when used by the members of racial groups to which they refer,
especially if in self-derision, self-mockery or rough humor.
Euphemism is also frequently linked with slang. Labeled the “deodorant of
the language” (Dickson 1990: xi-xvi), euphemism involves the substitution of
an unacceptable, taboo expression with one that is milder or more socially
acceptable. For instance: B.S. replaces bullshit (“nonsense”), darned replaces
damned (“cursed”), while S.O.B. replaces son of a bitch (“contemptible or
despicable person”). Put differently, reluctance to use taboo expressions pro-
duces euphemisms. However, not all euphemisms are slang, and they may also
be found in standard or even literary language, for instance, All-Merciful
(“God”), terminate (“kill”), sleep with (“have sex with”) and relieve oneself
(“urinate”) are all euphemisms and have little to do with slang.
Idiom is erroneously equated with slang, too. However, the relation between
these two terms is easy to explain. Idiom is a phrase, the meaning of which
cannot be inferred from the meanings of its individual elements, for instance:
chip off the old block (“someone who resembles his or her father”), tie down
(“restrict”) or let down (“disappoint”). In this sense, many slang expressions
are idioms: armpit of the world (“a very undesirable place”), change the
channel (“shift the topic of conversation”), in deep shit (“in big trouble”) or
miss the boat (“lose an opportunity”), among others. However, in order for
idioms to be considered slang, they would have to be socially and stylistically
lower than standard English. The difference, then, lies in their social and
stylistic acceptability rather than in phrase structure itself. Moreover, although
numerous slang expressions happen to be idioms, slang is not restricted to the
 1.1 Terminology 11

form of a phrase; consequently, the following examples are all slang but not
idiom: cool (“excellent or admirable”), babelicious (“sexually attractive”),
peanuts (“small amount of money”) or wuss (“weak person”).
Neologism, usually understood as recently coined expressions, is also
confused with slang. Slang resembles neologism in that it often involves
novelty, wordplay and spontaneous creation. Moreover, if we extend the
definition of neologism to existing expressions which recently extended their
meanings (by figuration or semantic shifting) or whose form was recently
manipulated in some way (by combining, shortening or blending), then all
slang is neological. Examples include cheese (“money”), staycation (“vacation
spent in one’s own home”) or waitron (“waiter or waitress”). However, there
are neologisms which may not necessarily be slang, as evidenced by the
following expressions created in recent times: eating disorder, download,
no-fly zone, webmaster, blush wine, unfriend, cloud computing. Also, many
slang words have been around for centuries, clearly having lost their novel
value yet remaining slang all the same.
Last but not least, slang is occasionally confused with dialect, a regional
variety of language, especially one that is lower in prestige than the standard.
Examples include: appreciate it (“thank you”), kinfolk (“relatives”), chitlins
(“small intestines of pigs prepared as food”) or y’all (“you [plural]”), all from
the Southern dialect of American English. Although slang is not geographic-
ally restricted, it is often regional, and some expressions may be associated
with particular locations. The differences are noticeable in English, as it differs
among English-speaking countries. Consider the following examples: bloke
(“man”), sod off (“go away”) and wanker (“contemptible or despicable
person”), from British slang; arvo (“afternoon”), pom (“Britisher”) and fair
dinkum (“genuine”), from Australian slang; or loonie (“dollar coin”), Mountie
(“member of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police”) and Newfie (“Newfoun-
lander”), from Canadian slang. Yet slang is not a dialect. As observed by
Lighter (1994: xiii), “people who speak the same dialect necessarily share a
similar regional or cultural background, but a shared slang is more likely to
suggest mutually held antiestablishment attitudes, especially a sharpened dis-
dain for convention or pretense.” In that respect, slang is more social. On the
other hand, the term “dialect” may sometimes refer to social or occupational
varieties of language, and one can talk about social dialects (or “sociolects”) or
occupational dialects. Still, the term is most widely used in its original sense.
At this point it would be helpful to comment on how the general public
views slang in its relation to the speech of African Americans. While this book
is about the linguistic description of African American slang rather than its
popular perception, some clarification may be in order. As has been signaled
before, slang is commonly perceived as a kind of language inferior to standard
English, or simply as “bad” English. For this reason, African American
12 Foundations

English has sometimes been perceived as slang, especially during the Ebonics
debate in the mid 1990s, in an attempt to belittle the speech of African
Americans (see discussion on Ebonics earlier in this chapter). Needless to
say, such an uninformed perception is completely mistaken. Firstly, there is
nothing inherently “bad” about slang, which is a perfectly systemic linguistic
phenomenon in no way inferior to standard language. Secondly, while African
American slang is a significant part of African American English, not all
African American English is slang. Moreover, slang is essentially lexical in
nature, while African American English extends over the lexical level, exhibit-
ing phonological and syntactical characteristics as well. One should bear these
distinctions in mind.

1.2 Methodology
It is important to explain the methodology used in this study. Because of
the focus on the descriptive (or empirical) element, special importance was
given to the collection of reliable and authentic linguistic data which would
serve as the basis for analytical observations. Equally important was the format
in which the material was analyzed and described. Consequently, this part of
the chapter contains answers to the following methodological questions: what
lexical material was searched? where and how was it collected? and in what
manner is it described?

1.2.1 Scope
There were several criteria used to determine the scope of lexical material to be
searched, included and analyzed in this study. The most general and funda-
mental criterion was that all the lexical material had to be identified as African
American slang as defined on the preceding pages. However, there are a few
finer distinctions concerning the scope which require further clarification.
The African American origin of expressions was an important criterion for
inclusion, significantly impacting the scope of this study. This is because
African American slang can be understood in two different ways. In a wider
sense, it includes slang expressions coined and used by African Americans
such as diss (“disrespect”), motherfucker (“a contemptible person”) or soul
brother (“a fellow African American”), but also those expressions coined by
other ethnic groups though used by African Americans, the old Anglo-Saxon
shit (“excrement”), fart (“pass gas from the bowel via the anus”) or booze
(“alcoholic drink”), for example. In other words, it comprises all slang expres-
sions used by African Americans, irrespective or their origin.
In a narrower view, African American slang is understood as being com-
posed only of expressions coined and used by African Americans while
 1.2 Methodology 13

excluding those of non-African American origin. In other words, the above

expressions diss, motherfucker and soul brother would be considered African
American slang, but shit, fart and booze would not. If one were to include all
of them, one would essentially end up analyzing general American slang rather
than focusing on exclusively African American content. This narrower per-
spective is often favored by linguists describing the specific slang of a particu-
lar social or occupational group but not by those analyzing the aggregate of
slang in a given language. Consequently, the narrower view has also been
adopted here as it is believed to suit the purpose of this study best.
However, there remains one reservation here. Establishing a definitive
origin of slang expressions is not always feasible due to the largely oral and
often mutable nature of slang. Some slang lexicographers such as Dalzell
(2009) even deliberately omit information on origin in their dictionaries
claiming it is sometimes “a matter of guesswork.” This extends to African
American slang as well in that there are some “borderline” expressions whose
origin is unclear or debatable. On the other hand, despite the lack of precise
information indicating an African American origin of a given expression,
context often provides a solid argument supporting such a conclusion. Dis-
missing the possibility of African American origin in such cases would
therefore be unfair, as highlighted by Dillard (1985: 200–201). All in all, in
this study a compromise was attempted and the few borderline expressions
were treated with the benefit of the doubt. This also pertains to some expres-
sions closely associated with African American usage which were also
included in this book.
Representativeness was another important criterion for the inclusion of
expressions. As a general rule, they should be either commonly used by
African Americans or typically identified as African American slang. Put
differently, such expressions should be representative or, as Coleman (2010:
213) puts it, “in general circulation.” Consequently, the focus was on general
African American slang rather than specific slang restricted to social or
occupational groups. To this end, a database of citations was generated from
representative African American sources where slang is likely to be found,
such as African American magazines, films, songs, internet blogs and so forth
(see the description on the following pages). The reliance on authentic, real-
world citations was to ensure this genuine representativeness. However, the
difference between general and specific slang is not always easy to determine.
For instance, the slang of the hip-hop lexicon is specific rather than general,
and cannot be said to represent African American slang as a whole; yet hip-hop
constitutes a very creative and vibrant part of it, so many such expressions
were included in this study. Moreover, the so-called general slang – including
general African American slang – is composed of individual contributions
from the slang of specific groups such as teenagers, musicians, entertainers,
14 Foundations

soldiers, criminals and others; their contributions are also included,

provided that they are universally known and now part of general African
American slang.
Ensuring that expressions were up to date was another notable criterion. The
emphasis was on current or modern slang rather than historical or ephemeral.
Exceptions include the so-called “passive slang vocabulary” (Lighter 1994:
xiii), expressions well known but no longer in popular use. The reliance on
current citations from contemporary sources was intended to guarantee such
currency: most sources from the citations database are less than ten years old.
However, ensuring currency was not always easy due to the changeability of
African American slang, a problem noticed by Green (2002: 27), as well as the
changeability of slang in general. On the other hand, not all slang changes
quickly. For instance, the comparison of successive editions of Smitherman’s
dictionary, Black Talk (2000a; first published in 1994), demonstrates that
numerous entries remain the same, having resisted change and remaining in
use in African American communities.
The offensive or vulgar nature of certain slang expressions was not a
criterion for their exclusion. Since this book advocates the descriptive
rather than the prescriptive view on language, it records language as it is
actually used rather than as it should be used. This also pertains to offensive
and vulgar expressions. Accordingly, no expression was excluded from this
book because it might be considered a racial, ethnic, sexual or other epithet,
or because it is vulgarism involving taboo subjects like body, scatology, sex
or the like. As Dalzell rightly observed (2009: vii), “To exclude a term or
citation because it is offensive is to deny the fact that it is used.” Conse-
quently, this book does contain a certain number of expressions which are
offensive or vulgar; however, all of them are appropriately identified and
labeled in the Glossary. Also note that certain racial expressions which are
commonly considered offensive may not be so perceived when used by
African Americans among themselves.
Finally, one should remember that African American slang is not uniform
nor is it universally used by all African Americans. The degree of slang usage
and competence is largely conditioned by several sociolinguistic parameters
such as age, habitat or socioeconomic status: younger, inner-city working-
class African Americans are naturally more prone to use slang than their
older, upper-class counterparts from wealthy suburbia. Such is the case with
general American slang, or any slang in any language, for that matter.
However, for African Americans, more than any other ethnic group, slang
is a unifying factor and displays important social functions, serving as a
verbal tool for voicing African American sentiments as well as expressing
African American identity and experience. This theme is further expanded in
the book.
 1.2 Methodology 15

1.2.2 Collection
As mentioned above, this study is based on authentic African American slang
material collected in the form of a lexical database of citations. The purpose of
creating such a database was to gain as much exposure to African American
slang as possible and to record its usage in natural contexts from various
contemporary sources to ensure a representative and up-to-date basis for
research.
The database was designed to cover an extensive array of diverse, contem-
porary African American sources. To paraphrase Samuel Johnson, author of
The Dictionary of the English Language (1755), slang expressions were
sought where they are used. To this end, the search focused on sources with
substantial African American slang content, for instance films by directors
Spike Lee and Lee Daniels, lyrics by rappers Snoop Dogg and Jay-Z, mono-
logues by entertainers Dave Chapelle and Chris Rock, dialogues from
television series The Wire and Martin, articles from Ebony and Essence
magazines, and fiction by Alice Walker and Omar Tyree; conversations with
African American students were also valuable sources of data. While the
ultimate selection was necessarily subjective, effort was made to draw from
representative sources reflecting the nationwide, mainstream African Ameri-
can vernacular usage. Moreover, non-African sources were also included in the
database, for instance newspapers such as USA Today and The New York
Times, magazines such as People and Billboard, television programs such as
Saturday Night Live and The Jerry Springer Show, and television series such
as The Simpsons and Two and a Half Men. The purpose was to ascertain the
impact African American slang has exerted on general slang used in the United
States, and to assess the significance of so-called “cross-over” terms, which are
African American expressions assimilated into general slang. In sum, the
collected material totaled over 2,000 different sources from the press, internet,
literature, music, film, television and conversation. The complete list is given
at the end of this book.
The methods used in data collection and applied in the creation of the
database were varied, but largely traditional (see Sakel and Everett 2012:
99–138, Kipfer 1984: 32–35 or Thorne 1990: vi). Data were recorded in the
form of written notes or dictaphone recordings, which were systematically
entered into the database. The internet was used extensively, and a sizeable
portion of citations was copied directly from online sources. The reading,
listening and watching procedures were extensive and represent several hun-
dred hours of analyzing text, sound and images. Significantly, large searchable
computer corpora like the American National Corpus or British National
Corpus were used sporadically. This is because corpus linguistics still has a
rather marginal applicability to the study of slang due to slang’s largely
16 Foundations

figurative nature, as yet impossible for computers to process adequately;

the search engines of electronic corpora simply cannot differentiate between
the literal and figurative meanings of expressions. Accordingly, although
far from being flawless, collecting citations by traditional means such as
reading, listening or viewing still seems to be the best method for working
with slang.
In terms of sheer numbers, there were almost 15,000 citations of African
American slang collected in the original database. Of this number, roughly
one-third was selected as material for analysis and illustration, and is featured
in the book as follows: 1,000 citations are located in the main text while a
further 4,500 citations are listed in the Glossary. The Glossary itself is com-
posed of 1,500 expressions drawn from these citations. Naturally, compared
with larger electronic corpora such as American National Corpus, this is a
rather modest collection. However, when one realizes that all of the citations
are in fact African American slang, individually and manually collected, then
the scope of the database can be compared to that of a large electronic
corpus which lists entries without the ability to distinguish figurative usage.
In other words, the size of the database seems to be more than adequate for
conducting meaningful analysis of African American slang.
Finally, the lexical material was additionally verified through several refer-
ence books, including: the two classic dictionaries of African American slang,
one by Clarence Major, Juba to Jive: A Dictionary of African American Slang
(1994), and the other by Geneva Smitherman, Black Talk: Words and Phrases
from the Hood to the Amen Corner (2000a); a sizeable dictionary of hip-hop
slang by Randy Kearse, Street Talk: Da Official Guide to Hip-Hop and
Urban Slanguage (2006); and the two comprehensive dictionaries of general
slang which consistently mark usage typical of African American slang, one
edited by Barbara Kipfer and Robert Chapman, Dictionary of American Slang
(2007), and the other by Jonathon Green, Green’s Slang Dictionary (2010).

1.2.3 Description
Description is the essence of this book. The focus is on observation of
language in use leading to theory, rather than the other way around. Conse-
quently, much space is devoted to the presentation, explanation, interpretation
and exemplification of lexical data. The format of description follows the
formalized presentation of slang described in my earlier works (Widawski
2003, 2008, 2010a, 2011, 2012, 2013), which may serve as models for the
description of slang in any language or for any user-specific slang. In this
model, the description is extensive and covers a wide range of linguistic topics,
allowing an examination of African American slang from various perspectives.
Specifically, it is meant to provide answers to the following questions: what is
 1.2 Methodology 17

African American slang made of? What meaning does it have? What is it
about? And why is it used?
To that end, several levels of description are featured. One such level is
morphology. The book describes the main wordbuilding processes of African
American slang such as combining, shortening, conversion and blending, as
well as borrowing and creating. Another level is semantics. The book presents
the processes of figuration in African American slang such as metaphor or
metonymy, and analyzes the main semantic shifting processes such as
generalization, specialization, melioration and pejoration. Yet another level is
the thematic distribution of expressions. The book describes the most product-
ive themes of African American slang, including those common to general
slang and those specific to African American culture or seen from the African
American perspective. Finally, another level concerns pragmatics. The book
analyzes social, psychological, rhetorical and cultural functions of African
American slang.
An integral part of description is the Glossary. It takes up roughly half of the
book and could easily stand as a dictionary in its own right. Arranged
alphabetically, it lists 1,500 of the most representative expressions of African
American slang, all from the lexical database. The Glossary serves as a quick
reference, offering explanatory definitions of slang expressions and supple-
menting examples featured in the main text. Each entry contains a headword,
abbreviated grammatical identification, usage label (where appropriate), stand-
ard English equivalent or definition, additional reference information, and
citational examples, each preceded by the date and name of its source. The
equivalents and definitions were derived using standard lexicographic
procedures, which included analyzing and comparing the meaning of each
expression in numerous contextual examples of usage found in the database,
verifying them with native speakers, and cross-checking them with several
reference books, including those by Major (1994), Smitherman (2000a),
Kearse (2006), Kipfer and Chapman (2007) and Green (2010) mentioned
above; references to these works – labeled cm, gs, rk, bk and jg – can often
be found at the end of Glossary definitions. Still, the equivalents and defin-
itions are not meant to cover all of the semantic senses, and may vary
according to region, generation or social context. Also note that some
examples have been shortened or edited for clarity and reasons of space.
The layout and conventions used in this book are straightforward and self-
explanatory, but a few additional notes may help the reader navigate through
the citations. Usage examples, extensively used throughout the book, are
clearly set off from the main text and grouped in separate paragraphs, all given
in italics and organized alphabetically. Each example contains a sentence with
a slang expression in boldface, immediately followed by its standard English
equivalent or definition in brackets; source and date information follows each
18 Foundations

example. The insistence on the use of authentic examples can be justified for
several reasons. First, they constitute the basis for linguistic observations,
supporting and illustrating them while also contributing to a better understand-
ing of African American slang as a whole. Second, they confirm the validity of
the collected material, which is essential when dealing with such a changeable
phenomenon as slang. Third, they show African American slang in its actual
usage. This may be especially valuable for non-native speakers of English or
students of English as a Foreign Language. Finally, they show the cultural and
social context in which slang is used; the breadth of sources can be extremely
telling and meaningful in and of itself.
2 Forms

Our linguistic description of African American slang starts with the form of
words and phrases. Slang is quintessentially about vocabulary. In any language
vocabulary is normally created from already existing words which are either
modified or assigned new meanings; sometimes, entirely novel words are
coined or borrowed from other languages. As statistically shown by Algeo
(1991: 3–14), the main sources for new words in English, in descending order
of frequency, are: combining, shifting, shortening, blending, borrowing and
creating.
African American slang is no different in this respect. The analysis of the
lexical database material proves that the linguistic mechanisms of its produc-
tion include all of the above processes, some being used in an even more
creative way. The following is a presentation of these processes and how they
function in African American slang.

2.1 Combining
Combining accounts for most lexical innovation in the English language,
and together with figuration is among the top productive mechanisms for
creating slang expressions. Combining is an umbrella term which includes
such word-formation processes as compounding, affixation and sometimes
phraseology.

2.1.1 Compounding
Compounding is the most common method of forming new words in English.
Compounds are words consisting of two or more parts that are themselves
words, for instance superimpose, music box and drunk-driving. They are
pronounced as a single unit, with a single stress, and they function grammat-
ically as a single unit. For instance: White House is a compound in “President
Obama returned to the White House” but white and house are separate words in
“We live in the white house, not the red one.” There are no definitive, clear-cut
rules for writing compounds: they can be written as one word (flowerpot), with
19
20 Forms

a hyphen (flower-pot), or as two separate words (flower pot), the latter

possibility making them more difficult to identify.
Compounding is also a very productive process in forming African Ameri-
can slang. This productivity is most likely to be associated with the relative
freedom with which elements can be combined: compounds may be formed
from two standard or two slang words, or one of each; they can be created from
individual words of various parts of speech and juxtaposed in any order; the
end result may be used as almost any part of speech. Moreover, as observed by
Eble (1996: 28 and 31), compound elements are underspecified semantically or
grammatically, which gives rise to complexity in meaning and figurative
interpretation. The following presentation explores this theme in more detail.
The noun–noun combination is by far the most common type of compound.
As explained by Algeo (1991: 7), “this is probably because there are more new
things to name than there are new actions or qualities. We rarely come upon a
new action or characteristic, but often invent or discover new objects.” More-
over, the possibility of using one noun as an adjective to modify another noun
reduces the necessity to use distinctive adjective forms. In African American
slang the use of such compounds is common especially with objects or persons
with specific characteristics. Here are some relevant examples:
In the blues, Santa’s been known to be a midnight rambler and a backdoor
man [¼ man having an affair with someone’s wife] (Milwaukee Journal
Sentinel, 2006)
The music will be played on a boom box [¼ large portable stereo player]
(Seattle Times, 2009)
What’s with that little dime piece [¼ sexually attractive person, especially a
woman] you broke up with the other night? (My Normal, film, 2009)
Come on, drama queen [¼ someone who tends to react in an exaggerated or
overly emotional way]! (Desperate Housewives, NBC-TV series, 2004)
The jukebox [¼ coin-operated record player in a bar] would be playing
boogie-woogie and blues (Tina Turner and Kurt Loder, 1986)
I’d slept with him out of affection and respect, not out of jungle fever
[¼ obsessive romantic or sexual interest between an African American
person and a white person] (Armistead Maupin, 1992)
According to Busta, he lost a serious rap battle [¼ teasing, especially by
provocative rhyming comments in a gamelike manner] to Jay-Z in high
school (Prefix Mag, 2010)
She’s my road dog [¼ close friend, especially one who spends much time
with you]. She’s my homey, my best friend (Los Angeles Times, 2013)

An adjective–noun combination is the second most frequent compound pattern

found in African American slang, a combination which reflects the normal
 2.1 Combining 21

word order of the English language. Here are some citational findings from the
database:
You don’t bring no brown sugar [¼ African American woman, especially if
sexually attractive] to this house! (Jungle Fever, film, 1991)
This is for the West and the East and the Dirty South [¼ any southern state
or southern states in the USA] (Snoop Dogg, 2006)
You can’t tell a barber to give a kid a flat top [¼ male hairstyle that is
high, square, and flat on top] over the kid’s wishes (Milwaukee Journal
Sentinel, 2004)
What you gray boys [¼ white men, especially young] cookin’ up? (Trespass,
film, 1992)
Next time grown folk [¼ adults] talkin’, nigga, close your mouth! (Tupac
Shakur, 1996)
The pretty red bone [¼ light-skinned African American] squinted her eyes at
Calvin (Bernard Satterwhite, 2009)
This righteous moss [¼ non-kinky hair, especially hair of a Caucasian sort]
is a gift from God (That ’70’s Show, Fox-TV series, 2000)
Anyone who refers to himself as a white nigga [¼ white person who assumes
the behavior and values of the African American culture, especially hip-hop]
is extra stupid (XXL Magazine, 2009)

However, the usual adjective–noun word order can sometimes be reversed in

African American slang. In this interesting albeit uncommon pattern, the noun
modifies the adjective, a pattern atypical in standard English. Here is a handful
of examples found in our database:
He seemed to be indicating that his ace cool [¼ close friend] told him that he
was part of the killing (Stephen J. Cannell, 1998)
All my niggas wear Timmy Hillnigger or they don’t wear a damn thing at all!
It’s ghetto fabulous [¼ living lavishly and surpassing the standard of living
in an inner-city ghetto] (Bamboozled, film, 2000)
They’ll settle, and you’ll still only be ghetto rich [¼ maintaining outward
signs of wealth without any real money] entrepreneurs (News, ABC-TV
program, 2013)
They may have a Porsche, but they don’t have ten bucks to put in the gas
tank. It’s nigger rich [¼ maintaining outward signs of wealth without any
real money] (Boiler Room, film, 2000)
A number of compounds involve numerals which are combined with other
parts of speech, usually nouns. The association may be straightforward, but
more often requires specific knowledge and is indecipherable to the uninitiated.
Examples from standard English include: six-pack, three estates, twelve-tone,
22 Forms

two-seater or zero derivation. There are numerous such alphanumeric com-

pounds in African American slang. Here is a selection of relevant examples:
The package was determined to contain an eightball [¼ one-eighth of an
ounce of cocaine] of cocaine (Philadelphia Daily News, 1996)
Niggas dropped dimes on me bout fifty eleven times [¼ very many]
(Saigon, 2006)
I’m gonna follow my first mind [¼ first and the best idea or thought]. I’m
coming to get my child because it can turn out to be worse later (News,
KENS-TV program, 2009)
A forty ounce [¼ forty-ounce bottle of strong and cheap malt liquor] for
breakfast gets a brother through the day (Blackalicious, 1994)
Wink got more than seven digits [¼ telephone number] from your bitch (8
Mile, film, 2002)

Compounds can also be formed by combining adjectives with other adjectives.

While such “double adjectives” are rare in standard English, they seem to be
less so in African American slang. Consider the following:
Just hit me with the actual factual [¼ reality or the facts] (Randy Kearse, 2006)
My homey from the CPT, he cold chillin’ [¼ excellent or admirable] (Snoop
Dogg, 2000)
Not only are you a mic master, but a funky fresh [¼ excellent or admirable]
one at that! (Zazzle, 2009)
You think I’d be more handsome if I were high yellow [¼ light-skinned
African American, especially a sexually attractive young woman], like you?
(Washington Post, 2004)
Get up off your big, fat rusty-dusty [¼ buttocks], don’t your hear me woman?
(B. B. King, 1999)
That was a stupid fresh [¼ excellent or admirable] jam (Fayetteville
Observer, 1998)

Some compounds are made of a noun and a letter of the alphabet, and are
sometimes referred to as letter compounds; the letter often stands for a word
which is deliberately left out, as in C-section, F-word, S-curve, T-shirt or V-belt.
Because of their rather enigmatic form, such compounds are often used as cryptic
devices to enhance in-group solidarity, or among people who wish to conceal
their activities. Moreover, their abbreviated form sometimes makes them function
as euphemisms, masking elements perceived as taboo. They are also used in
African American slang for the same reasons. See the following corroboration:
He was born in A-Town [¼ Atlanta, Georgia] and raised in Chi-Town
(Yahoo Answers, 2000)
 2.1 Combining 23

The B-boys [¼ male devotees of breakdancing] from Brooklyn are breakin’

bones for the bucks (Us3, 1993)
Suckas on the block know I got a Glock, B-coats [¼ bulletproof vests], and
all of that (E-40, 2000)
She was one of many B-girls [¼ female devotees of breakdancing] who
danced at last week’s event (San Jose Mercury News, 2002)
He planned to go see his girlfriend and get a G-ride [¼ stolen automobile]
(Rocky Mountain News, 2000)
Once the jurors heard the tapes it was clear that he had indeed used the
N-word [¼ African American] (Toni Morrison, 1997)
Many compounds are formed according to a pattern using a particular word in
first or last position, very much like an affix (either a prefix or a suffix). For
instance, the prefix word power is used in this way to form such compounds as
power broker, powerhouse, power lunch or power train, while the suffix word
burger serves to form such compounds as cheeseburger, fishburger, lobster
burger or veggie burger. Such affix-like compounds are common in English,
possibly because their meaning can be easily guessed from the meaning of
affix words used in similar constructions.
Affix-like compounds are also very popular in slang. Certain patterns are
enormously productive and are used to form an abundance of combinations.
African American slang is no exception here. Let us present some of the most
recurrent affix-like words below:
Look who’s back. It’s the baby boy [¼ insignificant and irresponsible man]
(Longest Yard, film, 2005)
You better listen to your boss, white boy [¼ white man, especially young]
(Django Unchained, film, 2012)
Nagin once declared that New Orleans would be a Chocolate City [¼ any
city with a predominantly African American population] again as black
residents who left after the hurricane returned to the city
(BusinessWeek, 2010)
It launched several revitalization projects, including hosting the 2006 Super
Bowl to bring attention to improvements in the Motor City [¼ Detroit,
Michigan] (Ebony, 2008)
I know you remember me and my homegirl [¼ good female friend] Tanya
(Snoop Dog, 2008)
We’ve been cool since day one scoopin’ all the fly girls [¼ young and
sexually attractive women who like to party], havin’ all the fun (Us3, 1993)
She a butterhead [¼ stupid African American] and her friends are too
(D4L, 2005)
24 Forms

All you is is a chickenhead [¼ stupid woman, especially if unattractive] and

that’s all you ever gonna be (Malibu’s Most Wanted, film, 2003)

Certain compound patterns have become stereotypically associated with Afri-

can American usage and are identified as African American by most people.
Below is a selection of characteristic affix words of this type, annotated with
meaning, connotations and usage examples.
The very productive suffix word ass is used to form adjectival compounds to
indicate a high degree of a specified characteristic or nature. Dalzell (2009: 24)
calls it simply but aptly “an intensifier.” Although used in general slang, this
suffix word is more frequently used in African American slang. Its popularity
may stem from its audacious and crude humor, as well as from the relative ease
with which it can be attached to nearly any adjective. However, many com-
pounds created with this suffix word have a rather ephemeral character (and are
therefore not included in the Glossary). Consider the following selections from
a long list of examples:
I know I left you and I’m so sorry! I miss you so much and forget all those
boozy-ass [¼ very drunk] bitches! (Black Planet, 2006)
Mike is lost in cyberspace, meets a busty-ass [¼ having very large breasts]
blonde (Board Freeones, 2010)
You’re dreamin’ if you think them corny-ass [¼ very sentimental] raps’ll
work (8 Mile, film, 2002)
I’m tired of hearing about his fake-ass [¼ very fake or false] friends (Atlantic
Monthly, 2010)
You don’t even know why I came down to this fuckedup-ass [¼ very irritat-
ing, hopeless or ruined] neighborhood (Soul Men, film, 2008)
You two in the same car going to make for a long-ass [¼ very long] drive to
Jersey (Wire, HBO-TV series, 2002)
Remember that nasty-ass [¼ very nasty] birth scene that everyone is all up in
a roar about? (Hollywood Online, 2010)
I just moved into a new house with a new serious-ass [¼ very serious] ant
problem (MetaFilter, 2004)
I told you stupid-ass [¼ very stupid] niggas not to be doing this shit (8 Mile,
film, 2002)
You’re a weak-ass [¼ very weak or timid] nigga, should’ve stayed in the
country (Wire, HBO-TV series, 2002)

But the suffix word ass can be used in another, less productive way to form
nominal compounds denoting a person who has a high degree of a specified
characteristic or nature. It is usually combined with adjectives to form nominal
compounds. Consider these examples:
 2.1 Combining 25

Golfers who skip this tournament because of the weather are candy-asses
[¼ very weak or timid persons] (San Francisco Chronicle, 2009)
Odom is a dumbass [¼ very idiotic person] who can’t learn anything useful
(Los Angeles Times, 2006)
The rest of us have to cut back but that fat-ass [¼ very obese person] can eat
lobster every night (News, MSNBC-TV program, 2010)
Do you think the lard-ass [¼ obese person] would have the decency to
apologize? (Gothamist, 2010)
You’re being a smart-ass [¼ annoyingly knowledgeable and arrogant
person] (House M.D., Fox-TV series, 2011)
He has made his reputation playing a series of wise-asses [¼ annoyingly
knowledgeable and arrogant persons] (New York Times, 2007)

The prefix word black is used to form nominal compounds. It essentially refers
to African Americans and their experience, and its use reflects this accordingly.
See the following corroboration:
Sit your black ass [¼ self, when referring to an African American] down! (Do
The Right Thing, film, 1989)
Milner grew up in Detroit’s Black Bottom [¼ area of a city with a predomin-
antly African American population] (New York Times, 2004)
Don’t forget Atlanta’s reputation as a black mecca [¼ city to which African
Americans are drawn to live] (Atlanta Journal-Constitution, 2010)
The interest these artists are generating is not based on the idea they are
white singers doing a black thing [¼ any sociocultural practice, behavior or
attitude characteristic of African Americans] (Ebony, 2009)

The suffix word daddy is used to form nominal compounds. It usually desig-
nates a man who is older, experienced or rich. The association is often jocular
and affectionate but may also be ironic and dismissive. This is yet another
element often associated with African American usage. Here are some
examples:
Being a father and baby daddy [¼ teenage father who is not married to his
child’s mother] are two different things (New York Amsterdam News, 2004)
I’d rather be a mack daddy [¼ pimp] in the ghetto than a mogul in
Hollywood (New York Times, 2001)
He wants to be my sugar daddy [¼ male lover who supports a younger
mistress] (Wild Side, film, 1990)
Clara Ross and her sweet daddy [¼ male lover, especially one who supports
a younger mistress]! Looks like she’s already got this one wrapped around
her little finger (Twitter, 2013)
26 Forms

The prefix word gangsta is used to create nominal compounds. It is chiefly

associated with the world of inner-city violence, especially as heard in the
lyrics of rap music and hip-hop culture, and thus stereotypically associated
with African American usage. Notable is the spelling which reflects the loss of
the final, postvocalic /r/ characteristic of African American pronunciation.
Citational corroboration yields the following:
Monfriez took the pistol back and demonstrated an exaggerated gangsta grip
[¼ instance of holding an object, especially a gun, sideways] (Patrick
Duncan, 1996)
It’s many niggas drinkin that gangsta juice [¼ Olde English 800 malt liquor]
(King Tee, 2002)
Some are yakking on the phone, others are driving with the gangsta lean
[¼ style of driving in which the driver sits slung low and tilted toward the
passenger seat] (Savannah Morning News, 2007)
I’m a ride, I’m a slide, with that gangsta glide [¼ male style of walking or
strutting with a slight dip in the stride] (Tha Dogg Pound, 2010)
He reached in his hip pocket, removed a gangsta roll [¼ large wad of
money] and carefully peeled off a fifty (Edward Morris, 2007)
He is perfecting his gangsta walk [¼ male style of walking or strutting with a
slight dip in the stride] (Twitter, 2009)
In like manner, the noun-forming prefix word ghetto is typically linked with
African American usage. It chiefly refers to life experience in the inner-city
ghetto filled with harsh economic difficulties and crime. Many compounds are
created in this way:
She finds time to pack up her ghetto box [¼ large portable stereo player]
(Terry Gavin, 2008)
Merritt still had his ghetto pass [¼ fictitious pass given to someone who is
not from an inner-city ghetto], he understood his students’ slang and knew
their music (Charlotte Observer, 2009)
She’s not a ghetto queen [¼ African American woman who lives in the inner-
city ghetto] or a girl from the ’hood with baggy pants (Los Angeles
Times, 1994)
I am trying to utter my admiration for this cat who is quickly becoming a
ghetto star [¼ leading member of a criminal gang from an inner-city ghetto]
(Sanyika Shakur, 1993)
I admit shooting one with a ghetto stick [¼ shotgun] makes me smile (Indiana
Gun Owners, 2010)
Baby, I’m feelin’ I’m doin’ so fine. Sippin’ that ghetto wine [¼ cheap wine]
(Bizzy Bone, 2006)
 2.1 Combining 27

The noun-forming suffix word mama is used to form numerous compounds.

By analogy to daddy, it designates a woman, characterized by what the first
compound element indicates, especially one who exhibits certain physical or
psychological traits. Again, the association is usually jocular and affectionate.
Consider the following examples:
I got to get this cheese with my crew but my baby mama [¼ teenage mother
who is not married to her child’s father] full of drama (Snoop Dogg, 1998)
Reasons being is weight, weave and big mama [¼ big or stout African
American woman] stereotypes (Ebony, 2009)
Lose today, and you’ll be waving bye-bye to your career, your fan club, and
the free hoochie mamas [¼ sexually promiscuous women] that go with it
(Against the Ropes, film, 2004)
Don’t worry about money. I am in love with a beautiful girl who makes plenty
of it. She’ll be my sugar mama [¼ female lover who supports a younger
lover] (Big Daddy, film, 1999)
You looking good to me, sweet mama [¼ female lover or mistress]. Want
your body (Dr. Dre, 1999)
The noun-forming suffix word nigger (or nigga) designates an African Ameri-
can who has certain characteristics indicated by the preceding word. Com-
pounds created in this way often serve as labels which telegraphically
communicate social status or attitude. When used by people other than African
Americans, the connotation is extremely racist and offensive. However, when
used by African Americans themselves, it becomes perceptibly less so, and can
in fact be used with affection. Major (1994: xxxi) aptly explains this lexical
reappropriation in this way: by calling themselves “niggers,” African Ameri-
can speakers in a way make null and void racial slurs of white bigots. This
remark pertains not just to the word itself, but also to a number of compound
combinations in which it is used. This notwithstanding, some such compounds
remain pejorative regardless of the user. See the following:
The black oral culture fused the two contradictory notions of the devil as a
white man and the devil as a bad nigger [¼ African American who is
rebellious and aggressive] (New York Times, 2003)
The field nigger [¼ rebellious lower-class African American,
especially working on a farm] was the militant who wanted freedom, while
the house nigger saw himself as part of the master’s household
(News24, 2005)
Being the house nigger [¼ African American who acts subserviently toward
a white employer, especially working in a household] that he is, it does not
surprise me that he would want to go along with such terminology
(Ebony, 2009)
28 Forms

If being a street nigger [¼ lower-class African American, especially involved

in some illicit activity] is the way to go for a black man, then college was a
waste of time (Wu-Tang Corp, 2010)
A real nigger [¼ African American who is righteous, honest and trustworthy]
is loyal in good and bad times (Twitter, 2012)
Do your own shit. I ain’t no yard nigger [¼ subservient lower-class African
American, especially working on a farm] (Todd Houser, 1985)

The noun-forming prefix word soul is yet another lexical element associated
with African Americans. The word itself has numerous meanings and conno-
tations in African American culture. In general, it is used to describe any
characteristic of African Americans including food, music, language, hand-
shake, etc., suggesting a deep and shared cultural identity as well as group
allegiance and affirmation. Consider the citational corroboration:
This was right after the riots, so it was scary for a soul brother [¼ fellow
African American man] like me on the streets (Los Angeles Times, 2006)
If Obama has a craving for soul food [¼ food characteristic of and preferred
by African Americans], the smothered pork chops at Gigi’s will give him the
strength to go on (Buffalo News, 2009)
He was very hip black fellow who spoke all this put-on soul language
[¼ African American Vernacular English or, broadly, African American
speech] (Sports Illustrated, 1982)
“His name is Brian.” “The guy with the grey soul patch [¼ small patch of
facial hair just below the lower lip, popular especially among African
American musicians]?” (Just Go with It, film, 2011)
The gesture dates back to at least the 70’s, when it briefly appeared, only to
be soundly defeated by the soul shake [¼ intricate handshake to demonstrate
solidarity, popular among African Americans] (New York Times, 2001)
Lauren Turner goes for a retro soul sound [¼ moving form of popular music
rooted in African American tradition, especially rhythm and blues] with Etta
James (USA Today, 2011)

The prefix word white is used to form nominal compounds. By analogy with
black, it essentially refers to white people and their experience, and com-
pounds formed through its use reflect this. In African American slang, how-
ever, the connotation is usually, although not exclusively, derisive or otherwise
negative. See the following examples:
No way am I getting my white ass [¼ self, when referring to a white person]
back in that bus (Get on the Bus, film, 1996)
We need another white boy [¼ white man, especially young] to volunteer
(Con Air, film, 1997)
 2.1 Combining 29

I was sleeping with white girls [¼ white women, especially young] (Malcolm
X, film, 1992)
I’ve seen a lot of white niggers [¼ white persons who assume the behavior
and values of the African American culture, especially hip-hop] in my time
(Washington Post, 2001)
I have just as much disdain for white trash [¼ poor white person or poor
white people, especially from the southern USA] as any other race
(Ebony, 2008)

Reduplication is a special type of compounding. While it is scarcely used in

standard English, it appears to be a surprisingly potent way of forming new
words in slang. Broadly speaking, reduplication entails the repetition of a
sound, word or word element. Reduplicative compounds (or reduplicatives)
are often based on assonance, the poetic device which involves a deliberate
repetition of the same or similar vowel sounds to achieve the desired rhyming
effect. The association is usually jocular and sometimes reminiscent of
baby talk.
Reduplication is a long-attested feature of African American slang,
according to Flexner and Soukhanov (1997: 16), dating back to the colonial
period. So is rhyming, often employed in rap and hip-hop music. Rhyming
communicates quick wit and verbal forcefulness quite well, and can be jocular
in nature.
Two main types of reduplication can be discerned. Exact reduplications
involve a precise doubling of the entire word. They are the simplest, and at the
same time, rather rare creations. Here are a few examples found in our database:
I wish my mama got me some bling-bling [¼ jewelry, especially rings] (Hot
Chick, film, 2002)
“I think it’s a .357 Magnum!” “Really? I got a deuce deuce [¼ 22-caliber
handgun]. My brother gave it to me before he went to jail” (Boyz in the
Hood, film, 1991)
Come on and shoot the club with a fo-fo [¼ forty-four caliber handgun]
(Eminem, 2000)
Don’t take my photo in a mo-mo [¼ motel] lookin’ out the window! (Bizzy
Bone, 2007)
“Where’s the girl? Where’s she at now?” “Po-po [¼ police] came and got
her” (Southland, NBC-TV series, 2009)
It’s on the way-way [¼ highway] from Chichi through Santa Cruz del
Quiche. The drive took us about five hours (Trip Advisor, 2010)

In non-exact reduplications, which are much more common, it is usually the

beginning of the second element that is changed, while the vowel remains the
30 Forms

same. Again, the rhyming is based on the poetic principle of assonance. Here is
a selection of representative examples:
How about a little boogie-woogie [¼ good time]? Come down and join the
party! (Mickey Mouse in Living Color, film, 2001)
He was my boon coon [¼ close friend], and I was his ace (GS Poetry, 2010)
Chrysler wants us to know the 200 is no Sebring drop-top [¼ convertible
automobile], and their press release emphasizes the changes (Automotive
Addicts, 2011)
She had a hoe with her named Bama, a big bad mamma-jamma [¼ sexually
attractive woman] (Snoop Dogg, 1996)
All the books are characterized by the worst kind of mumbo-jumbo [¼
meaningless or deceptive talk, especially jargon] (Los Angeles Times, 2005)
That would sound fine in a philosophy course, but what is, as you say here,
the nitty-gritty [¼ the most crucial and basic aspects or elements]? (Alice
Walker, 1998)
Get off your ole’ rusty-dusty [¼ buttocks] and bring me back some cognac,
biyatch! (Dolemite Ebonics, 2010)

Interestingly, most reduplicative compounds found in African American slang

are traditional, in that the main operating mechanism is the sheer rhyming
effect. In contrast to British slang and especially Cockney dialect, there are no
“implied reduplications,” where the two combined elements are supposed to
rhyme with another word which carries the meaning, for instance forty-four is
supposed to mean “whore” and elephant trunk means “drunk.” A complete
lack of such cryptic compounds and a striking abundance of traditional
reduplications may suggest African Americans’ preference for linguistic play-
fulness expressed through rhyming over the need to be secretive or enigmatic.
Binomials are similar to reduplicative compounds in that they involve an exact
or non-exact repetition of a word element; yet, the two elements are linked with
the conjunction “and.” Binomials, which are sometimes classified as phrasal
compounds, form a series of three words constituting a single entity, for instance
black and white, flesh and blood, rock and roll or salt and pepper. Sometimes the
first and last elements are synonymous and thus tautological: the idea is to
strengthen one element by adding another with the same or similar meaning.
However, not all such constructions are tautological, and sometimes one element
is merely loosely connected with another. According to Biber (1999: 1031),
binomials are relatively rare in standard English; nevertheless, some of them
are quite popular in African American slang. Here are a few instances:
We were out here dancing every day. We were juking and jiving [¼ dancing
in a boisterous fashion] (People Magazine, 2010)
 2.1 Combining 31

All I do all day is max and relax [¼ relax and have a good time], and
smoke pot (Boys and Girls Guide to Getting Down, film, 2006)
Whites and blacks live together harmoniously. I like living in a salt and
pepper [¼ interracial] neighborhood (Tuscaloosa News, 1996)
Y’all always pull that shit, but it’s time to show and prove [¼ provide hard
and concrete proof] (Jay-Z, 2000)
Yes, this year as our guests arrive, they can style and profile [¼ boast or act
in a showy way] for the paparazzi on the green carpet during the reception
(Charlotte Observer, 2010)
He is accompanied by music, outtakes, antics and poetics: singing, talking
and testifying [¼ celebrating through verbal acknowledgement] about
peace, family, and art (Hearing Voices, 2010)

Rhyming is not always restricted to reduplicative and binomial compounds.

Another poetic device based on sound repetition used extensively in slang is
alliteration (alternatively termed head rhyme). It involves a repetition of the
same consonant in a compound or a phrase, typically an initial or final
consonant, as in Peter Piper picked a peck of pickled peppers or How much
dew did the dew-drop drop if the dew-drop did drop dew. Alliteration has
mostly been used in literary language, having figured prominently in poetry.
This notwithstanding, it is also a noticeable feature in African American slang
(Safire 1982: 80). See the following examples:
Show me some love, don’t be a baller-blocker [¼ envious person who is
trying to prevent someone from doing something successful or funny] (Black
Planet, 2003)
This bama boy [¼ uncultured or unsophisticated man from southern USA] is
sick of fishing and ready to cut bait (Rhonda Nelson, 2006)
Fab had a beat box [¼ large portable stereo player] (Kingston
Standard, 2011)
It’s chump change [¼ small or meager amount of money] for the photo-op
(Ebony, 2009)
My main man [¼ close friend] and me, we’ve been cool since day one
(Us3, 1993)
We shoot the shit [¼ talk or chitchat], I make dinner, and we watch TV
(Time Out New York, 2007)
That requires a real soul sister [¼ fellow African American woman] who can
embody the role (Black Planet Universe, 2011)
Anne wants to be a high school teacher. Tough titty [¼ that is too bad],
Anne! That’s not your destiny (Men Who Stare at Goats, film, 2009)
32 Forms

2.1.2 Affixation
According to Algeo (1991: 14), the second most productive process of
combining in English is affixation (sometimes also termed derivation). It
allows theoretically unlimited opportunities for creating new words by adding
a variety of affixes to existing words. Technically, these can be prefixes,
attached in front of a word; suffixes, attached at the end; and very rarely,
infixes, inserted into a word. Many English affixes are the result of borrowing
from Greek or Latin, and words built with them are often part of the learned or
technical vocabulary of the language.
Affixation is also a productive process in African American slang which
uses most of the same prefixes and suffixes as standard English. Again, African
American slang is in no way deficient in employing the repertoire of linguistic
means which are used to create new words in standard English. In fact, as we
will see later, it is even more creative and the affixes are used with greater
freedom and sometimes with slightly different meanings.
Below is a list of such suffixes. Note that all of the suffixes presented
below are perfectly standard English, but when attached to a slang word, they
form a slang expression. Certain combinations have caught on, while others
were merely improvised, spur-of-the-moment creations most likely doomed
to be forgotten (and are therefore not included in the Glossary). See the
following:
The one in red’s a totally tappable [¼ legal or suitable for having sex] chick
(Facebook, 2011)
His definition of ghettocentric [¼ ghetto-oriented] imagination suggests the
explosion of the hood film genre provided a space for contemporary Black
youth expression (All Hip Hop, 2011)
His little sister was harassed by a gangbanger [¼ member of a criminal
gang] on a city bus (Ebony, 2008)
He still lives frugally there, maintaining it in the ghetto-esque [¼ similar to a
ghetto] area (Pop Matters, 2005)
I’m a bootyholic [¼ obsessed with sex or women], every time I look at that
girl, you make a nigga wanna sing (Black Planet, 2011)
Hold on to the sistahood [¼ African American women collectively]! Before
you bash me, I have a question (African Writing, 2008)
He is described only as a white male wearing a hoodie [¼ hooded sweatshirt
or top] (London Free Press, 2009)
What we need now are not white movies with Benetton tokenism, nor movies
that ghettoize [¼ make something look typical of the inner-city ghetto] racial
experience (Atlantic Monthly, 2010)
 2.1 Combining 33

Was he melodramatic and sometimes a little uncool in his overt coolness

[¼ calmness]? (Ebony, 2009)
He gets himself a foxy [¼ (of a woman) sexually attractive] girlfriend who
actually likes football (Portland Mercury, 2006)

Let us now illustrate the use of prefixes in African American slang, all of
which are standard English, but can be creatively used to form slang words. In
terms of frequency of use, these are less common than suffixes, but still more
frequently used than infixes. Here is a list of representative examples:
You know my ex-shortie [¼ former girlfriend]. I think your new girl looks
bettah (Dancehall Reggae, 2004)
When I was a kid, I thought that was mega-cool [¼ extremely excellent or
admirable] (Facebook, 2011)
Now with the mini-gig [¼ small musical performance or concert] behind
them, the band’s members appear ready to hit the road in full force (Las
Vegas Sun, 2009)
It’s impossible to overstand [¼ understand completely or have a profound
knowledge] Iran’s attitude without looking at a map and comparing that with
U.S. troop movements over the last 20 years (Huffington Post, 2009)
Eminem put up seven figures to sign him, and the investment paid off as his
retro-gangsta [¼ sounding like old gangsta rap] debut, “Get Rich or Die
Tryin’,” sold five million last year (Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, 2004)
What I do need to apologize for is criticizing the apology: for dissing the
company’s self-diss [¼ criticizing or belittling oneself] (Ad Week, 2010)
I’m sorry we invaded you. That was really uncool [¼ unpleasant, rude or
unfair] (Ali G Indahouse, film, 2002)
After me there will be no more like me, you underdig [¼ understand
completely] what I’m sayin? (Black Planet, 2008)

Infixes are extremely rare, both in standard English and in African American
slang. This is most likely because they cut a given word into two halves, which
often makes such a compound sound unintelligible or awkward. Additionally,
as Pearce (2007: 91) observed, they occur mainly in expressions where an
obscenity (or euphemism for the obscenity) is infixed into an adjective or an
adverb. The only two infixes found in our database are -motherfucking- and
-izz- (the latter is discussed in the next section), but the expressions created
with their help are numerous, possibly because of their rhyming and intensify-
ing qualities. Adams (2009: 120–144), who examines slang infixation in detail,
links it also with poetic qualities. However, many of them have a rather
ephemeral character (and are therefore not included in the Glossary). See the
following sample:
34 Forms

Jasper is abso-motherfucking-lutely [¼ absolutely] perfect in this. And

I have no words about Alice (Fan Fiction, 2011)
I am pro-union and anti-motherfucking-fascist [¼ anti-fascist] (Rigorous
Institution, 2010)
Chopin plays the goddamn motherfucking piano? It’s im-motherfucking-
possible [¼ impossible] (Sonic Youth, 2006)
Music was great, and that Galaksy/Djoos tag was in-motherfucking-credible
[¼ incredible] (Rave, 2011)
This week is never-motherfucking-ending [¼ never-ending]! (Blogspot, 2008)
That is just sickening. Out-motherfucking-rageous [¼ outrageous]!
(Twitter, 2013)
I don’t get too excited about biking, to be honest, but the cinematography in
that trailer is out-motherfucking-standing [¼ outstanding] (Reddit, 2010)
Fuck off! You’re all un-motherfucking-believable [¼ unbelievable]!
(Tumblr, 2011)

While African American slang comfortably uses standard English affixes,

certain affixes are particularly associated with African American usage. They
are not numerous, however.
The adjective-forming suffix -ity – not to be confused with the standard
English noun-forming suffix which is identical in form – has the meaning
“characterized by what is indicated by the first word to an extreme degree.”
The association is typically negative, and usually involves arrogance or self-
importance. Here are a few words created in this way:
She thought I was being biggity [¼ self-important or arrogant] (Roanoke
Times, 2002)
Jus ’cuz we got the mayor and the bishops here, don’t get all saddity [¼ self-
important or arrogant] (Philadelphia Inquirer, 1998)
His seddity [¼ self-important or arrogant] colleagues in academia are
faking the funk by pursuing more arcane subjects (Atlanta Journal-
Constitution, 1994)
Why he gives a fuck who that uppity [¼ self-important or arrogant] son of a
bitch is in love with, I don’t know (Django Unchained, film, 2012)
The once trendy infix -izz- (or –iz-) is used to form nouns, adjectives or verbs.
It was extremely productive and had been specifically used to form a multitude
of trendy expressions characteristic of rap and hip-hop parlance, though it
has since waned in popularity and its use is increasingly a means of parody;
Kearse (2006: 645–667) lists a few hundred expressions formed by this infix.
However, many of them have a rather ephemeral character (and are therefore
not included in the Glossary). While this infix contributes virtually no meaning
 2.1 Combining 35

to the inserted word, it is valued for its rhyming and jocular features.
Moreover, it is often applied to hide the meaning of a word or, as observed
by Peckham (2005: 191), “used to sanitize foul words”; put differently, it can
be used to euphemize vulgar or offensive expressions by altering their form,
for instance shit becomes shiznit. See the following examples:
I must have slipped and broke it, my bizzad [¼ bad] (Urban
Dictionary, 2005)
We drizzink [¼ drink] smoothies out of red cups with gorgeous people
(Facebook, 2011)
I can either accept that or make a fizzool [¼ fool] out of myself (Fayetteville
Observer, 2012)
Don’t forget to wear something warm. It’s gonna be kizzold [¼ cold]
(Uptown MPLS, 2006)
Can somebody please explain this shizzit [¼ nonsense] to me? (Topix, 2009)
The suffix -izzle (or -izle), now considered dated, is used to form either nouns
or adjectives. It was enormously productive and, theoretically, could be
applied to nearly any word; much like the above -izz- infix, it had been
especially used to create countless vogue expressions characteristic of rap
and hip-hop culture. Interestingly, while its attachment would not change the
meaning in any noticeable way, its popularity had probably been conditioned
by the rhyming, jocular and cryptic qualities. Again, many expressions created
with this suffix have a rather ephemeral nature; only a few of the most popular
ones are listed in the Glossary. Here is a selection of expressions created in
this way:
What’s the dizzle [¼ state of affairs or a thing at issue], my nizzle? (Los
Angeles Times, 2002)
She obviously needs some fizzle [¼ sex or the sex act] (Wrapped, 2010)
In the process, they gave white men a viable and edgy alternative to the
N-word, my nizzle [¼ fellow African American]? (News, CBS-TV
program, 2007)
Omigod! My dinosaur of a boss just told me to chillax – for rizzle [¼ real]!
(New York Times, 2006)
Give us an honest answer. Are you shizzle [¼ certain]? (Pearl Drummers
Forum, 2005)

Finally, there is the noun- and adjective-forming suffix -o. While it is by no

means exclusive to African American usage, it is nevertheless frequently
employed in forming numerous expressions characteristic of African Ameri-
can slang. It carries the meaning of “having characteristics associated with
36 Forms

what is indicated by the root word.” The association is often slightly derisive,
jocular or familiar. Note that many expressions created by the attachment of
this suffix often result from or accompany back clippings, a type of abbrevi-
ation (which will be discussed later). Consider the following examples:
There’d be at least one Negro writer in this room and that Afro [¼ hairstyle
of bouffant, tightly curled hair, worn by many African Americans] does not
qualify you, my Jewish friend (Bamboozled, film, 2000)
I got mad friends with Benzos [¼ Mercedes-Benz automobiles] (Notorious
B.I.G., 1994)
You and daddy-o [¼ friend] need to grow up and start accepting responsi-
bility for your actions (New Hampshire Union Leader, 2010)
I didn’t wanna go late with no present or anything, feel like a foolio [¼ stupid
person] (Bebo, 2009)
I lived in the ghetto and wore Timbos [¼ Timberland boots or shoes] and
army jackets (Access Hip Hop, 2009)

2.1.3 Phraseology
Combining may be discussed with regard to lexical entities larger than com-
pounds, namely, phrases. While the term “phrase” may be understood in a
number of ways, for the purpose of our study let us define it as a small series of
words standing together in a fixed order and forming a single conceptual
meaning; in that, phrases are similar to fixed expressions. Moreover, they have
a rather fixed structure and are often composed of elements functioning
together as a whole whose meaning cannot be inferred from these individual
elements; in that, they are similar to idioms. Examples include: chip off the old
block, completely different animal, cut a long story short, heads will roll, on
the right track and with all your heart.
Phrases are extensively used in African American slang. One of the reasons
may be its tendency for emotive expression and exaggeration. This is because
phrases are very effective in translating even the most complex meanings into
visual images. Another reason may be their rhythmic qualities, which are
highly valued in African American slang.
Phrases can be divided into several types. In African American slang, one of
the most productive phrase patterns involves a combination of verbs and other
parts of speech, especially nouns, which are sometimes accompanied by
prepositions. The resulting combination functions as an “extended verb.” Here
is a selection of such phrases:
I didn’t understand how a nigga so young could bust a cap [¼ shoot]
(Dr. Dre, 1992)
 2.1 Combining 37

He learned to talk tough and cop an attitude [¼ have an arrogant,

condescending or confrontational attitude] (Tampa Bay, 2011)
Obama is going to flip the script [¼ make a complete reversal of one’s
attitude] once he is elected President (Boston Globe, 2008)
It shows how important it is to have game [¼ have the ability to deceive or
manipulate] (Top Mac Nigga, 2010)
I know that the way I kick a rhyme [¼ create rap lyrics and rhymes] some
will call me a poet (Us3, 1993)
A fan wanted to know and Kellan Lutz kicked the knowledge [¼ gave
valuable information] (News, MTV-TV program, 2009)
With Emilio kicked to the curb [¼ rejected], it sounds like she’s looking for a
new partner for her calmer side (News, MTV-TV program, 2010)
If that nigga is trying to make bank [¼ make a lot of money], good for him
(XXL Magazine, 2010)
I won’t complain if you start to pump up the volume [¼ play loud music]
(Daily Maverick, 2011)
Obama was fashionably late to Denver but promptly rocked the house
[¼ performed in an excellent or admirable way] (Ebony, 2008)

Frequently, there is a certain degree of variability in the use of verb phrases. As

observed by Biber (1999: 1025), some of them have a substitutionable slot that
can take several fillers, although these are usually constrained semantically.
Such usage is also popular in African American slang, where there are
numerous strings of synonymous phrases. Consider the following examples:
I trust that he will read this article and get his act together [¼ focus or
concentrate] (Ebony, 2008)
He said he just needs to get his head together [¼ focus or concentrate]
(Kansas City Star, 2010)
Collect your thoughts, get your shit together [¼ focus or concentrate]!
(Wire, HBO-TV series, 2002)
This prestigeous event will take place the third week in May, so you have lots
of time to get your shizzle together [¼ focus or concentrate] (Washington Fly
Fishing, 2006)
GT Grad, get your shizznit together [¼ focus or concentrate] and gimme a
break! (Atlanta Journal-Constitution, 2010)
He realizes he needs to get his stuff together [¼ focus or concentrate] (San
Francisco Chronicle, 2009)

A noticeable number of verb phrases contain the verb get. Such popularity may
be attributed to the verb’s short, monosyllabic form and generalized meaning
38 Forms

of “having” or “acquiring”; in certain contexts, as noticed by Green (2002,

30–31), the meaning may also involve “becoming engaged in some activity.”
Both the form and meaning make for a highly serviceable and productive
phrase element. Here are some relevant examples:
Females wanna get a nut [¼ have an orgasm] too, you know (Randy Kearse,
2006)
Don’t get a’tude [¼ have an arrogant, condescending or confrontational
attitude], dude! (St. Petersburg Times, 1994)
Enough with this foreplay. I’m gonna get busy [¼ have sex], baby! (CB4,
film, 1993)
C’mon, it’s DC, I got to get mines [¼ get something that belongs or is due to
me] (Washington Post, 2010)
They said he’d never get on wax [¼ record a music album]. Well, I watched
him mature in the studio (Philadelphia Daily News, 1987)
Sharon is a tease, and the only way she can get her kicks [¼ have a good
time] is to play men like suckers (New York Times, 2010)
I told him he better get out of my face [¼ leave me alone] (USA Today,
2010)

Another important group is noun phrases. They involve a combination of a

noun and another part of speech, often other nouns, sometimes accompanied
by a preposition. The resulting combination functions as a noun. Here is a
sample of such “extended nouns” found in African American slang:
He went to school with me, my ace boon coon [¼ close friend] (Ice-T, 1991)
Gavin wanted to make a point by driving Black Man’s Wheels [¼ BMW
automobile] (Jessica Mann, 2002)
It was their common hatred of the blue-eyed devil [¼ white persons, espe-
cially if racist] that united them (Kevin Brown, 1995)
Who’s the Boss Nigga in Charge [¼ African American person in charge]?
Who the motherfucking boss? (Slim Thug, 2009)
So it got me wondering, is “Colored People’s Time” [¼ belief that African
Americans are not punctual] a myth, or something that black people have
made a fact of life? (Chicago Now, 2009)
I’m the Head Nigga in Charge [¼ African American person in charge]
(Lean on Me, film, 1989)
He’s talking like a man with a paper ass [¼ insignificant man] (Boston
University Daily Free Press, 2009)
For many years the bad guys were people of color [¼ non-white people]
(Ebony, 2009)
 2.1 Combining 39

Other types of phrases function as “extended adjectives” or “extended

adverbs.” They are usually built around a preposition combined with other
parts of speech. Again, the resulting combinations often operate on a figurative
level and should not be understood literally. Here is a selection of relevant
examples:
Fat Joe is down by law [¼ excellent or admirable] and any attempts to
assassinate his character are futile and blasphemous (Nah Right, 2010)
I used to drink Sazeracs when I lived down home [¼ in the southern USA] in
Kentucky (Daily Kilos, 2010)
You can haul your asses back down South [¼ toward the southern USA]
(Ray, film, 2004)
We could take their paychecks for shizzle [¼ certainly]! (Salt Lake City
Weekly, 2010)
It was obvious last night from the jump [¼ from the very beginning] (Boston
Globe, 2010)
Peace to all the MCs in the house [¼ among us, especially in the audience]
(Ice-T, 1993)
Now you can get caught up in the mix [¼ involved] real fast (Snoop
Dogg, 1996)
Each line be on point [¼ exactly or precisely] when I speak mine (Wu-Tang
Clan, 2004)
He’s very with it [¼ aware, knowing or understanding] and alert (Buffalo
News, 2004)
As a black man who has lived up South [¼ in the northern USA] all my life
and attended Rutgers University, I get it (Uppity Negro Network, 2009)
Rhyming, as has been mentioned, is a frequently employed device in African
American slang and a powerful vehicle for creating new phrases; Major
considers it to be its salient feature (1994: xxix). Although associated with
an elevated style of literary language, rhymed phrases form a significant part of
African American slang. Much like rhyming compounds, such phrases are
mostly based either on assonance, which is repetition of the same or similar
vowel sounds, or alliteration, which is a repetition of the same consonant, or
both. Again, they render a verbal promptness and forcefulness, augmented by
syncopated rhythm. Citational corroboration yields the following:
“Fo’ shizzle my nizzle” [¼ certainly] is the same as saying “for sure my
bro,” or “you know it my friend” (Wiki Answers, 2010)
Chad Henne went from being large and in charge [¼ successful and living
well] to a guy who looked flustered and confused (South Florida Sun-
Sentinel, 2010)
40 Forms

These fab soothers can help you max and relax [¼ relax and have a good
time] (Out Magazine, 1999)
That way nobody can pitch a bitch [¼ complain] about a late starting time
(New York Post, 2002)
We had a quick second to shoot the shit [¼ talk or chitchat] with Mississippi-
born singer Charlie Mars (Black Book Magazine, 2010)
He falls hard for a sultry songbird named Angel who keeps goading him to
split the scene [¼ leave] with her (New York Newsday, 2006)
Somebody should tell him to quit stylin and profilin [¼ boasting or acting in
a showy way] after his pitch (Softball Fans, 2010)
Any candidate can talk the talk [¼ talk creatively, intensely and convin-
cingly] (Atlanta Journal-Constitution, 2010)

Formulaic expressions are often treated as borderline cases between phrases

and sentences. These are longer sequences of words standing together in a
fixed order and treated as a single entity, for instance: Don’t call us, we’ll call
you; Easy come, easy go; Have a nice day; How do you do; or, Houston, we
have a problem. Their meaning is often idiomatic or figurative. Such expres-
sions are popular in African American slang because, much like proverbs or
adages, they function as apt, colorful and telegraphic folk commentaries on
life; as observed by Bertram (1996: vii), “they often demonstrate a wry sense
of humor and keen understanding of human nature.” Although criticized for
their overuse and clichéd character, they are enormously useful as a form of
“verbal shorthand” in everyday communication. See the following representa-
tive citations:
All good in the hood [¼ all right] tonight. Did I forget to mention? A little bit
of tension makes the world alright (Jamiroquai, 2010)
Players can’t trust their neighbors, they all in the Kool-Aid and don’t know
the flavor [¼ are nosy and inquisitive while also ignorant of the situation]
(Threat, 1993)
If a white man puts his hand on you, kill him before God gets the news
[¼ very quickly] (Clayborne Carson, 1995)
Just like there are different strokes for different folks [¼ different things
please different people], there are different styles of wedding dresses
(Shape, 2011)
It’s time for Bush to tell it like it is [¼ talk frankly and candidly] on events in
Iraq (Chicago Sun-Times, 2006)
Black women come in a variety shades and as the old adage goes, the darker
the berry, the sweeter the juice [¼ belief that darker skin is better] (Hip Hop
Wired, 2010)
 2.1 Combining 41

“Who’s your daddy [¼ who is your friend, caregiver or sponsor]?” “You’re

my daddy!” “Louder, nigga!” (Baby Boy, film, 2001)

Phrasal verbs (alternatively called verb phrases or compound verbs) form a

special case of phrases. They are made from a verb and a preposition
(alternatively labeled adverbial particle) as in come off, give up, take on or
turn in. They are typically used with an idiomatic meaning that may be
misleading and quite different from the literal meaning of the individual words.
For this reason, they are considered especially difficult for learners of English.
Interestingly, as observed by McArthur (1992: 774), “such verbs are often
informal, emotive, and slangy, and may contrast with Latinate verbs.”
African American slang abounds in phrasal verbs. Interestingly, they are
formed and used in very creative ways which are often different from general
American slang or standard English phrasal verbs. This is seen both in meaning
and form: they are used with novel meanings or they employ unique combin-
ations of verbs and prepositions. Here is a selection of citational findings:
We goin’ down to the A.T.L. and ball out [¼ have a good time] for the
weekend (Randy Kearse, 2006)
We sit down, blaze up [¼ smoke a marijuana cigarette], hit the books (How
High, film, 2001)
We boned out [¼ left] fast as hell but they weren’t coming at us at all
(Campus Hook, 2004)
Let’s break out [¼ leave] and do some different stuff! (Spin Magazine, 2003)
I just need to chill out [¼ relax and have a good time] for the next few days
(Desperate Housewives, NBC-TV series, 2004)
I know that something is going down [¼ happening], Vincent (Heat,
film, 1995)
Heck, I’d like to poot around [¼ waste time doing nothing] all the time too
but you go to work to do a job (Newsarama, 2004)
I really wanna roll out [¼ leave] with you guys (Love Don’t Cost a Thing,
film, 2003)

As in standard English, the verb and its particle may be separated by the object.
Consider the following examples:
I asked her how she came to do the show and she began to break it down [¼
explain] (Source, 1993)
I’m coming to break her off [¼ provide sexual pleasure], basically giving her
what’s missing (News, MTV-TV program, 2002)
I couldn’t believe they had the nerve to call me out [¼ challenge verbally]
like that (Honolulu Advertiser, 2004)
42 Forms

He was trying to fake me out [¼ deceive, especially by doing something

opposite rather than expected] (Boulder Daily Camera, 2010)
I just gas it up [¼ exaggerate or lie] a little bit and tell the people what
they’re going to hear (University of Tennessee Sports, 2009)
You wanna head him up [¼ confront or attack] in a debate? (All Hip
Hop, 2010)
Yes, it seems the normal iPhone 4 is a bit plain for some and one man has
decided to jazz it up [¼ enliven or make more exciting and stimulating] a bit
(Best Mobile, 2010)
Who ripped me off [¼ swindled or cheated, especially by over-pricing]?
(My Own Private Idaho, film, 1991)

Also, the verb is sometimes followed by two or more particles forming a

longer sequence. Consider these examples found in African American slang:
The students tried to get over on [¼ take advantage of] the teacher (Lisa
Green, 2002)
I still have a lot of friends who are down with [¼ are linked, connected or
affiliated with] the gang (Tampa Tribune, 1999)
Cal is really strung out behind [¼ in love with] that chick (Clarence Major,
1994)
I admit, I’m really strung out on [¼ in love with] her (Goodreads, 2009)

Phrasal verbs may, in turn, become nouns. The products of such transform-
ations are classified either as phrasal nouns or compounds, and the change is
usually signaled in writing: the newly formed nouns are usually spelled as one
word or linked with a hyphen, for instance carry-out, showoff, takeoff, turn-
over. It is also signaled in pronunciation: the stress falls on their first elements.
McArthur (1992: 774) observes that in standard English most phrasal nouns
relate to situations, but those relating to things and people tend to be slangy.
There are many such creations in African American slang, most with idiomatic
or figurative meanings. See the following citational examples:
Mr. Wilkins is shown wearing a blowout [¼ hairstyle of bouffant, tightly
curled hair, worn by many African Americans] in his toddler years (Balti-
more City Paper, 2003)
They probably had a dress-off [¼ competition among flashily dressed
persons] (Hollywood Gossip, 2012)
He chants “don’t stop, keep going” repeatedly over a mellow-back
[¼ calming] beat (Black Issues, 2010)
The process is generally fast and security is very laid-back [¼ calm], very
Canadian (Ebony, 2007)
 2.2 Shortening 43

Eighteen bucks for this? What a rip-off [¼ swindle, especially by

over-pricing]! (Simpsons, Fox-TV series, 1991)
You have been called a traitor, a sell-out [¼ African American who is
subservient to whites or adopts their values and attitudes] (Bamboozled,
film, 2000)
I gotta send this shout-out [¼ acknowledgment given to someone via the
media, especially on the radio or television show] to the Brownside too
(Snoop Dogg, 2006)

2.2 Shortening
Tendency toward brevity is an important characteristic of slang, colloquial and
spoken language in general. People often use slang to express ideas quicker or to
convey a complicated meaning in a concise way. This tendency is evident in a
sizeable portion of words which are monosyllabic or abbreviated in various ways.
Monosyllabic words are also highly popular in African American slang, a
fact duly noted by Eble (1996: 84). This is also in line with the general
tendency in American slang to be short in form, corroborated by Flexner (in
Chapman 1986: xxii). Their abundance is striking but can easily be explained
by the aforementioned function. Citational corroboration yields the following:
He gonna tell me to turn down my box [¼ large portable stereo player] (Do
the Right Thing, film, 1989)
The handling is totally bitchin’ and the chicks really dig [¼ like or regard
favorably] it (Car and Driver, 2000)
Birdie had no right to dis [¼ disrespect by belittling or disparaging] you like
that (Above the Rim, film, 1994)
Jon spent hours on her new do [¼ haircut] with celebrity hairstylist (New
York Daily News, 2010)
Then, on top of that shit, you gonna dog [¼ criticize] my baby sister? (Bad
Boys II, film, 2003)
Don’t forget, grab the blow, then jet [¼ leave] before that ho’ hit the door
(Ice-T, 1999)
Everyone knows you’ve got mad [¼ a lot of] talent, but in July you’re going
to have to prove yourself (Elle, 2005)
We rap [¼ peform a rap song] better than most niggers (Bamboozled,
film, 2000)
We from the same set [¼ neighborhood], but that don’t mean shit no mo’
(MC Ren, 1998)
I’m not your “yo” [¼ African American friend], show me your work! (Wire,
HBO-TV series, 2006)
44 Forms

Abbreviation is equally popular in slang. This is naturally linked with infor-

mality and brevity, but may also be motivated by the cryptic character and,
sometimes, rhythmic qualities of lexical abbreviations. This very productive
mechanism involves clipping, initialisms and acronyms. All these are evident
in African American slang, and are presented below.

2.2.1 Clipping
Clipping is an abbreviation in which part of a longer word is removed to
produce a shorter word, without an immediate change in lexical meaning.
Standard English examples include cab (from cabriolet), exam (from examin-
ation) or fan (from fanatic). Elements may be eliminated from the beginning
(e.g. airplane changes into plane), the end (e.g. delicatessen changes into deli),
or, rarely, both (e.g. influenza changes into flu). Such shortened forms are
almost always less formal than their longer sources. As observed by Eble
(1996: 35), for this reason “they have been commonly condemned as slovenly
and imprecise” by language purists and educators.
Clipping is a very productive process in the creation of slang expressions,
mostly due to slang’s tendency to be short and its marked informality.
However, it is important to notice that clipping itself does not make a given
word slang, while other factors of a social or stylistic nature must also be
present. Moreover, as noted by Adams (2009: 102), clipping can indicate
familiarity and intimacy, and is also popular for these reasons. In African
American slang, just as in standard English, a word may be shortened by back
clipping, front clipping, or both.
Back clipping (also termed hind clipping) is highly productive in slang. It
involves the removal of the final syllable(s) of a word. Significantly, a word is
back-clipped as soon as enough syllables are given to make the word intelli-
gible: the stump word is often a first syllable(s) representation of a longer
word. See the following examples of back clippings found in African Ameri-
can slang:
I used to drive an Ac [¼ Acura automobile] and kept a Mac in the engine
(Mobb Deep, 1995)
There’s no way he’d come to Cali [¼ California] and not check out the waves
(Big Momma’s House 2, film)
I owe you, cuz [¼ fellow African American man]! (Wire, HBO-TV
series, 2002)
I’m not trying to igg [¼ ignore] you or anything but I gotta deal with a lot of
stuff right now (David Austin, 2007)
He’s old but he’s one tough mother [¼ excellent or admirable man or thing]
(Starsky and Hutch, film, 2004)
 2.2 Shortening 45

I’m not playing for rec [¼ good time]. I’m playing to win and I’ll do
whatever it takes (Hoops Hype, 2010)
I rep [¼ represent, support and defend the reputation, especially of where
one lives] Brooklyn, home of the gangsta (Wu-Tang Clan, 2004)
Lil sis [¼ African American woman] walk away with the dough, y’all niggaz
still broke (Puff Daddy, 1997)

Interestingly, certain back clippings take various endings such as the -o, -ie, -y or
-s suffix, and sometimes involve respellings. Consider the following examples:
What’s your addy [¼ address], so I can mail you a box of tissues to clean up
the mess you just made? (Washington Post, 2010)
I cannot believe he wore his Afro [¼ hairstyle of bouffant, tightly curled hair,
worn by many African Americans] that big (Bad Boys, film, 1995)
He dropped two Benjies [¼ hundred dollar bills] (Boston University Daily
Free Press, 2009)
I was rollin with Lorenzo in a Benzo [¼ Mercedes-Benz automobile] (Dr.
Dre, 1999)
I don’t have enough respect for that hoe [¼ contemptible or despicable
woman] to even learn her name (Topix, 2010)
It’s Boston, homey [¼ fellow African American], what did you expect?
(Ebony, 2009)
There were so many homies [¼ fellow African Americans] from the Westside
(Los Angeles Times, 2006)
I like black Timbs [¼ Timberland boots or shoes] and black hoodies (Notori-
ous, film, 2009)

A specific type of back clipping is back formation (sometimes called back

derivation or inverse derivation). This rare process involves clipping various
endings (such as -er, -ion, etc.) from the end of a word, in the mistaken
assumption that the dropped ending was a suffix. What remains of the word
is assumed to be a stem, but is actually a newly created word, for instance
enthuse, housekeep, intuit, liaise, self-destruct or televise. Note that the
resulting form changes in part of speech, and typically becomes a verb. As
observed by McArthur (1992: 102), back formation can also be used for effect,
and for this reason is sometimes used in slang. Still, back formations are
relatively rare, both in general and African American slang, which, as sug-
gested by Steinmetz and Kipfer (2006: 49), is possibly because of their unusual
formation. Here are the only examples found in our database:
They try to baller-block [¼ be envious and try to prevent someone from doing
something successful or funny] us, use absolute power (Kanye West, 2010)
46 Forms

I’ll be down there, shortly, to conversate [¼ carry a conversation] about that

comment (New York Post, 2009)
If you don’t stop hitting on my girl, I’m going to motherfuck [¼ harm,
especially as punishment or revenge] you (Urban Dictionary, 2009)

Slang words are also formed by front clipping (also termed fore clipping),
which involves the removal of front syllable(s) from a word. The removed
syllable is typically unaccented, while the base word is bi- or polysyllabic;
note that there is often an apostrophe to indicate where letters are missing. In
the context of African American slang, some linguists link front clipping to
the loss of an unstressed prefix familiar in Gullah, as in “vorce” instead of
“divorce” (Dillard 1972: 254). Consider these examples from the database:
It’s unfair because people are basing [¼ criticizing, especially in a loud
voice] him (USA Today, 2010)
He actually had a fro [¼ hairstyle of bouffant, tightly curled hair, worn by
many African Americans] once upon a time (Washington Post, 2007)
Snoop entered with his expensive gators [¼ expensive shoes made from
alligator skins] on (News, MTV-TV program, 2005)
When he goes to speak about the hood [¼ neighborhood], it’s his hood. His
experience in the same bricks, on the same street (Ebony, 2009)
They dropped the body where we’d see it. To send the message to the jects [¼
housing projects for the poor] (Wire, HBO-TV series, 2002)
I used to drive a Lac [¼ Cadillac automobile] sippin gin and juice (South
Park Mexican, 2001)
You sayin’ you a rilla [¼ street tough guy or thug] when you knowin’ you not
(Black Planet, 2010)
They don’t like that ’tude [¼ arrogant, condescending or confrontational
attitude] much (Grad Cafe, 2010)

Finally, clipping may occur word-medially. This is similar to blending (dis-

cussed later); however, this type of clipping involves primarily internal
changes within a single word, while blending always affects the changes of
two words fused together. Note that these clippings are often spelled with an
apostrophe or hyphen to indicate where letters are missing. Some are used as
euphemistic devices to mask expressions perceived as taboo. See the following
examples:
I really enjoyed you on the Troy Johnson show in B’more [¼ Baltimore,
Maryland] (Ebony, 2007)
The lady in line before my mom was all g’d up [¼ elegant, stylish or well-
dressed] (Dreamin Demon, 2009)
 2.2 Shortening 47

I couldn’t drink the Henny [¼ Hennessy V.S. cognac] straight, I needed

somethin to chase (Jay-Z, 1998)
Even if I weren’t a handsome MF’er [¼ excellent or admirable man or
thing], my confidence would still score me some chicks (Body Building, 2009)
It’s time for Dems everywhere to remind voters that the GOP is MF’ing
[¼ extremely or totally] crazy (Washington Monthly, 2013)
I did whatever I pleased cause I was the mothering [¼ excellent or admir-
able] champion (Facebook, 2011)

Longer expressions such as compounds and phrases can also be clipped. As

observed in my earlier work, the clipping – in this case also called an
ellipsis – may occur at the beginning or at the end, and may involve the
whole word or simply a part of it. There are numerous elliptical expressions
produced in this way in African American slang. Consider the following
examples:
The Gonzalez brothers, Jerry and Andy, were born in the Apple [¼ New York
City] (Bill Kirchner, 2005)
Those two bangers [¼ members of a criminal gang] that were here, what
gang are they with? (Urban Justice, film, 2007)
They let you drive the Benz [¼ Mercedes-Benz automobile] their daddy
bought (He Got Game, film, 1998)
If you do cop a ’tude [¼ have an arrogant, condescending or confrontational
attitude], I will see to it that you spend the next ten years in prison (Long Kiss
Goodnight, film, 1996)
You’ve been drinkin’ Kong [¼ cheap and strong liquor]! (Mirrevenge, 2009)
This mo-fo [¼ contemptible or despicable man] oversimplified highly com-
plex issues with the typical sprinkling of bad rhetoric (News, CBS-TV
program, 2009)
Let me get the whole Hilfiger hookup, huh? Definitely, mos def [¼ definitely]
(Bamboozled, film, 2000)
She has driven through that intersection ninety-leven [¼ very many] times
(Contra Costa Times, 2009)

A variation of the above is clipping made by reducing one part of a compound

or phrase to a single letter – usually a capitalized initial – while the other
element of the compound or phrase is retained. Either the first or the second
element may be clipped in this way, and both are often connected with a
hyphen. Such clippings are very popular in African American slang because of
their succinctness and, possibly, their somewhat cryptic character; they may
also be used as euphemistic devices to mask expressions perceived as taboo.
Citational corroboration shows the following:
48 Forms

Playing B-ball [¼ game of basketball] seems foreign to us now (Atlanta

Journal-Constitution, 2003)
What brings you to Atlanta? What do you remember most about your trips to
Big A [¼ Atlanta, Georgia]? (Atlanta Journal-Constitution, 2009)
“Detroit,” Sam said blankly. “Big D” [¼ Detroit, Michigan] (Richard
T. Lynch, 2003)
Eminem, the first white rapper, is from D Town [¼ Detroit, Michigan]
(Detroit) (Dayton Daily News, 2006)
The first time he was here, he bought a bottle of Jack D [¼ Jack Daniel’s
whiskey] (Excess Baggage, film, 1997)
I practise safe sex, with girls I lay next, in other words, the j-hat
[¼ condom]’s on the head (Big Daddy Kane, 1993)
Once the jurors heard the tapes it was clear that he had indeed used the
N-word [¼ African American] (Toni Morrison, 1997)
In 1991, Clarke was picked as the top sportscaster in O-Town [¼ Oakland,
California] (Ocala Star-Banner, 1992)

2.2.2 Initialism
Initialism (also termed alphabetism) is another type of abbreviation. It consists
of the initial letters of a series of words pronounced in sequence. Note that
initialisms are ordinarily spelled using capital letters, often followed by periods.
They are frequently encountered as part of specialized terminology and nomen-
clature such as technical jargon, and, as noted by Steinmetz and Kipfer (2006:
40), contribute to conciseness, precision and succinctness. Standard English
examples include AAA, HTML, M.A., NBC, S.O.S. or Y.M.C.A.
African American slang uses initialisms extensively. This is particularly
discernible in phrases, which are frequently abbreviated into the initial letters
for each word. Again, the motivation may be twofold: brevity of expression or
cryptic character. To which one may also add their rhythmic qualities. Here is a
collection of some of the most frequently recurring slang initialisms:
If you can’t make the trek down to ATL [¼ Atlanta, Georgia] like I did, don’t
sweat it (Ebony, 2009)
I’m a crazy motherfucker when I’m playing with my AK [¼ AK-47 assault
rifle] (Snoop Dogg, 1998)
The nearest BK [¼ Burger King restaurant] is in the Pennington Market
shopping center (Diane Goodspeed, 2005)
I am drinking a D.P. [¼ Dom Perignon champagne] at the moment actually.
I love this stuff (Newsgrounds, 2009)
 2.2 Shortening 49

Civil rights advocates called the case an example of “driving while black,”
commonly called D.W.B. [¼ instance of stopping African American motorists
for no apparent reason] (Detroit News, 2002)
This guy’s no motherfucking M.C. [¼ performer of a rap song]! (8 Mile,
film, 2002)
What you doin’ in the PJ’s [¼ housing projects for the poor]? You lost?
(Wire, HBO-TV series, 2002)
I was born in SFC [¼ San Francisco, California] and raised in Vallejo (My
Space, 2007)
The extreme case of initialism – and clipping at the same time – is reduction to just
one letter, typically an initial which is capitalized. Consider the following examples:
Chill out, B [¼ man]. I’ma drop you off at the hotel and get back with you
later on tonight (Wahida Clark, 2009)
That’s why the fuck we’re in the D [¼ Detroit, Michigan] (8 Mile, film, 2002)
And if you still don’t know what’s goin’ on, yo G [¼ close friend], I got it
goin’ on! (Us3, 1993)
The reality of my “special” situation with my main man doing an “L” [¼ life
sentence without the possibility of parole] hits me the hardest at that time
(Prison Talk, 2005)
There’s another offer on eBay for OEM parts but they are more expensive for
my wallet. I want to still be drivin’ my V [¼ automobile] for a long time
(Honda Owners Club, 2010)

2.2.3 Acronym
Acronyms are yet another type of abbreviation. They are made using the first
letters of a series of words and pronounced as one word, as in AIDS, laser,
NATO, UNESCO, radar, scuba or sonar. In contrast to initialisms, they rarely
have periods separating the letters; they are also more typically spelled without
capital letters. As a result, they lose their connections to the individual words
from which they are derived and become words in and of themselves.
Acronyms are also featured in African American slang, although they are
much less frequent than initialisms, favored for their rhythmic qualities. See
the following examples:
As a BAP [¼ wealthy young African American, especially if pampered or
arrogant], I am a child of privilege (Philip Herbst, 1997)
Grace Monroe is what they used to call a buppie [¼ young, affluent, city-
dwelling African American professional]; she’s a black sociologist with a
PhD (USA Today, 2006)
50 Forms

Thanks to all you haters for all the CREAM [¼ money] you made us!
(Wu-Tang Clan, 2001)
Lucas loved the Strip view from the rotunda where the group danced to the
beats of the deejay [¼ disc jockey] (Las Vegas Weekly, 2010)
Rumor has it he will show up starring in a movie about Def Jam star Terry
Keaton, an old-school emcee [¼ performer of a rap song] who suffered a
severe brain injury breaking up a fight (Ebony, 2009)

2.3 Conversion
Lexical conversion (also variously referred to as grammatical shifting,
functional shift or zero derivation) is another common method of enriching
the English lexicon. In this process, a word changes its usual grammatical
function into another without undergoing any alteration in form. The English
lexicon is especially amenable to conversion because English is an analytic
language: it has comparatively few forms that associate a word with a particu-
lar part of speech. For instance, advance gives no clues about its grammar and,
viewed out of context, could be a verb, noun or adjective. Changes from and
into various parts of speech are possible, but the most common types of
conversion are verbification and nominalization.
Conversion is aimed at word economy, so it is commonly used in slang,
which favors succinctness and brevity. Conversion is also very productive in
African American slang and attests to the creativity and flexibility of its users.
According to Major (1994: xxx): “[African American slang] is fluid in this way
because it remains open to the influences of verbal forces from every conceiv-
able direction.”

2.3.1 Verbification
Verbification involves the changing of nouns into verbs, and is the most
productive type of conversion in English. As humorously observed by
McArthur: “There is no noun in English that can’t be verbed” (1992: 263). It
is also the single most popular type of conversion in African American slang.
Interestingly, the words undergoing this change may either be slang or stand-
ard English. Consider the following examples:
Ain’t nobody tryin’ to clown [¼ joke, tease or make fun of] me!
(Ice-T, 1998)
Deejaying [¼ working as a disc jockey] is more intuitive, requires more
imagination (New York Times, 2008)
Nagin has been both dogged [¼ criticized] and praised since the Katrina
disaster (Ebony, 2007)
 2.3 Conversion 51

You sure she ain’t got no money? She could be frontin’ [¼ pretending], you
know? (Jungle Fever, film, 1991)
It’s OK as long as they don’t get to ghetto [¼ make something look typical of
the inner-city ghetto] their style (New Schoolers, 2002)
The band has already started gigging [¼ giving a musical performance or to
play a concert] (Billboard, 1999)
We like to jam [¼ play improvised music, especially jazz] and improvise
(University Wire, 2000)
Adams was trying to juice [¼ trick someone out of something] him for money
(Los Angeles Times, 2001)
Gangstaz do dirty work and get pimped [¼ exploited or taken advantage of]
by mobsters (Arrested Development, 1992)
I know what they want, they want to sex [¼ have sex with] me (Jay-Z, 1997)

2.3.2 Nominalization
Another frequent process of conversion in English is nominalization. As the
name suggests, it involves the changing of verbs into nouns. Although pro-
ductive, it remains less popular then verbification, possibly because nouns can
easily be formed from verbs by adding derivative suffixes such as -ation or
-ment (Steinmetz and Kipfer (2006: 122). Still, there are numerous expressions
converted in this way in African American slang. Citational corroboration
yields the following:
Mr. Wilkins is shown wearing a blowout [¼ hairstyle of bouffant, tightly
curled hair, worn by many African Americans] in his toddler years (Balti-
more City Paper, 2003)
In the suburbs, the dressoff [¼ competition among flashily dressed persons]
starts more slowly and rarely reaches the importance it does in Paris
(Chicago Tribune, 1985)
They called him a fade [¼ African American who is subservient to whites
or adopts their values and attitudes] or something like that (Hentai
Geek, 2010)
They’ve apparently done this before, just for kicks [¼ good time or pleasure]
(Washington Post, 2009)
The movie was a rip-off [¼ copy or imitation, especially if illegal] of the
more expensive 1967 “The Dirty Dozen,” costarring the ultimate definition of
black masculinity Jim Brown (Ebony, 2009)
They’re sell-outs [¼ African Americans who are subservient to whites or
adopt their values and attitudes] who got out the hood and forgot where they
came from (Realest Niggas, 2009)
52 Forms

Getting a shout-out [¼ acknowledgment given to someone via the media,

especially on the radio or television show] from the Vice President is defin-
itely one way to end your trip on a positive note (Ebony, 2009)

2.3.3 Other processes

Other processes of conversion include changes from and into other parts of
speech. They are perceptibly less productive compared to verbification and
nominalization, but still account for many expressions found in African
American slang. Again, such processes attest to the creativity and flexibility
of their coiners. Consider the following examples:
You’re not that bone [¼ extremely or totally] stupid to think I would keep you
on the payroll (John from Cincinnati, HBO-TV series, 2007)
It was brick [¼ very cold] outside, wind and all. For a second, I thought
about putting on my gloves (Paul Volponi, 2006)
You are not more black if you wear a natural [¼ African American hair that
is not chemically processed] (Essence, 2009)
Dawg has crazy [¼ a lot of or plenty of] rocks in his watch (Randy Kearse,
2006)
Judging from Rebecca’s silence perhaps her boss deaded [¼ refused or said
no to] her (Broadband Reports, 2010)
Still, just like in his movies, Franco doesn’t half-ass [¼ do or make some-
thing without enough effort, care or enthusiasm] anything (News, MTV-TV
program, 2011)
If we were in the room, we’d run onstage, Kanye-style, to high-five [¼ shake
hands with someone or slap someone’s hand held high, in greeting or
congratulation] her (San Francisco Weekly, 2011)
And now I should feel bad about someone who offed [¼ killed] him? (Basic,
film, 2003)
Your daddy got one-eighty-seven’d [¼ murdered] by a brother and you Five-
O in South Central? (Get on the Bus, film, 1996)
He’s a stone [¼ extreme or total] bigot with little education (Seattle
Times, 2010)

There are expressions which may be converted into various parts of speech.
A classic example of such conversion is the African American slang word
cool, which may function as an adjective, adverb, noun, verb or exclamation.
Consider the following examples:
Tech-U is a really cool [¼ excellent or admirable] place (He Got Game,
film, 1998)
 2.4 Blending 53

Might I say, you played it real cool [¼ in an excellent or admirable way]

(Sorority Row, film, 2009)
Let’s play cool [¼ calmly], okay? (Two and a Half Men, CBS-TV
series, 2006)
Nothing in this world can give you that real deep cool [¼ calmness]
(Malcolm X, film, 1992)
Sylvia grabs my arm and tells me to cool [¼ quit doing] it (Los Angeles
Times, 2000)
“I see no reason why you can’t go.” “Cool [¼ it is excellent or admirable]!”
(Two and a Half Men, CBS-TV series, 2006)

2.4 Blending
Blending (also known as fusion or amalgamation) is a combination of
shortening and compounding. Blend words (sometimes called portmanteau
words, fusions, amalgams or hybrids) are formed by joining two words and
simultaneously clipping part of the first or second word, or both. In English,
they are usually used for their succinctness, innovation or catchiness, and are
popular especially in product names and in advertising. Examples include:
breathalyzer, brunch, croissandwich, docudrama, electrocute, gasohol or smog.
Blends are very catchy and therefore a conspicuous part of general Ameri-
can slang. Yet they are not as numerous as one might expect, possibly due to
their contrived and complex structure, which sometimes impedes understand-
ing. They are, however, slightly more common in African American slang,
which may be explained by an appreciation of verbal creativity and poetic
innovation. Representative examples include the following:
That girl is blackalicious [¼ (of an African American) sexually attractive]
with them pretty eyes and thick thighs (Urban Dictionary, 2011)
Her famous bootylicious [¼ sexually attractive] feature needs no further
description (Ask Men, 2010)
Dianne Reeves was born in Motown [¼ Detroit, Michigan] (Washington
Post, 2002)
She could never change that mugly [¼ very unattractive] face of hers (Media
Takeout, 2008)
Wow, that is a really sexcellent [¼ sexually attractive] unit (Wordnik, 2009)
He called me a splib [¼ liberal African American who opposes racial
discrimination but will not challenge the status quo], then grabbed his dick
and gave me the finger (Ricardo Cortez Cruz, 1995)
We say you a wanksta [¼ rapper who poses as a gangster] and you need to
stop frontin (50 Cent, 2002)
54 Forms

Who is that stupid wigga [¼ white person who assumes the behavior and
values of the African American culture, especially hip-hop] dissin on that
new Timbaland track? (Sound Opinions, 2006)

Certain blending processes are enormously productive and popular in African

American slang. Such is the case with numerous blends incorporating the once
trendy suffix -izzle, which have become especially associated with hip-hop
culture. As mentioned before, they have a rather ephemeral nature, and only a
few most popular are listed in the Glossary. Here is a handful of illustrative
examples:
Karma’s a bizzle [¼ problem or difficulty]. I think if any one of those things
had gone differently, I would have made it a lot further in the game
(TV Guide, 2006)
Bernadette, say some shizzle about the dizzle [¼ state of affairs or a thing at
issue]! (Big Bang Theory, CBS-TV series, 2009)
What Seth needs to do is go back to his hizzle [¼ home or house] (Gaia
Online, 2010)
In the process, they gave white men a viable and edgy alternative to the
N-word, my nizzle [¼ fellow African American]? (News, CBS-TV
program, 2007)
We also predict a rizzle [¼ real or authentic] revolution resulting in super-
star status for this brilliant artist (Your Daily Kicks, 2011)
I’m not shizzle [¼ sure or certain] if you noticed, but it’s May 10th (Fargo
Hardcore, 2008)
I honestly don’t get why people are in such a tizzle [¼ irritation or nervous-
ness] about Rooney leaving (Football 365, 2010)

2.5 Borrowing
Borrowing is an important way of enriching the lexicon. It is an umbrella term
which principally involves lexical and semantic borrowing. The former entails
one language borrowing entire words from another, with varying degrees of
modification, while the latter pertains to the literal translation of a concept from
one language to create an entirely new lexical entity in another language. Both
are used in African American slang, although they are not very prominent.

2.5.1 Loanwords
A loanword is a lexical item taken from one language into another with various
degrees of adaptation in spelling, pronunciation or meaning. In English, a
sizeable portion of the lexicon has been created in this way, especially with
 2.5 Borrowing 55

words borrowed from Latin, Greek or French which belong to formal and
technical vocabularies. In recent times, loanwords have come from a broad
variety of source languages, reflecting the increased diversity of the US
population, and the speed and ease of modern communication. Furthermore,
because of its growing role as the global lingua franca, English itself consti-
tutes a source of borrowing.
However, loanwords in African American slang have been relatively small
in number. This is can be explained by slang’s characteristic of enhancing
solidarity and group-identification rather than any attempt at being cosmopol-
itan. Also, because slang is ethnocentric, borrowings are somehow not con-
sidered interesting simply because they do not sound like English. Moreover,
much like jargon, borrowings are used primarily in writing for transmission of
specific information among specialists rather than for casual communication.
Accordingly, borrowings are extremely rare and often heavily modified. Cita-
tional corroboration yields the following:
We spent boo coos [¼ a lot of or plenty of (from French “beaucoup”)] of
money for equipment and uniforms (City Data, 2010)
Rastas were smoking ganja [¼ marijuana, from Hindi “ganja”], Jamaica’s
potent marijuana and a religious sacrament for Rastafarians, who cultivate it
in the hills (Winston-Salem Journal, 2008)
The blueswoman learns that someone’s put a hoodoo [¼ bad luck or a
person or thing that brings bad luck (from Fon or Ewe “vodu”)] (or a curse)
on her (Craw Daddy, 2010)
When they got off the boat, the second word they learned was “nigger”
[¼ fellow African American (via Spanish from Latin “niger”)] (Toni
Morrison, 1994)
Yo, we parlay [¼ have a good time (from French “parler”)], parlay everyday
(Snoop Dogg, 1999)
Interestingly, borrowings from African languages remain relatively scarce. Put
differently, only a handful of expressions in African American slang can be
clearly traced to African origins. Some linguists such as Crystal (1995: 96) or
Smitherman (2000a: 25) explain this as a result of the policy of slave-traders
which mixed Africans of different language backgrounds in order to prevent
rebellion. This practice later resulted in diverse forms of speech used by African
Americans; rather than resorting to old African expressions not universally known
to all slaves, they either imitated the language of the white people or created their
own expressions. Nevertheless, some African expressions still survive:
What hip [¼ aware, knowing or understanding (possibly from Wolof
“hepi”)] individual inspired this visit to the Biltmore? (Bad Boys,
film, 1995)
56 Forms

There was this jerk snorin’ like a buzzsaw alongside of me and I’m tryin’ to
jazz [¼ have sex with (from Mandinka “jasi” or Temne “jas”)] his wife!
(James David Horan, 1991)
It’s nothing but a bunch of jive [¼ deceptive or misleading talk (possibly from
Wolof “jev” meaning “false talk”)] and junk (Hustle and Flow, film, 2005)
We drink juke [¼ liquor (possibly from Wolof and Bambara “dzug” meaning
“disorderly action”)] out of glasses, not boxes, and at the risk of appearing
hopelessly out of date, we use antique utensils such as forks and spoons
(St. Petersburg Times, 2004)
If you buy a jumbo [¼ very big (possibly from Kongo “nzamba” meaning
“elephant”)] SUV, you’ll pay a little more than that (Chicago Sun-
Times, 1999)
I used to wear a mojo [¼ charm or amulet worn against evil (from Fula
“moco” meaning “medicine man”)] around my neck (My Space, 2013)

2.5.2 Loan translations

Borrowing can also be understood as word-for-word translation of a certain
expression from one language to another. Put differently, the meaning of a
word (or words) from one language is literally translated into the form of
another language to create an entirely new lexical entity. Such semantic
borrowings (alternatively called loan translations or calques) are well known
in English, and include such expressions as brainwash (from the Chinese xǐ
năo), flea market (from the French marché aux puces) or wisdom tooth (from
the Latin dens sapientiae).
Semantic borrowing is also the source of a number of expressions in African
American slang. The sources are chiefly languages of West Africa, the area
from which most slaves came. Here are a few expressions which are loan
translations attributed to African languages:
We got the bad [¼ excellent or admirable (from Mandinka “a ka nyi
ko-jugu” meaning “it is good badly”)] bitches gaspin for air in Aspen
(Jay-Z, 1996)
If the Olympics gave a gold medal for fat-mouthing [¼ talking too much
(from Mandinka “da-ba” meaning “big fat mouth”)], he would be a cinch
(St. Petersburg Times, 1997)
There you go! Give me some skin [¼ shake hands with me or slap my hand in
greeting or congratulation (from Mandinka “i golo don m bolo” meaning
“place your skin in my hand”)]! (Ray, film, 2004)
Slap me some skin [¼ shake hands with me or slap my hand in greeting or
congratulation (from Mandinka “i golo don m bolo” meaning “place your
skin in my hand”)], baby! (Huffington Post, 2010)
 2.5 Borrowing 57

2.5.3 Eponyms
Eponyms form a modest yet discernible word-acquisition process. Sometimes
considered part of borrowings, these are expressions derived from personal
names, often of inventors or creators, or names of fictitious characters. They
are initially spelled with the first letter capitalized, but in time lose the
capitalization. Examples include: stetson (after John B. Stetson, hat manufac-
turer), to bowdlerize (after Thomas Bowdler, English expurgator of Shake-
speare) and sadism (after the Marquis de Sade).
In African American slang, eponyms play a marginal role. This is because
they normally require concrete knowledge which enables the speaker to
associate the expression with the name. The exceptions include well-
recognized people or fictitious characters who became icons for the popular
consciousness. Here are a few examples from our database:
A mixed signal is when you saying no but you got your hand on my Jim
Browski [¼ penis] (Access Atlanta, 2009)
The narc succumbs to his jones [¼ drug habit] and eventually loses every-
thing (San Francisco Weekly, 2006)
Even if I don’t ball in my Jordans [¼ any of several brands of Nike gym
shoes], I would like the comfort they were made for (Nike Talk, 2011)
My hands are shaky and I ain’t feelin’ well from drinkin’ King Kong
[¼ cheap and strong liquor] and cheap muscatel (Straight Dope, 2005)

First names used as eponyms are more popular in African American slang.
They are also employed for a similar effect. Here is a collection of representa-
tive examples:
Miss Ann, also just plain Ann [¼ white woman], is a derisive reference to the
white woman (Wikipedia, 2009)
Our spy says she pulled an envelope of Benjamins [¼ hundred
dollar bills] out of her purse and handed one over (New York Daily
News, 2009)
Let’s go smoke some Buddha [¼ marijuana] and get high as hell (Urban
Dictionary, 2006)
We kinda jumped from “Charlie” to the racist terms. “Charlie” [¼ white
person] wasn’t a racist term (Straight Dope, 2003)
I had my jimmy [¼ penis] waxed every day last week (New Jack City,
film, 1991)
Jody [¼ man having an affair with someone’s wife or girlfriend, especially
someone who is in jail or went off to war], are you messin’ with my date?
(Baby Boy, film, 2001)
58 Forms

I’d focus on that and leave the Oprah-ing [¼ dredging intimate facts from
someone] to Oprah (Cooking Light, 2008)
“I ain’t some Uncle Tom!” “I didn’t mean you were a Tom [¼ African
American man who is subservient to whites or adopts their values and
attitudes]” (Assassination of Richard Nixon, film, 2004)

Interestingly, eponyms based on first names are often modified to form a

compound or phrase. Such usage is very popular in African American slang
where there are numerous such expressions used especially for negative or
positive categorization. Consider the following examples:
A judge once referred to her as an Aunt Jane [¼ African American woman
who is subservient to whites or adopts their values and attitudes], the black
female analogue to Uncle Tom (Atlanta Journal-Constitution, 1985)
He’s a big Willie [¼ important or influential person] now, rappin bout cars,
thousand dollar shoppin sprees, hangin out with stars (Blackalicious, 1999)
Her current project, “Miss Anne [¼ white woman] in Harlem: The White
Women of the Black Renaissance,” a group biography, is forthcoming from
HarperCollins (DuBois Institute Newsletter, 2009)
“Miss Anne” and “Mister Charlie” [¼ white person, especially regarded as
an oppressor of African Americans] date back to the late 19th century when
they became generic (Ebony, 2007)
A small group of his supporters shouted “sell-out” and “Uncle Tom”
[¼ African American man who is subservient to whites or adopts their values
and attitudes] (New York Daily News, 2010)

2.5.4 Brand names

Brand names belong to the same category. These are names protected by legal
trademarks and are used to distinguish one product from similar ones offered
by competitors. With the growth of the mass-market economy and widespread
information, many have become generalized, turning into generic words such
as Coke, Jeep, Jacuzzi, Jell-O, Kleenex or Xerox. The assimilation seems
unavoidable and visible in the loss of capitalization, as seen in aspirin,
celluloid, dictaphone, escalator, velcro, walkman and zipper.
In African American slang, brand names play a marginal role. Again, they
tend to undergo the process of generalization or assimilation and may lose not
only their original capitalization, but also their original meanings. Here are a
few examples from our database:
Audi 5000 [¼ leave], don’t wait for the Feds to show (Kool G. Rap, 2000)
They got a Benz [¼ Mercedes-Benz automobile] but live in their mom’s
house (Ice-T, 1999)
 2.6 Creating 59

Here’s my how-to roll a Dutch Master [¼ cigar with the tobacco replaced
with marijuana], in my opinion, the best blunt (Grass City, 2006)
I think almost every year someone calls me Oreo [¼ African American who is
subservient to whites or adopts their values and attitudes] (Indianapolis
Monthly, 2010)
She is a used Oreo cookie [¼ African American who is subservient to whites
or adopts their values and attitudes]. The white community used her and spit
her out (Ebony, 2008)

Borrowing may also involve expressions taken from African American slang
for use in general American slang. This phenomenon, labeled variously as
secondary slang, lexical appropriation, or even Africanization of the lexicon,
will be dealt with in the last chapter, which is devoted to functions of slang.

2.6 Creating
Creating is the process of inventing entirely new words (alternatively labeled
neologisms) via coinage and onomatopoeia. Respelling is sometimes added to
this category, although technically speaking, it involves the modification of
existing words rather than the coining of new ones.

2.6.1 Coinage
Creating words from scratch accounts for very few new words in language.
According to Eble (1996: 26), coinage accounts for almost no new words in
English, and one can offer but a few examples: blurb, googol, hobbit, nylon
and quark. This is possibly because these words themselves give no clue to
their meaning (Lieber 2010: 51). This is also because rather than by coinage
(or root creation), most of words in English are produced in conformity with
patterns already established in the language, such as by modifying or attaching
new meanings to existing words.
Coinage of new words is also rare in African American slang, which may be
surprising since slang thrives on novelty. However, this corresponds with the
aforementioned tendency in the English language to recycle old words. Most
African American slang uses existing words, modified either morphologically
or semantically. Still, there are a few African American slang expressions that
seem to have been coined ex nihilo, and it is impossible to establish their
etymology authoritatively. Here are a few examples of such neologisms:
Every woman wanted to jump on his bozack [¼ penis] (Badass of the
Week, 2009)
Who’s the dicty [¼ self-important or arrogant] kid? (Brother to Brother,
film, 2004)
60 Forms

These hincty [¼ self-important or arrogant] ladies were known for their

marital linkages to prominent black men (Washington Times, 1994)
I wish your mother and father could see you now. And that ofay [¼ white
person] you’re gonna marry (Malcolm X, film, 1992)
It’s good that he’s lookin’ for alternate routes to obtain some skrilla [¼
money] (XXL Magazine, 2008)

More often, however, creating is manifested in a novel combination of two or

more words, or a combination of a word and affixes, for instance petrodollars,
Reaganomics, skyjam, televangelist, unfriend or zoo daddy. If so, many of the
slang expressions mentioned so far – especially those created by compounding or
affixation – are products of such neological creation. While they are composed of
well-known words or affixes, either slangy or standard, the particular combination
evokes a strongly novel and exciting effect. Such neologisms are exceptionally
frequent in African American slang, which can be explained by an oral tradition of
creative wordplay and experimentation deeply rooted in African American cul-
ture and visible in hip-hop lyrics. Let us recall some of these expressions:
It’s all good to call other men chaps when he’s being what he calls Afro
Saxon [¼ African American who is subservient to whites or adopts their
values and attitudes] (Philadelphia Inquirer, 1998)
You try to badmouth [¼ criticize and disrespect] the person who is winning
the game (Ebony, 2009)
It’s part of a trend among blacks to prove they’re blacker-than-thou [¼
criticizing fellow African Americans for not being African American enough]
(New York Newsday, 1993)
I’ll be down there, shortly, to conversate [¼ carry on a conversation] about
that comment (New York Post, 2009)
Dressed in a tunic that read “Illadelphia” [¼ Philadelphia, Pennsylvania] and
a matching do-rag, he was getting ready to go to work (New York Times, 2004)
The niggarette [¼ fellow African American woman] gave me gonorrhea
(Wu-Tang Clan, 1997)
You can ask all my homies, all got tenderonis [¼ young sexually attractive
women] (Snoop Dogg, 1998)
You underdig [¼ understand completely], shorty, it’s all about one thing (Lil
Wayne, 2004)

2.6.2 Onomatopoeia
Another type of creating is onomatopoeia (or echoism). In this process, new
words are formed from natural sounds, or they are adapted visually to suggest
a certain sound, as is the case with bow-wow, ding-dong or tick-tock. In
 2.6 Creating 61

onomatopoeic usage, sound and meaning echo and reinforce each other. There
are a few dozen onomatopoeic expressions in English, but their application is
fairly limited: they are particularly used as exclamations in comic books and
advertising.
Onomatopoeic expressions also play a rather marginal role in African
American slang, although they can be useful thanks to their manner of
associating sound and meaning. Here are a few such expressions found in
our database:
This bling [¼ piece of jewelry, especially a ring]? This is ghetto fabulous!
(30 Rock, NBC-TV series, 2008)
He is a role model not some athlete or rapper with all the bling-bling [¼
showiness and ostentatious luxury] (Ebony, 2009)
This shit is real from jump, so if you wanna thump [¼ fight], we can get
started (Ying Yang Twins, 2002)
He’s been woofing [¼ threatening by using strong and boastful language]
since the season began how he’s going to do this and going to doing that
(New York Daily News, 2010)
You see us guzzling forties, menthols, wine, and wee. Sitting on the back
porch, getting zooted [¼ drunk], feeling fine indeed (Talib Kweli, 2007)

2.6.3 Respelling
Respelling (alternatively termed eye-dialect, phoneticism, distortion or corrup-
tion) involves deliberate misspelling of an expression. This is done chiefly for
jocular effect, especially in journalism or advertising, for instance Beanz
Meanz Heinz, Krispy Kreme or Kwik Kleen; it is used in internet communi-
cation for brevity, for instance CU L8R or RUOK; it can also be done to imitate
someone’s speech, especially in order to mock or ridicule it, for instance Pahk
the cah in Hahvahd Yahd or Oh mah Gawd). Since the resulting forms always
violate the norms of standard language, they are considered informal or
colloquial. One would expect them to be frequent in slang. Surprisingly, this
is not the case, possibly because their contrived form impedes understanding;
the graphic representation of slang rarely diverges from the standard English
spelling, and odd pronunciations and respellings simply are not commonly
seen in slang.
However, in African American slang, respelling seems to be much more
frequent, if not common (Brasch 1981: 299). This can be explained by African
Americans’ traditional interest in wordplay and linguistic experimentation,
visible in such cultural manifestations as hip-hop lyrics: “How words sound
has always interested black speakers,” says Major (1994: xxix). But in African
American slang, this process seems to be used to make a political point: the
62 Forms

deliberate violation of orthographical conventions signals an independent spirit

and opposition to authority. It also feigns illiteracy, which suggests the low
socioeconomic status frequently associated with African Americans. Another
matter is phonetic respelling meant to represent peculiar features of African
American English such as monophthongization, postvocalic /r/-dropping and
consonant cluster reductions. Note that this process may involve respelling
either a standard or slang expression. Citational corroboration yields the
following:
Besides being a big balla [¼ someone who makes a lot of money] you’re a
babbler too (Bluff Magazine, 2010)
I know everything there is to know about the shrimping bidness [¼ business]
(Forrest Gump, film, 1994)
I would like to make new friends, I am not looking for boody [¼ sex or the sex
act] so don’t be misdirected or disappointed (Black Planet, 2009)
Can you help a brutha [¼ fellow African American man] out? (Washington
Post, 2003)
You might get a roommate who’s got a lot more chedda [¼ money] than you
(Atlanta Journal-Constitution, 2001)
Dawg [¼ friend], I’m with you on your comments about Wooten and Stanley
(Ebony, 2009)
I think she has flava [¼ sexual attractiveness], she’s a total package (Right
Cross Entertainment, 2009)
These cats are madd [¼ extremely or totally] talented! (Yahoo
Groups, 2009)
I always considered her to be a gorgeous, strong and intelligent sista [¼
fellow African American woman] (Brown Sista, 2008)
He is an inspiring and talented emcee who is constantly improving his rap
skillz [¼ ability to rap very well] (Rap Weekly, 2010)
Respelling in African American slang is perhaps most discernible in a great
number of possible variants of three expressions: motherfuck, motherfucker
and motherfucking. As evidenced by lexicographic works on the subject by
Widawski (1994) and Sheidlower (1995), their respelled forms may run into a
few dozen versions, many of them euphemistic. See the following examples
from our database:
I remember calling someone an MF [¼ contemptible or despicable man]
(Ebony, 2010)
This mo-fo [¼ contemptible or despicable man] oversimplified highly com-
plex issues with the typical sprinking of bad rhetoric (News, CBS-TV
program, 2010)
 2.6 Creating 63

I was sitting next to the mothafucka [¼ contemptible or despicable man]

(Chappelle’s Show, WGN-TV program, 2010)
I’m a mothafuckin lyrical wordsmith, mothafuckin [¼ excellent or admir-
able] genius (Democratic Underground, 2009)
They’re gonna lock me up. Motherfuck [¼ I am irritated]! (Virgin,
film, 2003)
He was never bothered by the wretchedness of mothering [¼ extremely or
totally] stupid children (Screen Hub, 2009)
Did I mention what a sexy muh-fuh [¼ excellent or admirable man or thing]
Brook is? (All Hip Hop, 2010)
You muthafucka [¼ contemptible or despicable man], that was what I was
gonna say! (Black Voices, 2010)

Respelling may also be linked to decoding or cryptic functions. Although this is

relatively rare, slang may be formed from various code or cryptic devices,
occasionally referred to as little languages. These are vocabularies formed from
known words by adding specific, meaningless sounds or groups of letters at the
beginning or end of a word, or more typically, before or after each syllable. This
may be accompanied by some respelling or reordering of syllables in the word.
Possibly the most widely known device linked with cryptic function is the
infix -izz- (or -iz-), which was mentioned earlier. It was once enormously
productive in African American slang and peculiar to rap and hip-hop par-
lance. While it contributes virtually no meaning, is it valued for its rhyming,
jocular and especially cryptic qualities: as observed by Dalzell (2009: 552), it
is often applied to hide the meaning of an expression. Other linguists see its
use primarily as an intensifier (Coleman 2012: 37). Here is a selection of such
expressions (note that many of them have a rather ephemeral character, and
therefore are not included in the Glossary):
The dope man don’t give a fuck, he’s all about the dizzolars [¼ dollars]
(Master P, 1991)
We drizzink [¼ drink] smoothies out of red cups with gorgeous people
(Facebook, 2011)
Man, that hizzouse [¼ house] just got egged by vandals (Urban
Dictionary, 2003)
I just tried to do a search on them and I didn’t get shizzit [¼ nothing] (Hard
Forum, 2004)
My life is wizzild [¼ wild]. I’m moving to St. Louis for college and I’m
completely nervous about it (My Space, 2010)

Finally, we should mention another cryptic device, back slang. It is formed by

respelling a word backward, placing the last letter first, and so on; this may be
64 Forms

done with the possible omission of one or more letters. While it enjoys some
popularity in Britain, it is exceptionally rare in North America, and virtually
non-existent in African American slang. Here is the only back-slang expres-
sion found in our database:
I wouldn’t go so far as to say she sounds like ish [¼ something inferior or
worthless] (Concrete Loops, 2009)

Summary
As evidenced in this chapter, the form of African American slang is not
fundamentally different from that of standard English. The same wordbuilding
processes are applicable, disproving uninformed claims of any alleged linguis-
tic deficiency of African American slang in comparison with standard English.
In fact, in African American slang, some of these processes are more promin-
ent and used in a more creative way.
In compounding, reduplication is very frequent; interestingly, it never
involves the clipping of one element to make a “cryptic” (or “implied”)
reduplication, as is common in British slang. Certain affix words are product-
ive in the creation of numerous compounds, for instance: daddy, ghetto, mama,
nigga, soul and, especially, ass. In affixation, the infixes -izz- and -izzle- are
conspicuous, particularly in hip-hop usage, although no longer in vogue. In
phraseology, numerous phrasal verbs are formed in a creative way, either with
totally new meanings or in unique combinations of verbs and particles; longer
phrases and formulaic expressions, often proverbial in character, are also
popular and typically reflect the African American experience. Both in com-
pounding and phraseology, rhyming is frequently employed in African Ameri-
can slang, typically achieved through alliteration and assonance.
While numerous expressions are the result of combining, equally common
is the short form and the shortening of already existing expressions.
Monosyllabic words figure prominently in African American slang. In abbre-
viation, clipped forms and initialisms are most frequent, while acronyms and
back formations are relatively rare. Blending, a marginal wordbuilding
process, appears to be surprisingly more common than one might expect.
Conversion, especially verbification, is as pervasive as it is in standard
English.
In African American slang, borrowings and loan translations are not espe-
cially prominent. Surprisingly, this also pertains to expressions borrowed from
African languages or loan translations from these languages, all of which are
relatively rare. Likewise, eponyms are also infrequent, except compounds
based on first names which enjoy some popularity. Brand names constitute a
marginal part of African American slang.
 Summary 65

Just as in standard English and general slang, creating entirely new words is
not popular in African American slang. Coinage and onomatopoeia are
seldom found. Respelling, on the other hand, is very frequent; the respelled
forms reflect the standard AAVE pronunciation but are also used consciously
for a number of sociological reasons stemming from the African American
experience. Cryptic devices are virtually non-existent except for a variety of
initialisms and clippings which have a more or less overt cryptic character.
3 Meanings

The linguistic description of African American slang must include changes

in meaning. The lexicon of any language can be enriched by altering the
form of existing words, borrowing foreign words, or inventing entirely
new words. However, the lexical enrichment may also by done through
a change in the meaning of existing words. Semantic change is a natural
and well-established vehicle for language development. It principally
involves two main processes: figuration, which makes use of metaphor,
metonymy and related figurative means, and semantic shifting, which
includes generalization, specialization, melioration and degradation.
Although figuration is traditionally associated with poetic diction and
shifting is commonly viewed in the context of historical change, both are
productive in everyday speech and are as much a part of language as any
other linguistic mechanism.
In African American slang, figuration and semantic shifting are also
important mechanisms. In fact, changes in meaning are at least as important
as changes in form. First of all, these semantic processes are enormously
productive and account for numerous slang expressions based on standard
English. More importantly, their popularity and productivity disprove the
popular claims of African American slang’s alleged semantic poverty and
expressive deficiency with regard to standard English. The following presen-
tation explores these processes in detail.

3.1 Figuration
Figuration is a well-established process of semantic change. It entails a word
gaining further, non-literal meanings, specifically through metaphor and
metonymy. The English lexicon abounds in meanings created in this way;
examples include: nature spoke, living death and crown of England. Although
such figures of speech have long featured prominently in poetry, they are also
used frequently in everyday language. In fact, as claimed and illustrated by
Lakoff and Johnson (1980: ix), figuration is central to thought, cognition and
ordinary, non-literary language.
66
 3.1 Figuration 67

As observed by Coleman (2012: 31), the figurative use of standard English is

one of the most common sources of slang. As mentioned previously, the form
of slang rarely differs from that of standard English, so figurative meaning is
essential. Literature scholars might take this to be surprising, but slang borders
on poetry. Lighter (in Algeo 2001: 225) neatly compares the two: very much
like poetry, slang is highly connotative and defamiliarizes the mundane world,
and it implies that ordinary language is not quite adequate for certain tasks.
Figuration is also a significant semantic process in African American slang,
interestingly employing many of the same figurative devices found in poetic
language: metaphor, metonymy, synecdoche, allusion, hyperbole, meiosis,
simile, personification and reification. Let us discuss them in detail.

3.1.1 Metaphor
Metaphor is the best-known figure of speech used in figuration. It can be
generally understood as the application of a word or phrase to someone or
something where it is not meant literally, but is rather used to make a
comparison. More specifically, metaphor crosses certain conceptual boundar-
ies, often called domains, and names something by a different name. In this
way, it brings likeness or analogy between things that are fundamentally
different. For instance, a snake can mean “a secretive, treacherous or dishonest
person” because the behavior of such people is similar to what is commonly
thought to be the behavior of snakes; the domains, however, are entirely
different. In popular opinion, metaphor belongs to poetry, where for centuries
it has been admired for crossing the boundaries of human thought and inspir-
ing imagination.
Metaphor is by no means exclusive to poetry and is used extensively in
African American slang as well. This is due to slang’s tendency to avoid
naming things directly on the one hand, and its tendency to trigger striking
associations on the other. Here is a selection of relevant examples:
We’re all ad guys. Flew in this morning from the Apple [¼ New York City]
(Out of Sight, film, 1998)
I made the choice to devote my life to having kids and be a baby factory
[¼ woman who has had a lot of children] (Los Angeles Times, 2010)
I’ll do that later, I gotta bounce [¼ leave]! (30 Rock, NBC-TV series, 2007)
You keep laying that pipe [¼ having sex] with Marlene and she’ll make us all
rich (Ray, film, 2004)
Luckily I found out that she was a lemon [¼ light-skinned sexually attractive
African American woman] (Yahoo Answers, 2009)
“Concussion? How’s your melon [¼ head]?” “It’s all right” (Criminal
Minds, CBS-TV series, 2013)
68 Meanings

You smoked the blunts and got nice [¼ under the influence of drugs]
(Notorious B.I.G., 1994)
People are salty [¼ irritated, angry or hostile] because she has the nerve to
show her real-woman boobs on TV (Bitch Magazine, 2013)
He’s a fuckin’ snake [¼ traitor, especially an informant], you niggaz are
fuckin blind to facts (Jay-Z, 2009)
I figured that if I just split [¼ departed or left], then the problem would go
away (Get on the Bus, film, 1996)

3.1.2 Metonymy
Metonymy is another productive figuration device used in standard English.
In metonymy, an attribute of something is used to represent the thing itself.
In contrast to metaphor, which crosses different domains, metonymy operates
within a single domain, linking things that are somehow associated, and thus,
as observed by Lakoff and Johnson (1980: 35), “allows us to center more
specifically on certain aspects of what is being referred to.” Examples of this
productive figuration device include the Crown (“monarchy or reigning mon-
arch”), plastic (“credit card(s)”), the press (“newspapers or journalists viewed
collectively”) or the White House (“The US President and his staff”).
Accordingly, African American slang makes extensive use of metonymy
as well. As in metaphors, most slang metonyms operate on the same prin-
ciples as standard language: the meaning of one word must be associated in
some way with the meaning of another. African American slang abounds in
words which have acquired new meanings in this way. See the following
selections:
Man, I got some serious bank [¼ money] in my wallet (Aaron Peckham,
2005)
Blaze [¼ light a marijuana cigarette] the spliff! Nigga, did you hear me?
(Snoop Dogg, 1999)
For weeks, Demi’s teammates referred to her as “blondie” [¼ white woman]
or “white girl” (Miami Herald, 2010)
I hold my chrome [¼ firearm] steady, with a tight grip (Gang Starr, 1999)
Ain’t nobody tryin’ to clown [¼ joke, tease or make fun of] me (Ice-T, 1999)
I’m on the strip, eyeballin’ [¼ staring at or observing closely] the chicks
(Wu-Tang Clan, 2001)
I don’t think they’ve got any funds [¼ money] to give us (Macon
Telegraph, 2003)
I’m not to be fucked with, step in the range of my gauge [¼ shotgun] and get
bucked quick (Ice-T, 1993)
 3.1 Figuration 69

College hoops [¼ game of basketball], particularly the tournament, provide

athletic departments big bucks (Ebony, 2009)
We can’t go to no march with a white boy [¼ white man, especially young]
driving (Get on the Bus, film, 1996)

3.1.3 Other processes

Synecdoche is often considered a kind of metonymy. It is a figure of
speech in which the part stands for the whole or, less commonly, vice versa.
English is full of meanings based on synecdoche, for instance, hand
(“helper”), sail (“boat”), wheels (“car”) or America (“The United States of
America”).
Synecdoche, too, is often encountered in African American slang. Again,
the reasons are similar to those for metonymy, presented earlier. Here is a
selection of citational examples of synecdoche:
He comes off as one of the biggest badasses [¼ tough, bold and severe
persons] in the history of film (Miami New Times, 2011)
Yo bitch, bring your black ass [¼ self, when referring to an African American]
back over (Snoop Dogg, 1993)
You got some booty [¼ woman as a sex object or partner] in this house?
I toId you I don’t want no company in my house (ATL, film, 2006)
He has a Russian passport, has lived in the District [¼ Washington, DC] for
a decade and is known locally not as Joaquim but as Vasily Ivanovich
(Ebony, 2009)
I pop open the briefcases, nothin but Franklin faces [¼ hundred dollar bills]
(Notorious B.I.G., 1997)
Brother, I met this fine pink toe [¼ white person] last night (Urban
Dictionary, 2010)
I don’t give a damn anyway, hey, skins [¼ women as sex objects or partners]
are skins! (Us3, 1993)
Get your white ass [¼ self, when referring to a white person] away from that
window! (Forrest Gump, film, 1994)

Allusion can be considered a form of metaphor. Many metaphors intensify

their meaning by cultural allusions or via reference to an historical or literary
event, person or place; quite often, allusion is based on popular culture and
leisure activities such as sports, movies, television and popular music. They
may be fully comprehensible only if one has the specific knowledge of the
referents in question. Representative examples include such expressions as:
Alphabet City, Beam me up Scotty, City of Angels, get to second base, pull a
MacGyver, take the Pepsi challenge or Volunteer State.
70 Meanings

Such use is especially important in African American slang. This is

because slang often relies on shared knowledge that can serve as a sign
of belonging to a limited circle of people, exluding outsiders who do not
have the specific knowledge in question. In fact, allusion is sometimes so
specific that it makes slang incomprehensible for those not familiar with
African American culture and history. Such use is consistent with slang’s
characteristic of being arcane and secretive. Here is a selection of relevant
examples:

There are cases filled with Florida post cards that show black babies labeled
“alligator bait” [¼ African American from Florida or Louisiana, especially
a child] (South Florida Sun-Sentinel, 1990)
He’s screaming for revenge against Babylon [¼ aspects of white culture seen
as degenerate and oppressive] (Chicago Sun-Times, 2012)
He asked the victim to buy him a double deuce [¼ twenty-two-ounce bottle of
strong and cheap malt liquor] (Chicago Sun-Times, 2012)
You Mexican boys can’t play the Dozens [¼ tease, especially by provocative
rhyming comments in a gamelike manner] (Bobby, film, 2006)
She ain’t no field nigger [¼ rebellious lower-class African American, espe-
cially working on a farm] (Django Unchained, film, 2012)
They never received the promised forty acres [¼ symbolic reparations for
enslavement] (Kansas City Star, 2008)
Your cousin gets back from getting her hair fried [¼ straightened by using a
heated metal comb] and died (Coach Carter, film, 2005)
The ghetto lullaby [¼ innercity-ghetto noise, especially sirens, helicopters,
gunfire] puttin’ my kids to sleep (Menace II Society, film, 1992)
Uncle Colin was a house nigga [¼ African American who acts subserviently
toward a white employer, especially working in a household], did what
massa Bush told him to do (Washington Post, 2006)
We’re paying tribute to African American history and pop culture in Soul
City [¼ Harlem, New York] (Book Reporter, 2010)

Hyperbole is another important device used in figuration. It refers to exagger-

ation or overstatement, usually deliberate and not meant to be taken literally. In
the English language, everyday idioms are often hyperbolic, for instance die of
shame, million times, tons of money or waiting for ages. Hyperbole is normally
used for emphasis, though overuse reduces its impact. Moreover, hyperbole as
a way of exaggerating is especially typical of male talk, as observed by Flexner
(in Chapman 1986: xxv). Hyperbole is productive in African American slang
possibly because of the sarcastic humor typically associated with it. The
following citational findings reflect this:
 3.1 Figuration 71

Let me start off by saying that this is strictly a rumor, so don’t take this as
serious as a heart attack [¼ very serious] (Bleacher Report, 2011)
I ain’t gonna lie, this is one beastly [¼ unattractive] nigga! (YouTube, 2011)
All they need is a computer and they can do it before God gets the news
[¼ very quickly] (Helium, 2011)
So I deaded [¼ abandoned, especially one’s girlfriend] her. I can’t chill with
her anymore. She’s a ho! (New York Magazine, 1997)
People say “nigger” about fifty eleven [¼ very many] times in “Django
Unchained” (Racialicious, 2013)
“I gotta jet [¼ leave]!” “You should definitely come over sometime”
(Surface, NBC-TV series, 2005)
Niggaz should scream on [¼ criticize and disrespect] him for that (World
Star Hip Hop, 2009)
He couldn’t get a slave [¼ job]; he apparently drank all the travel money up
(Scott Newhall, 1990)

The opposite of hyperbole is meiosis (sometimes alternatively termed litotes)

and is another frequently used figuration device. It is an ironic understatement
that dismisses or belittles, specifically by using expressions that make some-
thing less significant than it really is or should be, for instance calling a serious
wound a scratch, characterizing a stupid person as not exactly intelligent, or
referring to the Atlantic Ocean as the pond. Meiosis is also used is African
American slang, again likely for its sarcastic humor. Citational corroboration
yields the following:
I came to this world undressed, still no B-coat [¼ bulletproof vest], just my
chest (Rap Battles, 2008)
We’re having a party at G’s crib [¼ apartment or house]. You interested?
(Sopranos, HBO-TV series, 1999)
I figured it was only a matter of time until a ghetto bird [¼ police helicopter,
often used in inner-city ghetto communities] buzzed the neighborhood
(Whittier Daily News, 2009)
I don’t know nothin’ about nobody gettin’ offed [¼ killed] (Tresspass,
film, 1992)
I penciled a note stating that he owed me paper [¼ money] (Orlando
Sentinel, 1997)
Did you peep [¼ observe, examine or notice] that drop-top thing out front?
(Men in Black II, film, 2002)

Simile is yet another figure of speech used in figuration. It entails a somewhat

fanciful or unrealistic comparison between one thing and another, employing
72 Meanings

the words like or as. There are numerous expressions in English based on
simile, for instance, (as) black as coal, (as) busy as a bee, (as) strong as an ox,
eat like a pig or sleep like a log. Simile is also found in African American slang
where it is normally used to strengthen or emphasize a given quality. Consider
the following examples:
One’s running around, looking crazy as a motherfucker [¼ extremely or
totally] (Precious, film, 2009)
They’ve gotta know we’re as serious as a heart attack [¼ very serious]
(Youngstown Vindicator, 2011)
It’s too cold for you to be runnin’ around barefoot as a river duck
[¼ barefoot] (Ross Roeser, 1998)
Immigration was on my ass like stank on shit [¼ clinging to or following as
closely as possible] (Antonio Styles, 2011)
We need to be vigilant and stay on you like white on rice [¼ clinging to or
following as closely as possible] (New York Times, 2009)

Another figuration device is personification (or humanization), which is often

regarded as an aspect of metaphor. It refers to the attribution of human
qualities to objects or abstract notions, as in Baby New Year, Father Time,
Mother Nature, Old Man Winter, one-armed bandit or Uncle Sam. African
American slang also employs personification, with much the same effect as
standard English. Here is a handful of examples:
This ain’t no weed, Ray. This is boy [¼ heroin]. It’ll make you ass null and
void (Ray, film, 2004)
She know I’m motivated by a Franklin face [¼ hundred dollar bill] (Chevy
Woods, 2012)
In the seventies, they said you couldn’t become addicted to “girl” [¼ cocaine].
We knew different (Word Press, 2009)
DD is so fat, he has to strategically place mirrors just to find his jim browski
[¼ penis] (Let’s Go Kings, 2010)
“Give us your best condoms.” “Fine, fine, Lambskin. Very sensitive. Leaves
some feeling for your jimmy [¼ penis]” (Booty Call, film, 1997)
This big momma [¼ excellent or admirable thing] cost me $7.30. Well worth
satisfying my potato craving (Atkins Diet, 2009)
Chicago’s wind is called Mr. Hawkins [¼ cold winter wind] (Blogger, 2010)

Finally, there is a figuration device which is the opposite of personification. It

may be referred to as reification (or objectification), and again is regarded as
part of metaphor. In such “reverse personification,” humans are referred to by
names of objects or abstract notions, often to show distance or detachment for
 3.1 Figuration 73

oneself, but also scorn or disdain for another, for instance cop, the bench, the
law, [party] whip, pillar [of the community], the state. This process is also
common in African American slang. Consider the following examples:
She’s built like a brick. She’s a brick [¼ sexually attractive woman] (Geneva
Smitherman, 2000)
I used to help all them crumbs [¼ insignificant people] (Randy Kearse, 2006)
You seen her? She’s a dime [¼ sexually attractive person], dawg. Perfect ten,
man! (Stone, film, 2010)
I love Serena. Serena’s body is sick. As my brother says, “She’s a hammer
[¼ sexually attractive woman]” (Media Takeout, 2008)
First he was my money grip [¼ close friend], then he stole my honey dip (Del
the Funky Homosapien, 1991)
In like manner, humans can also be figuratively referred to by names of
animals. This is a very common process and accounts for numerous African
American slang expressions (see below).

3.1.4 Figuration themes

Even a cursory analysis of figurative expressions in slang may reveal that
certain thematic categories are especially productive in figuration. Put differ-
ently, there are numerous figurative expressions built around certain themes. In
African American slang, too, there are several recurrent semantic patterns
which are used in the production of new meanings.
Food is one of the most popular images in African American slang. This is
most likely because, besides water and oxygen, food is the most elementary
substance needed for human existence; it can appeal to taste, smell, sight and
touch. The numerous food words for money, parts of the body, people or
intoxication indicate that it means much more to people than mere nourish-
ment. Examples of this theme abound. Consider the following:
I’m a sexy banana [¼ sexually attractive light-skinned African American
woman] (Facebook, 2010)
She still knows how to shake her biscuit [¼ buttocks] on the dance floor
(Word Press, 2011)
You could make a lot of bread [¼ money] playing it (Los Angeles Times,
1986)
You can smoke broccoli [¼ marijuana] and still get lung cancer from it
(YouTube, 2007)
Miss America even made an appearance, and yes, she’s a real cake [¼
sexually attractive woman]! (QVC Boot Bootique, 2009)
74 Meanings

He tries to put together enough cheddar [¼ money] to finance his dream

(New York Times, 2002)
I absolutely hate those stupid crumbs [¼ insignificant people] (Neowin,
2009)
Sometimes we’ll throw a white chick in if she has flavor [¼ sexual attract-
iveness] (Flavor XXX, 2009)

Figuration based on body parts is another heavily exploited image in African

American slang. Again, this may be because the human body is one of the first
things we learn about ourselves, and serves as the most basic reference system.
This theme often involves words considered taboo, many of them with
secondary meanings related to sex. Here are some examples found in our
database:

She had big eyes [¼ intense craving or desire] for Berry, whom she met
onstage (Time, 2011)
Rubber banded bundles of big faces [¼ any of the new-style dollar bills with
large faces of US presidents, especially the new hundred-dollar bills]
(Nekousa Mullin, 2004)
Well, I know you didn’t bone [¼ had sex with] her (Jungle Fever, film, 1991)
That guy was eyeballing [¼ staring at or observing closely] me the whole
time (Seinfeld, NBC-TV series, 1999)
Invite your single friends to celebrate the glass ceilings that hold all of us
back by sucking on the glass dick [¼ glass pipe used to smoke crack cocaine]
(Madatoms, 2010)
And nine times out of ten, the honey he’d hit skins [¼ have sex] with, she’d be
a white girl (Get on the Bus, film, 1996)
He described the irresponsible speaker as talking like a man with a paper ass
[¼ insignificant man] (Zim Dog, 2009)
Walking is for old heads [¼ older persons]? I can’t believe what I’m hearing
(Kath and Kim, NBC-TV series, 2008)

There are many more productive themes used in figuration. Below is a

selection of them along with citational corroboration.
Figuration based on colors is an established pattern of creating new mean-
ings in languages. In African American slang, most expressions built around
this theme refer to matters of race and skin color, which is not surprising given
the aggregate experience of African Americans after over three hundred years
of living in America. Consider the following expressions:

You don’t bring no brown sugar [¼ African American woman, especially if

sexually attractive] (Jungle Fever, film, 1991)
 3.1 Figuration 75

They were white and I was black. We’d call them “ofays” or “grays” [¼ white
persons] (Geraldine Coleman, 1996)
Now you’re the finest girl I ever saw in my life, I want to stick to you like
white on rice [¼ clinging to or following as closely as possible] (Tina Turner
and Kurt Loder, 1980)
The term was created by pinks [¼ white persons] to deny responsibility for
systemic racism (AntiRacist Workshop, 2013)
I dream of the day when the Red, Black and Green [¼ color combination
suggesting strong identification with African Americans and their experi-
ence] will be on proud display (Black World Today, 1999)
I was born a white nigga [¼ white person who assumes the behavior and
values of the African American culture, especially hip-hop]! (SOHH, 2007)
I ain’t no white trash [¼ poor white person, especially from the southern
USA]! (Cape Fear, film, 1991)
Blacks think of her as a yellow [¼ light-skinned African American, especially
a sexually attractive young woman] (Alice Walker, 1998)
Figuration involving animals is also frequent in African American slang.
Expressions based on this theme typically involve an attribution of an animal
nature or characteristic to a person or an object. Citational corroboration yields
the following:
Come on, alligators [¼ devotees or performers of swing music, especially if
white]! It’s not enough to dance the dances, you need to talk the talk of swing
(Baltimore Sun, 2001)
I think you got more sense than any cat [¼ man] in this prison (Malcolm X,
film, 1992)
I came to cop some licks from some more experienced cats [¼ jazz musi-
cians], you dig? (Ray, film, 2004)
I’ve seen pix of her from back in the day and she was such a fox [¼ sexually
attractive woman] (Us Magazine, 2010)
I’ve got two Cadillacs to drive. A lot of guys work all their lives and never get
to drive a Hog [¼ Cadillac automobile] (Sports Illustrated, 2010)
The roaches [¼ police officers] will shit themselves to death (Naked Lunch,
film, 1991)
He had been suffering from paranoid schizophrenia and regularly smoked
skunk [¼ very strong marijuana] (Washington Post, 2007)
Boy, you’re a real snake [¼ traitor, especially an informant]! (Dreamgirls,
film, 2006)
Figuration based on numbers is another frequent pattern. Associating numbers
with words or concepts has a long tradition, seen in numerology or the Hebrew
76 Meanings

system of gematria. In African American slang this association is context-

determined and its understanding requires the knowledge of concrete concepts
to which numbers relate. Consider the following expressions:
The Dozens [¼ teasing, especially by provocative rhyming comments in
a gamelike manner] is about maintaining your cool (Los Angeles
Times, 1994)
“Give me five [¼ hand-slapping in greeting or congratulation],” he shouts,
left arm straight up with five fingers extended (City Pulse, 2010)
When somebody buys a forty [¼ forty-ounce bottle of strong and cheap malt
liquor], they’re going to drink a forty (Charlotte Observer, 1998)
Message me your details and I’ll give you the four eleven [¼ information or
facts] on the price (Facebook, 2013)
I pack a nine [¼ nine-millimeter handgun] all the time (Snoop Dogg, 1998)
“Look out, nigga!” “What’s up, punk?” “Possible one-eighty-seven [¼
murder] at corner of Crenshaw and Century” (Boyz in the Hood, film, 1991)
Gangsta-ass niggas think deep up three sixty-five [¼ continuously or non-
stop], cause real gangsta-ass niggas don’t sleep (Geto Boys, 1992)
We’re gonna be watching you twenty-four seven [¼ continuously or non-
stop] (Showtime, film, 2002)
Last but not least, let us mention yet another figuration theme: the family,
which is the source of several slang expressions in African American slang. As
noticed by Dalzell (2010: 13–14) metaphors based on the family serve the
purpose of constructing a new, positive self-identity. This is largely the case,
although there are also negative, ironic expressions related to this theme which
refer to the subservience of African Americans. Here are some examples found
in our database:
Willie is shot down by a young black woman he accuses of being an Aunt
Thomasina [¼ African American woman who is subservient to whites or
adopts their values and attitudes] (San Jose Mercury News, 1991)
Three proofs that Jesus was black: he called everybody “brother” [¼ fellow
African American], he had no permanent address, nobody would hire him
(Reinhold Aman, 1993)
Your cuz [¼ fellow African American] seems like she is exaggerating a bit
(Black Voices, 2011)
If we don’t respect our sisters [¼ African American women], who will?
(8 Mile, film, 2002)
You have been called a traitor, an Uncle Tom [¼ African American man who
is subservient to whites or adopts their values and attitudes] (Bamboozled,
film, 2000)
 3.2 Shifting 77

3.2 Shifting
Semantic shifting is an established mechanism of change in the meaning of
words. It involves such semantic processes as generalization, specialization,
melioration and pejoration, all of which can affect both denotative and
connotative meaning. Shifting is usually observed through the passage of
time. In standard language, it is evident in shifts from older meanings into
new ones, often important to consider in an historical context. For instance,
the word gay once meant “merry” but shifted denotation to mean
“homosexual.”
Since much of slang is formed from old words which acquire new meanings,
semantic shifting strongly features in African American slang. By way of
analogy, shifts in meaning of slang expressions can be compared to shifts in
standard language throughout history. There are numerous slang expressions
which changed their meanings in this way; for instance, the expression Ann
was first used to mean “a white woman” but, through shifting, came to be used
for “an arrogant African American woman who acts like a white person.” All
these shifting processes are employed in African American slang.

3.2.1 Generalization
Generalization (alternatively termed broadening or extension) widens the
denotative meaning of a word, rendering it broader or more inclusive over
time. In standard English, many words have acquired their current meaning
through this process. For instance, novice once meant “an initiate in a religious
order” but has widened its meaning and now can be used to refer to “any
beginner in any field or discipline.”
African American slang expressions employ generalization as well. The
meaning is widened with regard to standard words that become slang in this
way, but also with regard to words that are already slang and have acquired
additional meanings. Here is a selection of expressions whose meaning
became generalized:
I better hurry up and finish this comment before the plug gets pulled and
can’t find me some booty [¼ woman as a sex object or partner, not just the
buttocks] (CNET, 2009)
Taylor Swift won’t ever become a diva [¼ any accomplished and distin-
guished woman, not just a celebrated female opera singer] who gets caught
up trying to bask in her own spotlight (Appleton Post-Crescent, 2009)
They tell the taxpayer how it’s using our tax ducats [¼ money in general, not
just old European coins named “ducats”] (Ebony, 2009)
My woman need funds [¼ money in general, not just amount of money saved
or invested], plus her hair and her toes done (Wu-Tang Clan, 2007)
78 Meanings

Yet if a woman, irrespective of her sexual orientation, was promiscuous, she

was a ho’ [¼ any sexually promiscuous woman, not just a prostitute], no
explanation needed (Mary Morrison, 2009)
Cookbook author Marlena Spieler has a jones [¼ any intense craving or
desire, not just a drug habit] for cheese (Kansas City Star, 2006)
Ain’t ya goin’ to introduce me to this good-looking mama [¼ any woman,
especially sexually attractive, not just someone’s mother]? (Rebecca
Buckley, 2006)
Ninja don’t sweat. Bullets can’t kill a ninja [¼ any tough person, not just a
Japanese martial arts expert]! (Facebook, 2012)

3.2.2 Specialization
Specialization (or narrowing) is the opposite of generalization. It entails
semantic change in which the denotative meaning of a word becomes
narrowed, less general or less inclusive over time. Again, many current
meanings in English lexicon have come about as a result of this process. For
instance, meat once simply meant “food” but has narrowed its meaning and
now is used only to refer to “the flesh of an animal used as food.”
African American slang also features specialization. Again, the meaning is
narrowed with regard to standard words that become slang in this way, but also
with regard to words that were already slang to begin with. Here is a selection
of expressions whose meanings have become specialized:
Look, I don’t need your attitude [¼ arrogant, condescending or confron-
tational attitude, not any attitude] (Big Bang Theory, CBS-TV series,
2008)
I can do [¼ have sex with, not do any activity in general] anybody (54,
film, 1998)
He moved deftly between classic lyrics and his own added freestyle [¼
spontaneous and improvised music, especially rap, not just any improvisa-
tion] (Ebony, 2009)
Let’s not talk, let’s get busy [¼ have sex with, not get busy in general]!
(South Park, film, 1995)
He doesn’t actually smoke herb [¼ marijuana, not any herb] up there
(Orlando Sentinel, 2008)
I saw your man [¼ close friend, not just any man], man! (Paid in Full,
film, 2002)
That’s a lot of paper [¼ money, not just any paper], dawg (Crossover,
film, 2006)
You’ll meet my people [¼ friends, not just people in general] (Ice-T, 1999)
 3.2 Shifting 79

You didn’t just go up to a girl and ask her for her seven digits [¼ telephone
number, not any set of seven digits] (Washington Post, 1999)

3.2.3 Melioration
Melioration (alternatively termed amelioration or elevation) is yet another
semantic process of change in language. It involves an “improvement” in the
meaning of a word whose connotations become more favorable over time. Put
differently, “words improve in reputation” (Steinmetz and Kipfer 2006: 108).
Many current meanings in the English lexicon have come about as a result of
this process as well: for instance, knight once meant “a boy” or “male servant”
but has improved its meaning to refer to “a noble soldier of higher rank” or “a
man who holds the title Sir.”
Melioration is also widespread in African American slang. This is because
much of slang is negative and involves taboo references to sexual acts, body
parts and bodily functions. However, through increased use, these expressions
lose their shock value and become more positive. For instance, the world of
African American music was responsible for popularizing the meliorated
meanings of jam, jazz and juke, all of which originally had sexual references.
Here are more examples of slang expressions with ameliorated meanings:
Oh my God! You’re so bad [¼ excellent or admirable]! You’re the man!
(Strictly Sexual, film, 2008)
Diane excelled as the sophisticated bitch [¼ woman] (Tom Lisanti, 2000)
You burn [¼ cook, especially if very well] supper? Who’s the lucky girl?
(Jungle Fever, film, 1991)
I’m gonna need an accountant to count all my cheddar [¼ money] and stuff
(A Good Day to Be Black and Sexy, film, 2008)
Here’s a fatass [¼ big or impressive] check to smooth out the ride (Catch
and Release, film, 2006)
I vouch for this motherfucker [¼ excellent or admirable man], he’s a
motherfucking genius (8 Mile, film, 2002)
They still bring the noise [¼ music, especially instrumental music rather than
vocals] (Ebony, 2009)
Brandi was a thick [¼ (of a woman) curvaceous] cute little chick (Snoop
Dogg, 2006)

Perhaps the most conspicuous instance of melioration in African American

slang is the word nigger (and its variant, nigga). It is arguably among the most
offensive racist slurs in the English language. However, when used by African
Americans in reference to themselves, it often loses its negative meaning. As
observed by Major (1994: xxxi), “Black speakers, in self mockery, can call
80 Meanings

each other ‘nigger’ and, in a sense, make null and void racial slurs of white
bigots.” This pertains to the use of the word by itself but also to numerous
combinations whose semantic ranges vary. Consider the following:
Who’s the Boss Nigga In Charge [¼ an African American person in
charge]? Who the motherfucking boss? (Slim Thug, 2009)
I’m the Head Nigger In Charge [¼ African American person in charge]
(Malcolm X, film, 1992)
Black kids call each other “my nigger” [¼ fellow African American] (New
York Times, 2005)
I hope you have a Niggalicious [¼ excellent or admirable, especially if
connected with African Americans] Christmas (YouTube, 2010)
I don’t think that niggarette [¼ fellow African American woman] is so damn
sexy (Get Big, 2009)
Nigger please [¼ I am irritated and exasperated]! It’s the White House!
(Live Journal, 2009)
Why don’t you talk like the rest of us poor niggers [¼ fellow African
Americans]? (Alice Walker, 2013)

3.2.4 Pejoration
Pejoration (alternatively termed degradation or degeneration) is the opposite of
melioration. It involves a “depreciation” in the meaning of a word whose
connotations have become less favorable or have worsened over time. Histor-
ically, pejoration has shaped the meanings of many standard words. For
instance, silly once meant “blessed” or “innocent” but has worsened semantic-
ally to mean “ridiculous” or “trivial.”
This process is also encountered in African American slang, which often
favors mockery and degradation. Because of the generally negative tone of
slang, pejoration is considered less evident than melioration (Eble 1996: 59).
Our findings support this. Consider the following expressions that have under-
gone pejoration:
“You’re a real bear [¼ unattractive person, especially a woman]!” “Why
insult me?” (Matter of Size, film, 2009)
I would bend Amanda over, lick her fish hole [¼ vagina], then pound that
sweet little love muscle (Ninja Dude, 2009)
For all those days you tried to game [¼ deceive or manipulate] me
(AZ, 2000)
I don’t understand why dudes are so geographical [¼ harboring prejudice
against someone because of their place of origin] when it comes to music
(Realest Niggas, 2010)
 Summary 81

You smoked the blunts and got nice [¼ under the influence of a drug]
(Notorious B.I.G., 1994)
The game’s out there. Play or be played [¼ be deceived or outsmarted]
(Wire, HBO-TV series, 2002)
It was time to quit styling [¼ boasting or acting in a showy way] and focus on
the pursuit of their state championship (Chicago Tribune, 2002)
Mantan is a Tom [¼ African American man who is subservient to whites or
adopts their values and attitudes], Mantan is a disgrace (Bamboozled,
film, 2000)
Sometimes, the melioration or pejoration in slang can be extreme and involve a
total reversal of meaning. Antiphrasis, as it is technically called, is the use of
an expression to mean the opposite of its usual sense, for instance saying that’s
wonderful when one really thinks something is terrible. Brasch calls this
“semantic inversion” and considers it an important feature of African Ameri-
can lexis (1981: 295). Dalzell views such inversion as a sign of rebellion, and
explains that it “is a linguistic world-upside-down view, in that what the
dominant society views as positive is negative, and vice versa” (2010: 24).
Indeed, there are numerous examples of this interesting process in African
American slang, showing a fondness for wordplay and semantic experimen-
tation. Consider the following:
Tell me, what is the biggest, baddest [¼ most excellent or admirable]
hamburger you guys got? (True Romance, film, 1993)
You were the illest [¼ most excellent or admirable] man alive, now I’m
reading your eulogy (Gang Starr, 1998)
It was illin’ [¼ excellent or admirable] seein my nigga DJin at the clubhouse
last night (Facebook, 2011)
It’s gonna be a mean [¼ excellent or admirable] bike, maybe the baddest we
ever built (Skateland, film, 2010)
Check out the brainy Brett! You’re a smart motherfucker [¼ excellent or
admirable man]! (Pulp Fiction, film, 1994)
He’s a motherfucking [¼ excellent or admirable] genius (8 Mile, film, 2003)
Everybody loves those guys. They throw the sickest [¼ most excellent or
admirable] parties (Old School, film, 2003)
He did it in such vicious [¼ excellent or admirable] style, too. Smiling,
talking to the audience and his opponents (Ebony, 2008)

Summary
As demonstrated above, African American slang is also created by attaching
new meanings to already existing standard English words. This is done by the
82 Meanings

process of figuration which often involves various changes in meaning called

semantic shifts. In that respect, African American slang is not different in any
way from the standard English lexicon, where figuration and shifting are used
extensively to form new meanings. Moreover, these two processes often
feature in poetry, and their pervasive use in African American slang attests
to great linguistic creativity and experimentation.
Figuration in African American slang is extensive and involves metaphor,
metonymy and several other processes; notable is the use of allusion specific to
the African American culture and experience. Figuration themes are generally
consistent with those used in general American slang and involve food, body
parts, animals and a few others; however, certain themes, such as colors, are
much more prominent.
Semantic shifting is extensive as well. It involves all four processes:
generalization, specialization, melioration and pejoration. All of them occur
in standard English and are connected with historical change in the language;
in slang, however, they happen quicker and are therefore more conspicuous.
Most notable is the ameliorated meaning of the racial slur nigger, although this
usage remains the exclusive bailiwick of African Americans, and remains
offensive when used by outsiders.
4 Themes

The linguistic description of African American slang would be incomplete

without an examination of its themes. The lexicon of any language can be
divided into certain thematic categories, technically labeled semantic or lexical
fields. For instance, a semantic field for cars may include sedans, station
wagons, convertibles or sport utility vehicles, while one for emotions may
contain anger, envy, fear, joy, sorrow and so forth. Although devising a
complete list of semantic fields is impossible, such categorization proves very
useful. By grouping expressions thematically, specific areas of human experi-
ence can be isolated and analyzed; for instance, a proliferation of expressions
in a given field may indicate that it is particularly significant. In this way, it
offers valuable insight into what a given language community considers
socially and culturally important.
African American slang can also be categorized in this way. Studies by
Dillard (1977), Rickford (2000) and Green (2002) show that it finds expres-
sions for a wide variety of themes. Some scholars even claim that it can
substitute for standard English in nearly all ways. Says Major: “[African
American slang] serves as a device for articulating every conceivable thing
imaginable” (1994: xxviii). Of course, not all standard words have slang
counterparts – for instance, scientific, technological or religious vocabulary.
However, there are certain semantic fields in African American slang which
are exceptionally prolific. These can be divided into two main categories:
common themes which are shared with general slang, and culture-specific
themes which are inherent to the African American experience.

4.1 Common themes

Certain themes are particularly common in slang. As evidenced by earlier
studies (Spears 1990 and Widawski 1997), most of the slang lexicon has
centered traditionally around the following themes: human body, physiology,
sexuality, alcohol, drugs and evaluative categorization – all being socially
taboo in mainstream American culture. One may label them “common”
because they are universally featured in the slang of most languages.
83
84 Themes

This may stem from the fact that they all entail a human element and are close
to our nature. Moreover, the great synonymity and profusion of expressions
within these themes suggest that standard vocabulary is often an inadequate
form of expression.
African American slang is no exception. The common themes are exactly
the same as those employed in general American slang and include all of the
aforementioned themes. At the same time, their popularity is attributed to the
very same reasons given above. From this perspective, a sizeable part of
African American slang is no different from the aggregate of slang used in
America. Naturally, there are also culture-specific themes which are pertinent
chiefly to the African American experience; these, however, will be
discussed later.

4.1.1 Body
The human body is as central to slang as slang is to human nature. Using our
bodies to experience the world via sensory perception is something intrinsic-
ally human. On the other hand, social standards of propriety impose a different
perception of this physical aspect. While the common attitudes about body
parts – especially sexual organs or physical distinctiveness – have become
more tolerant in recent decades, this theme still constitutes a cultural and social
taboo. Slang overcomes the taboo by accepting these socially unsanctioned
expressions.
This necessarily limited but highly productive theme is also one of the
largest themes in African American slang. It includes expressions for the body
in general, body sizes and shapes, attractive and unattractive physiques,
specific parts of the body, and many others. The selection below is a mere
sample:
She said that she would kick McFixx in her biscuit [¼ buttocks]
(Spoof, 2009)
I could go on and on about his cock, his bone [¼ penis] (Four Rooms,
film, 1995)
That woman is a real brick [¼ sexually attractive woman, especially if
curvaceous] (Birmingham Post, 2001)
She’s a real cake [¼ sexually attractive woman]! I’m filthy rich Chinese and
I want to spend all my money! (Dark Winter, 2010)
She’s attracted to these dumb, musclebound dickheads, cock diesels
[¼ muscular men] that can’t even turn to wipe their ass (Bad Boys II,
film, 2003)
Nigger? Who’s wearing the conk [¼ hairstyle of straightened hair, done
especially by lye and other chemicals]? (Malcolm X, film, 1992)
 4.1 Common themes 85

She also testified that appellant put his fingers inside her “coochie” [¼ vulva]
(Leagle, 2010)
The red one? With the naps [¼ extremely tight curls of natural, unstraight-
ened African American hair]? (Bad Boys, film, 1995)

4.1.2 Physiology
Human physiology is another central theme of slang. This is understandable
since the theme is almost entirely made up of references to what constitutes a
cultural and social taboo in American culture. Again, slang overcomes the
taboo by accepting these socially unsanctioned references.
This fertile theme includes expressions for types of physiological processes,
conditions and products. Surprisingly, in African American slang this theme is
somewhat underrepresented. Here are a few expressions found in our database:
Your album was like dookie [¼ excrement] on the street, it just sat there and
stank (Fear of a Black Hat, film, 1993)
If you have a dog, you can bank on stepping in ish [¼ excrement] (Network
54, 2008)
He muffled his poot [¼ expulsion of intestinal gas through anus] by pulling
his ass cheeks apart (Imperfect Enjoyment, 2012)
Which one of y’all pooted [¼ expelled intestinal gas through the anus]?
(ATL, film, 2006)
“This is the fucking shit!” “Yeah, it’s the shiznit [¼ excrement]” (Generation
Kill, HBO-TV series, 2008)
Hey, man, we’re stopping for a shizzle [¼ excrement]! (HF Boards, 2010)

4.1.3 Sexuality
Sexuality is one of the largest semantic fields in slang. This is because sex is
the most primal and desirable human activity. While the norms of social
acceptance for sexuality have changed over the past few decades, sex still
evokes strong emotions and still constitutes a taboo. The irreverent character of
slang allows it to overcome taboo. Additionally, as observed by Spears (1981:
ix), the abundance of sexual slang expressions is attributed to the teasing
nature of sexual wordplay. Finally, the pronounced synonymity in this area
seems to imply that standard vocabulary is again inadequate: says Flexner (in
Chapman 1986: xxvi): “standard words referring to sex are so scarce or remote
and scientific that slang is often used in referring to the most romantic, the
most obscene, and the most humorous sexual situations.”
This vast theme is one of the largest in African American slang and
comprises expressions for a variety of things, people, states and activities: sex
86 Themes

in general, types of sexual activity, sexual preferences, sexual attractiveness,

sexual partners of either sex, sex for profit, and many others. The following is a
modest selection of representative examples:
Are you boning [¼ having sex with] our target’s sister? (Dexter, Showtime-
TV series, 2010)
It’s a gorgeous ballad about a boozy late-night booty call [¼ sexual arousal
or desire to seek a sex partner] (Washington Post, 2011)
They make you feel like you bust a nut [¼ have an orgasm] from raw sex
(Wu-Tang Clan, 2004)
You’re doing a hot twenty-two and you’re cheating on her? I’m so proud of
you! My brother’s a dog [¼ seducer or womanizer, especially if very skillful]
(Two and a Half Men, CBS-TV series, 2006)
When the bitch get a nut [¼ has an orgasm], her pussy squirt (Slim Thug,
2009)
Are you wearing a jim hat [¼ condom]? If so, try going bare back (Sport
Bikes, 2010)
The glazed look, sophomoric grin, and gleam in his eye when he mentions his
mojo [¼ sex appeal or sex drive] is insulting (Stephanie Rose Bird, 2004)
All the skanks [= prostitutes] you hired are light-skinned with fine bodies
(Shield, FX-TV series, 2007)
Women are out looking for a sugar daddy [¼ male lover who supports a
younger mistress] to take care of them, so they can remain little girls (Atlanta
Journal-Constitution, 2010)
Why didn’t you tell me you were tapping [¼ having sex with] my own
homegirl? (Big Bang Theory, CBS-TV series, 2009)

4.1.4 Alcohol
Intoxication by alcohol is another recurring theme in slang. The extensive
synonymity and broad scope of this theme can be attributed to the reasons
mentioned above. Being intoxicated is socially taboo and may be punishable
under the law, yet it is something normal, natural and inherently human. As
noted by Flexner (in Chapman 1986: xxiv), the use of slang is often “a verbal
attempt to convey our understanding and awareness of the condition.” In other
words, slang shows that we, too, are human and know the effects of excessive
drinking.
This theme is also a noticeable part of the lexicon of African American
slang, although it is not as extensive as in general slang. Eble (1996: 82) even
talks about “the lack of terms for drinking and drunk.” Still, one can find quite
a few examples in our database. The theme includes various expressions for
 4.1 Common themes 87

alcohol, types of alcoholic drinks, their quality, quantity and packaging,

getting intoxicated, and many others. Here is a representative sample of these
expressions:
I see you two steppin in the club and a bottle of bub [¼ champagne or
sparkling wine] (LL Cool J, 2008)
I will never run to a gas station for a pack of forties [¼ forty-ounce bottles of
strong and cheap malt liquor] (Big Bang Theory, CBS-TV series, 2010)
He was talking about the not-so-fine ghetto wine [¼ cheap wine] (Michigan
Daily, 1997)
Geez, how can you drink that ink [¼ cheap wine, especially red]? Gimmie an
ice-cold Corona! (Spaces, 2010)
He zigged and he zagged and he had too much juke [¼ liquor] (New York
Post, 1999)
That’s what you get for drinking Kong [¼ cheap and strong liquor]! (View
More Pics, 2009)
You were nice [¼ drunk] and passed out in the car, so we kept drinking (VW
Vortex, 2008)
We be drinkin’ Moe [¼ Moet champagne], doin’ dances on that hoe (Nah
Right, 2006)
Anyone find around 500 cases of pimp juice [¼ champagne] under their
Christmas tree? (Chicago Tribune, 2006)
My function is to make much and lay back sippin Remy [¼ Rémy Martin
cognac] on the rocks (Jay-Z, 1996)

4.1.5 Drugs
Drug use is another extensive theme in slang. While it shares all the character-
istics of alcohol intoxication, it is more extreme, more addictive, and more
closely associated with the criminal underworld. For these reasons, it too is
fertile ground for slang.
This huge theme is also prominent in African American slang. It includes
various expressions for drugs in general, drug users and dealers, the effects of
drug use, types of drugs, and their quality, quantity and packaging. Here is a
selection of representative expressions:
Can I blaze [¼ smoke a marijuana cigarette] some chronic with you?
(Dr. Dre, 1992)
You would probably see people lying out in the streets blowed [¼ under the
influence of a drug] (Austin Weekly News, 2009)
I was always high on Buddha grass [¼ marijuana] (Atlantic Monthly, 2000)
88 Themes

So is drinking and snorting cake [¼ cocaine], but people still do it!

(Subfighter, 2009)
I’m gon’ be smokin’ dank [¼ high-quality marijuana], livin’ like a boss
(Snoop Dogg, 2008)
An eightball [¼ one-eighth of an ounce of cocaine] of cocaine sells for $265
to $350 (Richmond Times, 1995)
Usually it’s just a few able-bodied niggas floating [¼ under the influence of a
drug], giggling like bitches (Nigga Know, 2007)
It’s like they’re geeked up [¼ under the influence of a drug] on something
(Los Angeles Times, 2002)
People who smoke skunk [¼ very strong marijuana] are eighteen times more
likely to develop psychosis than those who take milder forms of cannabis
(Nursing Times, 2008)
Younger guys get together to smoke some tea [¼ marijuana] instead of
swilling Scotch (Metro News, 2008)

4.1.6 Categorization
Last but not least, there is an evaluative categorization theme. Since categor-
ization is usually linked with emotions, and one of slang’s most salient
features is emotive connotation, it stands to reason that this is an enormously
productive theme in African American slang. Moreover, the abundance and
great synonymity of evaluative expressions can be explained by
overlexicalization, which, according to Halliday (1978: 165–166), is the
extreme and seemingly unnecessary creation of synonyms for existing refer-
ents. Overlexicalization is said to be conditioned by an endless search for
originality or a constant need for secrecy, but it is also frequent in the speech
of social groups which do not associate themselves with the dominant
mainstream society.
This vast theme comprises expressions for all sorts of evaluative categoriza-
tion: that of people, things, states and actions; and that of people according to
their affability, intelligence or actions. However, it is frequently polarized into
either very positive or very negative meanings. As evidenced by findings from
our database, positive and negative expressions seem to be of equal proportion,
just as our likes and dislikes.
Positive categorization is very popular in African American slang. This is
probably because it is strongly linked with human nature and the desire to
express positive emotions such as joy or pleasure. This vast theme contains
numerous expressions, often synonymous, for all kinds of positive categoriza-
tions of people, things, states and actions. Notice that some expressions have
undergone the process of melioration (discussed in the previous chapter), and
 4.1 Common themes 89

shifted their meanings from negative to positive, a feature particularly common

in African American slang. See the following:
“Chillin’ With The Sisters” was all that and then some [¼ excellent or
admirable]! (Ebony, 1994)
Who’s that deaf [¼ excellent or admirable] chick packin heat? (Daily News
of Los Angeles, 1989)
Mona, can I buy you a drink? You look fly [¼ excellent or admirable] as shit.
Damn! (Hair Show, film, 2004)
They soon realize that what they really want is a fine pad and a foxy [¼ (of a
woman) sexually attractive] chick (New York Times, 1996)
She’s drivin’ around in her fresh [¼ excellent or admirable] little car (Hair
Show, film, 2004)
He was hip [¼ fashionable or popular] and funny and smart as hell
(Washington Post, 2003)
We need fine bitches and phat [¼ excellent or admirable] rides (8 Mile,
film, 2002)
Who is these righteous [¼ excellent or admirable] motherfuckers with their
flags out? (Wu-Tang Clan, 1998)
So all the sexy tenders [¼ young sexually attractive women] who wanna
holla send me a message! (Black Planet, 2010)
This dude is the bomb [¼ excellent or admirable person], everybody likes
him, everybody respects him (Columbus Dispatch, 2010)
Negative categorization is also a very productive theme in African American
slang. Again, possibly because it is strongly linked with human nature and
human emotions. While it is human to verbally express joy and pleasure,
expressions of anger and contempt are similarly frequent. This vast theme
involves expressions for all types of negative categorization of people, things,
states and actions. Here is a representative sample:
He’s not really a double-clutcher [¼ contemptible or despicable and untrust-
worthy person] (Honolulu Advertiser, 2008)
You too facety [¼ self-important or arrogant], I think (Seattle Post-
Intelligencer, 2001)
Dear foolio [¼ stupid person]! Real men don’t treat women like garbage!
(News, MTV-TV program, 2008)
You gotta watch them haters [¼ envious persons who are trying to prevent
someone from doing something successful or funny] (Master P, 2005)
They got us into university and then we got hinkty [¼ self-important or
arrogant] and didn’t want to talk about that anymore (Michigan Citizen,
1998)
90 Themes

I wanna get this motherfucker [¼ contemptible or despicable man] who did

this (Dexter, Showtime-TV series, 2008)
Fight me, you punk-ass [¼ weak, timid or cowardly] bitch! (8 Mile,
film, 2002)
There was this very scaggy [¼ unattractive and often sexually promiscuous],
skinny ho hanging out the door (USA Sex Guide, 2009)
Those skags [¼ unattractive women, especially if also sexually promiscuous]
make up fifty percent of the audience (Art School Confidential, film, 2006)
All those colleges hadn’t made her uppity [¼ self-important or arrogant]
(Toni Morrison, 2004)

4.2 Specific themes

As observed by Eble (1996: 51), “the slang of a group proliferates around
topics of importance to that group.” While most semantic fields of African
American slang are virtually identical with those found in general American
slang, there are certain themes which exclusively refer to African Americans’
lives and experiences. Put differently, these are the themes which reflect reality
as experienced and seen from an African American perspective. Our analysis
shows that such specific themes include expressions connected with African
Americans, Africana, racism, whites, violence, entertainment, luxury and
geography.

4.2.1 African Americans

This theme contains numerous expressions for African Americans in general,
body types with reference to skin color, and other features which are inherently
connected with African Americans. Moreover, many expressions in this theme
refer to the group-identification function of slang (discussed in the next
chapter) and categorize African Americans’ level of independence from the
dominant white society, objection to racial inequality, or acquiescence and
passivity. Here is a selection of expressions from this vast field:
He immediately became aware of the interest she raised in all the local
bloods [¼ fellow African American men], not just the men at the tables
(Gayle Peters, 1993)
Where’s your empathy, brother [¼ fellow African American man]? (Heat,
film, 1995)
He ordered cocktails for her and her fellow boots [¼ African American
persons] in his hotel room (Idaho Statesman, 2006)
I’m that field nigga [¼ rebellious lower-class African American, especially
working on a farm] they all fear (Public Enemy, 1999)
 4.2 Specific themes 91

The Gullahs in South Carolina and the Geechees [¼ southern seacoast

African Americans] in Georgia were left virtually alone (Connect
Savannah, 2010)
Most black folks I know call him an Oreo [¼ African American who is
subservient to whites or adopts their values and attitudes] (Sarasota
Herald-Tribune, 1998)
Bertha was referred to as an eight rock [¼ very dark-skinned African
American], which is a derogatory term for a dark-skinned person (Doc
Share, 2009)
Liz thought I preferred red-bones [¼ light-skinned African American]
(Nathan McCall, 1994)
If you’re not fighting out of the ghetto or struggling then you’re a sell-out
[¼ African American who is subservient to whites or adopts their values and
attitudes] (Ebony, 2007)
The house nigga and yard nigga [¼ subservient lower-class African American,
especially working on a farm] lived diametrically different lives (Right
Health, 2009)

4.2.2 Africana
The African American experience is another significant culture-specific theme
in African American slang. Taylor (in Mesthrie, 2001: 301) observes that
“African Americans invent and utilize a terminology which serves the
referential functions of providing labels for concepts and experiences that are
particular to their subculture,” to which we may also add the providing of a
verbal outlet for group sentiments. This is, understandably, a vast field,
including expressions for various groups of African Americans, their cultural
norms, and their lives. See the following selections:
This ain’t a Black thang [¼ any sociocultural practice, behavior or attitude
characteristic of African Americans], but we sure like to do it (Ebony, 2008)
New Orleans was a chocolate city [¼ city with a predominantly African
American population] before Katrina, it is going to be a chocolate city after
(News, CNN-TV program, 2006)
Why aren’t there any sisters with dreads [¼ hairstyle of loose thick braids,
created by growing hair without combing it for a long time] in the film?
(Ebony, 2009)
Two of them speak in Ebonics [¼ nonstandard variety of African American
English, sometimes considered as a language in its own right, or synonymous
with African American English] and black slang (Ebony, 2009)
Your cousin gets back from getting her hair fried [¼ straightened by using a
heated metal comb] and dyed (Coach Carter, film, 2005)
92 Themes

That car looks ghetto’d out [¼ typical of the inner-city ghetto, especially if
flashy or tasteless]. Not my style at all (Bimmer Forums, 2002)
I want to be the first to give propers [¼ proper respect] to Ginger, our newest
and most anointed member (Catherine Clinton, 2004)
I am a race woman [¼ female African American activist], too, but of a
different sort (New York Newsday, 2002)
We are the masters of the dozens and signifying [¼ teasing, especially by
provocative rhyming comments in a gamelike manner] (Nathaniel
Turner, 2010)
Bless everyone out there in Soulville [¼ Harlem, New York]! (Soul
Source, 2010)

4.2.3 Racism
Unfortunately, part of the African American experience is still connected with
instances of racism. Despite long-lasting efforts to enhance racial integration
and impressive achievements in the movement for racial equality, racial
discrimination against African Americans has not been completely eliminated
from American life. Although commonly criticized and officially penalized,
racism has not gone. This fact is strongly reflected in slang, which tends to
provide a verbal mirror of prevailing social conditions. Consider the following
expressions:
In the brown paper bag test [¼ criterion for admission to a club or organiza-
tion, based on skin color] blacks darker than the bag’s color were denied
inclusion (USA Today, 2007)
So it got me wondering, is “Colored People’s Time” [¼ belief that African
Americans are not punctual] a myth, or something that black people have
made a fact of life? (Chicago Now, 2009)
Y’all niggas should be ashamed! Measuring Black women by a “color scale”
[¼ gradation of skin color value from very light to very dark] is degrading
and uncalled for. Ugh! (Hello Beautiful, 2009)
He showed a preference for light-skinned girls with wavy hair and was color
struck [¼ harboring prejudice against dark-skinned people, especially
African Americans] (Washington Post, 2004)
If you answered yes to these questions you suffer from CPT [¼ belief that
African Americans are not punctual] (Colored People’s Time) (Shenantics,
2009)
I’ve never been stopped for Driving While Black [¼ instance of stopping
African American motorists for no apparent reason] (Philadelphia Daily
News, 2010)
 4.2 Specific themes 93

I was pulled over for DWB [¼ instance of stopping African American

motorists for no apparent reason], driving while black (San Diego Union
Tribune, 2006)
Obama is light enough to pass the paper bag test [¼ criterion for admission
to a club or organization, based on skin color], while brown-skinned first
lady would flunk it (Austin American-Statesman, 2009)

4.2.4 Whites
A noticeable part of African American slang involves names for white people.
This comes as no surprise: whites as a group have always been present in the
lives of African Americans, seen as oppressors responsible for their enslave-
ment and socioeconomic hardships. It is not surprising that the majority of
expressions involving whites are clearly negative, with varying degrees of
contempt or derision. As observed by Kowalczyk (2010: 91), the abundance
of these terms suggests strong emotional attitudes of African Americans,
reflecting their historically conditioned mistrust toward white people and
disappointment with the insufficient anti-discriminative measures. This is
expressed in the imagery and deeply rooted in times of inequality, often
equating whites with animals or the devil, thereby denying whites their
humanity. Consider the following examples:
For weeks, Demi’s teammates referred to her as “blondie” [¼ white woman]
or “white girl” (Miami Herald, 2010)
It was their common hatred of the blue-eyed devil [¼ white person, especially
a racist] that united them (Kevin Brown, 1995)
They were willing to do whatever Mister Charlie [¼ white person, especially
regarded as an oppressor of African Americans] told them to do (New York
Beacon, 2004)
They just can’t wait to beat the grays [¼ white persons] (Nah Right, 2010)
Speaking strictly as a honkie [¼ white person], I find few pastimes more
amusing than watching white people try to be black (Newport Daily
Press, 2004)
Vote for me, motherfucking maggots [¼ white persons]! (Spank Mag, 2009)
The ofays [¼ white persons] were not used to seeing colored boys (Washington
Post, 2005)
Those peckerwoods [¼ white men from the southern USA] don’t know what
they’re doing (Cincinnati Enquirer, 2003)
Did the silks [¼ white persons] on the Knapp Commission ever ask about the
rate of drug busts? (Carsten Stroud, 1987)
94 Themes

Get the hell out of my face, whitey [¼ white person]! (Coach Carter,
film, 2005)

4.2.5 Violence
Violence and crime are other productive themes in African American slang, just
as in general slang. Here we consider it from the African American perspective,
and the associated socioeconomic disadvantages historically suffered by African
Americans: finding legitimate upward mobility blocked, some turned to crime
and started using language producing an image of toughness, severity and
aggression. But the prominence of this theme in slang has also been caused by
the attention given to it by the media: the entertainment value of crime has
brought a growing influx of criminal slang into literature, film, radio and
television. This extends to African American slang and is evident in the connec-
tion between hip-hop culture and the world of crime, perhaps best exemplified
by the gangsta rap genre. This vast theme includes expressions for various kinds
and stages of crimes, the paraphernalia used to commit them, and the types of
criminals and their victims. Moreover, there are numerous expressions relating
to physical violence, destruction and killing. See the following:
In the wake of the shooting he and other baby gangstas [¼ young members of
a criminal gang] urged older members of the set to get to the bottom of the
shooting of a fellow Blood (New York Newsday, 2006)
He also says he has a deuce-deuce [¼ 22-caliber handgun], slang for a
22-caliber handgun (Virginian Pilot, 2009)
Come on and shoot the club with a fo-fo [¼ forty-four caliber handgun]
(Eminem, 2000)
Do they look like gangbangers [¼ members of a criminal gang] working the
local 7–11 to you? (Heat, film, 1995)
People always gank [¼ steal] my damn lighters! (Aaron Peckham, 2005)
I feel all the prisoners who like to go for bad [¼ act tough, especially in order
to scare or intimidate others] and shoot people ought to be sent over to Iraq
(Lottery Post, 2009)
I got backup to jack up [¼ beat, strike or hit] punks who try to act up (Ice-T,
1993)
Now, gun owners would say this incident proves the wisdom of packing
[¼ carrying (a firearm)] a gun (South Florida Sun, 2005)
The street niggas [¼ lower-class African Americans, especially involved in
some illicit activity] know me (Slim Thug, 2009)
I know a recent case where the perp was 20 and the vic [¼ victim] was then
17 (News, WCTV-TV program, 2010)
 4.2 Specific themes 95

4.2.6 Entertainment
Entertainment, especially music, is a significant part of African American
culture. In African American slang, this is manifested in numerous expressions
belonging to this theme, but is also evident in its continued influence on the
lexicon of general American slang. As neatly summarized by Holloway (1993:
342–349), this influence started over a century ago with jazz and blues, then
shifted to rhythm and blues, and for the past few decades has been seen in
hip-hop and rap. The last phenomenon is of special importance to slang
because of its heavy reliance on lyrics. As observed by Dalzell (1996: 201),
“the hip-hop movement and rap music provided the biggest infusion of black
street vernacular” into the general American slang. It also fostered awareness
of socioeconomic injustice. Importantly, hip-hop is not just music: its influence
is seen in other cultural contributions such as dancing and visual art in the form
of graffiti. This vast theme includes various expressions for music, musicians,
fans, musical instruments, and ways of playing and singing. Consider the
following examples:

“Say, daddy-o, what ax [¼ musical instrument] do you play?” “Piano”

(Ray, film, 2004, 1999)
As a youth, I used to bomb [¼ graffiti, especially the entire surface] walls
(Los Angeles Online, 2013)
Alejandro Fernandez is due to drop [¼ release a music album] a new album
(Billboard, 1999)
They say, what’s a rapper? Well nigga, what’s an emcee [¼ performer of a
rap song]? (Snoop Dogg, 2000)
Only Pac and Biggie are truly missed, no one else even sounds close to their
flow [¼ ability to rap very well] or style (Real Talk NY, 2010)
Never just jamming [¼ playing improvised music, especially jazz] for jam’s
sake, he and Jimi cared if our brothers and sisters listened, if they understood
(Ebony, 2008)
“Last of the Mississippi Jukes” is a documentary about blues and juke joints
[¼ bars with a coin-operated record player, especially cheap] directed by
Robert Mugge (New York Times, 2010)
Carter playfully kicked a rhyme [¼ created rap lyrics and rhymes] that
showed her own musical skills (News, MTV-TV program)
Schoenfeld grew up in housing projects in Brooklyn listening to Motown
[¼ sound or style of music that originated in Detroit in the 1960s] and early
rap (Boston Herald, 2004)
Live bands rock the house [¼ perform in an excellent or admirable way]
every weekend (Boston Globe, 2010)
96 Themes

4.2.7 Luxury
A noticeable part of African American slang involves expressions connected
with what one may label as luxury items. This theme is surprising when
considered against the background of general American slang. According to
Kowalczyk (2010: 94), “the proliferation of such expressions may suggest
deep longing for these items as the desired objects, and is most likely condi-
tioned by the socioeconomically low position of the majority of African
Americans who simply cannot afford such items.” This theme includes names
for various luxury items such as fine automobiles, high-quality drinks, expen-
sive clothing and so forth. Consider the following expressions:
I drink Chriss [¼ Cristal champage] and you drink piss. I will have the other
half (Bimmer Forums, 2010)
I’m drinking a nice, cold, bubbly glass of D.P. [¼ Dom Perignon cham-
pagne] as we speak (Face Punch, 2009)
Essential items include the eye-catching hat and the super-size gold chain,
which is known as a dookie rope [¼ large gold rope-type chain, worn around
the neck] (New York Times, 2006)
Are you sure that Jo is going to drive a Double R [¼ Rolls-Royce automo-
bile]? (Ten Tenths, 2010)
I still keep the illest gators [¼ expensive shoes made from alligator skins],
tailor made (Jay-Z, 1996)
Every weekend I drink Hen Dog [¼ Hennessy V.S. cognac] with my dogs
(Black Planet, 2009)
A lot of guys work all their lives and never get to drive a Hog [¼ Cadillac
automobile] (Sports Illustrated, 2010)
I drive a Lac [¼ Cadillac automobile]! That’s what matters! (Cadillac
Forums, 2009)
Time to have sex, jump in my Lex [¼ Lexus automobile]! (Ali G Indahouse,
film, 2002)
My niggas be drinkin yack [¼ cognac] tonight. And wouldn’t mind a little bit
of ass tonight (TQ, 2010)

4.2.8 Geography
Finally, there is the theme of geography. As evidenced by Widawski and
Kowalczyk (2011), geographical expressions (especially toponyms) constitute
an important part of slang. They are semantically rich and culturally meaning-
ful, telegraphically describing the characteristics of places to which they refer,
explaining the motivations of their coiners, and revealing the attitudes of their
 Summary 97

users. These expressions are also very popular in African American slang
where they function in a unique way, reflecting a purely African American
perspective. This theme includes expressions for various geographical regions,
cities and districts. Here is a relevant selection of corroborative material:
Back from ATL [¼ Atlanta, Georgia] huh? Never mind Atlanta. Tell me
about your doctor’s appointment (Kathleen Cross, 2006)
That is what my auntie back in ’Bama [¼ Alabama] used to call hobo
chicken (Prison Break, Fox-TV series, 2005)
We like them boys up top from the BK [¼ Brooklyn, New York], know how to
flip that money three ways (Destiny’s Child, 2004)
You was with Malcolm in Mecca [¼ Harlem, New York] (Get on the Bus,
film, 1996)
They are hungry hyenas from Medina [¼ Brooklyn, New York] (Wu-Tang
Clan, 2007)
It may be just as likely that the Motor City [¼ Detroit, Michigan] will follow
the same path as New Orleans (American Spectator, 2010)
Much love from the N.O. [¼ New Orleans, Louisiana]! (Snoop Dogg, 1998)
If you’re from the North Coast [¼ Midwestern USA] and you’re proud put
this on (Bebo, 2009)
They come not out of Oaktown [¼ Oakland, California], but out of a small
town called Locash (CB4, film, 1993)
De La Cruz was born in the Wood [¼ Inglewood, California], and was
raised in Lawndale, in the South Bay (Jacks Music News, 2009)

Summary
As shown in this chapter, the lexicon of African American slang can be
divided into two main thematic types: common, meaning shared with general
American slang, and specific, meaning characteristic of the African American
experience and seen from an African American perspective.
The common themes make up a majority of expressions in African Ameri-
can slang. They include: body, physiology, sexuality, alcohol, drugs and
categorization. There are, however, a few surprises: the physiology theme is
surprisingly small when compared to general American slang, as is the alcohol
theme. The sexuality and drugs themes, on the other hand, are enormously
productive, as is negative or positive categorization.
The specific themes reflect the African American experience and perspec-
tive. They include: African Americans and Africana, racism and discrimin-
ation, whites, violence and crime, entertainment and music, luxury, and
98 Themes

geography. Especially frequent are expressions involving matters of racism

and discrimination, which is not astonishing given the history of treatment of
African Americans in the United States and the aggregate of their experience.
The other sizeable themes, violence and crime, reflect the generally low
socioeconomic condition of African Americans resulting from discrimination.
On the other hand, the proliferation of expressions involving entertainment and
music may point to a generally joyful and hedonistic nature.
5 Functions

The linguistic description of African American slang should also include its
functions. A good notion of what slang is can be derived from answering why
it is used. Analyzing slang in context, one can say that the aim of using this
type of vocabulary is seldom the mere exchange of information. Besides the
mere referential function, it serves other purposes. As evidenced in earlier
works (Lighter 1994 and Widawski 2008), slang is used in place of standard
expressions to convey some extra information of a social, psychological or
rhetorical nature. Such use of slang seems to be universal and can be applicable
to nearly any language.
African American slang is used for similar reasons. This chapter analyzes
numerous motives for using slang and is grouped according to the three main
functions mentioned above. There is, however, another function of African
American slang which may be labeled “cultural.” It involves verbal practices
rooted in African American culture, but is also independent of its coiners and
involves heavy usage of African American slang by non-African Americans.
This important function will also be discussed in this chapter.

5.1 Social functions

One of the underlying assumptions in sociolinguistics is that language is not an
autonomous, abstract system, but is inherently connected with the people who
use it. The importance of this relation is clearly visible in slang. “The raison
d’être of slang is social,” says Eble (1996: 120), and this is especially pertinent
to African American slang. The social functions of slang include group
identification, opposition to authority, phatic function and secrecy. Let us
analyze each of these separately.

5.1.1 Identification
Group identification is the main social function of slang. Slang serves to
distinguish specific groups within society and to identify members of these
groups. The group-identification function is similar to evaluative categorization,
99
100 Functions

and these often accompany each other. Crystal (2005: 466) calls it “the
expression of identity,” or the signaling of belonging to a particular group.
African American slang in this function is even more pronounced, possibly
because of the heightened awareness of African Americans as a distinct ethnic
group. Slang used in this function provides labels for subgroups distinct from
the dominant culture, and sometimes for which there is no standard English
expression. Here is a selection of relevant citational material:
Get off my beat you black alligator bait [¼ African American from Florida or
Louisiana, especially a child]! (Beaumont Enterprise, 2007)
Cupid is a flaming gay, Blitzen is a stereotypical bulldyke [¼ lesbian,
especially an aggressive one] (Encore, 2009)
Yuppies and buppies [¼ young, affluent, city-dwelling African American
professionals] at this stage move in, transforming old neglected residences
into modern castles (Real Estate Web, 2010)
This dude is not even from the A.T.L. He is a country bama [¼ uncultured or
unsophisticated person from the southern USA]. I hate these dudes (Dime
Wars, 2010)
If I stop at this sign, these crackers [¼ white persons, especially if poor,
racist, or from the southern USA] will kill me (Chris Rock: Never Scared,
film, 2004)
He’s lower than the head house nigga [¼ African American who acts
subserviently toward a white employer, especially working in a household],
and that’s pretty low (Django Unchained, film, 2012)
How could he afford that ring? I guess she’s the sugar mama [¼ female
lover who supports a younger lover] (Us Magazine, 2010)
I ain’t some Uncle Tom [¼ African American man who is subservient to
whites or adopts their values and attitudes], if that’s what you’re trying to say
(Assassination of Richard Nixon, film, 2004)
You fucking white trash [¼ poor white person or poor white people, espe-
cially from the southern USA]! I’ll fuck you up! (Do the Right Thing,
film, 1989)
He’s a wigger [¼ white person who assumes the behavior and values of the
African American culture, especially hip-hop]. That’s the hip-hop term for
white kids who want to be black (Los Angeles Times, 2008)

But the group-identification function of slang can be used in yet another way.
As observed by Spears (1981: xvi), “people show identification with one
another by using another’s vocabulary.” African American slang serves within
groups to confirm and enhance internal solidarity: acquired in the context of
shared conditions and experiences which provide a unique frame of reference,
it strengthens a sense of belonging via the use of an identifiable group
 5.1 Social functions 101

vocabulary. In this way slang both implies and contributes to a strong emo-
tional allegiance to that group and its values. This allegiance accounts for the
dissemination of certain speech patterns, one of which is slang. To quote
Flexner (in Chapman 1986: xxiii): “A sub-group vocabulary shows that we
have a group to which we belong and in which we are somebody — outsiders
had better respect us. Slang is used to show others (and to remind ourselves of)
our background; to show our group interests, memberships, and patriotisms.”
There are numerous slang expressions used in this function:
You look at him and you see your homie from around the way [¼ the same
neighborhood] (News, MTV-TV program, 2010)
You can’t understand this, it’s a black thing [¼ any sociocultural practice,
behavior or attitude characteristic of African Americans] (Newsbusters,
2010)
Keep it in your own hood bro [¼ fellow African American man]! (Washington
Post, 2009)
You chill here too long and you have your ghetto pass [¼ fictitious pass given
to someone who is not from an inner-city ghetto but who socializes with
people who are] revoked (Dallas Morning News, 2000)
Here are some of the local happenings in the hood [¼ neighborhood]
(Seattle Post Intelligencer, 2011)
The niggarette [¼ fellow African American woman] gave me gonorrhea
(Wu-Tang Clan, 1997)
Where you from, my sister [¼ African American woman]? (Bamboozled,
film, 2000)
Check it out now, funk soul brother [¼ fellow African American man]! (Fat
Boy Slim, 1998)

Perhaps the most conspicuous instance of slang employed in this function is

the meliorated use of racial expressions such as nigger or nigga. When used by
African Americans in reference to themselves, these extremely offensive slurs
often lose their negative connotations and become verbal markers of group
solidarity or identification. In this way, African Americans make null and void
racial slurs of white bigots, as Major (1994: xxxi) observed. Here are a few
such expressions used in this function:
We ain’t that tight, but he’s still my nigga [¼ African American friend], you
know (Wire, HBO-TV series, 2003)
Cause I sell X pills, my nig [¼ fellow African American], I don’t have to
worry about bills and shit (Gucci Mane, 2009)
The supervisor also used NP, which apparently was short for “nigga please”
[¼ I am irritated and exasperated] (Cape Cod Times, 2006)
102 Functions

One day people will realize being nigga rich [¼ poor but maintaining flashy
symbols of wealth] is getting us nowhere (YouTube, 2013)
I hated to see the niggaz [¼ fellow African Americans] that made it (Belly,
film, 1998)
They threw him over the balcony; the nigger [¼ fellow African American] fell
four storeys (Pulp Fiction, film, 1994)
“We gonna ride this out to the end!” “That’s my nigga [¼ that is my real
friend]!” (Soul Plane, film, 2004)

5.1.2 Rebellion
Rebellion against authority is another important social function of slang which
by its very nature is rebellious and nonconformist. To paraphrase Adams
(2009: 6): while slang is used to fit in, it is also used to stand out. Analyzing
slang in context suggests that it is often used to oppose the established
authority or to distance oneself from it. Quite naturally, the prime users of
slang in this function are criminals or people who live on the edges of society
such as prostitutes, pimps, drug addicts and dealers, and who oppose the legal
system and the existing order. Criminal slang reflects their scorn for regular
life and law-abiding citizens as well as their disdain for authority. African
American slang is no different here from the general slang used in America,
and there are many instances of it used in this function. Consider the following
examples:
No peace for the beast [¼ white person, especially a person in power such as
a police officer]! (Public Enemy, 2006)
She did drugs, she knew all the d-boys [¼ street-level drugs dealers] on the
corners (Palm Beach Post, 2002)
Jimmy’s boys were barbecuing. He gaffled [¼ stole] some meat (X’s & O’s,
film, 2007)
This time I saw that she thumbed buckshot into the cut-down 12-gauge,
known on the street as a ghetto stick [¼ shotgun] (Stephen J. Cannell, 2006)
You would see black gals and white gals coming in the club to meet their
macks [¼ pimps] (Cecil Brown, 2006)
A black man would never dream of talkin’ to the po-lice [¼ police] high,
that’s a waste of weed! (Chappelle Show, WGN-TV program, 2010)
You betta get you some rillas [¼ street tough guys or thugs] (Highlifter,
2009)
Man, I done seen a lotta roaches [¼ police officers]! (Snoop Dogg, 2008)
He’s a fuckin’ snake [¼ traitor, especially an informant], you niggaz are
fuckin blind to facts! (Jay-Z, 2009)
 5.1 Social functions 103

Light-skinned or dark, they’re 90% marks, straight vics [¼ victims] and they
got money to give (Ice-T, 1996)

Rebellion against authority is not restricted to the criminal underworld but is

seen in the language of the African American ghetto, and is especially visible
in rap and hip-hop usage. Slang in this function is used by people who have
been forced to live unorthodox lifestyles in impoverished, crime-ridden and
dangerous environments, all of which are birthing grounds for slang. Some
scholars are very emphatic here: Alim (ix: 2006) calls hip-hop parlance a
“verbal jihad,” discursive struggle against the oppression of African Ameri-
cans, while Dalzell (2010: 5–6) identifies slang with the language of the
oppressed. The countercultural slang of ghetto inhabitants reflects their rebel-
lious attitude toward the more advantaged majority through flippancy and
irreverence. It also shows disdain toward fellow African Americans who
assumed the behavior of the dominant white society. Finally, it shows cravings
for the luxuries of life which are absent in the ghetto. The following expres-
sions illustrate this:
So, sometimes, keeping it real means rejecting all the bling-bling [¼ showi-
ness and ostentatious luxury] (Tricia Rose, 2008)
It was racist for a policeman to refer to a BMW as “black man’s wheels”
[¼ BMW automobile] (Word Press, 2010)
The medallion hung from a series of gold links that looked just like dookie
chain [¼ large gold rope-type chain, worn around the neck] (Washington
Post, 2009)
I was lulled to sleep by the blaring of sirens and the undistinguishable blows
of gunfire, a somewhat of a ghetto lullaby [¼ innercity-ghetto noise, espe-
cially sirens, helicopters, gunfire] (Boston Nexus, 2007)
You got the hooptie [¼ old and battered automobile] (Love Don’t Cost a
Thing, film, 2003)
Bernie is angered by a huge phone bill; he jokingly admonishes his wife that
they are not “old-money rich” but “nigga rich” [¼ poor but maintaining
flashy symbols of wealth] (New York Times, 2002)
You’re wanted by the po-lice [¼ police], and my wife thinks you’re dead
(Democratic Underground, 2009)
Stay out of the projects [¼ housing projects for the poor]! (Wire, HBO-TV
series, 2002)
Despite his nerdy, oddball personality, he is a race man [¼ male African
American activist], caught up in all matters racial (Ebony, 2009)
Black folks call that Uncle Tomming [¼ being subservient to whites
or adopting their values and attitudes] (Atlanta Journal-Constitution,
2012)
104 Functions

5.1.3 Interaction
Slang is also used for pure social interaction. As has been signaled before,
conveying information is not the main purpose of slang. More often, it is used
to facilitate social interaction: it occurs in conversation for the purpose of
establishing a mood and maintaining or ending social contact rather than
for the mere exchange of information. Polish anthropologist Bronislaw
Malinowski called such use of language a “phatic communion” (Crystal
1991: 257). There is a vast repertoire of expressions used in English for this
purpose, for instance: eh, hello, huh, I guess, I mean, right, see you later, well,
you know and you see. As demonstrated by Biber (1999: 1072–1098), these
expressions are enormously frequent in any conversation. Much the same is
true for African American slang. When used in this function, it occurs at the
margins of conversation; it also incorporates formulaic and ritualistic terms of
address, ice-breakers, feedback signals, or subject changers. Here is a selection
of relevant citational examples:
Hmm. Daddy like [¼ I like it]! She reminds me a bit of Uma Thurman
(Encyclopedia Dramatica, 2009)
“Don’t you grab me like I’m some tramp!” “My bad [¼ I am sorry]!”
(A Good Day to Be Black and Sexy, film, 2008)
“Why not?” “Nigga, please [¼ I am irritated and exasperated]!” (Wire,
HBO-TV series, 2002)
“See you later!” “All right. Peace out [¼ goodbye]!” (Clockers, film, 1995)
“Let’s give it up for Angela Davis!” “Right on [¼ I approve or agree]!”
(Black August, film, 2007)
Say what [¼ can you give me more information]? You said his name was
Slick? (Heat, film, 1995)
What up [¼ hello] blood! What up cuz! What up wankstas! (G-Unit, 2005)
I mean, peep this [¼ pay attention and listen carefully]: they say in here 92%
of honeys at UCLA are sexually active (Can’t Hardly Wait, film, 1998)
Word up [¼ listen or pay attention], look out for the cops! (Wu-Tang
Clan, 2000)
Yo [¼ hey], bitch, what makes you think I won’t cut you? (Waiting, film, 2005)

5.1.4 Secrecy
Secrecy is often considered an important function of slang. Some linguists
such as Chapman (1986: xii-xiv) claim that slang is quintessentially a means of
concealing secrets and its use is motivated by a desire to remain secret. Slang is
used by such groups as criminals or teenagers who often find a shared
 5.2 Psychological functions 105

vocabulary unknown to outsiders an effective way to keep information secret.

This is also true in the context of African American slang. Smitherman (2000a:
26) calls secrecy a kind of a veiled code which has served the purpose of
internal secret communication outside the dominant white majority. Also
Major (2002: 105) highlights this function of slang: “African American slang
itself is the classic example of a secret tongue. Since the days of slavery, this
secrecy has served as a form of cultural self-defense against exploitation and
oppression.” Coined or learned in the context of unique conditions and experi-
ences, slang provides African Americans with a frame of reference which
cannot be easily understood outside this shared experience. Today secrecy
still serves this purpose, although extensive lexical borrowing from African
American slang into general slang has changed this as such expressions
quickly catch on and enter general slang. Luckily, new expressions are coined
to replace the over-used or crossed-over ones. See the following:
We got the bad [¼ excellent or admirable] bitches gaspin for air in Aspen
(Jay-Z, 1996)
He rules over all B.G.’s [¼ young members of a criminal gang] from the
103rd Street (Chicago Tribune, 1994)
I wish I was a d-boy [¼ street-level drug dealer]. Instead I got stuck in this
shitty dorm! (Urban Dictionary, 2009)
What’s the dizzle [¼ state of affairs or a thing at issue], my nizzle? (Los
Angeles Times, 2002)
Civil rights advocates called the case an example of “driving while black,”
commonly called D.W.B. [¼ instance of stopping African American motorists
for no apparent reason] (Detroit News, 2002)
He was fine, but there was no fizzle [¼ sex or the sex act] (Something New,
film, 2006)
And if you still don’t know what’s goin’ on, yo G [¼ close friend], I got it
goin’ on! (Us3, 1993)
Dude’s lookin’ at an L [¼ life sentence without the possibility of parole] this
time around (Randy Kearse, 2006)
In the process, they gave white men a viable and edgy alternative to the N-word,
my nizzle [¼ fellow African American]? (News, CBS-TV program, 2007)
Seals will be TCB’ing [¼ performing in an excellent or admirable way]
tonight at “Blues Etc” (Chicago Sun-Times, 1994)

5.2 Psychological functions

While language serves a social function, it is also linked with our thoughts
and feelings. The choice of a particular expression is often motivated by
106 Functions

psychological processes in our minds. Some linguists like Chapman (1986:

xii-xiii) regard psychology as the most important function of slang: while
general vocabulary reveals little about the speakers or their emotional attitudes
toward the subject matter or audience, slang does so amply. Because our own
slang lexicon contains many expressions used by choice, it can be one of the
most revealing things about a person. This is also true about African American
slang. Its psychological functions include the expression of emotions, humor
and toughness, as analyzed below.

5.2.1 Emotions
Expressing emotions is one of the primary psychological functions of slang.
Analyzing slang in context shows that it is especially proficient in providing
verbal expressions for numerous emotional states and reactions; in this respect,
it usually assumes the form of exclamations. Additionally, slang provides a
means for the emotive categorization of people, things, states and actions; in
this respect, it usually assumes the form of epithets. All of this applies to
African American slang as well. Below is an illustration of some of the
common emotions expressed through slang:
Enjoyment or satisfaction:
You’ll throw that party, and it’ll be the bestest [¼ best] party in the land!
(American Dad, Fox-TV series, 2005)
Big ups [¼ congratulations] and congratulations! You finally got your
record on the radio (8 Mile, film, 2002)
Visit Beachnut’s Xanga Site! Daddy like [¼ this is what I like]! (Xanga,
2009)
To the truest shit I ever spoke, one love [¼ greetings] to my true thug niggas!
(Tupac Shakur, 1996)
That’s my nigga [¼ that is my real friend]! I don’t feel no ways different as
I felt from when he signed to us back in ’99 (Hip Hop DX, 2009)

Anger or annoyance:
Get out of my face [¼ stop annoying me], dude! (Las Vegas Review Journal,
2010)
“Do the math, motherfucker!” “Math? Nigga, please [¼ I am irritated and
exasperated]!” (Soul Men, film, 2008)
I’m sick and tired of this shiznit [¼ something irritating]
(Facebook, 2009)
“I’ll make you a list!” “That’s mighty white of you [¼ you are being
patronizing or putting on airs]!” (Big Bang Theory, CBS-TV series, 2011)
 5.2 Psychological functions 107

“Give me my fuckin’ soap back, motherfucker!” “Yo mama [¼ I hold you in

contempt]!” (Tom Clancy, 1989)

Indifference:
I ain’t studyin’ [¼ do not care] how late you was up last night (Passing
Strange, film, 2009)
Tell the Feds I don’t give a mothafuck [¼ do not care], you niggas
(Prodigy, 2008)
I cheated like mad earlier but I don’t give a shizzle [¼ do not care] (Body
Building, 2007)
Motherfuck it [¼ I do not care], I’ll get straight to the point! (Blackout,
film, 1997)
Surprise:
You gonna fall out [¼ be surprised] when I tell you who I’m talking about
(Richard Price, 1992)
“Take a good look!” “Motherfuck [¼ I am surprised]! That’s him!”
(Sleepers, film, 1996)
Oh, motherfucking motherfuck [¼ I am surprised]! That question had
nothing to do with it (Twitter, 2011)
Whoopi says it wasn’t rape-rape. Say what [¼ we are surprised and need
more information]? (Ebony, 2009)

Positive emotive categorization:

Erin was a girl who thinks she’s all that [¼ excellent or admirable] (Rachel
Simmons, 2003)
Yo, it’s blazin’ [¼ excellent or admirable]! This shit is hot! (Public
Enemy, 1998)
Look at her. She’s a brick house [¼ sexually attractive woman, especially if
curvaceous] (Gone in Sixty Seconds, film, 2000)
The girlie was def [¼ excellent or admirable] and she wanted to go (Beastie
Boys, 1986)
“Was the last party serious?” “It was slammin’ [¼ excellent or admirable]”
(Juice, film, 1992)
I can’t exactly blame him: she’s one smokin’ [¼ excellent or admirable] ho’
(Ice Cube, 2000)
I’m twenty, cute as fuck, have bangin body and a vicious [¼ excellent or
admirable] dress (Black Planet, 2009)
He’s with it [¼ aware, knowing or understanding], smart, tough (New York
Daily News, 2005)
108 Functions

Negative emotive categorization:

Okay, bama [¼ uncultured or unsophisticated person from southern USA],
why don’t you get on up there and show me what you got? (Ray, film, 2004)
Maybe we’ll get some insight into what he’s seeing in that sour-puss biyatch
[¼ contemptible or despicable woman] (Celebrity Gossip, 2009)
She’s a hoe [¼ sexually promiscuous woman]. Most of her time spent in the
office is on her knees, and the rest? On her back (Yale Herald, 2002)
How many honkies [¼ white persons] are in this picture? (Richmond
Times, 1988)
Shame on you Mr. Lee and any one else who is a player hater [¼ envious
person who is trying to prevent someone from doing something successful or
funny] on creative people (News, CBS-TV program, 2009)
Fight me, you punk-ass [¼ weak, timid or cowardly] bitch! I could end your
shit now and nobody would miss your ass (8 Mile, film, 2002)
You looked like a real skag [¼ unattractive woman, especially if also
sexually promiscuous] (Lawrence Journal-World, 2000)
Canada has always been very pro-gay, unlike that uptight [¼ overly conser-
vative or orthodox] country to the south (I Now Pronounce You Chuck and
Larry, film, 2007)

5.2.2 Humor
Slang can also be used to express humor. The jocular element, evident in the
obvious pleasure of wordplay, often serves the purpose of escaping the
banality of standard expressions and suggests a departure from the established
routines of everyday life. As observed by Adams (2009: 12), slang’s wit
compensates verbally for disappointments and insecurities. When it is used
in this function, our life seems a happier place. The same can be said about
African American slang which can instantly reduce the solemnity, haughtiness
or excessive seriousness of a conversation. Here is a handful of relevant
examples:
Brooke feels like a baby factory [¼ woman who has had a lot of children],
but she’s excited about her fourth pregnancy (Chicago Tribune, 2007)
I know what he wanted from you, and it wasn’t them bigass [¼ very big]
earrings (ATL, film, 2006)
He has admitted that he is hoping to share a smooch with a certain booty-
licious [¼ sexually attractive] babe on 14th February (News, MTV-TV
program, 2011)
Them little crumb-snatchers [¼ babies or little children] got under my skin
(Daddy Day Care, film, 2003)
 5.2 Psychological functions 109

An armored car full of dead presidents [¼ US dollar bills] is on its way to the
incinerator (Washington Post, 2000)
I was ever going to be dick-whipped [¼ (of a woman) dominated by one’s
boyfriend or husband] in all my life (Las Vegas Mercury, 2004)
I got some new pimptastic [¼ excellent or admirable] wheels (Off
Road, 2005)
Shut up, wanksta [¼ rapper who poses as a gangster]! You ain’t gon’ pop a
damn thing (Ebonics Translator, 2010)

But humor in slang can function in yet another way: it is used as a device to mask
discomfort when talking about certain subjects that have traditionally been
considered improper for polite conversation. Taboo subjects like sex, body parts
or bodily functions are prime examples. Put differently, slang used in this function
“is protective language that disguises unpleasant reality” (Algeo and Pyles 2005:
221). Consider the following examples from African American slang:
In case of Jenny’s swollen belly, the cause was bumping without a body bag
[¼ condom] (Esquire, 2009)
Annabel Chong describes herself as a female stud after boning [¼ having sex
with] 251 dudes in a single day (Hustler, 2000)
You take so much time that this girl’s gonna be half asleep by the time you
even get to her cookie [¼ vulva] (Dog Pound, film, 2010)
I was chilling out with my girl watching Stargate and she wanted to get busy
[¼ have sex] (Urban Dictionary, 2009)
Man, I really need some jelly roll [¼ sex or the sex act] (Black 47, 2009)
That Bobbitt dame took a sling blade to her husband’s love muscle [¼ penis],
did she not? (News, CNN-TV program, 2007)
Rinctum [¼ rectum] is apparently slang for the rectum (Wikipedia, 2009)
You would never look at a hot piece of ass like her and think you could get a
sick dick [¼ sexually transmitted disease] but you can (Perez Hilton, 2007)

Humor can also function to make sarcastic or ironic comments. In slang, it

finds an ideal verbal outlet. Numerous African American slang expressions are
used in this way, often with varying degrees of derision or contempt. Here is a
selection of citational evidence:
They were referred to by historian David Lewis as “Afro-Saxons”
[¼ African Americans who are subservient to whites or adopt their values
and attitudes] (Christopher Robert Reed, 2002)
Black American Princess [¼ wealthy young African American woman,
especially if pampered or arrogant] is an expectation of mainstream success
that borders on arrogance (South Florida Sun-Sentinel, 1994)
110 Functions

I work closely with a young woman who is a drama queen [¼ someone who
tends to react in an exaggerated or overly emotional way] (Chicago
Tribune, 2008)
I’m not a European Negro [¼ African American who assumes the behavior
and values of the white society] (Black Voices, 2009)
I seen a lot of shit in my life, same sirens, same ghetto birds [¼ police
helicopters, often used in inner-city ghetto cummunities] swirlin at night
(Public Enemy, 2006)
You talk like a man with a paper ass [¼ insignificant man]! (Glock
Talk, 2009)
So you know you’re not dealing with some fuckin’ marshmallow [¼ white
person, especially fat] (50 Cent, 2003)
Describing Gates as the Head Negro in Charge is like calling him an Oreo
cookie [¼ African American who is subservient to whites or adopts their
values and attitudes] (Los Angeles Times, 1998)

5.2.3 Toughness
Expressing toughness is another notable psychological function of slang.
Modern society is getting more competitive and impersonal, and being strong,
independent and disillusioned is regarded as a virtue. Slang may serve as a
natural expression of such toughness, the natural manifestations of which
include vulgarisms and swearwords, which by their nature strengthen the
swearer’s image; epithets function in a smilar manner. One should also note
that verbal toughness is especially common among men; slang used in this
function, as observed by Spears (1981: xvii), is used “for interpersonal
bonding, masculinity affirmation, and identity.” But the frequent use of
vulgarisms in African American slang is also motivated by external socio-
economic factors. As observed by Eble (1996: 82), “marginalized groups have
less to lose in violating the taboos of society” and tend to use vulgar language
more often than the mainstream or dominant society. Consider the following:
Nigger horny as a motherfucker [¼ extremely or totally], man, dick all hard
(Aphex Twin, 2009)
I’d love to shoot the shit with you bitches [¼ women] all night, but I gotta go
(Coach Carter, film, 2005)
You’re following me around like a dick-whipped [¼ (of a woman) dominated
by one’s boyfriend or husband] chick (Facebook, 2013)
Woke him up, like motherfucker [¼ extremely or totally], you done told him!
(Young Buck, 2005)
I’d kill the motherfucker [¼ contemptible or despicable man], you know
what I’m saying? (Pulp Fiction, film, 1994)
 5.3 Rhetorical functions 111

Take this stinking motherfucking [¼ contemptible or irritating] skell out of

my face (Bringing Out the Dead, film, 1999)
They played her, she played pussy and got fucked [¼ acted weakly and
suffered the consequences] (Word of South, 2008)
Your girlfriend doesn’t love you? Tough shit [¼ that is too bad]! (Swimming
with Sharks, film, 1994)

However, not all slang is vulgar. According to earlier estimates (Widawski

1994, 2003 and 2010b), only 5–10 percent of slang is vulgar. It seems that
similar proportions hold true for African American slang. Toughness can be
expressed by other means, most typically through words simply associated with
the concept itself. Such words highlight strong, enduring or aggressive features
which are necessary to survive in the modern world. See the following:
Yeah, I’m a badass [¼ tough, bold, and severe] motherfucker who studies
astrophysics (Harvard Crimson, 2005)
The bad nigga [¼ African American who is rebellious and aggressive] was a
type of folk character existing throughout African American history (Theresa
Perry, 1996)
I was going to try see if they’d wax me if I acted mannish [¼ acting overly
tough or aggressive], but I’m too much of a wimp (Queer ID, 2009)
“I can hear everything!” “He’s a ninja [¼ tough person] now” (8 Mile,
film, 2002)
Y’all know me I keep it real for the rillas [¼ street tough guys or thugs],
bustin’ off bullets in you sinners, we the God’s killas (Axe Murder
Boyz, 2008)
Recently he felt it had attracted some roughnecks [¼ street tough guys or
thugs] (Charlotte Observer, 1997)

5.3 Rhetorical functions

Language can be used for deliberate stylistic effects. The manipulation of
words, sounds and sentence structures for a desired effect is called rhetoric.
Although associated with political orations or academic diction, it is not
restricted to elevated use, but also functions in everyday communication.
African American slang can also be used for similar, consciously achieved
effects. Because slang can be one of the most revealing things about a person,
it becomes an important verbal tool when used with a deliberate purpose. Allen
(1993: 266) highlights this rhetorical deliberateness: “slang is words that are
identifiable primarily by the intent of the speaker.” The rhetorical motives
behind the use of slang include informality, stylization, conciseness and
forcefulness of expression. Let us analyze each of these motives separately.
112 Functions

5.3.1 Informality
Informality is one of the main rhetorical functions of slang. People use
different kinds of language (often termed registers or styles) depending on
the different situations in which they find themselves. The lexicon of any
language can be divided according to the informality scale, slang being at the
very bottom. The use of slang always diminishes the formality of communi-
cation in which it occurs, and, as observed by Lighter (1994: xii), “charges
discourse with an unrefined and often aggressive informality”; such use is
often a matter of deliberate and conscious choice. As a result, slang lends a
vivid color to content matter which may be serious or contrite. This point is
well illustrated by a selection of citations including African American slang,
quoting well-known US politicians or found in esteemed newspapers:
I have never gone hunting and fishing isn’t my bag [¼ preferred area of
activity or specialization] (Richard Nixon, 1991)
Mayor Nagin told CNN affiliate WDSU-TV in New Orleans “New Orleans
was a Chocolate City [¼ city with a predominantly African American
population] before Katrina. It is going to be a chocolate city after” (Wash-
ington Post, 2006)
President Clinton is quoted in Vanity Fair as saying he did not find the
writing easy: “When we were in the White House, from the get-go [¼ from
the very beginning] so much happened in such a compressed amount of time”
(Vanity Fair, 2004)
“They jumped on me like white on rice [¼ as closely as possible],” said City
Councilman Michael Bond (Atlanta Journal-Constitution, 1995)
Obama declined to accept the change from a black cashier with the statement
“Nah, we straight [¼ all right]” (New York Times, 2012)
However, one should hold a reservation here. As noted by Eble (1996: 118),
“informality as a defining characteristic of slang is probably of limited value in
current American culture, where the appearance of informality is considered
by many to be chic.” Social behavior reflects this through general tendencies to
wear casual clothes, to use plastic cups, to use first names, etc. These are the
new norms, and language mirrors this relaxed attitude.

5.3.2 Stylization
Stylization (or imitation) is another important function of slang. People often
imitate someone else’s way of speaking for various reasons such as to identify
with a style or an attitude, and thus to project their images in the real world.
“In our language we are constantly recreating our image in our own minds
and in the minds of others,” says Flexner (in Chapman 1986: xxiii). Slang,
used in this function, serves to create one’s image: it becomes an outward
 5.3 Rhetorical functions 113

characteristic of the users and reflects their personalities. It can be one of the
most revealing things about us because our own slang lexicon contains many
words used by choice.
In the context of stylization, it is noteworthy to present the notions of
primary and secondary slang. The former is used by a group of its own
creators in its natural context. The latter is consciously used to imitate the
primary slang of a specific group outside its natural context, and can be used
as a rhetorical function to show one’s solidarity toward that group, but also to
ridicule it. Secondary slang is then a matter of rhetorical manipulation rather
than true identification. Interestingly, with the speed and ease of modern
communication, there is a marked tendency for slang to become general and
be used in its secondary function. Such is the case with the widespread
imitation of African American slang by whites. One of the reasons for this
imitation is “coolness,” especially among young speakers or those wishing to
be young. Bucholtz (2011: 89) says that “slang is a crucial linguistic element
in the creation and display of coolness, a central value of trendy youth styles
of all kinds. Hence slang fulfills a unifying function for speakers who strive
for coolness, insofar as displaying familiarity with a rapidly changing lexicon
allows them to bolster their credentials as individuals who are on top of
current trends.” Lighter (1994: xxxi) explains this imitation by the appealing
novelty and the vicarious identifications with big-city street life, associated
with African American slang. Still, one cannot but notice a certain paradox-
ical disparity in the treatment of African American slang: as noted by Morgan
(in Mufwene et al. 1998: 251), the dominant society imitates the slang of
African Americans, celebrating its wit and creativity, but it still considers it
“bad” or unintelligible. Moreover, the stylization function of slang often shifts
into lexical appropriation, where African American slang expressions become
so assimilated in the general slang that they lose the connection with their
origin; Smitherman (2000a: 28–33) calls them “cross-over expressions”
and they will be discussed later. Consider the following examples of
stylization:
Yeah, I’m a badass [¼ tough, bold, and severe] motherfucker who studies
astrophysics (Harvard Crimson, 2005)
The bling-bling [¼ showy and ostentatiously luxurious] era may have faded
for car buyers, but apparently not for auto thieves (USA Today, 2010)
By the way, cuz [¼ close friend], I met this sexy blonde tax attorney at
Starbucks today (Fifty First Dates, film, 2004)
We cannot afford to drop science [¼ give valuable information] (New York
Daily Post, 2008)
“I think you might have been black in a previous life.” “Fo’ shizzle my nizzle
[¼ certainly]!” (White Chicks, film, 2004)
114 Functions

Speaking strictly as a honkie [¼ white person], I find few pastimes more

amusing than watching white people try to be black (Newport Daily Press, 2004)
President Obama wants to kick to the curb [¼ reject] a lot of tax breaks for
the nation’s wealthiest families or people making more than $250,000 a year
(Washington Post, 2010)
From now on, I want you like white on rice [¼ clinging to or following as
closely as possible] (30 Rock, NBC-TV series, 2008)
There’s nothing like a sexy sister [¼ African American woman]. I’m no
racist, but I must admit I don’t even look at white women in a sexual manner
(Urban Daily, 2009)
Yes, this year as our guests arrive, they can style and profile [¼ boast or act
in a showy way] for the paparazzi on the green carpet during the reception
(Charlotte Observer, 2010)

5.3.3 Conciseness
Conciseness of expression is another important rhetorical function of slang. To
quote Major (1994: xxviii), “African American slang cuts through logic and
arrives at a quick, efficient, interpretative solution to situations and things
otherwise difficult to articulate.” Because slang tends to be composed of short
words, it is extremely effectual in conveying information. It is especially
valuable where space is highly valued, such as in newspaper headlines or
breaking news on television. Brevity is also desirable because it often makes
slang a forceful way of expressing ideas. The same is true about African
American slang. Consider these expressions:
Amy deserves dap [¼ respect] because her singing is awesome (Ebonics
Translator, 2010)
Girl, if you don’t get naked, I’m about to dip [¼ leave]! (Too Short, 2006)
Not that it matters but she is quite a fox [¼ sexually attractive woman]
herself (American Thinker, 2005)
I’m so excited about this gig [¼ temporary job, especially for one night]!
(30 Rock, NBC-TV series, 2008)
They decided it was time to get hep [¼ aware, knowing or understanding] to
the times and rejoin the computer world (Creative Lifestyles, 2009)
Sorry to interrupt the jam [¼ party or gathering where musicians play
improvised music, especially jazz] (Parenthood, NBC-TV series, 2012)
You sayin you a loc [¼ member of a criminal gang] but never gang-banged,
you ain’t no muthafuckin mobsta (Nefarious, 2000)
I’m not your “yo” [¼ an African American friend], show me your work!
(Wire, HBO-TV series, 2006)
 5.3 Rhetorical functions 115

Conciseness of expression as an important rhetorical function of slang is also

seen in African American slang’s amenability to abbreviation. Note the
following abbreviations:

You’re jealous because I’m driving a Benz [¼ Mercedes-Benz automobile]

(Atlanta Journal-Constitution, 2006)
Before practice I ate at BK [¼ Burger King restaurant] (Burger King) again
(Sarasota Herald-Tribune, 1991)
We need to celebrate with a bottle of bub [¼ champagne or sparkling wine]
(Urban Dictionary, 2003)
I think a true MC [¼ performer of a rap song] should be able to freestyle
(San Francisco Chronicle, 2007)
I remember calling someone an MF [¼ contemptible or despicable man]
(Ebony, 2010)
My man X is a bad mother [¼ contemptible or despicable man] (Public
Enemy, 1994)
I lived in N.O. [¼ New Orleans, Louisiana] before the storm (City Data, 2009)
When are we getting some rec [¼ good time]? (Battlestar Galactica, SciFi-
TV series, 2004)
How did you hook up with San Quinn and Sky Balla from SFC [¼ San
Francisco, California]? (Bay Undaground, 2009)
Bandanas, hoodies, timbos [¼ Timberland boots or shoes]! (Snoop
Dogg, 2001)

However, slang expressions are used not only because they are concise but
also because they communicate more quickly, easily and effectively than
standard ones. In English, some ideas require a series of several words, yet
they can be expressed easily and more economically in one- or two-word slang
expressions. Here slang serves the purpose of verbal short-hand. African
American slang is no different in this respect. See the following examples:

Leonardo is the guy with a giant Afro [¼ hairstyle of bouffant, tightly curled
hair, worn by many African Americans] (Scrubs, NBC-TV series, 2000)
Victoria Dryer is a buppie [¼ young, affluent, city-dwelling African American
professional], black yuppie who has made it in white corporate America
(Cleveland Jewish News, 2007)
We refer to the preference for light skin as being color-struck [¼ harboring
prejudice against dark-skinned people, especially African Americans]
(Lexington Herald Leader, 2009)
You ain’t gave me no five [¼ shaking hands with someone or slapping
someone’s hand in greeting or congratulation], kids! (Whitney Fan, 2009)
116 Functions

See I’m a young nigga but I drink a forty [¼ forty-ounce bottle of strong and
cheap malt liquor] quick (Mac Mall, 1993)
Dude, I need to maintain [¼ be calm, even in the most adverse circum-
stances] or I won’t make it (Aaron Peckham, 2005)
Everybody knows I shaved into a soul patch [¼ small patch of facial hair just
below the lower lip, popular especially among African American musicians]
for the video (Josie and the Pussycats, film, 2001)
No need for you to ever sweat [¼ give someone too much attention] the next
bitch (Jay-Z, 2002)
I am moved by the spirit. I’m here to testify [¼ celebrate through verbal
acknowledgement]! (Yahoo Music, 2010)
He’s a wigger [¼ white person who assumes the behavior and values of the
African American culture, especially hip-hop]. That’s the hip-hop term for
white kids who want to be black (Los Angeles Times, 2008)

5.3.4 Forcefulness
Forcefulness of expression is another notable rhetorical function of slang.
Slang is often more direct, vivid, personal and expressive, and thus more
forceful than are words from the standard lexicon. It usually avoids the
sentimentality, diplomacy and formality which are often carried by standard
words. Put differently, people use slang to sound more forceful and emphatic.
Natural exponents of forcefulness in slang are vulgarisms, but non-vulgar
slang expressions belong to this category as well. This is corroborated by the
following citational findings:
It’s brilliant stuff, and funky as a motherfucker [¼ extremely or totally]
(Music Vice, 2010)
Bitch [¼ woman], where do you get this shit from? You crazy? (He Got
Game, film, 1998)
Yo bitch, bring your black ass [¼ self, when referring to an African
American] back over (Snoop Dogg, 1993)
I bet you want that hoe [¼ woman] to have your child, niggaz must be blind
(E-40, 2000)
These are some lazy-ass [¼ very lazy] bastards, so you gotta make sure they
don’t slough off (Ray, film, 2004)
Fuck! Fuck! Motherfuck [¼ I am irritated]! Fuckety-fuck! (Wire, HBO-TV
series, 2002)
That’s a hard motherfucking [¼ contemptible or irritating] fact of life (Pulp
Fiction, film, 1994)
Cosell, get your white ass [¼ white self] in here! (New York Times, 2006)
 5.4 Cultural functions 117

5.4 Cultural functions

Language also serves a cultural function. The use of certain expressions often
carries with it specific information which is culture-specific or culture-creative.
This also extends to African American slang, with its primary cultural func-
tions of wordplay and word battle, to which one may also add assimilation.
While they may belong to rhetorical functions as well, they are grouped here
since they are culture-specific and inherently connected with African American
oral traditions. A separate matter is assimilation, alternatively termed
appropriation; although similar to occasional rhetorical stylization, it is largely
unconscious, widespread and culturally significant.

5.4.1 Wordplay
Slang is sometimes created and used for the mere pleasure of novelty and
freshness derived from verbal experimentation. Besides, people enjoy manipu-
lating the rules of language. Crystal (2005: 464) calls it “ludic” usage of
language, where the purpose is not merely to convey meaning but to draw
attention to the way the standard rules of language can be bent or broken for an
effect. Although wordplay is a well-known feature of general slang, it is
especially prominent in African American slang, where it is appreciated for
its poetic qualities, especially in rap music. Says Adams (2009: 6): “slang is
used to assert our everyday poetic prowess, to manipulate sounds and effects
of words,” and adds that “[it] is a show or a performance” (2009: 195).
Moreover, as observed by McArthur (1992: 845), wordplay is prevalent not
only in rap versifying but also in the names that performers give themselves.
This pertains to form and is exemplified by names based on assonance or
alliteration, for instance DJ Jazzy Jeff, LL Cool J, Jam Master Jay; or it is
pertinent to meaning and exemplified by names accentuating a certain feature,
for instance “coolness,” as in Ice T, Ice Cube, Kid Frost or LL Cool J. Here is a
selection of examples exhibiting wordplay:
Dennis is considered an “Afro-Saxon” [¼ African American who is
subservient to whites or adopts their values and attitudes] by the other
blacks in his class, a brother hanging with the white kids (New York
Times, 2000)
He approaches the genre of blaxploitation [¼ commercial exploitation of
assumed African American experience, especially in films with African
Americans in sensational heroic roles] with humor (Ebony, 2009)
The bootylicious [¼ sexually attractive] Kim will be the special celebrity
guest (Boston Herald, 2010)
Sorry, Nina, I don’t understand Ebonics [¼ non-standard variety of African
American English, sometimes considered as a language in its own right, or
118 Functions

synonymous with African American English]! (3rd Rock from the Sun,
NBC-TV series, 1999)
The city might be called Hotlanta [¼ Atlanta, Georgia] because that is where
the action is in the Deep South, but that nickname could also apply to the
summer climate (Los Angeles Times, 1996)
This mugly [¼ very unattractive] nigga should go to jail, then he can morph
into blade and fight them other niggas off his booty (Snitch, 2010)
To let his massive organ dig deeper into mama’s rinctum [¼ rectum], fella
holds her thighs tight (Thumblogger, 2007)
That’s not what we all want to learn about the sexcellent [¼ sexually
attractive] Tawny K! (OC Weekly, 2004)
Green plays a “wigga” [¼ white person who assumes the behavior and
values of the African American culture, especially hip-hop] with dead-eyed
accuracy (New York Post, 1998)
Fuck these youngstas [¼ young members of a criminal gang], weak-ass
niggas, bitches and hoes. I’m sick of this shit but I guess it must be said
again, again, and again (Facebook, 2010)

5.4.2 Word battle

Another cultural function of African American slang is the tradition of verbal
battles (also called rap battles or verbal dueling). It has been popularized by
hip-hop culture and rap music, but is deeply rooted in African American
tradition, such as the Dozens, which is making provocative rhyming comments
in a gamelike manner. Verbal battles are gamelike and quasi-mocking
exchanges of verbal communication between two or more participants, fre-
quently involving ritual insults which use various stylistic techniques and
make creative associations. As observed by Ackerman (in Mesthrie 2001:
291), the aim of verbal battles is to destroy one’s opponent with words, and
so winning requires the ability to manipulate language through superior verbal
skills such as employing rhyme, meter and figuration, while emphasizing
creativity at the same time. See the following expressions connected with this
function:

You win battles [¼ teasing, especially by provocative rhyming comments in a

gamelike manner] (8 Mile, film, 2002)
You capped on [¼ teased, especially by provocative rhyming comments in a
gamelike manner] me but it was funny as all hell (Urban Dictionary, 2009)
There are many different terms for playing the dozens, including dissing
[¼ teasing, especially by provocative rhyming comments in a gamelike
manner], joning, ribbing, signifying and sounding (James Haskins, 2000)
 5.4 Cultural functions 119

The Dozens [¼ teasing, especially by provocative rhyming comments in a

gamelike manner] is a game of verbal combat, played mostly by black males
on street corners (Baltimore Sun, 1994)
He said he’d been drinking in Rabbit’s and someone started signifyin’
[¼ teasing, especially by provocative rhyming comments in a gamelike
manner] on him (Old Cop, 2009)
We be readily rappin’ and snappin’ [¼ teasing, especially by provocative
rhyming comments in a gamelike manner] (Outkast, 2000)
Shyne shouldn’t be provoking anymore sounding [¼ teasing, especially by
provocative rhyming comments in a gamelike manner] (Miss Info, 2010)
Fuck that nigga, you diss me, you gon’ be dissed back, nigga! Yo mama
[¼ I hold you in contempt], motherfucker! (Royce Da 5’9”, 2005)

5.4.3 Assimilation
While many slang expressions which originated among African Americans
remain in that community, a sizeable number of them have become assimilated
into general American slang, retaining various degrees of association with
African Americans. Many such expressions are a result of the overuse of
stylization or imitation (discussed earlier). In extreme cases, these expressions
become totally assimilated and are no longer recognized as being related to
African American culture. For istance, as noted by Eble (1996: 81), many
English speakers are not aware of the African American origins of several
words such as nitty-gritty, ripoff or do one’s own thing. Some linguists such as
Adams (2009: 57) or Bucholtz (2011: 76) refer to this process of lexical
borrowing as the “appropriation” of African American slang by mainstream
culture and argue that it is perhaps a better term than “borrowing” since the
expressions borrowed are never returned nor have they ever left their source.
Other linguists such as Smitherman (2006: 109) go even further and call such
process the “Africanization of American English.”
The result of complete assimilation (or appropriation) is often referred to as
the “cross-over” expression, a term used by linguists such as Rickford (1999:
399) or Smitherman (2000a: 28–33). While general American slang draws
from various sources, the influx of expressions from African American slang is
striking due to the vast number of these expressions, the high frequency of
their use, and the fast rate of assimilation. All this attests to the enormous
influence of African American slang on general slang. The popularity of cross-
over expressions can be attributed to their novel, rich and imaginative qual-
ities, but also, as noted by Eble (in Wolfram and Schilling-Estes 2006: 72), to
the attractiveness of non-mainstream cultures to mainstream culture. Coleman
explains this attractiveness in this way: “By identifying with disadvantaged
minorities [such as African Americans], [general] slang users can show their
120 Functions

disdain for the standards and traditions of mainstream society without actually
having to give up their privileges or go to the trouble of being creative in their
own right” (2012: 303). However, many cross-over expressions repeat certain
racial stereotypes entrenched in the mentality of the general American public.
Below is a selection of African American slang expressions which crossed
over to general slang:
Are you giving me an attitude [¼ arrogant, condescending or confronta-
tional attitude]? (Stark Raving Mad, NBC-TV series, 1999)
Are you boning [¼ having sex with] our target’s sister? (Dexter, Showtime-
TV series, 2010)
Who doesn’t love a booty call [¼ call to seek a sex partner], answered or
not? (New York Magazine, 2009)
We were driving for eight hours and stopping at gas stations and I want to
catch some Z’s [¼ take a nap] in the van (New York Post, 2008)
Chill out [¼ be calm], dickhead! (Terminator 2: Judgment Day, film, 1991)
It is fairly obvious that this is not a cool [¼ excellent or admirable] party
(Jewish Chronicle, 2010)
He was left to bleed to death in my crib [¼ apartment or house] (New York
Daily News, 2010)
What are you looking at, daddy-o [¼ man]? (Indiana Jones and the Kingdom
of the Crystal Skull, film, 2008)
The handling is totally bitchin’ and the chicks really dig [¼ like or regard
favorably] it (Car and Driver, 2000)
Jack is emceeing [¼ perform a rap song] tomorrow (Seinfeld, NBC-TV
series, 1991)
Everyone eyeballed [¼ stared at or observed closely] it for a second and then
shrugged it off (Washington Post, 2011)
We know that lower rates and freebies [¼ things given or enjoyed free of
charge] help accomplish this (San Francisco Chronicle, 2010)
Gulfport is a very laid back [¼ calm] community and the residents like it that
way (Tampa Bay Newspaper, 2010)
Guys, listen up [¼ pay attention and listen carefully]. A new study says it is
actually healthy to stare at a woman’s breasts (News, Fox-TV
program, 2011)
What kind of metaphysical mumbo-jumbo [¼ meaningless or deceptive talk,
especially jargon] is that? (Washington Post, 2010)
Delving into the nitty-gritty [¼ details or most basic aspects or elements] of
health care negotiations for the first time, Mr. Obama risks alienating
members of the labor movement (New York Times, 2010)
 5.4 Cultural functions 121

Even at $10 a bottle it was a rip-off [¼ swindle, especially by over-pricing]

(North-Central Connecticut Journal Inquirer, 2009)
He tried to fuck me, that’s why I split [¼ left] (Human Stain, film, 2003)
I gotta train you twenty-four seven [¼ continuously or non-stop] (People
I Know, film, 2002)
It seems like generally speaking our nation has become very uptight [¼ overly
conservative or orthodox] (Everyday Christian, 2010)
It’s not often you see the corpse of some poor sap who got wasted [¼ killed]
by the Mob, after all (Zeta Boards, 2010)

Interestingly, the assimilation of African American slang expressions extends

beyond the border of the United States, entering other national varieties of
English. Although understandably not as sizeable in number as in American
English, cross-over terms may often be found in Canadian English, yet also in
such geographically distant varieties of the language as British, Irish, or even
Australian and New Zealand English. This little-researched area deserves
attention and attests to an even greater impact of African American slang
on the English language around the globe. Here is a sample of such
expressions:

She insisted she would never badmouth [¼ criticize and disrespect] her ex
(Mirror (United Kingdom), 2011)
We hope that local labour will be utilised. I give big ups [¼ congratulations]
to the Minister (Scoop (New Zealand), 2011)
The Maori Party is too attached to the bling-bling [¼ showiness and
ostentatious luxury] of ministerial posts (New Zealand Herald (New
Zealand), 2011)
Most people who remember the 80s can remember someone with a boom box
[¼ large portable stereo player] perched on one shoulder (News, BBC-TV
program (United Kingdom), 2011)
His secretary gave me the “call me” sign. A muse to my art? Or a booty call
[¼ call to seek a sex partner]? (Vancouver Sun (Canada), 2011)
Students like to chill out [¼ relax and have a good time] here, eat, enjoy a
walk or just cruise down the road (Deccan Herald (India), 2011)
At $28,000, the cost might seem like chump change [¼ small or meager
amount of money] compared to the billions of public money these folks dole
out every year (Calgary Herald (Canada), 2011)
Thomas has just been a deejay [¼ disc jockey] for a little over a year
(Philippine Star (Philippines), 2011)
I would fight if I thought anybody had dissed [¼ disrespected by belittling or
disparaging] me (London Evening Standard (United Kingdom), 2011)
122 Functions

We are told the bus drivers eyeballed [¼ stared at or observed closely] each
other (Daily Telegraph (United Kingdom), 2011)
Their relationship is uncertain from the get-go [¼ from the very beginning],
with Angelica trying to avenge his sudden disappearance (Express Tribune
(Pakistan), 2011)
Diane is a teacher with a penchant for exercising dance moves to the music of
her ghetto blaster [¼ large portable stereo player] before class (Australian
Stage (Australia), 2011)
I’m concerned how far it is to Portlaoise and where’s a good place to stop for
grub [¼ food] on the way home (Irish Times (Ireland), 2011)
You’ll be hacked off [¼ irritated] (Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows,
film (United Kingdom), 2011)
Children high-fived [¼ shook hands with him or slapped his hand held high,
in greeting or congratulation] him and he crowned his achievement with a
sprinted lap of Stockholm’s Olympic Stadium (Warwick Courier (United
Kingdom), 2011)
You stay in the hood [¼ neighborhood] and deal, you make £500 to £1000 a
day if you are lucky (Telegraph (United Kingdom), 2011)
Natasha has a very laid-back [¼ calm] personality (Jamaica Observer
(Jamaica), 2011)
They spoke about how they felt they got their mojo [¼ influence, power or
charisma] back (Stuff (New Zealand), 2011)
Everything is more expensive, and it seems like everyone is trying to rip off
[¼ swindle or cheat, especially by overpricing] hard-working families
(Herald Sun (Australia), 2011)
I can’t understand why some men get a bit uppity [¼ self-important or
arrogant] about it (Herald Sun (Australia), 2011)
Thus begins a tug-of-love between the free-spirited, fragile Julia and the
stern, uptight [¼ overly conservative or orthodox] Mimi (Independent (South
Africa), 2011)

Summary
As demonstrated above, the use of African American slang seldom serves the
mere exchange of information. More often, slang is used instead of standard
English expressions to convey some extra information, whether social,
psychological, rhetorical or cultural. While standard language is also used in
these functions, they are much more prominent in slang. Such use of slang
demonstrates that it is no different from standard English functionally, but can
serve as a versatile means of verbal expression.
 Summary 123

Social functions are central to African American slang. They include group
identification, rebellion, social interaction and secrecy. Such use of slang is
especially visible in expressing group identification and solidarity, but also
features strongly in showing rebellion and secrecy; this, again, is no surprise
considering the aggregate of the African American historical experience in the
United States. Social interaction, or the phatic function, is also important and
accounts for frequent, everyday use of slang.
Equally important are psychological functions, which include expressing
emotions, humor and toughness. Much as in general American slang, the most
prominent usage is the expression of emotions: slang offers an extensive
repertoire of expressions for a variety of emotional states and actions, and
emotive labels for people or things. Humor and verbal toughness are common
as well.
African American slang is also used in rhetorical functions. These involve
informality, stylization, conciseness and forcefulness of expression. Of course
informality is the most inherent and fundamental characteristic of slang; it
accounts for slang’s everyday usage. African American slang is also employed
in the function of stylization and used as a so-called secondary slang; in this
function it is consciously and heavily imitated by non-African Americans for
various reasons such as its originality or “coolness.”
Cultural functions also play a significant role in African American slang and
include wordplay, word battle and assimilation. The first two are virtually a
hallmark of African American slang. Wordplay accounts for hundreds of novel
expressions resulting from the creative manipulation of form; word battle,
deeply rooted in African traditions, tests verbal and performance skills applied
in actual discourse. The most pervasive, however, is the phenomenon of
complete assimilation, also known as appropriation, which is the use of
African American slang expressions by other ethnic groups and the quick
assimilation of these expressions (cross-over terms) into general American
slang.
 Conclusion

The aim of this book has been to document and describe African American
slang, and to serve as a practical source of information on this type of
language. In particular, the book is designed to show African American slang
as a significant, innovative, rule-governed sociolinguistic phenomenon, and an
important lexical contribution to American English, deserving attention and
appreciation. The reason for taking up the subject was the linguistic and
cultural importance of African American slang evident in its frequent occur-
rence in American media and popculture on the one hand, and the relative
scarcity of relevant scholarly publications on the other.
Written in the fashion of traditional descriptive linguistics, the book focuses
on the multifaceted linguistic analysis of slang expressions based on a large
database of authentic lexical material from various contemporary sources.
Slang has been examined from various perspectives, and its exploration has
included patterns of form, meaning, themes and functions, all illustrated with
ample citational evidence throughout the text and in the Glossary. The con-
cluding assertions made in this book, connected with the description of African
American slang, can be summarized as follows.
In terms of terminology, African American slang is defined as highly
informal vocabulary coined by or typically associated with African Americans.
Slang itself is a highly informal and unconventional type of vocabulary,
perceived as expressive, attractively catchy and deliberately undignified. It
consists of standard expressions, modified in some way or appended with new
meanings, and sometimes of entirely novel expressions. It is coined chiefly by
members of social, occupational or ethnic groups which are typically separate
from mainstream society, yet it is often adopted by larger social segments. It is
employed in place of standard expressions to convey some extra information
of a psychological, social or rhetorical nature. Slang thus provides alternative,
highly informal synonyms for referents already named in the language, but
sometimes gives names for referents for which there are no standard expres-
sions, or which have yet to be named. African American slang fits into this
definition and exhibits a number of characteristics highlighted in this defin-
ition, as seen below.
124
 Conclusion 125

In terms of morphology, the form of African American slang is not

fundamentally different from that of standard English. The same wordbuilding
processes are applicable, including compounding and affixation; in
phraseology, numerous phrasal verbs are formed in a creative way; longer
phrases and formulaic expressions, often proverbial in character, are also
popular and typically reflect the African American experience. Equally
common is abbreviation, with clipped forms and initialisms being most fre-
quent, while acronyms and back formations are relatively rare. Blending, a
marginal wordbuilding process, appears to be surprisingly more common than
one might expect. Conversion, especially verbification, is as pervasive as it is
in standard English. Finally, borrowings and loan translations are not espe-
cially prominent.
In terms of semantics, African American slang is created by attaching new
meanings to already existing standard English words, especially via figuration.
In this respect, African American slang is again no different in any way
from the standard English lexicon. Figuration in African American slang is
extensive and involves metaphor, metonymy and several other processes;
notable is the use of allusion, specific to the African American culture and
experience. Figuration themes are generally consistent with those used in
general American slang and cover such subjects as food, body parts and
animals, to name a few; however, certain themes, such as colors, are much
more prominent. Semantic shifting is extensive as well, and involves
generalization, specialization, melioration and pejoration. All of these occur
in standard English and are connected with historical change in the language;
in African American slang, however, these processes occur faster and are
therefore more conspicuous.
In terms of semantic fields, the lexicon of African American slang can be
divided into two main thematic types: common (i.e. shared with general
American slang) and specific (i.e. characteristic of the African American
experience). The common themes make up a majority of expressions and
include: body, physiology, sexuality, alcohol, drugs and categorization; how-
ever, the physiology theme is surprisingly small when compared to general
American slang, as is the alcohol theme; the sexuality and drugs themes, on the
other hand, are enormously productive, as is negative or positive
categorization. The specific themes reflect the African American experience
and perspective, and include African Americans and Africana, racism and
discrimination, whites, violence and crime, entertainment and music, luxury,
and geography; especially frequent are expressions involving racism and
discrimination, with other sizeable themes being violence and crime.
In terms of pragmatics, African American slang is used instead of standard
English to communicate additional information, be it social, psychological,
rhetorical or cultural. While standard language also has such functions, they
126 Conclusion

are much more prominent in slang. Social functions are central to African
American slang and include group identification, rebellion, social interaction
and secrecy; such use of slang is especially visible in expressing group
identification and solidarity, but also features strongly in showing rebellion
and secrecy. Equally important are psychological functions, which include
expressing emotions, humor and toughness; much as in general American
slang, the most prominent usage is the expression of emotions: slang offers
an extensive repertoire of expressions for a variety of emotional states and
actions, and emotive labels for people or things. African American slang is
also used in rhetorical functions which involve informality, stylization,
conciseness and forcefulness of expression; of course informality is the most
salient characteristic of slang accounting for slang’s everyday usage. African
American slang is also employed in the function of stylization and used as a
so-called secondary slang; in this respect, it is consciously and heavily imitated
by non-African Americans for various reasons such as its originality or
“coolness.” Cultural functions also play a significant role and include
wordplay, word battle and assimilation; the most pervasive is complete
assimilation, known as appropriation, which is the use of African American
slang expressions by other ethnic groups and the quick assimilation of these
expressions (cross-over terms) into general American slang.
Although the aim of the book has been to analyze African American slang,
the scholarly and educational implications stemming from this work go
beyond the subject matter. African American slang constitutes an important
lexical contribution to African American English and general American slang,
and by extension, this multifaceted presentation of African American slang
reflects linguistic patterns applicable to both, thereby lending itself to being
employed in scholarly endeavors in these fields. For this reason, it is hoped that
the observations made in this book will increase our understanding of and
enhance our appreciation for African American slang in and of itself.
The Glossary is an integral part of the book. Beyond serving as a practical
reference, it fulfills the book’s documentary aim listing representative
expressions of African American slang with additional meanings, appended
with definitions and usage examples. Much like the lexical material used in the
main text, the Glossary is based on a large database of citations reflecting the
language used in natural contexts, and collected from diverse, contemporary
African American sources; however, non-African American sources were also
included to illustrate the impact African American slang has had on the general
slang used in America and throughout the English-speaking world.
To reiterate, viewing slang from the position of an outsider, as most
sociolinguists and lexicographers do, affords a more detached and thus a more
objective description of the phenomenon. I hope that this research-based
scholarly work will inspire the reader to perceive African American slang as
 Conclusion 127

a significant, innovative, rule-governed sociolinguistic phenomenon, and an

important lexical contribution to American English deserving attention and
appreciation. To paraphrase Marcyliena Morgan (2009: x): I wanted African
American slang to have the same level of respect as any area of study in the
academic world. I hope I have succeeded.
 Glossary
A My ace boon coon! How you doing?;
A and B conversation phr. a conversa-
tion strictly between two people (gs):
1991 Boyz in the Hood, film: Fool,
I wasn’t even talking to you. This is
an A and B conversation. You can see
your way out of it; 1993 Threat: Well,
this is a A and B conversation, so C-ya,
cause I’d rather see ya than be ya; 2001
Save the Last Dance, film: He’s talking
to me. It’s an A and B conversation
ABC, A.B.C. see ace boon coon
Ac (or AC, A.C.) n. an Acura automobile
(jg, rk): 1995 Mobb Deep: I used to
drive an AC and kept a Mac in the
engine; 1997 Wu-Tang Clan: That shit
you had in Vegas, yo, it coulda got us
both sprayed up, they seen the Ac,
know this traitor; 2006 Randy Kearse:
Dawg had the gold Ac in 96
ace (or ace buddy) n. a close friend (bk,
cm, gs, jg): 1992 Dr. Dre: Nigga used
to be my homey, used to be my ace;
1996 Deseret News: You’ll be pleased
to learn that Clooney is now ace bud-
dies with Schwarzenegger; 2004 Wu-
Tang Clan: Me and my man, my ace
Big Moe from the shelter,’bout to hit
the skins
ace boon coon (or ABC, A.B.C.) n.
potentially offensive a close
friend (bk, cm, gs, jg): 1991 Ice-T:
He went to school with me, my ace
boon coon; 1991 New Jack City, film:
128
2012 Twitter: He my ABC now and
forever!
ace buddy see ace
ace cool (or ace kool) n. a close friend
(gs, jg): 1988 Kirk Mitchell: Rocket
was leaning against a brick wall close
by, looking down, because his main
man, his ace cool was dead; 1998
Stephen J. Cannell: His “ace cool,”
which means best friend, told him that
he was part of the killing; 2009 Los
Santos Roleplay Forums: He soon
became my ace kool and we did every-
thing together
ace kool see above
actual factual n. reality or the facts (rk):
2006 Randy Kearse: Just hit me with
the actual factual; 2009 Fathom: If this
is actual factual, which I doubt, I think
that I need to practice on my bass
more; 2009 J2 Comics: I don’t like
digital images as much as the actual
factual, but this doesn’t seem to have
lost in the process
addy n. an address, especially an internet
address (cm, gs): 2008 My Space: If ya
want my addy, feel free to ask; 2010
Washington Post: What’s your addy,
so I can mail you a box of tissues to
clean up the mess you just made?; 2013
YouTube: Mike sent me his addy so
I could mail him some cheddar
Afro n. a hairstyle of bouffant, tightly
curled hair, worn by many African
 Glossary
Americans (bk, cm, gs, jg): 1995 Bad
Boys, film: I cannot believe he wore his
Afro that big; 1999 Snoop Dogg: I’m
that nigga who brought Afro back;
2000 Bamboozled, film: There’d be at
least one Negro writer in this room
and that Afro does not qualify you,
my Jewish friend
Afroed adj. having a hairstyle of bouf-
fant, tightly curled hair, worn by many
African Americans (cm): 2001 Nappy
Heads: You didn’t mention the Afro
though, as a style option, but you did
have a picture of a stunning looking
Afroed sister; 2008 Brown Sista: This
kinky haired Afro sista is doing her
own thing and still rising to the top;
2008 New York Magazine: The Demo-
cratic nominee is shown wearing a
turban and giving a terrorist fist-jab
to his Afroed, machine-gun-toting wife
Afro-Saxon n. potentially offen-
sive an African American who is sub-
servient to whites or adopts their
values and attitudes (bk, gs): 2000
New York Times: Dennis is considered
an “Afro-Saxon” by the other blacks in
his class, a brother hanging with the
white kids; 2002 Christopher Robert
Reed: They were referred to by histor-
ian David Lewis as “Afro-Saxons”;
2010 Diverse Issues in Higher Educa-
tion: One might say that search com-
mittees, without intending to, look for
Afro-Saxons
aight1 excl. all right (jg, rk): 2002 Ali
G Indahouse, film: Let’s do what
Tupac and Biggie never managed,
aight?; 2006 Fifty Pills, film: “This
must be a huge-ass operation.”
“Aight, bitch. I’ll take care of this
shit”; 2007 David Austin: “Call me
when you can.” “Aight!”
aight2 adv. all right (jg, rk): 1995 Clock-
ers, film: “How’d that go?” “It was
aight”; 2012 Vincent Greene: She
doing aight. I’m going to see her this
129
Saturday; 2013 Rick Ross: It’s gonna
be aight, don’t even worry ’bout
nothing
ain’t studying (or ain’t studyin’) phr. to
be indifferent or not care (gs): 1998
BusinessWeek: Dick Cheney Ain’t
Studyin’ War No More; 2008 Miracle
at St. Anna, film: “Colonel Discroll
coming to watch, too. Bishop, you hear
me?” “I ain’t studyin’ Discroll!”; 2009
Passing Strange, film: I ain’t studyin’
how late you was up last night
airish adj. cool and breezy (cm, gs, jg):
1995 Greensboro News and Record:
The whole house was very airish, but
they’ve insulated underneath the house
and put caulking on the windows; 1998
Hawkins County Post: It feels sorta
airish in here; 2008 Carolyn Digh Grif-
fin: Miss Hope, you bes’ git in da
house, it’s a gittin’ kinda airish
air out n. [1] to go for a walk (bk, cm,
gs, jg): 1994 Clarence Major: Come
on, sugar, let’s air out on the boule-
vard; 2010 Air Comfort Solutions:
You’d like to air out with them?; 2011
Urban Dictionary: “Let’s air out a lil
bit!” “Yep, we need some fresh air
anyway” [2] to leave (cm, gs): 2011
Urban Dictionary: I aired out my girl
’cuz she wouldn’t put out; 2011 Prophet
Blog: She aired out Rihanna for being
mean to her; 2011 Hip Hop Stan:
Bitches, you wanna air out?
AK (or A.K.) n. an AK-47 assault rifle
(cm, gs, jg): 1992 Dr. Dre: I never
take a step on a Compton block or
L.A. without the AK ready to pop;
1992 Los Angeles Times: He once
dreamed of revenge, of taking an AK
to every policeman and blast them,
referring to an AK-47 assault rifle;
2012 Southland, TNT-TV series: Two
homies killed my witness with an AK
all good (or all good in the hood) phr. all
right (jg, rk): 2005 Chronicle of
Higher Education: We turn in the
130 Glossary
condo for a fifteen-acre farm, life is
slower, and as they say, it’s all good;
2010 Sports Illustrated: Reynolds is
on pace for 35 homers 110 RBI and
more than 90 runs so it’s all good in
the hood; 2011 Parenthood, NBC-TV
series: I already talked to Kristina, it’s
all good
all good in the hood see above
alligator n. a devotee or performer of
swing or jazz music, especially if white
(jg): 1999 Snoop Dogg: She a lady
alligator; 2001 Baltimore Sun: Come
on, alligators! It’s not enough to dance
the dances, you need to talk the talk of
swing; 2009 Tom Dalzell: Bernie could
well remember the alligators of the
late swing period
alligator bait n. potentially offen-
sive an African American from Flor-
ida or Louisiana, especially a child (bk,
cm, jg): 2007 Beaumont Enterprise:
Get off my beat you black alligator
bait!; 2010 San Francisco Chronicle:
Two of the cries that greeted Aaron at
games: “Go back to the cotton fields”
and “alligator bait”; 2013 All Voices:
Alligator bait applied to blacks of any
age, particularly those who were from
Florida
all in the Kool-Aid phr. nosy and inquisi-
tive (cm): 2010 Word Press: He loves
to be in the midst of it all, or as my
daughters say, all in the Kool-Aid;
2012 Madame Noire: Wendy was trying
to get all in the kool-aid like she only
can and Raven basically said I’m
happy in my personal life; 2013 Bravo
TV: Had it been Rodolfo, girl, you’d
be all in the kool aid!
all in the Kool-Aid and don’t know
the flavor (or all in the Kool-Aid
and don’t know the flava) phr. nosy
and inquisitive while also ignorant
of the situation (gs, rk): 1993 Threat:
Players can’t trust their neighbors,
they all in the Kool-Aid and don’t
know the flavor; 1998 Lorene Cary:
I’m old style. Don’t want to be all in
the Kool and don’t know the flavor;
2013 New York Amsterdam News:
Earthustlers! They’re always in the
Kool-Aid and don’t know the flava.
Hate ’em!
all-originals scene n. a party or other
occasion where only African Ameri-
cans are present (bk, cm, jg): 1990
Alan Dundes: Hey, baby! I dig you
holding this all-originals scene at the
track; 2009 V-Drums: If you are in an
all-originals scene, it’s a different
pitch; 2010 Eureka Encyclopedia: All-
originals scene is blacks only party
all that phr. [1] (or all that and then
some) excellent or admirable (cm, gs,
rk): 1994 Ebony: “Chillin’ With The
Sisters” was all that and then some!;
2003 Miami Trial, film: I remember
that ho’ got her GED, now she thinks
she’s all that; 2005 Man of the House,
film: “You’re all that and then some!”
“Thank you!” [2] arrogant (gs): 2009
Geek Stink Breath: I am an outgoing
person who pretty much is friends with
anybody who isn’t all that; 2011 Sassy
Stylings: She is all that, kind of an
arrogant bitch in the house; 2011
Change of Plans, film: “She’s quite
the character!” “Yeah, she’s all that,
huh?”
all that and then some see above
all the way live phr. very lively or excit-
ing (gs, jg): 1995 Things to Do in
Denver When You’re Dead, film:
He’s bug-fucking-crazy, all the way
live!; 2009 Notorious, film: This is DJ
Marley Marl. Check it out, y’all. It’s
all the way live; 2010 Blogspot: This
party was all the way live. Hats off to
DJ’s 100 Proof and Swervewon
amen corner n. [1] the front seats in the
church, typically occupied by the most
devout members of the congregation
(gs, jg): 2006 Driving Lessons, film:
 Glossary
God in the pulpit, God in the amen
corner, God don’t ever change!; 2009
Daily Sentinel: I looked where the
deacons were sitting, in the amen
corner; 2012 Word Press: Sitting in
the amen corner, elders of the church
nod and say “amen” when the
preacher says something they like [2]
big support or feeling for someone
(gs): 2007 Booman Tribune: If they
ban all those whom they disagree with,
the site will turn into a big amen
corner; 2009 More Than Right: Its only
purpose is to serve as an Amen corner
for their socialist agenda; 2010 Huf-
fington Post: Face it, Cory, you’re not
gonna find a very big amen corner here
amp see below
amped (or amped up, amp) adj. excited
(gs, jg, rk): 2007 Wu-Tang Clan: I
might get amped to rip something down;
2010 Tennessean: Everyone down here
is real amped up for it; 2011 Parent-
hood, NBC-TV series: The sleepover?
Jabbar is pretty amped up about it
amped up see above
amp up see amped
Ann (or Anne) n. potentially offen-
sive a white woman (cm, gs, jg): 2000
Geneva Smitherman: Ann [is] a deri-
sive term for a white woman; 2009
Wikipedia: Miss Ann, also just plain
Ann, is a derisive reference to the white
woman; 2010 Boston Globe: She looks
much nicer than just plain Ann
Apple n. New York City (bk, cm, gs):
1998 Out of Sight, film: We’re all ad
guys. Flew in this morning from the
Apple, New York; 1998 A Tribe Called
Quest: Word to Queens, my niggaz in
the Apple!; 2005 Bill Kirchner: The
Gonzalez brothers, Jerry and Andy,
were born in the Apple
apple n. potentially offensive the
vagina (cm, jg): 2009 Treasure Her-
nandez: She’s a feisty one, but her
apple is sweet as pie; 2012 Twi-Lite:
131
I pop her cherry, then I pop her apple;
2013 Urban Dictionary: Dude, I totally
popped her apple last night
apple cap n. a round, bright-colored cap
with a very wide brim and a pompom
(bk): 2001 Randy Boyd: Holding his
gray tweed apple cap over his face, he
pretended to be asleep; 2006 Ebony:
The dress is accessorized with over-
sized red apple cap and black sandals;
2010 Express: You have memories of
Jackson as a little black boy in an
apple cap
around the way adv. in the neighborhood
(gs, rk): 1993 Us3: Kids around the
way know what’s up; 2001 Angie Cruz:
She tells Iluminada not to worry, her
father is a lot smarter than a lot of the
guys around the way; 2002 Wire, HBO-
TV series: “Where’s his mother?”
“Around the way”
around-the-way adj. from one’s neigh-
borhood (cm, gs, jg): 1999 Ebony: He
said he was fed up with around-the-
way girls; 2007 Kashamba Williams:
After giving it some thought,
I wondered if there was really an
around-the-way girl story in me to
share; 2009 Baltimore City Paper: He
looks like an around-the-way type of
guy, and in fact he is: a product of
Northwest Washington, DC
as a motherfucker (or as a mothafucka,
as a muthafucka) adv. very offen-
sive extremely or totally: 2004 Wire,
HBO-TV series: It’s hot as a mother-
fucker here; 2009 Precious, film: One’s
running around, looking crazy as a
motherfucker; 2010 Angry Black Bitch:
Strict constructionism becomes select-
ive as a motherfucker
ashy adj. (of skin) dry and looking slightly
discolored (gs, jg): 1994 Ebony: Ashy
skin is never flattering, regardless of
your other assets; 2005 Roll Bounce,
film: Start puttin’ lotion on your ashy
butt; 2005 Bradie Moore: You see,
132 Glossary
black folk need to keep lotion on their
bodies all the time to keep from getting
ashy skin
assed out (or ass out) adv. poten-
tially offensive [1] in trouble
(jg): 1996 Nas: You coulda passed
out, your coke was gone, now you
assed out; 2001 Benzino: I burn rubber
and leave you niggas assed out; 2011
J. Cole: I was assed out with my funds
low [2] without money (gs, rk): 2008
T.I.: Everybody love to see a nigga
assed out, rather see ya lose it all than
to see you cash out; 2009 Riot Sound: If
you didn’t have a little money already
stacked away, you was assed out; 2012
Date Hookup: How many friends
would at least lend you a dollar if not
a place to stay if you were assed out in
the street?
ass out see above
ATL (or A.T.L.) n. Atlanta, Georgia
(gs): 2006 Kathleen Cross: Back from
ATL huh? Never mind Atlanta. Tell me
about your doctor’s appointment; 2007
Pittsburgh Post Gazette: I have my
motivation back living in ATL; 2009
Ebony: If you can’t make the trek down
to ATL like I did, don’t sweat it
A-Town (or A Town) n. Atlanta, Georgia
(jg): 2009 Yahoo Answers: He was
born in A-Town and raised in Chi-
Town; 2010 Cedar Town: Anguish in
A-Town! Atlanta Teams Fans Endur-
ing Depression Days; 2011 Babylon:
A Town most commonly refers to the
city of Atlanta, Georgia
attitude n. an arrogant, condescending or
confrontational attitude (bk, cm, gs):
1991 Seinfeld, NBC-TV series: I could
never be a maid because I’d have an
attitude; 2003 Flywheel, film: “What’s
with the attitude?” “I don’t have atti-
tude”; 2008 Big Bang Theory, CBS-TV
series: Look, I don’t need your attitude
Audi (or Audi 5000) v. to leave (cm, gs,
jg, rk): 2000 Kool G. Rap: Audi 5000,
don’t wait for the Feds to show; 2007
License to Wed, film: One little exer-
cise, then I’m Audi 5000, okay?; 2011
Raiderfans: Aso is Audi 5000’ing outta
here faster than raiderfans
Audi 5000 see above
Aunt Jane n. potentially offensive
an African American woman who is
subservient to whites or adopts their
values and attitudes (cm, gs, jg):
1985 Atlanta Journal-Constitution: A
judge once referred to her as an Aunt
Jane, the black female analogue to
Uncle Tom; 1987 Eugene Kuzirian:
She had to develop all the strength of
character not usually attributed to an
Aunt Jane; 1998 Tricity Herald: Mili-
tants ridicule these models as Aunt
Janes
Aunt Jemima n. potentially offen-
sive an African American woman
who is subservient to whites or adopts
their values and attitudes (cm, jg):
2013 Ebony: You took this story of Aunt
Jemima, this stereotype, this mammy-
figure, and you rewrote her story and
made her an empowered woman; 2013
Facebook: Aunt Jemima, why you fron-
tin’?; 2013 Chicago Sun-Times: The
name “Aunt Jemima” is a racial slur,
it stems from slavery
Aunt Thomasina n. potentially
offensive an African American
woman who is subservient to whites
or adopts their values and attitudes
(cm, gs, jg): 1991 San Jose Mercury
News: Willie is shot down by a young
black woman he accuses of being an
Aunt Thomasina; 2004 News Max:
She’s been attacked as an Aunt Tho-
masina and a sellout; 2005 American
Enterprise: Her kids would come home
from school crying that she was an
Aunt Thomasina
ax1 n. any musical instrument (cm, jg):
2004 Ray, film: “Say, daddy-o, what
ax do you play?” “Piano”; 2008 Palm
 Glossary
Beach Post: To her credit, she stayed
on, pretended to play the ax during one
tune, then left, throwing the peace sign
at the crowd; 2008 Dallas Morning
News: He played the ax behind his
back
ax2 v. to ask (cm): 1994 Fresh, film:
I gotta come ax you for the money;
2000 Schoolly D: I gave her ten
dollars, then she axed me for some
more; 2009 Trailer Park Boys: Count-
down to Liquor Day, film: Let me ax
you something real quick, dog
axman n. a musical instrumentalist,
especially guitarist (jg): 2004 Chicago
Sun-Times: Both find the 59-year-old
West in top form as an axman although
his vocal chords are a little worse for
wear; 2009 Philadelphia Inquirer: The
Philadelphia tenor axman is renowned
for his Coltranelike muscularity; 2010
Pittsburgh Post-Gazette: In jazz circles
the legendary Joe Negri turned up as
the axman on the new album by
Michael Feinstein
B immigrants riding the systems is taxing
B n. [1] a fellow African American, espe-
cially a man (gs, jg, rk): 1991 House
Party 2, film: Yo B, you got some
cuties here; 2002 8 Mile, film: What’s
up, B?; 2002 Paid in Full, film: You’re
not the only one working, B! [2] a
woman (gs, jg): 2012 Fan Fiction:
Machos and womanizers use ridicu-
lous phrases like “Let’s go to the party
and scope some B’s”; 2013 YouTube:
I agree those are some sexy B’s, haha;
2013 Lipstick Alley: Only stupid B’s
accuse Terry Richardson of sexual
harassment
baby n. a person regarded with affection
(cm, gs, jg): 1991 Boyz in the Hood,
film: Baby was fine, her body was
booming; 2001 Snoop Dogg and Tha
Eastsidas: Baby you gank em and play
133
em; 2002 Paid in Full, film: “Don’t call
me lucky!” “All right, baby”
baby boy n. an insignificant and irrespon-
sible man: 2005 Longest Yard, film:
Look who’s back. It’s the baby boy.
What is he trying to pull?; 2009 Fan
Fiction: I was acting like a stupid baby
boy; 2009 Taking of Pelham 123, film:
Gerber, baby boy, are you there?
baby daddy n. a teenage father who is not
married to his child’s mother (gs, jg,
rk): 2004 New York Amsterdam News:
Being a father and being a baby daddy
are two different things. A Baby Daddy
is a loser who sires a child; 2005 St.
Petersburg Times: People often
assume that Kevin Rodriguez Sr. is a
baby daddy; 2006 Bring It On: All or
Nothing, film: And the next thing you
know, you’re going to be on some bad
talk show screaming at your baby
daddy
baby factory n. a woman who has had a
lot of children, especially out of mar-
riage (gs, jg): 2009 Bismarck Tribune:
Too many baby factories and illegal
us; 2010 Los Angeles Times: I made the
choice to devote my life to having kids
and be a baby factory; 2011 Hobo with
a Shotgun, film: Turn that whore into a
baby factory!
baby gangsta (or bg, b.g.) n. a young
member of a criminal gang (jg): 2001
Daz Dillinger and JT the Bigga Figga:
Now I see straight, my B.G.’s can’t
relate; 2003 Pitch Weekly: They aren’t
interested in watching baby gangstas
transform from boys to men; 2012
Southland, TNT-TV series: They were
baby gangstas, little punks
Babylon n. potentially offensive
(especially among Rastafarians)
aspects of white culture seen as degen-
erate and oppressive, especially the
police (cm, jg, rk): 2006 New York
Times: He’s screaming for revenge
134 Glossary
against Babylon; 2011 Interpress Ser-
vice: Babylon is the Rastafarian term
for the oppressive capitalistic world
that promotes inequality; 2011 Legacy:
Rastas consider his teachings to have
been corrupted by Babylon, their name
for Western society
baby mama (or baby momma) n. a teen-
age mother who is not married to her
child’s father (gs): 1998 Snoop Dogg:
I got to get this cheese with my crew
but baby momma full of drama; 2008
First Sunday, film: My baby mama
might have took my son away from
me today; 2009 Toronto Star: He was
just a kid trying to raise a family, with
a baby mama, a kid who goes to work
baby momma see above
backdoor man n. a man having an affair
with someone’s wife or girlfriend (bk,
cm, jg): 1988 Chicago Tribune: You
wonder how many of these sweet back-
door men turn out to be uncaring hus-
bands of their own wives; 2006
Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: In the
blues, Santa’s been known to be a mid-
night rambler and a backdoor man;
2008 Los Angeles Times: After warming
up with safe jokes about wives and
backdoor men, he changed out of his
fan dance costume
back in the day (or back in the days)
phr. in the past, long time ago (jg, rk):
2003 Wire, HBO-TV series: “Like you
guys never stole nothing back in the
day!” “We ain’t back in the day,
Nicky”; 2013 New York Times: That
was the formula they were using to
acquire companies back in the day;
2013 ASAP Ferg: Them my niggas from
back in the day
bad (or badd) adj. [1] excellent or admir-
able (bk, cm, gs, jg, rk): 1996 Jay-Z:
We got the bad bitches gaspin for air
in Aspen; 2008 Strictly Sexual, film: Oh
my God! You’re so bad! You’re the
man!; 2009 Ebony: We are still blessed
to have the baddest rock band in the
world as ours [2] tough, bold, and
severe (gs): 1998 Belly, film: Kisha
was a bad motherfucker; 2007 Black
August, film: It would just be a love
story about the baddest brother; 2008
Chicago Tribune: Obama said that
Omar is the toughest, baddest guy on
the show
badass1 adj. potentially offensive
[1] excellent or admirable (cm): 2006
Daily Reflector: We used to play at the
Cavern and we know that if you get the
right people in there, that’s a badass
place to play; 2008 Pegasus News: It’s
a unique glimpse at the talented people
who make Dallas a badass place to
live; 2009 Ebony: They are commod-
ities, flashy, gun-toting, badass boy-
toys with no social responsibilities or
ties [2] tough, bold, and severe (jg):
1998 Washington Post: He mentions it
frequently at work, lest anyone forget
he’s a badass outlaw; 2005 Harvard
Crimson: Yeah, I’m a badass mother-
fucker who studies astrophysics; 2011
Chicago Magazine: She won pop-cult
enshrinement as the badass gang
leader in Russ Meyer’s 1965 movie
“Faster, Pussycat! Kill!”
badass2 n. potentially offensive
[1] a contemptible or despicable
person: 2009 Dare, film: You and
Johnny acted like badasses; 2013 Huf-
fington Post: Truth be told, Edith is a
total badass; 2013 Yahoo Answers:
I was a stupid badass back then,
I made a lot of stupid mistakes [2] a
tough, bold, and severe person (jg):
2011 Miami New Times: He comes off
as one of the biggest badasses in the
history of film; 2011 Nurse Jackie,
HBO-TV series: Your dad is a badass;
2011 Wired News: Most Asian Ameri-
can images portrayed on TV were that
of kung-fu badasses, servants or the
enemy
 Glossary
badd see bad
baddest adj. [1] the best (jg): 1993 True
Romance, film: Tell me, what is the
biggest, baddest hamburger you guys
got?; 2009 Time: These are the baddest
boats in yachting; 2009 New York
Times: What do physicists hope to
learn from the biggest, baddest physics
machine in the world? [2] the toughest,
boldest, and most severe: 2000 Snoop
Dogg: This here gone be the baddest
pimp nigga that you ever gone see;
2008 30 Rock, NBC-TV series: He
was the baddest gangsta!; 2009 Ebony:
Say what you want, he’s the baddest
that’s ever done it
bad hair n. tight curls of natural,
unstraightened African American hair
(cm, gs, jg): 2002 Antwone Fisher,
film: He had the good hair, and we
had the bad hair. She used to say how
Kevin was better than us because his
father was white; 2008 Yahoo Answers:
Why is natural African hair often
called bad hair?; 2010 Soul Pages:
Good Hair, bad hair, Afro hair, Euro-
pean hair – can’t we all just get along?
bad-mouth v. [1] to criticize and disres-
pect (cm, gs, jg): 2005 Richard Tem-
plar: You do not bad-mouth your boss
under any circumstances; 2009 Daily
Blabber: Kate was careful not to bad-
mouth Jon during her interview with
Meredith; 2011 Washington Post: If
you publicly bad-mouthed a Fortune
500 company, would you expect that
company to hire you? [2] to gossip or
rumor (cm, gs): 2000 Hurlyburly, film:
That deceitful bitch has been bad-
mouthing Eddie; 2004 Two and a Half
Men, CBS-TV series: Have you been
bad-mouthing me?; 2006 Crossover,
film: He probably badmouthed me,
trying to poison your mind against me
bad nigga see below
bad nigger (or bad nigga) n. very
offensive unless used by
135
african americans an African
American who is rebellious and
aggressive (cm, gs, jg): 1996 Theresa
Perry: The bad nigga was a type of folk
character existing throughout African
American history; 1998 C-Bo: I turn a
bad nigga into a cowardly lion. And if
he’s thinkin about jackin, I’ll keep his
ass from tryin; 2003 New York Times:
The black oral culture fused the two
apparently contradictory notions of the
devil as a white man and the devil as a
“bad nigger”
bad scene n. an unpleasant or depressing
experience or situation (cm): 2011
Houston Press: I might have been
humiliated enough to down the entire
thing in one gulp, and that would
have been a bad scene; 2011 Jewish
Journal of Greater Los Angeles: It’s
just a bad scene and I cringed through
the whole thing; 2011 Sacramento Bee:
It could’ve been a real bad scene, but
luckily no one was hurt
bag n. one’s preferred area of activity or
specialization (cm, gs, jg): 2005 St.
Petersburg Times: Nursing is not my
bag; 2005 New York Times: That was
never my bag, metaphysics and all.
I was always more partial to meat-and-
potatoes writers; 2012 Atlanta Journal-
Constitution: Teaching is not my bag
Bahama mama (or Bahama momma) n.
a big or stout African American woman
(cm, jg): 2005 Good Times Webshots:
Look at those sexy Bahama mamas!;
2005 Honeymooners, film: At the finish
line, it’s Bahama mama; 2012 Tube
Gals: Coco is a sexy Bahama mama
Bahama momma see above
ball1 n. [1] a good time (bk, cm, jg): 1993
Snoop Dogg: Y’all stay full of that gin
and juice and have a ball; 2009 Idaho
Press-Tribune: We rented a class
C motorhome and we had a ball; 2010
Corpus Christi Caller-Times: I just
want people to enjoy it and have a ball
136 Glossary
[2] the game of basketball (gs jg):
1994 Hoop Dreams, film: It was
playing ball for the team; 1995 Basket-
ball Diaries, film: We were just best
friends playing ball in the driveway;
1998 He Got Game, film: They love
ball-playing brothers, man
ball2 v. [1] (or ball out) to have a good
time (bk, cm, jg, rk): 2001 Washing-
ton Post: I’m always gonna ball, ball
’til I fall; 2006 Randy Kearse: We goin’
down to the A.T.L. and ball out for the
weekend; 2006 Snoop Dogg: My nigga,
ball ’til you fall! Don’t stop! [2] to play
basketball (gs, jg): 2005 Paintball
Forum: I went balling yesterday when
some white kid walks in all ghetto’d
out; 2011 My Space: I went balling
with a few of my buddies; 2011 Slam:
Despite the bad state of the court, kids
balled on that thing daily as if it were a
pristine NBA 94-feet [3] poten-
tially offensive to have sex with
(cm): 1995 Coolio: If you’re balling
me, you got your own set of keys;
1997 Face/Off, film: I like balling your
wife; 2005 Forums: Who cares if the
boss and you just balled his wife?
balla see baller
balla-block see baller-block
balla-blocka see baller-blocker
baller (or balla) n. someone who makes a
lot of money, especially illegally (jg,
rk): 1996 Newsweek: I am not a hater
like you, bow down to a baller that’s
greater than you; 2005 Aaron Peck-
ham: Evan’s a baller now with his job
downtown and a new Benz; 2010
Sports Illustrated: Let’s separate the
ballas from the poseurs
baller-block (or balla-block) v. to be
envious and try to prevent someone
from doing something successful or
funny (rk): 2005 H.A.W.K.: Me and
Ro are making profit, niggas are
trying to baller-block it; 2010 Ebonics
Translator: Why you always got to be
baller-blockin on me?; 2010 Kanye
West: They try to baller-block us, use
absolute power
baller-blocker (or balla-blocka) n. an
envious person who is trying to pre-
vent someone from doing something
successful or funny (jg): 2003 Black
Planet: Show me some love, don’t be
a baller-blocker; 2010 Urban Diction-
ary: A baller-blocker is a person
throwing salt on your game, whether
it be money or relationship-wise; 2010
Essence: When it is a group of ladies
there always will be a baller-blocker in
the crew
balling1 (or ballin’) adj. successful and
living well (gs, jg): 2001 Baby Boy,
film: All the real ballin’, successful
folks are sellers; 2010 Ebonics Trans-
lator: Cheese is a necessary element to
any balling effort; 2010 Yahoo
Answers: Why are Jewish people so
balling?
balling2 (or ballin’) n. a good time (bk,
cm, jg): 2006 Vogue: Most nights I
never had a balling; 2012 Insight
News: I’ve never done a stage play
before, but I had a balling doing this;
2013 Twitter: Casino? I stayed there.
It’s pure balling
ball out see ball2
Bama (or ’Bama) n. Alabama (cm): 1996
Anne Bertram: “Where you from?”
“Birmingham, Alabama!” “No kid-
ding! My dad was from’Bama”; 2005
Prison Break, Fox-TV series: That is
what my auntie back in ’Bama used to
call hobo chicken; 2010 Facebook: I’m
from Bama, too
bama (or ’bama) n. potentially
offensive an uncultured or
unsophisticated person from the south-
ern USA (cm, gs, jg, rk): 2000 Bam-
boozled, film: Here come the Bamas.
No more city slickers!; 2004 Ray, film:
Okay,’bama, why don’t you get on up
there and show me what you got?; 2005
 Glossary
Torrance Stephens: He seems to be
such a bama at times
bama boy (or ’bama boy) n. poten-
tially offensive an uncultured or
unsophisticated man from the southern
USA, especially African American:
2004 Ray, film: He never told me that
his partner was a blind bama boy; 2006
Rhonda Nelson: This bama boy is sick
of fishing and ready to cut bait; 2007
Sports Illustrated: Jake Peavy is a
small-town bama boy who is prone to
bad luck
banana n. a sexually attractive light-
skinned African American woman
(bk, cm, jg): 1994 Clarence Major:
As black slang, “banana” came to
mean a light-complexioned and
attractive Afro-American female; 2004
Wired News: At least I’m a sexy
banana! Plus, this is the most my
gigantic boobs have been covered
since the start of the game!; 2010 Face-
book: I’m a sexy banana
bang v. to be a member of a criminal gang
and be engaged in its activities (gs,
rk): 2009 Street Gangs: Them niggas
were bangin’ so tough, coming up to
Hamilton, Fairfax, Dorsey; 2011 South-
land, TNT-TV series: He was a church-
going man, he wasn’t banging; 2013
Reverb Nation: I started bangin when
I was fifteen. I shot somebody and
I went to prison
banger n. a member of a criminal gang
(gs, jg): 2003 Hollywood Homicide,
film: These two bangers, they didn’t
mean anything to anybody. But you
send them into an open nightclub,
and they cap four guys?; 2007 Urban
Justice, film: Those bangers that were
here, what gang are they with?; 2008
Gothamist: This is never what gets
shown on the TV set though, its always
the ghetto bangers
bank1 n. money (cm, gs, jg, rk): 1991
Ice-T: We put our minds together,
137
made the tracks clever. Now we’re
checkin’ more bank than ever; 1993
Us3: My man lost his crib and his bank;
2002 Shoot or Be Shot, film: You gotta
make some bank if you wanna eat
bank2 v. to make a lot of money (gs):
1990 Ebony: He banked on that star’s
potential; Diana Ross took the
Supremes to the top with her; 2005 Fort
Worth Star-Telegram: If it doesn’t
work, then Hicks will have dipped into
some of that cash he’s been banking
the last couple of years; 2009 Ghost of
Girlfriends Past, film: You banked
150K a year
BAP, B.A.P. see Black American Princess
barefoot as a river duck phr. barefoot
(gs): 1998 Ross Roeser: It’s too cold
for you to be runnin’ around barefoot
as a river duck; 2000 Geneva Smither-
man: Barefoot as a river duck [is] an
expression used to describe a person
walking around without any shoes on;
2003 Darnail: She was as barefoot as a
river duck, my mama would say, com-
plaining that her feet hurt
base (or ’base) v. to criticize, especially
in a loud voice (cm, gs, jg): 2009 Mac
Rumors: You guys should stop basing
him for having a PC; 2009 Rey Mys-
terio: This was Psicosis, who’d been
basing me for years; 2010 USA Today:
It’s unfair because people are basing
him
bass (or bass on) v. to criticize, especially
in a loud voice (jg, rk): 1991 Public
Enemy: I’m gone but the bassin goes
on; 2006 Randy Kearse: I don’t appre-
ciate you bassin’ on me like that; 2013
Facebook: He does not think it is the
source of our problem, so ok, bass him
for thinking different
bass on see above
battle1 n. teasing, especially by provoca-
tive rhyming comments in a gamelike
manner: 2002 8 Mile, film: You win
battles; 2003 Scary Movie 3, film: I’m
138 Glossary
gonna win that rap battle; 2013 Rap
Radar: Loaded Lux and Hollow Da
Don squared off this past weekend.
The battle lasted close to an hour
battle2 v. to tease, especially by provoca-
tive rhyming comments in a gamelike
manner (jg): 1987 Public Enemy: You
got no rap, but you want to battle. It’s
like havin’ a boat, but you got no
paddle; 2010 Wiki How: Pay careful
attention to the techniques those artists
use to battle; 2010 SOHH: Last year,
rapper Roth revealed his inability to
battle
B-ball (or B ball) n. the game of
basketball (gs, jg): 2003 Atlanta
Journal-Constitution: Playing B-ball
seems foreign to us now; 2009 New
Haven Register: If a player receives a
four-year scholarship to play B-ball, he
should be required to play for four
years; 2010 Kids Are All Right, film:
I did a little B-ball in junior high
B-boy (or B boy) n. [1] a male devotee of
breakdancing (cm, gs): 1993 Us3: The
B-boys from Brooklyn are breakin’
bones for the bucks; 2009 Los Angeles
Times: You’re a B-boy, but do you
think you have a future in contempor-
ary dance?; 2011 News, KVAL-TV
program: Wicked Fx is a group of “b-
boys,” also known as breakdancers [2]
a male devotee of rap music or hip-hop
(gs, jg, rk): 1996 Dr. Dre: It’s hard-
core, B-boy rhymes just for you; 2006
Ian Condry: It characterized a b-boy
ethic even before the term b-boy was
known; 2009 Los Angeles Times: What
kind of feedback are you getting from
other b-boys? Have you lost your
street cred at all?
B-coat (or B coat) n. a bulletproof vest:
2000 E-40: Suckas on the block know
I got a Glock, B-coats, and all of that;
2008 Rap Battles: I came to this world
undressed, still no B-coat, just my
chest; 2010 Web Forums: Nigga, be
told, next time you come here, bring
yo’ B-coat!
beam v. to stare at or observe closely (cm,
jg): 1994 Clarence Major: They be
beaming me when I walk by; 1996
Ghostface Killa: Two kids was
beaming him, them niggas from the
movie theater; 2010 Blogs: Everybody
was beaming that chick
bear n. potentially offensive an
unattractive person, especially a
woman (cm, gs, jg): 2007 Deseret
News: No one was calling her a big,
ugly bear; 2009 Matter of Size, film:
“You’re a real bear!” “Why insult
me?”; 2009 Flickr: She’s such a bear
in this picture
beast n. a white person, especially a
person in power such as a police offi-
cer (cm, gs, jg, rk): 2005 San Fran-
cisco Chronicle: When you have to
deal with a beast, you have to treat
him as a beast; 2006 Public Enemy:
No peace for the beast!; 2006 Randy
Kearse: Beast pulled us over twice
today
beastly adj. unattractive (gs, rk): 2005
Urban Dictionary: Get that beastly
chick away from me!; 2010 Dirty: He
was dating some beastly bitch; 2011
YouTube: I ain’t gonna lie, this is
one beastly nigga!
beatbox1 n. [1] making mouth noises that
serve as the background rhythm for a
rap (jg): 2007 Big Bang Theory, CBS-
TV series: It was a human beatbox;
2011 Village Voice: Jimmy revealed
his music-related cluelessness by sug-
gesting that Paul throw a “beatbox” in
the middle; 2011 Boston Globe: I’ve
always enjoyed mixing machines with
flesh and that track has a beatbox on it,
but it has real drums on top of that [2]
a large portable stereo player: 1986
Spin Magazine: Ask him what’s so
special about the crew, and he’ll tell
you about the beatbox; 1987 Musician:
 Glossary
He decided to blast a hip-hop anthem
from his beatbox in Branford’s face;
2005 Aaron Peckham: Yo, B! Turn that
beatbox down
beatbox2 v. to make mouth noises that
serve as the background rhythm for a
rap (jg): 2008 New York Times: Swizz
gamely beatboxed while TI rapped;
2010 News, MTV-TV program: He
beatboxed while I freestyled for about
fifteen minutes; 2011 Us Magazine: Her
first foray into the music business
occurred when she beatboxed for the
rap group Ladies Fresh in the late 80s
beat down v. to beat up badly (gs, jg):
1996 Gangsta Nip: Niggas got beat
down in the slavery days; 2010 Hood
Up: He got beat down by one nigga;
2013 Lil Wayne: We beat a nigga down
‘til he left without a vital sign
before God gets the news (or before
God get the news) phr. very quickly
(gs): 1995 Clayborne Carson: If a
white man puts his hand on you, kill
him before God gets the news; 1998
Los Angeles Times: Ali explained,
“I’m going to hit him before God gets
the news”; 2011 Helium: All they need
is a computer and they can do it before
God gets the news
Benjamin (or Benjie, Benjy, Benji) n. a
hundred dollar bill (gs, rk): 1999
Daily News of Los Angeles: Now you
are ready to cough up a couple of
Benjies to take the family out for a
Sunday tailgate; 2000 Me, Myself and
Irene, film: He’ll hush me up with a
couple of Benjamins; 2009 New York
Daily News: Our spy says she pulled
an envelope of Benjamins out of her
purse and handed one over
Benjamins n. money (gs, jg): 2002 8 Mile,
film: We’ll have Bentleys and Benja-
mins; 2004 Everyday People, film: The
people from the PJ’s ain’t gonna be
spending their benjamins at Banana
Republic, right?; 2007 CSI: Miami,
139
CBS-TV series: As soon as I get my
Benjamins, you get her
Benjie, Benjy, Benji see Benjamin
Benz (or Benzo) n. a Mercedes-Benz
automobile (gs, jg, rk): 1998 He Got
Game, film: They let you drive the
Benz their daddy bought; 1999 Dr.
Dre: I was rollin with Lorenzo in a
Benzo; 2007 Ebony: His wife begins
showing up in public in his Benz
Benzo see above
bestest adj. the best: 2009 Root: One of
my bestest homegirls called me up
wondering what kind of gift she could
give her man this Valentine’s Day;
2010 Michael Jackson Commemorated,
film: He’s the King of Pop, and he’s
the bestest!; 2011 Black Voices: I met
my bestest friend on this site
bet a fat man (or bet a fat man against
the hole in a doughnut) phr. to be
absolutely assured or certain (cm, gs,
jg): 1994 Clarence Major: I bet a fat
man he doesn’t make it back by tomor-
row; 2012 Blogspot: If he gets a second
term I bet a fat man his policies will be
firmly in the left; 2013 iPhoneogram:
I’ll bet a fat man y’all can’t speak
our language
bet a fat man against the hole in a
doughnut see above
betta recognize see below
better recognize (or betta recognize)
excl. show due respect and recognition
(gs, rk): 1993 Snoop Dogg: Y’alls,
niggaz, better recognize and see where
I’m comin from; 1994 Sam Sneed: It’s
the man with the masterplan, they call
him Sam and I think you better recog-
nize; 2006 Randy Kearse: Better recog-
nize, if it wasn’t for me you wouldn’t
be here
B.G., BG see baby gangsta
B-girl (or B girl) n. [1] a female devotee
of breakdancing: 2002 San Jose Mer-
cury News: She was one of many B-
girls who danced at last week’s event;
140 Glossary
2007 Mickey Hess: When hip hop
music began, the b-boys and b-girls
took to the dance floor; 2010 Tennes-
sean: About 5% of dancers are women
known as B-girls [2] a female devotee
of rap music or hip-hop (jg): 2009
Forums: I’m predisposed to like her
because she’s a B-girl; 2009 Joseph
Schloss: You want to be a b-girl?;
2013 Los Angeles Times: B-Girls: Por-
traits of Women in Hip Hop
biatch (or biyatch) n. potentially
offensive [1] a contemptible or
despicable woman (jg): 2008 Prom
Wars, film: How does it feel, biatch,
to be a loser?; 2009 Ace Showbiz:
They’re right about Annie though,
she’s a biatch; 2009 Celebrity Gossip:
Maybe we’ll get some insight into what
he’s seeing in that sour-puss biyatch
[2] a woman (bk, jg): 2006 World
Cup Blog: Let me know if you want
some biatch!; 2008 Janet Perr: I got
biyatches. I got plenty of chedda, and
a phat crib; 2010 New Magazine: Can
you imagine Snoop Dogg rocking up to
the corner shop with Emily Bishop as
his biatch?
bid n. a prison sentence (gs, jg, rk): 2006
Randy Kearse: This my first real bid;
2009 Notorious, film: He turned him-
self in, had to do a bid; 2010 Prison
Talk: My first bid was in 2008 for a
parole violation
biddy see bitty
bidness n. business (cm, gs): 1994 Forr-
est Gump, film: I know everything
there is to know about the shrimping
bidness; 2007 Ebony: Any guy spend-
ing enough time to look that fresh and
tanned can’t be spending enough time
on municipal bidness; 2008 Snoop
Dogg: I’m about my bidness, boy,
making money never been so smooth
Big A n. Atlanta, Georgia: 2000 Inquirer:
Big A is Atlanta; 2009 Atlanta Journal-
Constitution: What brings you to
Atlanta? What do you remember most
about your trips to the Big A?; 2010
Facebook: Best of the Big A! The best
Atlanta has to offer!
Big Apple n. New York City (bk, cm,
gs): 1999 Variety Magazine: They plan
to linger in the Big Apple; 2010 News,
ABC-TV program: But for savvy trav-
elers there are still plenty of bargains
to be found in the Big Apple; 2010 New
York Post: He sees them on every street
corner in the Big Apple
bigass adj. potentially offensive
[1] very big (bk, cm, gs, jg): 1983
Eddie Murphy Delirious, film: Mick
Jagger is an ugly motherfucker, he’s
got bigass lips; 2006 ATL, film: I know
what he wanted from you, and it wasn’t
them big-ass earrings; 2009 Village
Voice: Who the fuck is this bitch on
your page, with her big-ass tits up on
your top eight? [2] self-important or
arrogant (bk): 1999 Tim Tharp: I see
you don’t have that big-ass friend of
yours here to protect you this time, he
said; 2004 Snoop Dogg: With that big-
ass mouth you need to shut the fuck up;
2009 Chicago Sun-Times: He acts a
bigass kid
Big D n. Detroit, Michigan (gs): 1997
John Holway: Detroit, the Big D, with
its nightclubs and pretty girls,
beckoned to the single guys; 2005 Alice
Randall: Lynx used to chauffeur us all
around the Big D when Detroit was
something; 2008 Detroit News: One
entertaining option for a day in the
Big D would be to hit it
big eyes n. an intense craving or desire
(jg): 2011 African American Litera-
ture: Di Di Baby always had big eyes
for her friend’s beaus or exes; 2011
Literotica: All three guys had big eyes
for my breasts; 2011 Time: She had big
eyes for Berry, whom she met onstage
big face n. any of the new-style dollar
bills with large faces of US presidents,
 Glossary
especially the new hundred-dollar
bill (gs, rk): 2004 Nekousa Mullin:
Rubber banded bundles of big faces
fell onto the bed; 2006 Shafeeq: “One
hundred ninety-nine dollars.” Tiffany
handed the clerk two big faces; 2010
Black Planet: Sippin on Cristal and
countin them bigfaces, that’s just the
way of life!
big foe see below
big four (or big foe) n. urban police
detectives, especially brutal and arro-
gant (gs, jg): 2007 Heather Buchanan:
I’mah so sick and tired of the Big Foe
startin’ mess; 2007 Detroit News: The
big four were four-man police units
known to black Detroiters as instiga-
tors of brutality and harassment; 2009
Rutgers Bulletin: The big four roamed
the streets, searching for bars to raid
and prostitutes to arrest
biggety see biggity
Biggety O see Biggity O
biggity (or biggety) adj. self-important or
arrogant (bk, cm, jg): 1996 Roanoke
Times: My father kept telling me this
was a very historic occasion and I felt
real biggety; 2008 New York Times:
Back then, I was so busy and so bigg-
ity, I didn’t pay attention to what
he offered me; 2008 National Public
Radio: She suggested I cling to my
place at the post office and not let
publication make me biggity
Biggity O (or Biggety O) n. Oakland,
California: 2007 Yelp: The revitaliza-
tion of the Biggity O is in full effect,
and Levende East is going to become a
pillar of the Old Oakland dining
renaissance; 2010 Twitter: The Biggity
O is where you belong, my homie;
2010 Athletics Nation: Is anyone inter-
ested in making a road trip to the
Biggety O?
big mama (or big momma) n. [1] a big or
stout African American woman (gs):
2001 Baby Boy, film: I ain’t like Big
141
Mama. I got to have fun; 2008 Elsa
Hahne: The best cooks are the big
mamas. Ain’t no skinny people like
us!; 2009 Ebony: Reasons being is
weight, weave and big mama stereo-
types [2] the grandmother in the Afri-
can American family (cm, gs, jg):
2005 Rosalyn Story: Olivia watched in
wonder as Big Mama worked, her
large hands busy, her forehead etched
with a frown of determination; 2006
New York Times: She poses as an
obese middle-age woman who asks
everyone to call her big momma; 2009
Root: Do you remember Big Mama
dying from complications with dia-
betes? [3] something big or important:
2006 Rick Van Dam: She had a split at
both sides of her dress and her breasts
were big mamas; 2009 Atkins Diet:
This big momma cost me $7.30. Well
worth satisfying my potato craving;
2010 World Flicks: They were farming
these huge fish for Japanese market,
one fish was worth $20 a kilo, and
these were big mamas
big momma see above
Big O n. Oakland, California: 2010 Public
Address: George was born in Big O;
2010 Yahoo Answers: If you decide to
live in the Big O, then you need to get
up into the hills somewhere; 2010 Oak-
land Online: Come on out to the Big O,
we’ll show you a good time, I promise
big paper n. a lot of money (gs, jg): 1993
Carl S. Taylor: I didn’t have no big
paper saved, and his family took every
dime in the house, left me out cold;
2009 My Space: I’m makin big paper
on these hoes, you dig?; 2009 Yoddle
Pop: It’s a smart strategy if you’re
trying to earn big paper
big time adv. extremely or totally (gs,
jg): 1992 Reservoir Dogs, film: Some-
body fucked us up big time, man; 2013
New York Times: He botched it big
time; 2013 Los Angeles Times: If you
142 Glossary
do it big time, you had better keep
track of what you spent
big ups1 n. congratulations (gs): 2005
Coach Carter, film: Big ups to every-
body who came out to the Richmond
High winter dance, y’all! Get down!;
2009 Ebony: Big ups to Herbie Han-
cock for his nomination!; 2010 Exam-
iner: The people deserve big ups for
the work they’re doing
big ups2 excl. congratulations (gs): 2002
8 Mile, film: Big ups and congratula-
tions! You finally got your record on
the radio; 2009 Biz Community: Big
ups, guys. Thanks for picking me to
work with; 2013 Facebook: Big-ups,
dudes! That’s amazing
big Willie n. an important of influential
person, especially African American
(gs, jg, rk): 1999 Sopranos, HBO-
TV series: Tell me why this was a
smart move to make Junior the big
Willie; 1999 Blackalicious: He’s a big
Willie now, rappin bout cars, thousand
dollar shoppin sprees, hangin out with
stars; 2011 Escapist Magazine: It’s
mostly because he’s a big willie in
general, but his accent being different
from everyone else’s never stops
annoying me
biscuit n. the buttocks (bk, cm, jg): 2004
Snoop Dogg: Now you always got to
be hot and vicious, so move them bis-
cuits and hit them tricks bitch; 2009
Spoof: She said that she would kick
McFixx in her biscuit; 2010 Baby
Center: She can’t stop shaking her bis-
cuit, shaking her head, and bopping up
and down
bitch n. [1] potentially offensive a
woman (bk, cm, gs): 1991 Jungle
Fever, film: My marriage is wrecked,
he’s fucking some white bitch; 2000
Tom Lisanti: Diane excelled as the
sophisticated bitch; 2005 Coach
Carter, film: Yo! l’d love to shoot the
shit with you bitches all night, but l
gotta go [2] potentially offen-
sive a girlfriend (bk, jg): 2004 Lady-
killers, film: “The man brought his
bitch to Waffle Court.” “Stop referring
to her that way. She is the other half of
my life”; 2005 Be Cool, film: You’re
still my bitch. Love ya. Out!; 2011
Meek Mill: Not to mention Ty was
fuckin’ his old bitch
bitch-ass adj. weak, timid or cowardly
(gs, rk): 2001 Jadakiss: I bet the hood
won’t miss you, you bitch-ass nigga;
2002 Xzibit: Lemme explain to you why
niggaz act like bitches. There’s bitch-
ass niggaz and there’s men; 2005
Waiting, film: Get the fuck out of my
fuckin’ face, bitch-ass motherfuckers!
bitch-slap v. to slap someone with the
back of one’s hand across the face
(jg, rk): 2002 Dan Jenkins: Somebody
ought to bitch-slap the motherfucker
upside the head; 2007 Two and a Half
Men, CBS-TV series: I got bitch-
slapped!; 2011 Huffington Post:
I wanted to bitch-slap every single
one of ’em
bite v. to copy or imitate (cm, gs, jg, rk):
1989 Pamela Munro: Why did you bit
my outfit?; 1997 Jay-Z: It’s the nigga,
I ain’t mad yeah, bite my shit; 2009
Bebo: Talk like me, even bite every-
thing from me
bitty (or biddy) n. a young woman (cm,
gs, jg, rk): 2006 Randy Kearse: How
about callin’ them bitties we met
earlier; 2010 Lights So Bright:
Because I’m a shy bitty, I wish I were
attending the after party; 2013 You-
Tube: She’s a sexy bitty and I want to
do all kinds of dirty things to her
biyatch see biatch
bizzle n. [1] a problem or difficulty: 2005
Office, film: Here’s the bizzle; 2006 TV
Guide: Karma’s a bizzle. I think if any
one of those things had gone differ-
ently, I would have made it a lot fur-
ther in the game; 2009 Honda Twins:
 Glossary
All that crank pressure makes it real
bizzle [2] a woman: 2009 My Space:
She’s my bizzle and we make an
awesome team; 2009 Deviant Art: You
old bizzle! I thought you weren’t
coming!; 2013 YouTube: What a sexy
bizzle!
BK (or B.K.) n. [1] a Burger King res-
taurant (bk, gs, jg): 1991 Sarasota
Herald-Tribune: Before practice I ate
at BK (Burger King) again; 2001 Pep-
perell Free Press: We rode to Itaewon
and ate at BK again (eating Korean
food takes longer) and then to Dong-
deamun shopping center; 2005 Diane
Goodspeed: The nearest BK is in the
Pennington Market shopping center
[2] Brooklyn, New York: 2004 Des-
tiny’s Child: We like them boys up
top from the BK, know how to flip that
money three ways; 2010 Life Files: Bey
is not from BK but her husband is;
2012 Chiddy Bang: You from BK, but
you can’t always have it your way
black n. a fellow African American (gs,
jg, rk): 1986 Tina Turner and Kurt
Loder: I wouldn’t play at no white club
that didn’t let in Blacks; 1996 Jay-Z:
All us blacks got is sports and enter-
tainment; 2009 Body Space: Yo black,
how’s everything coming along?
blackalicious adj. [1] (of an African
American) sexually attractive: 2000
Boston Globe: Shedding his robe he
was a blackalicious sight; 2003 Friend-
ster: Shawn is so blackalicious! He’s
funny, trashy, camp, and intelligent;
2011 Urban Dictionary: That girl is
blackalicious with them pretty eyes
and thick thighs [2] excellent or admir-
able, especially if connected with Afri-
can Americans: 2003 Thirty Fourth
Street: I’d like to think that I was
blackalicious, but unfortunately I am
not; 2003 Forums: The Acapella was
blackalicious!; 2006 Assata Shakur:
I feel renewed and very blackalicious
143
Black American Princess (or BAP,
B.A.P.) n. potentially offensive
a wealthy young African American
woman, especially if pampered or arro-
gant (jg): 1997 Philip Herbst: As a
BAP, I am a child of privilege; 2006
Jerry Springer Show, WBN-TV pro-
gram: First of all, I’m not no nigger.
I’m a Black American Princess, okay?;
2013 Flavorwire: With her black
middle-class breeding in full effect,
she was also a Black American
Princess
black-and-tan adj. interracial, especially
occupied or patronized by both African
Americans and whites (bk, cm, gs,
jg): 1996 Chicago Sun-Times: The
Sutherland was known as a black-
and-tan bar where blacks and whites
mingled freely in the audience; 2003
Laurie Palazzolo: There was a bar on
Hastings called the Cozy Corner. It
was a black-and-tan place; 2010 Pas-
sion Play, film: There’s gonna be a
raid in a couple of hours. They’re bust-
ing a black-and-tan joint down on
Adams
black ass n. potentially offensive
unless used by african ameri-
cans self, when referring to an Afri-
can American: 1989 Do The Right
Thing, film: Sit your black ass down!;
1993 Menace II Society, film: If it
wasn’t for him, my black ass would
be dead by now; 2000 Bamboozled,
film: Seven years ago they was kicking
our black asses
black-ass adj. potentially offen-
sive unless used by african
americans African American: 2012
Django Unchained, film: I got no
problem with it if you ain’t got no
problem with burnin’ everything else
when this black-ass motherfucker’s
gone; 2013 My Space: Yeah, I’m a
black-ass mofo; 2013 YouTube: This
black-ass singer sang for a long time
144 Glossary
Black Bottom n. [1] an area of a city
with a predominantly African Ameri-
can population (cm, gs, jg): 1988 New
York Times: Joe Louis grew up in this
city’s Black Bottom section and
became a larger-than-life symbol;
1988 Atlanta Journal-Constitution: An
estimated 10,000 reveled in Detroit’s
Paradise Valley in the city’s Black
Bottom; 2010 Black Voices: Cobo
agreed to let the federal government
drop I-75 in the middle of the city’s
Black Bottom [2] an area in Detroit
with a predominantly African Ameri-
can population (gs): 2011 Fan House:
The monument honors the boxing
champion who rose from Detroit’s
Black Bottom in the 1930s; 2011 Flor-
ida Courier: From the Fillmore in San
Francisco to Black Bottom in Detroit,
they were done in forever in the name
of new development; 2013 Yahoo
News: Detroit’s Black Bottom has
faded into history as a specific burb
blacker-than-thou adj. criticizing fellow
African Americans for not being Afri-
can American enough (gs): 1993 New
York Newsday: It’s part of a trend
among blacks to prove they’re
blacker-than-thou; 1996 Los Angeles
Times: The fact that Lee would
embrace Jackson looks like a contra-
diction of his previous “blacker-than-
thou” public persona; 2003 Joy Ann
Williamson: Blacker-than-thou senti-
ment had a personal and hurtful
impact on Black students
Black Man’s Wheels n. a BMW automo-
bile (gs): 2002 Jessica Mann: Gavin
wanted to make a point by driving
Black Man’s Wheels; 2009 Plentyof-
fish: I wouldn’t be offended at hearing
“black man’s wheels,” it’s all about
the context and the general educa-
tional level of the audience; 2013 Free
Republic: Here in Floriduh, BMW
stands for Black Man’s Wheels
black mecca n. a city to which African
Americans are drawn to live: 2010
Atlanta Journal-Constitution: Don’t
forget Atlanta’s reputation as a black
mecca; 2011 New York Times: Cedric
said Atlanta had always been a black
mecca and continues to be; 2013 Wiki-
pedia: Harlem was referred to as a
black mecca in the 1920’s, 1930’s,
1940’s and still is today
blacksploitation see blaxploitation
black thang see below
black thing (or black thang) n. any socio-
cultural practice, behavior or attitude
characteristic of African Americans
(gs): 1990 Spin Magazine: Entertain-
ment in America is increasingly a
black thang; 1996 Jet Magazine: Sui-
cide is a White thing, it’s not a Black
thing, the myth claims; 2009 Ebony:
The interest these artists are generat-
ing is not based on the idea they are
white singers doing a black thing
blaxploitation (or blacksploitation) n.
commercial exploitation of assumed
African American experience, espe-
cially in films with African Americans
in sensational heroic roles (bk, cm,
jg): 2009 New York Post: It ushered
in an era we know as blaxploitation,
paving the way for Denzel Washington
and Will Smith; 2009 Word Press: It
will give audiences a taste of what
blaxploitation was like thirty-five years
ago; 2013 San Jose Mercury News: She
was revered for her roles in blaxploit-
ation films such as “Blacula” and
“Shaft in Africa”
blaze (or blaze up) v. [1] to light a mari-
juana cigarette (gs, jg, rk): 1993
Snoop Dogg: If you with my shit, then
blaze up another spliff; 1995 Big Mack:
I blaze up a spliff with my nigga Richie
Rich; 2009 Brendon Lancaster: He took
the spliff from Mo and placed it into
the corner of his mouth. “Time to blaze
up and prepare for lift off!” [2] to
 Glossary
smoke a marijuana cigarette (gs, jg,
rk): 1992 Dr. Dre: Hey, yo whassup?
My name is Dre. Can I blaze some
chronic with you?; 2001 How High,
film: We sit down, blaze up, hit the
books; 2006 Brian Childs: We blazed
a joint between deliveries
blaze up see above
blazing (or blazin’) adj. excellent or
admirable (gs, jg, rk): 1998 Public
Enemy: Yo, it’s blazin’! This shit is
hot!; 2009 Ebony: As a fan of boxing
I’ll be rooting for a blazing, impres-
sive, rapid victory by Floyd; 2009
Fashion: We also caught Little Boots’
show and it was blazin’!
bling1 (or bling-bling) n. [1] showiness or
ostentatious luxury: 2008 Tricia Rose:
So, sometimes, keeping it real means
rejecting all the bling-bling; 2009
Ebony: He is a role model not some
athlete or rapper with all the bling-
bling; 2013 Victoria Advocate: Don’t
be afraid to include bling and glitz in
the decor [2] a piece of jewelry, espe-
cially a ring (jg, rk): 2002 Hot Chick,
film: I wish my mama got me some
bling-bling; 2007 Walker Moore: He is
back in his right mind, no longer using
teenspeak or wearing bling-bling and
low-riding jeans; 2010 Boston Herald:
Brown reportedly got down on one
knee and presented her with the bling
bling2 (or bling-bling) adj. showy or
ostentatiously luxurious (jg, rk):
2005 Miami Herald: It has all the the-
matic elements of hiphop tirades
against the establishment and stories
of ghetto life and tales of 24-hour bling
parties; 2010 USA Today: The bling-
bling era may have faded for car
buyers, but apparently not for auto
thieves; 2010 Wall Street Journal: Sar-
kozy has been characterized in the
press as the bling-bling president and
reproached for an apparently lavish
lifestyle
145
bling3 (or bling it, bling out, bling up) v.
[1] to display showiness or ostenta-
tious luxury: 2006 Bossip: I wouldn’t
expect any rappers to stop blinging
anytime though; 2013 Facebook: He
was commenting on being on a public
bus with women that were blinging
and carrying Birkin bags; 2013 Word
Press: Yesterday’s tomming is today’s
blinging [2] to make something look
showy or ostentatiously luxurious:
2005 Honolulu Advertiser: She blinged
her cell phone in flashy pink and silver;
2010 Blogspot: The Japanese have
been blinging their phones this whole
time; 2013 Fan Fiction: Wow, he
blinged his ride!
bling-bling see bling1, bling2
bling it, bling out, bling up see bling3
blondey see below
blondie (or blondey) n. potentially
offensive a white woman (gs, jg):
2001 Philip Herbst: Blondie is an epi-
thet used largely by black men for
white women; 2008 Digital Spy:
I don’t think “blondie” is on par with
the “N-word”; 2010 Miami Herald:
For weeks, Demi’s teammates referred
to her as “blondie” or “white girl”
blood n. a fellow African American man
(bk, cm, gs): 1987 Newsweek: He
would be required to prove to a new
generation of bloods that he was not
to be F’d with; 1996 Get on the Bus,
film: Come here, young blood!; 1993
Gayle Peters: He immediately became
aware of the interest she raised in all
the local bloods, not just the men at the
tables
blow v. to play a musical instrument (cm,
gs, jg): 2010 Yahoo Answers: I’d
learn how to blow a sax if I were you;
2011 San Diego Reader: Arnold
receives expert instruction on the art
of blowing a sax; 2013 YouTube: It
looks like they are blowing a trumpet
or violin
146 Glossary
blowed adj. under the influence of a drug
(gs, rk): 2001 Tampa Tribune: I was
blowed. My head was going crazy;
2008 Grass City: After that you should
be pretty blowed for a good while;
2009 Austin Weekly News: You would
probably see people lying out in the
streets blowed
blow-out n. a hairstyle of bouffant, tightly
curled hair, worn by many African
Americans (cm, gs, jg, rk): 1985
Rusty Rothman: Find that style you
can wash and fix yourself with hot
rollers, a curling iron, or a blow-out;
2003 Baltimore City Paper: Mr. Wilk-
ins is shown wearing a blowout in his
toddler years; 2006 Randy Kearse:
Man, don’t nobody wear blow-outs
anymore
blue black n. potentially offensive
a very dark-skinned African American
(cm, jg): 2006 Gloog: Dark-skinned
blacks are called blue-blacks; 2010
Topix: The original blacks are blue
blacks, and I am born from those ori-
ginal blue blacks; 2010 Blackbird Press
News: It showed blue blacks at an
American college
blue-eyed devil n. a white person, espe-
cially a racist (gs): 1995 Kevin Brown:
It was their common hatred of the
blue-eyed devil that united them; 2005
News, ABC-TV program: They can’t
do it because of the blue eyed devil,
because of racism, America is a bad
society; 2007 Ebony: The Nation of
Islam likely holds the copyright for
the term “blue-eyed devil,” which
came into common usage
blue-light special n. [1] something infer-
ior or inexpensive (gs, jg): 1994
Gerald Haslam: They remain frus-
trated by and angry at a world that
offers them only blue-light special;
2007 Forums: This place is a blue
light special for trolls. But it’s not the
people who come here to let their
concerns be known; 2013 Chicago
Tribune: It’s more than just a blue-
light special [2] a police officer (gs,
jg): 1998 Stephen J. Cannell: Dey
gonna throw dat bitch an’ dem two
blue light specials down de elevator
shaft; 2004 Insane Clown Posse: I’m
hearing sirens going off, it’s no blue
light specials; 2011 Offshore Only: We
are being followed by two blue light
specials
B’more (or B-more) n. Baltimore, Mary-
land (gs, rk): 2004 Jet Magazine:
Mo’Nique plays the fun-loving hair-
stylist from B’more; 2004 Hair Show,
film: I can do that back in B’more;
2009 Wilmington News Journal: We’ll
drink to that this weekend in B’more,
where the awesomely alcohol-fueled
Baltimore Beer Week is taking place
through Oct. 18
B.N.I.C. see Boss Nigger In Charge
body bag n. a condom (cm, gs): 2005 All
Poetry: You put a body bag on your
dick; 2008 Yahoo Answers: Did you go
in raw or did you wear a body bag?;
2009 Esquire: In case of Jenny’s
swollen belly, the cause was bumping
without a body bag
bomb v. to graffiti, especially the entire
surface (jg, rk): 2011 Map Sites:
Writers were bombing on all the
subway lines; 2011 Nathaniel Turner:
The more experienced and reputable
writers were bombing Philadelphia;
2013 Los Angeles Online: As a youth,
I used to bomb walls
bone1 n. [1] potentially offensive
the penis (cm, gs): 1995 Four Rooms,
film: I could go on and on about his
cock, his bone; 2000 Marvel Comic
Sex: She started to suck his bone while
he took care of her burning pussy; 2011
Pornstar Network: Brandon is waiting
in the next room, when the ladies join
him, and suck his bone [2] marijuana
(gs): 2006 Meta Cafe: They probably
 Glossary
wanted to smoke some bone; 2006 Sur-
vivor Sucks: Now you can smoke some
bone guilt free; 2011 Drug 3K: Yeah,
I am sitting here now debating whether
to smoke bone or not
bone2 v. potentially offensive to
have sex with (gs, rk): 1991 Jungle
Fever, film: Well, I know you didn’t
bone her; 1997 Face-Off, film: I enjoy
boning your wife; 2010 Dexter,
Showtime-TV series: Are you boning
our target’s sister?
bone3 adv. extremely or totally (jg): 2004
David Adams Richards: I am very
drunk and you are bone ugly. I will
wake up sober, and you will wake up
bone ugly; 2006 Boston Legal, ABC-
TV series: By the end of the day, I am
bone tired; 2007 John from Cincinnati,
HBO-TV series: You’re not that bone
stupid to think I would keep you on the
payroll
boned out adj. potentially offen-
sive [1] exhausted after having sex,
especially for a long time (gs, jg):
2008 Penny Arcade: What happens
when Mr. Attractive is all boned out?;
2011 Urban Dictionary: “Wanna do it
again?” “We were just at it for two
hours. I’m all boned out”; 2011 Meat
Up Date: I was boned out after over-
night chilling [2] phr. without money
(gs, jg): 1998 Stephen J. Cannell: He
say he gonna be livin’ large, but he
always been one boned-out nigga;
2000 Geneva Smitherman: Boned out
[means] without money; 2004 Rap
Battles: That nigga boned out
bone out v. to leave (cm, gs, jg, rk):
1995 Friday, film: They got in the car
and boned out; 2004 Campus Hook: We
boned out fast as hell but they weren’t
coming at us at all; 2011 Xanga: They
boned out quick after the cops came
boo n. [1] one’s boyfriend (gs, jg, rk):
2006 Vikki Bell: Holly spent the night
with her new boo in Brooklyn; 2009
147
Ebony: She is so proud of her boo;
2011 Jumping the Broom, film: “He
bought these clothes to impress,
hoping he would come up like Jason!”
“Don’t talk about my boo like that!”
[2] one’s girlfriend (gs, jg, rk): 2001
Baby Boy, film: Is this Jody? The Jody
that got my boo pregnant?; 2007
Ebony: The heart wants what it wants
and Eddie and his boo are ready to
jump the broom; 2008 Mother Jones:
He can call me his boo
boo coos (or boo-coos, boo koos, boo-
koos) adv. a lot of or plenty of (cm,
gs): 1986 Platoon, film: We got boo-
coos movement. Third Battalion just
got hit fifteen clicks north of here;
2006 Democratic Underground: Sadar
seems to have boo coos of influence;
2010 City Data: We spent boo coos of
money for equipment and uniforms
boody see booty
boody call see booty call
boody club see booty club
boodylicious see bootylicious
boody-struck see booty-struck
boogie1 (or boogie-woogie) n. [1] a good
time (gs, jg): 1995 Onyx: All my nig-
gas are in uptown and ya don’t stop,
all my niggas are in the boogie-woogie
and ya won’t stop; 2001 Black Knight,
film: Clear the floor. Time to get the
boogie on!; 2007 Code Name: The
Cleaner, film: If you’re looking for
the boogie, you’re looking for me; [2]
enlivement or energy (jg): 1992 Law-
rence A. Stanley: Get on up and put
the boogie in your body!; 2001 Har-
vard Magazine: Mondrian wanted to
animate his paintings to give them, as
he put it, more boogie-woogie; 2006
Washington Post: Yet, it is mostly
abstract and ethereal, without much
boogie or groove
boogie2 (or boogie-woogie) v. [1] to have
a good time (gs, jg): 1997 Wag the
Dog, film: I like the nightlife, I like to
148 Glossary
boogie; 2001 Snoop Dogg: I wanna
boogie all the time; 2008 Toronto Star:
He boogie-woogied in Toronto last
night [2] to dance (cm, jg): 1998
Toronto Star: We boogied through the
best concert we’ve been to in years;
2006 Dreamgirls, film: People are get-
ting ready to boogie, and when they
do, they’re gonna do it to our music;
2007 Jackass 2.5, film: He boogie-
woogied fine [3] to move or leave
quickly (cm, jg): 2006 American
Hardcore, film: We boogied all the
way to Salt Lake City, we got there,
and the place was closed; 2011 Parent-
hood, NBC-TV series: Okay, Max.
Let’s boogie, we’re late; 2011 Cedar
Rapids, film: “Guys, I gotta boogie!”
“I’ll see you later”
boogie down v. to have a good time (gs,
jg): 1992 Juice, film: I make money in
Manhattan, go uptown to the Bronx
and boogie down; 2008 Deal, film:
We’re gonna boogie down tonight;
2013 Facebook: Thanks to everyone
who boogied down with us
boogie-woogie see boogie1, boogie2
boojie, boojee, boojy see bourgie
book v. to leave (gs, rk): 1993 CB4, film:
When you gonna let us book?; 1994
Pulp Fiction, film: “What you got?”
“He booked!”; 2006 Randy Kearse:
I could have booked three hours ago,
but I didn’t
boo koos, boo-koos see boo coos
boom box n. a large portable stereo
player (cm, gs): 1994 It Could Happen
to You, film: You don’t have to carry
around that boom box; 2008 Ebony:
Since I rarely listened to radio at
home, my boombox was merely a fancy
option for entertaining; 2009 Seattle
Times: The music will be played on a
boom box
booming (or boomin’) adj. excellent or
admirable (gs, jg): 1991 Boyz in the
Hood, film: Baby was fine, her body
was booming; 2006 Randy Kearse:
I don’t know what she’s eatin’ but she
got the boomin body; 2009 Twitter:
These boomin’ bitches will do anything
boon coon n. potentially offensive
a close friend (bk, jg): 1998 James
Farmer: I know it was true cause a
friend of mine, my boon coon, my main
man, was one of those asked, and he
told me about it; 2004 Yetonda Payne:
Lucinda has been my boon coon since
junior high school; 2010 GS Poetry: He
was my boon coon and I was his ace
boot n. potentially offensive
unless used by african ameri-
cans an African American person
(bk, cm, gs, jg): 1992 News, CNN-
TV program: You’re not goin’ any-
where, boot. You’re goin’ to jail; 2004
Bryant York: His drill instructor called
him a “boot,” which was a not so
complimentary slang term for a black
person; 2006 Idaho Statesman: He
ordered cocktails for her and her
fellow boots in his hotel room
boot up v. to get ready to fight (gs): 1998
Skull Duggery: Nigga, boot up or shut
up!; 2005 Urban Dictionary: You betta
boot up or everybody is gonna think
you a pussy; 2005 Canibus: Suited up,
booted up, I’m ready for war
booty (or boody) n. potentially
offensive [1] the buttocks (cm, gs,
jg): 1996 Get on the Bus, film: In my
unenlightened days big booty would
catch my eye; 1997 Santa Rosa Press
Democrat: Judy was a delight shaking
her boody to the beat; 2004 Boston
Herald: Beyonce once again proves
that the size of her voice is in inverse
proportion to the size of her booty [2]
the vulva (bk, cm, jg): 1993 Snoop
Dogg: How else can you get to the
booty?; 1995 Friday, film: I am not
trying to look at that girl’s booty;
2011 Black Voices: She ought to
be ashamed of herself, especially
 Glossary
referring to her vagina. If her booty is
that loose, that means that there was a
problem beforehand [3] a woman as a
sex object or partner (bk, cm, jg, rk):
2006 ATL, film: You got some booty in
this house? I told you I don’t want no
company in my house; 2009 CNET:
I better hurry up and finish this com-
ment before the plug gets pulled and
I can’t find me some booty; 2010
Thumblogger: I thought maybe you
guys could use a blonde booty, well,
here she is! [4] sex or the sex act (bk,
cm, gs, jg): 1999 Centre Daily Times:
Many more were mainly interested in
booty; 2003 Bringing Down the House,
film: Somebody was planning on get-
ting some booty tonight; 2011 Black
Voices: If you just want booty, you
need to sit down and tell this church
girl what you want
booty call (or boody call) n. poten-
tially offensive [1] a call to seek
a sex partner (cm, gs, rk): 2006 Two
and a Half Men, CBS-TV series:
I thought I’d surprise you with a boody
call; 2008 Ebony: They know you have
been watching Internet porn, instant
messaging a booty call, and on the
phone trying to score some weed;
2009 New York Magazine: Who doesn’t
love a booty call, answered or not? [2]
sexual arousal or desire to seek a sex
partner: 1998 Serendipity: I felt a boody
call; 2007 Fort Worth Star-Telegram:
It’s booty call, and we can’t have it;
2011 Washington Post: It’s a gorgeous
ballad about a boozy late-night booty
call
booty club (or boody club) n. poten-
tially offensive a strip club (rk):
2002 Minneapolis Star-Tribune: Just
because she works in a booty club that
doesn’t make her a bad girl; 2007 Star
News: I don’t feel like seeing another
booty club on the strip; 2009 Ying
Yang Twins: We hit the boody club
149
bootylicious (or boodylicious) adj.
potentially offensive sexually
attractive (cm, jg): 2008 Insider: If
I were you I’d probably stop staring
at her boodylicious body; 2010 Ask
Men: Her famous bootylicious feature
needs no further description; 2010
Boston Herald: The bootylicious Kim
will be the special celebrity guest
booty-struck (or boody-struck) adj.
potentially offensive lecherous:
1999 Detroit Free Press: He was
boody-struck. It’s just the way he
was; 2003 Las Vegas, NBC-TV series:
You’re booty-struck, son. You better
get a grip; 2010 Examiner: Are you
boody-struck?
bop glasses (or bopper glasses) n. horn-
rimmed spectacles, often with
blackened lenses (bk, jg): 2007 Easy
Dreamer: I sure wish I could find me a
pair of the Firefly frames, or one of the
other latest styles of bop glasses; 2010
All Music: Dizzy Gillespie’s physical
appearance (with bop glasses, a
goatee and a beret) gained more pub-
licity than Charlie Parker’s playing;
2012 Tumblr: Is there even lenses on
your bop glasses?
bopper glasses see above
Boss Nigga in Charge see below
Boss Nigger in Charge (or Boss Nigga
in Charge, B.N.I.C.) n. very offen-
sive unless used by african
americans (often sarcastic) an Afri-
can American person in charge (gs,
jg): 2009 Slim Thug: Who’s the Boss
Nigga in Charge? Who the mother-
fucking boss?; 2009 Chimp Out: I feel
pretty sure four years with Boss Nigger
In Charge will bring their dream of a
magic nigger down the gutter; 2013
Twitter: I’m that flashy-ass boss nigga
in charge
bottom (or bottoms) n. an area of a city
with a predominantly African Ameri-
can population (cm, gs, jg): 1992
150 Glossary
Darryl Pinckney: Avenue A continued
downhill, unpaved as it entered the
Bottom. We didn’t have to be told
who lived there; 2007 Black Bottom:
Many black neighborhoods around
the United States were often called
“the bottom” or the “black bottom”;
2013 Twitter: [I’m] in the bottoms with
some real West Oakland niggas
bottoms see above
Bottoms n. Inglewood, California: 1997
Los Angeles Times: He was the main
supplier of firearms in the Bottoms;
1999 Los Angeles Times: Inglewood
Police Officer Rudy Canstanon said a
single patrol car can handle virtually
all calls for help in the Bottoms; 2005
LA Weekly: We have to keep that stuff
over there in the Bottoms from coming
over here
bounce v. to leave (gs, jg, rk): 2007 30
Rock, NBC-TV series: I’ll do that
later, I gotta bounce!; 2010 Ebonics
Translator: I’ve been known to bounce
unexpectedly; 2011 Nurse Jackie,
HBO-TV series: I gotta bounce, I have
a brunch with my mom
bourgie (or boojie, boojee, boojy) n.
potentially offensive a burgeois
or elitist African American who
assumes the behavior and values of
the white society (cm, gs, jg): 1992
New York Times: The workers made
millions and the bourgies were frus-
trated; 2008 African American Essays:
The boojies try to cut ties to African
American culture; 2011 Baltimore Sun:
That’s not me being “boojy,” that’s me
stating a fact
bout it (or ’bout it) phr. [1] agreeable to
something (gs, jg, rk): 1999 Mer-
cedes: What you wanna do I’ll do
cause I’m bout it, bout it; 2006 Randy
Kearse: Brooklyn chicks always been
’bout it; 2009 Urban Dictionary:
“Dude, are you down for some Taco
Bell?” “I’m bout it” [2] bold and
daring (jg, rk): 1995 Master P: I’m
bout it, I mean I’m rowdy, I hand with
these killas that everyone talk about;
1995 U.N.L.V.: They actin’ like they
bout it knowin’ they ain’t bout it; 2011
2 Chainz: Damn right, I’m bout it, if
you fuck with us, we gonna start up a
riot
box n. [1] a large portable stereo player
(gs, rk): 1989 Do the Right Thing,
film: He gonna tell me to turn down
my box; 1992 Arrested Development:
Grab the box and wait; 2010 Facebook:
I’d bring in cassettes to play on his
box, everything from Tosh to Santana,
Led Zeppelin to Flock of Seagulls [2]
the buttocks (jg): 2010 Barstool
Sports: The chick shaking her box
seems pretty fucking good to me; 2013
All Hip Hop: Michelle Shows off Her
Box!; 2013 Tube Stack: BBW Lori gets
her fat box filled [3] potentially
offensive the vagina (cm, jg, rk):
1999 Notting Hill, film: I knew a girl at
school named Pandora. I never got to
see her box; 2007 Pigs, film: Wasn’t
her box completely shaved?; 2013
Toronto Star: Ford told her that “he
was going to eat her box”
boy n. heroin (gs, rk): 2000 Sopranos,
HBO-TV series: This is boy; 2004
Ray, film: This ain’t no weed, Ray.
This is boy. It’ll make your ass null
and void; 2010 World Star Hip Hop:
To all y’all talkin’ ’bout dude bein’ a
junkie: he snorted girl, not boy!
bozack n. potentially offensive [1]
the penis (gs, jg, rk): 1998 Jay-Z:
Rappin niggaz on Prozac get their
bozacks; 2009 Badass of the Week:
Every woman wanted to jump on his
bozack; 2010 Black Voices: First you
want to massage my nuts and now you
trying to bite my bozack [2] the scro-
tum (jg): 1992 EPMD: I’ve got this
habit of always grabbing my bozack;
2007 Date Hookup: Lick my bozack!;
 Glossary
2012 U.N.L.V.: As a matter of fact
I like a bitch who ain’t afraid to suck
the bozack
bread n. money (cm, gs, rk): 1986 Los
Angeles Times: You could make a lot of
bread playing it; 2005 Philadelphia
Inquirer: He figures he’ll have enough
bread to pay off his 2000 Toyota
Tacoma; 2010 Portland Press Herald:
They struggle to earn bread, go to
school, send their children to schools
and dream the American dream
break v. to breakdance (bk): 1984 Balti-
more Afro-American: We went on a
trip to NYC where we saw guys break-
ing on the street; 2004 Sacramento
Bee: They started breaking on the
street; 2010 Riverfront Times: Dudes
would bring in canvases and do graf-
fiti, and guys would break
break bad phr. to become hostile, men-
acing, or aggressive (bk, jg, rk): 2008
Breaking Bad, AMC-TV series: All of
a sudden, he’s just gonna break bad?;
2010 Slash Film, film: What happens if
he breaks bad? Where will the show
go?; 2013 Time: If a white man was to
come over here and ask me anything,
I wouldn’t break bad with him
break down v. to explain or present in
detail (bk, gs, jg): 1993 Source:
I asked her how she came to do the
show and she began to break it down;
2005 Hustle and Flow, film: Look here,
baby, it breaks down like this; 2010
Politically Illustrated: Let me break it
down to you. Seventy percent of Ameri-
cans don’t want that mosque down
there near Ground Zero
breaker n. a breakdancer (bk): 2006
Richmond Times: Onlookers will wit-
ness hometown breakers dancing to
the beats of local DJs; 2007 Michigan
Daily: It can be used as a challenge, a
display of skill that invites a one-up
response, with breakers dancing to
rhythmic break beats; 2008 St. Paul
151
Pioneer Press: His fellow breakers
have performed at malls and birthday
parties
break off v. potentially offensive
to provide sexual pleasure to (rk):
2002 News, MTV-TV program: I’m
coming to break her off, basically
giving her what’s missing; 2004 Hair
Show, film: Let me break you off; 2006
Randy Kearse: If you didn’t talk so
much, I’d break you off
break on v. to criticize and disrespect
(gs, rk): 2005 Coloradoan: They used
to break on me; 2006 Randy Kearse:
I had to break on my girl; 2007 Stomp
the Yard, film: Is he clowning St.
Louis? Is he breaking on Jamaica?
break out v. to leave (gs, jg, rk): 1994
Ace Ventura: Pet Detective, film: It’s
Ace. We gotta break out of here; 2002
News, Fox-TV program: Are they
ready to break out now?; 2003 Spin
Magazine: Let’s break out and do
some different stuff!
break wide phr. to leave, especially in a
hurry (cm, gs, jg): 2001 Erick Sermon:
If you don’t feel this, then nigga break
wide; 2004 Derek Grover: They took
one look at me and broke wide in the
opposite direction; 2013 Facebook: In
case of drama, I’m the first to break
wide
brick1 (or brick house) n. poten-
tially offensive a sexually attract-
ive woman, especially if curvaceous
(gs, jg): 2000 Gone in Sixty Seconds,
film: Look at her. She’s a brick house;
2000 Geneva Smitherman: She’s built
like a brick. She’s a brick; 2010 AVN
Magazine: When Christine takes off
her coat, you can tell that, although
she’s a bit saggy now, she was a brick
house back in the day
brick2 adj. very cold (gs, jg, rk): 2006
Paul Volponi: It was brick outside,
wind and all. For a second, I thought
about putting on my gloves; 2007
152 Glossary
Chelise James: The sun was shining
bright, but I knew that it was brick
outside considering winter was right
around the damn corner; 2010 Ebonics
Translator: It’s brick outside
Brick City n. Newark, New Jersey (rk):
2010 Wall Street Journal: Even though
a quarter of the state’s homicides took
place in Newark, overall crime was
down as part of a three-year, 21%
reduction in the Brick City; 2010 New
Jersey Online: Last year’s homicide
total in Newark was down from five
years ago, when 86 people were killed
in Brick City; 2013 Facebook: He is a
rapper born in Brick City (Newark,
New Jersey)
bright n. [1] a day or daylight (bk, cm,
jg): 1994 Jonathan E. Lighter: I’ll see
you in the bright; 1994 Clarence Major:
Catch you two brights from now; 2013
Urban Dictionary: Leroy woke up
knowing he had only four brights left
in county jail [2] potentially
offensive a light-skinned African
American (cm, gs): 1992 Robert
Campbell: “You even got one set for
brights.” “Brights?” “Another for
bloods. Light-skinned niggers”; 2002
Joyce West Stevens: African American
women who are Brights fare a little
better, for they receive special treat-
ment because of their skin color; 2003
Outside the Beltway: Some years ago
in Texas, light-skinned African-
Americans were called “bright,”
might still be so
bring it on phr. to challenge or dare
someone to do something (gs): 1996
Get on the Bus, film: “Brothers, don’t!
Don’t! Don’t fight!” “Bring it on!”;
2000 Snoop Dogg: You wanna fight,
let’s bring it on; 2009 News, ABC-TV
program: There was an octopus, it was
wriggling on the plate and my dad
said, “I will give you $20 if you eat
that.” I was like, “Bring it on!”
bring the noise phr. to play loud music
(gs, jg): 2006 Public Enemy: Let me
hear you say c’mon now! Bring the
noise!; 2009 Ebony: They still bring
the noise; 2010 Bangor Daily News:
I plug my sax into a keyboard and
bring the noise
bro see brother
broccoli n. marijuana (gs): 1997 Wu-
Tang Clan: Light up the broccoli, kid;
2006 San Francisco Chronicle: Other
terms associated with the rapper
include “broccoli” (marijuana) and
“cabbage” (money); 2007 YouTube:
You can smoke broccoli and still get
lung cancer from it
brotha see below
brother (or bro, brotha, bruh, brutha)
n. a fellow African American man (bk,
cm, gs, jg): 1995 Die Hard 3: With a
Vengeance, film: “You know how to
shoot a gun?” “All brothers don’t
know how to shoot guns, you racist
motherfucker!”; 2008 Ebony: Bob’s
one of those brothas who gets mad
when he ain’t the only Black person
in the room; 2010 Chappelle’s Show,
WGN-TV program: I was the only
brother on the plane. I thought I was,
’cause there was another black dude,
he was from Nigeria
brown paper bag test n. a criterion for
admission to a club or organization,
based on skin color (bk): 1988 Miami
Herald: It was called the brown paper
bag test. If you were darker than a
brown paper bag, you failed; 2007
USA Today: In the “brown paper
bag” test blacks darker than the bag’s
color were denied inclusion; 2009
Austin American-Statesman: He barely
even passes the brown paper bag test
brown sugar n. an African American
woman, especially if sexually attract-
ive (cm, jg): 1991 Jungle Fever, film:
You don’t bring no brown sugar to this
house!; 2007 Code Name: The Cleaner,
 Glossary
film: Go, brown sugar, dance it up!;
2013 Facebook: You’re one sexy brown
sugar
bruh see brother
brutha see brother
B-Town (or B Town) n. Berkeley,
California: 1993 Too Short: Howard
came through from the B-Town; 2010
Facebook: It’s BART accessible and in
B-Town; 2010 Lil B: I’m nigga from
the B-Town
bub n. champagne or sparkling wine
(rk): 2008 LL Cool J: I see you two
steppin in the club and a bottle of bub;
2010 PDX Neat Sheet: Stop by and sip
on a glass of bub while you scan all the
lovely new goodies in stock; 2010
Today: When you pop open a bottle
of bub, you’re dipping your toes in that
alluring world
buck v. to shoot (gs, jg, rk): 1999 Ice-T:
The nigga stepped up and got bucked
by my ninja; 2009 Jam Personals:
Thugs were bucking at us, and we were
bucking back; 2010 Anchorage Daily
News: one of those people got out a
gun and cocked it and started bucking
at him
buckra n. potentially offensive a
white man, especially a mean one
(bk, cm, jg): 1989 Atlanta Journal-
Constitution: Slaves used the African
word “buckras.” It’s a term of deri-
sion; 1994 Los Angeles Times: A buckra
is an offensive term for a white man;
2009 Ebony: Buckra wins hands down
buckwild adj. wild, rebellious or destruc-
tive (gs, jg, rk): 1994 Public Enemy:
No buckwild thinkin cause I don’t
know what he drinkin; 2009 Arizona
Daily Wildcat: The fanatics at the
center go absolutely buck wild; 2009
Palm Beach Post: He told this little
kid that his performance was crazy in
a buckwild kinda way he was right
Buddha (or Buddha grass) n. marijuana
(gs): 1991 Public Enemy: Put the
153
Buddha down!; 2000 Atlantic Monthly:
I was always high on Buddha grass;
2008 South Florida Sun-Sentinel: Don’t
smoke Buddha!
Buddha grass see above
bulldagger n. potentially offen-
sive a lesbian, especially an aggres-
sive one (cm, gs): 2002 Vagina
Monologues, film: I always thought
bulldaggers were ugly; 2007 Xtra: They
referred to Barbara as a bulldagger or
butch; 2007 Curve: Several trips to the
Lesbian Herstory Archives led to the
discovery of lyrics by Gladys Bentley,
an African American singer and
bulldagger
bulldike see below
bulldyke (or bulldike) n. potentially
offensive a lesbian, especially an
aggressive one (bk, cm): 2009 Encore:
Cupid is a flaming gay, Blitzen is a
stereotypical bulldyke; 2009 Salon:
I had another female professor at Har-
vard, a bull dyke; 2010 New York
Times: In addition to interviews with
drag-queens and bulldykes, this
unflinching look at the culture of
gender-bending also explores some-
thing else
buppie (or buppy) n. a young, affluent,
city-dwelling African American pro-
fessional (cm, gs, jg): 2006 USA
Today: Grace Monroe is what they
used to call a buppie; she’s a black
sociologist with a PhD; 2007 Cleveland
Jewish News: Victoria Dryer is a
buppie, black yuppie who has made it
in white corporate America; 2013
Philadelphia Weekly: He’s part of a
crew of college friends-turned-adults
buppies
buppy see above
burn v. [1] to cook, especially if very
well (cm, gs, jg, rk): 1991 Jungle
Fever, film: You burn supper? Who’s
the lucky girl?; 1997 David Simon
and Edward Burns: She at the stove,
154 Glossary
making me a plate of chicken – and
Mama could burn some chicken; 2009
Baltimore Sun: She was also a good
cook and could burn some chicken [2]
to give someone a sexually transmitted
disease (gs, rk): 2006 Randy Kearse:
I can’t believe my boyfriend burned
me; 2010 Empty Closets: I’ve gotten
burned before and it felt like I was
pissing razor blades; 2013 Twitter:
You got burned from one nigga, then
burned six niggas
burner n. a firearm (gs, jg, rk): 1994
Jonathan E. Lighter: I want to buy me
a couple of burners, man; 1999 Ice-T:
I didn’t leave the burner in the B.M.;
2007 Weapons, film: Need to get a
burner, yo!
bust a cap phr. to shoot (gs, rk): 1991
Boyz in the Hood, film: You bust a cap
on somebody; 1992 Dr. Dre: I didn’t
understand how a nigga so young
could bust a cap; 2000 San Antonio
Express-News: To “bust a cap” is
street slang commonly used in gangsta
rap to refer to shooting someone
bust a move phr. [1] to make a move,
take an action (jg, rk): 1998 Big Hit,
film: Bust a move man, we’re gonna be
late; 2004 Cinderella Story, film: Why
don’t you go out and bust a move?;
2013 Word Press: You need to bust a
move and be assertive and pursue a
woman you want [2] to dance (rk):
2002 Walk to Remember, film: Dance?
I’ve seen him bust a move. It ain’t
pretty; 2012 New York Times: Just
press play and bust a move; 2013
Atlanta Journal-Constitution: She’s
busting a move to Katy Perry’s “Roar”
bust a nut phr. [1] to have an orgasm
(cm, rk): 2004 Wu-Tang Clan: They
make you feel like you bust a nut from
raw sex; 2006 Wire, HBO-TV series:
Man’s gotta bust a nut, you know what
I’m sayin’?; 2008 Insider: Whenever
someone loses their cherry or busts a
nut when they’re sixteen or younger,
they’re always so proud to tell ya about
it [2] to be excited: 1995 Kids, film:
He’s pretty crazy, he’ll do whatever to
bust a nut; 2008 Rolling Stone: Could
journalists stop busting a nut every time
Bono has an opinion about something?;
2009 Media Matters: He once again
busts a nut over MSNBC
bust a rhyme phr. to create rap lyrics and
rhymes (gs, jg): 1993 Us3: It’s time to
get mine as I bust a fat rhyme; 2004
Philadelphia Inquirer: She’s an auda-
cious cabaret singer who looks like
Doris Day and isn’t afraid to bust a
rhyme like Eminem; 2010 Tonic: They
challenged him to bust a rhyme and he
came back with this
busting out (or bustin’ out) adj. looking
good (bk, jg): 2008 HQ Celebrity: In
the movie poster for the film, Kate is
busting out; 2008 National Ledger:
Both are busting out and have been
photographed recently in bikinis; 2011
Hot Celeb Fun: Kelly Brook is busting
out and showing off her killer booty
like never before
bustin’ out see above
bust out v. potentially offensive to
have sex with (rk): 2006 Randy
Kearse: All you wanna do is bust me
out anyway; 2009 Media Takeout: Y’all
tryin to bust the bitch out; 2009 Dread
Central: Will Laurie be the killer? Will
Michael return to bust her out? Stay
tuned for more on this one soon
bust suds phr. to wash the dishes (cm,
gs, jg): 1992 National Public Radio:
There’s hardly a black doctor, an
attorney, or what have you, that didn’t
bust suds in somebody’s restaurant on
Miami Beach before; 2001 San Fran-
cisco Chronicle: They want to go
where people don’t look at you like
you have to go bust suds to pay for
your dinner; 2007 Los Angeles Times:
Many of immigrants bust suds
 Glossary
butta see butter
buttahead see butterhead
butter (or butta) adj. excellent or
admirable (gs, jg, rk): 1996 Boston
Herald: The car is so butta!; 1999 Bow-
finger, film: “I ain’t signing shit!”
“It’s all good, the script is butter”;
2009 My Space: The music sounds
butta as ever, nice to see you’re doing
shows man!
butterhead (or buttahead) n. poten-
tially offensive a stupid African
American (bk, cm, jg): 1999 Sop-
ranos, HBO-TV series: If one of my
sisters ever brought home a fuckin’
butterhead, you know what my old
man would do?; 2005 D4L: She a but-
terhead and her friends are too; 2009
Windsor Peak: I’m still trying to keep a
straight face when DD gets angry at
DS and calls him a butterhead
buy a wolf ticket (or buy a woof ticket)
phr. to give into threats of strong and
boastful language (cm, gs): 1996 Xzi-
bit: I don’t believe the hype or buy a
wolf ticket; 2010 Martha’s Vineyard
Gazette: In my neighborhood, if you
were able to intimidate someone, that
person bought your woof ticket; 2013
Esquire: He is now governing by wolf
tickets. Would you buy a wolf ticket
from this man?
buy a woof ticket see above
C to call me out like that; 2008 Digital
cake n. [1] cocaine (gs, rk): 2006 Blog-
spot: After allowing her to inhale some
cake, we carried her back to the car as
the salsa music spilled into the night;
2009 Subfighter: So is drinking and
snorting cake, but people still do it!;
2010 Street Directory: When you were
younger, you snorted cake and free-
based too [2] potentially offen-
sive the vulva (bk, jg): 2009 Sankaku
Complex: That’s her birthday suit.
155
I wanna lick her cake; 2010 Film
Drunk: My point is, I’d fuck her cake,
or whatever the appropriate euphem-
ism is; 2010 My Space: Lily is fingering
her cake [3] potentially offen-
sive a sexually attractive woman (bk,
jg): 2010 Dark Winter: She’s a real
cake! I’m filthy rich Chinese and
I want to spend all my money!; 2011
Twitter: She thinks she’s a cake; 2013
Urban Dictionary: Look at her, she’s a
cake
Cali n. California (gs): 2006 Big
Momma’s House 2, film: There’s no
way he’d come to Cali and not check
out the waves; 2009 Trust Me, TNT-TV
series: I’m from Cali, and I’ve been
working in Austin for about a year
and a half now; 2010 Root: According
to the Suffolk Poll of California last
week, the attorney general race in Cali
could be closer than what pollsters
predicted
call oneself v. to consider doing some-
thing or intend to do something (cm,
gs): 1988 St. Petersburg Times: The
crowd jeered, what do you call your-
self doing?; 1999 John Wideman: His
time he spent doing whatever he called
himself doing; 2007 Pride, film: Jim,
what you call yourself doing, man?
call out v. to challenge verbally (cm, gs,
rk): 2004 Honolulu Advertiser:
I couldn’t believe they had the nerve
Journal: Wilson set Kaberle up to fail
last night, and then had the nerve to
call him out in the media; 2010 ESPN:
Do you have the courage to call him
out on this issue?
call out someone’s name phr. to insult
someone (cm, gs, rk): 1997 Love
Jones, film: It was like this dick called
out my name; 2006 Randy Kearse:
Don’t you ever call out my name
again; 2011 Blogspot: Today this
motherfucker called out my name. He
156 Glossary
is a troublemaker, wants to make
people quarrel
cane (or ’cane) n. cocaine (gs, jg, rk):
2009 Speedy L. Brown: He hid out at
that motel snorting cane, shooting up,
and drinking; 2010 Topix: Marty was
too busy snorting cane; 2012 GS
Poetry: I continued to hang on the
block with those who snorted cane
candy-ass adj. very weak or timid (cm,
gs, jg): 2009 Field Negro: He’s candy-
ass about too many things and needs
grow a pair of balls; 2010 McSwee-
neys: If that candy-ass motherfucker
doesn’t play something soon, I’m
going to get up there and stuff the
whole piano down his throat; 2010
Oklahoma Daily: As a music ed major,
I felt like I really didn’t get much
respect, because, to be frank, it’s kind
of a candy-ass degree
candy cane (or candy ’cane) n. cocaine
(gs, jg): 2008 Facebook: I just snorted
candy cane; 2008 Three 6 Mafia: You
mad at me cause I’m ballin’ and I got
that candy cane; 2013 Twitter: Merry
Christmas, Eve. Don’t snort candy
cane!
cap v. [1] to kill, especially by shooting
(cm, jg): 1988 Above the Law, film: If
I don’t cap him now, he’s gonna do me
later; 2011 Southland, TNT-TV series:
Gizmo paid me to cap him; 2011 Break-
ing In, film: Dickie wanted to cap him
and bury him in the woods [2] to outdo
or surpass (jg): 1985 Return of the
Living Dead, film: But the weirdest
thing I ever saw just had to cap it all;
2000 The Best of Alex Jones, film: That
caps everything I’ve been doing in my
life; 2011 Blogspot: He had thought he
was ready for any type of new sur-
prises, but this capped everything [3]
(or cap on) to tease, especially by
provocative rhyming comments in a
gamelike manner (cm, gs, jg): 1986
Too Short: She turned around and
capped on me: She said, fuck you
nigga, where’s your teeth?; 1994 Balti-
more Sun: The dozens, capping are
forms of survival. Being able to keep
cool and take insults personally are
things that allow black people to be so
effective; 1994 Chicago Tribune: It’s
sometimes called “capping” or “sig-
ging,” which is short for signifying.
The universal term is playing the
dozens
cap on see above
cat n. [1] a jazz musician (cm, jg): 1997
Spokesman Review: There’s a high
standard there, in these particular
tunes and the way Lester Young and
the other cats played them; 1998 Dallas
Morning News: My freshman year at
Arts was the first time I really heard
some cats play jazz; 2004 Ray, film:
I came to cop some licks from some
more experienced cats, you dig? [2] a
rap or hip hop musician: 2002 8
Mile, film: Each of these cats gets a
minute; 2006 Six Shot: A lot of rap cats
are under the impression that the
press is against them; 2006 Public
Enemy: Who is this cat I’m lookin at?
[3] n. a man (cm, gs, jg, rk): 1992
Malcolm X, film: I think you got more
sense than any cat in this prison; 1995
Heat, film: There was this cat I was
locked up with in Fulsom; 2000 Bam-
boozled, film: I am so happy to see
you cats!
Cat n. a Cadillac automobile (bk): 2002
Joy James: He’s driving a Cat with
Vermont license places on the New
Jersey Turnpike; 2008 Cadillac
Forums: Need a new Cat?; 2010 Auto
Moto Gadgets: If you think your teen
can’t be trusted to drive your Cat with-
out speeding, just don’t give it to him
catch some Z’s phr. to take a nap (bk):
2008 New York Post: We were driving
for eight hours and stopping at gas
stations and I want to catch some Z’s
 Glossary
in the van; 2010 Time: I went home to
catch some Z’s; 2011 California State
University Daily Titan: Compiled
below is a list of top five places to
catch some Z’s on campus
CCM (or C.C.M.) n. money (bk, gs, jg):
1994 Baltimore Sun: CCM is cold cash
money; 2010 Dofus: We had no CCM
back at the time; 2011 Standing Up For
Nothing: There’s certainly enough
CCM (cheese) out there
Charles Dickens n. the penis: 1994
Notorious B.I.G.: I spit on your grave
then I grab my Charles Dickens; 2006
Wire, HBO-TV series: I’m standing
there, holding my Charles Dickens;
2013 Joey Badass: Hit him in his
Charles Dickens!
Charlie n. potentially offensive a
white person, especially regarded as an
oppressor of African Americans (cm,
gs, jg): 2003 Straight Dope: We kinda
jumped from “Charlie” to the racist
terms. “Charlie” wasn’t a racist term;
2009 Black Voices: I guess they should
have called him “Charlie”; 2013
Yahoo Answers: Charlie was a
derogatory term referring to a white
man in black culture
cheap-ass adj. inferior or inexpensive
(cm, gs, jg): 2006 ATL, film: He
bought a cheap-ass necklace; 2009
Maximum PC: I did buy my wife a
cheap ass laptop; 2010 News, MTV-
TV program: I’d rather stick to watch-
ing the cartoon for now and not waste
my money on a cheap-ass movie like
that again
check v. to criticize or reprimand (gs,
rk): 1989 See No Evil, Hear No Evil,
film: Lawyers? Do you want to check
him for police brutality?; 2006 Randy
Kearse: I had to go over there and
check this chick about flirtin’ with my
man; 2013 Facebook: Why didn’t
anyone check him for not defending
the female he chose?
157
check it in phr. to give all possessions,
especially in a robbery (gs, jg): 2000
Mack 10: Check it in, homey, keys and
cash! Don’t make me act a fool and
blast your brains all over that dash;
2003 Anybody Killa: Check it in, you
little buster!; 2010 Spoof: Their modus
operandi is simplicity itself; they
approach the unwary and order him
to “check it in, motherfucker,” a
phrase that replaces the outdated
“stick ’em up, motherfucker”
check oneself v. to monitor one’s behav-
ior (cm, gs, rk): 1992 Juice, film: Yo,
chill! Check yourself!; 2009 Ebony: It’s
time for you to check yourself; 2009 Ice
Cube: Check yourself before you wreck
yourself!
chedda see below
cheddar (or chedda) n. money (gs, rk):
1998 Wu-Tang Clan: I spent most my
cheddar on gear; 2008 A Good Day to
Be Black and Sexy, film: I’m gonna
need an accountant to count all my
cheddar and stuff; 2009 Las Vegas
Weekly: At the Palazzo it sells for a
whopping $750. That’s a lot of
cheddar
cheese n. money (gs, rk): 1997 Wu-Tang
Clan: All these niggaz want cheese;
2000 Bamboozled, film: Before you
go, don’t forget to give us that cheese.
Why? Because we broke; 2007 Braden-
ton Herald: George has enough cheese
to pay ten men that type of salary
chick n. a woman, especially young (bk,
cm): 1992 Malcolm X, film: You one of
them white chicks that can’t get
enough colored studs?; 1999 American
Pie, film: There’s gonna be a naked
chick in your house and you’re not
gonna do anything about it?; 2000
Cosmopolitan: I’m lucky to be with a
chick with such a strong sex drive
chicken head n. potentially offen-
sive [1] a stupid woman, especially if
unattractive (gs): 2003 Miami Trail,
158 Glossary
film: Chickenhead? I ain’t stupid,
Harold; 2003 Malibu’s Most Wanted,
film: All you is is a chickenhead and
that’s all you ever gonna be; 2004 Bar-
bershop 2: Back in Business, film: You
don’t need a chicken head like Terri
[2] a woman who performs oral sex:
1996 Redman: I understand niggaz be
callin’ me a motherfuckin’ chicken
head; 1998 Nelson George: Rap made
slang aimed at women like “skeezer,”
“hootchie,” “chickenhead,” and the
ubiquitous “bitch”; 2000 Ice Cube:
Chicken heads get chicken feed, a lil
dick and weed is everything that a
chicken need
chill (or chill out) v. [1] to be calm (cm,
gs, rk): 2006 Crossover, film: You
need to chill out; 2007 Ebony: Just chill
out! It’s only a movie; 2010 Two and a
Half Men, CBS-TV series: “What were
they doing in your room?” “Hey, chill,
I’m getting to it!” [2] to relax and have
a good time (cm, gs): 1994 Pulp Fic-
tion, film: How you boys doing? Keep
chilling!; 1994 Martin Lawrence: You
So Crazy, film: White people, we was
in Africa, chillin’!; 2009 Examiner:
I hadn’t chilled out like that in quite a
while
chillax v. [1] to be calm: 2006 Material
Girls, film: I’m gonna have to give you
some of my Prozac if you don’t chillax;
2011 Lil Wayne: I’m trying to chillax,
but I had to do it; 2013 Webstagram:
You’re my nigga, but you need to chil-
lax sometimes [2] to relax and have a
good time: 2009 I Love You Man, film:
I’m over here at Sydney’s. We’re just
chillaxing; 2009 Santa Buddies, film:
“So, what are you doing, dude?” “Just
chillaxing with a mud bath, dude”;
2013 Crushspot: After school, I just be
chillaxin, dawg
chill out see chill
chill pad n. an apartment or house (gs,
jg): 2008 Bebo: If I get a job I could
pay for the ticket and you’d stay with
me in my chill pad; 2011 End Times:
I had to be evicted from my nice chill
pad; 2011 Facebook: The best one
I could think of would have to be the
time we were sitting downstairs in my
chill pad having some beers
Chilltown see below
Chill Town (or Chilltown) n. Jersey City,
New Jersey (jg, rk): 2010 Jersey
City Reporter: Why do people call
Jersey City “Chilltown”?; 2013 Photo
Bucket: If you live in Chill Town NJ,
you should know her; 2013 My Space:
I’m a 100% Puerto Rican born in
Brick Town but I live in Chill Town
chinchpad n. a cheap hotel or lodging
house, especially if rundown or
infested with insects (bk, cm, jg):
1994 Clarence Major: His father died
in one of them chinchpads downtown;
1995 Irving Allen: They were also
called flea houses and chinch pads;
2005 Yuma Sun: So “chinchpad”
became a slang for a boarding house
infested with insect pests
chocolate adj. African American (jg):
2002 Atlanta Journal-Constitution: They
are trying to do things that make my
chocolate wife smile; 2010 Atlantic
Monthly: Lane reveals his love for his
chocolate bunny, Toni; 2011 Porn Hub:
Watch Bree Olson get a taste of choc-
olate dick!
Chocolate City n. [1] Washington, DC
(jg, rk): 2010 Reuters: The term
“Chocolate City” has been used affec-
tionately by African Americans to refer
to Washington and other predomin-
antly black cities; 2011 Black Voices:
You’re in denial to think that DC is
still “Chocolate City”; 2013 Huffing-
ton Post: In case you don’t know,
Washington, D.C., is also affection-
ately known worldwide as Chocolate
City due to its majority Black popula-
tion [2] any city with a predominantly
 Glossary
African American population (gs):
2006 News, CNN-TV program: New
Orleans was a chocolate city before
Katrina, it is going to be a chocolate
city after; 2006 USA Today: Chocolate
City is a slang used to describe a city
that is heavily black; 2009 Ebony:
While it is no longer Chocolate City
statistically, its spirit protects you
chops n. [1] musical technique or ability
(cm, jg): 2003 Two and a Half Men,
CBS-TV series: You’ve still got some
chops, mom; 2011 Easy Reader: He hit
the local scene hard, sharpening his
chops, and over the last two years
has played 165 gigs a year; 2011 AZ
Central: I’d love to see her put some
real emotion into what she’s singing.
But her chops are undeniable, and
sometimes that’s enough [2] talent or
skill in general (jg): 2011 Gather: Pal-
trow has slowly been showing her
chops in movies through the years;
2011 Washington Post: It was adapted
by veteran crime screenwriter John
Romano, and his chops make all the
difference; 2014 Los Angeles Times:
He built websites, though he insisted
on downplaying his chops
Chris see below
Chriss (or Chris) n. Cristal champage:
2010 Bimmer Forums: I drink Chriss
and you drink piss. I will have the
other half; 2010 Cad Jewelry: I have
to drive across town to pick up Springo
so he can drink Chriss under the table
at dinner; 2013 Angelfire: You drinkin
coolade while I’m drinkin Chriss
chrome n. a firearm (cm, jg, rk): 1998
Ghetto Twinz: We packin’ chrome,
nigga!; 1999 Gang Starr: I hold my
chrome steady, with a tight grip; 2006
Jason Starr: I been dealin’ chrome to
kids
chronic n. [1] marijuana, especially if
very potent (cm, gs, rk): 1993 Snoop
Dogg: I smoke chronic everyday; 1998
159
Belly, film: I don’t even fuck with no
more chronic; 2010 Twelve, film:
We’re trying to score some chronic,
man [2] marijuana laced with cocaine:
1993 Snoop Dogg: Some bubonic
chronic made me choke; 1996 Don’t
Be a Menace to South Central While
Drinking Your Juice in the Hood, film:
“Come on, nigger, who got that
chronic?” “I got that ill killer shit.
Guaranteed to fuck you up”; 2008
Grass City: Chronic means marijuana
laced with coke
Chuck (or Chuckie, Chucky) n. poten-
tially offensive a white person,
especially regarded as an oppressor of
African Americans (bk, cm, gs, jg):
1987 Tom Wolfe: Chuck come up to
Harlem and gonna take care of busi-
ness for the black community?; 2000
Bamboozled, film: Hey, Chuckie, that’s
unacceptable; 2009 Wiki Answers: If
there was a black marine and a white
marine standing together, you would
refer to the white as a “Chuck” and
the black as a “Splib”
Chuckie, Chucky see above
chump n. a weak, timid or cowardly
person (cm, gs, jg, rk): 1999 Ghost
Dog: The Way of the Samurai, film:
What do you think, I’m a chump?;
2001 Ali, film: You ain’t no champ,
you a chump!; 2011 Los Angeles Times:
Deal with your choices or admit you’re
just a chump
chump-ass adj. weak, timid or cowardly
(jg): 1993 Trends of Culture: You
chump-ass MC’s can’t fuck with the
Boogieman!; 2006 Wire, HBO-TV
series: Let no chump-ass niggers think
I’m shook; 2011 Democratic Under-
ground: Stop negotiating with terror-
ists, you bunch of chump-ass, complicit
motherfuckers!
chump change n. a small or meager
amount of money (bk, cm, gs, jg):
2009 Ebony: It’s chump change for
160 Glossary
the photo-op; 2010 News, Fox-TV pro-
gram: Five million bucks ain’t chump
change; 2010 Los Angeles Times: The
price tag last year was a little under
$14 billion, which is chump change in
the context of a $1.3-trillion deficit
claim v. to indicate one’s membership in
a gang (gs, jg): 1991 Leon Bing: You
don’t wanna ’bang. You don’t have to
claim; 2003 Mike-D: Who you run with
nigga? Who up in the crew? What
camp you claiming?; 2006 Randy
Kearse: I don’t claim no set homie
clambake n. a party or gathering where
musicians play improvised music,
especially jazz (cm, jg): 1992 Boca
Raton News: Maybe I’ll do a jazz
clambake in Newport sometime, but
I’ll never take a major music festival
back there; 2001 Detroit News: That’s
exactly what it was, a clambake. A lot
of fun for everybody. The entertainers
loved to play; 2008 Boston Globe: We
wanted a clambake and a small band,
and the price was very reasonable
clean adj. elegant, stylish or well-dressed
(bk, gs, jg): 1994 Nathan McCall:
When dudes got clean they wore the
latest styles; 2006 30 Rock, NBC-TV
series: You look clean. You a celeb-
rity?; 2010 Yahoo Answers: Gay guys
keep themselves together, and look
clean and nice
clock v. [1] to make money (gs, jg, rk):
1994 Master P: Motherfuckers in the
game straight clocking cheese; 2002
Miami Herald: I saw how he was just
clocking money. He owned a lot of
businesses, had every car and a whole
lot of money; 2010 Sporting News:
They were too busy clocking money
[2] to sell drugs (gs, jg): 1995 Clock-
ers, film: “How long have you been
clocking?” “What is you, deaf?
I don’t hustle!”; 2011 Bruce Welch:
The first time I go back to the old
neighborhood, I stop at Bird’s house.
He’s clocking coke; 2013 Blogspot: In
the world of no economic parity
clocking dope is better than starving
clown v. to joke, tease or make fun of (gs,
jg, rk): 1990 Hartford Courant: He is
trying to clown me, by making my
opinions seem ridiculous; 1999 Ice-T:
Ain’t nobody tryin’ to clown me; 2010
People: My football buddies clowned
me for that
cock n. potentially offensive the
vagina (cm, gs, jg): 1998 Scarface:
I stuck my fist up in her cock, she didn’t
budge; 1999 2nd II None: If her cock is
gettin’ hot, then take her home; 2013
Twitter: She got a vacuum cleaner that
fits her cock
cock-block1 v. potentially offen-
sive [1] to interfere, intrude or thwart
any activity (jg, rk): 2005 Hip Hop
DX: They cockblocked the release of
this DVD; 2010 Gothamist: However,
that plan was cock-blocked due to
structural problems with the remaining
edifice on the site; 2011 Miami New
Times: Being cockblocked by the refs’
one-sided officiating is reprehensible
[2] to interfere with someone’s inten-
tions to have sex or with the very sex
act (gs, jg): 2006 Hollywood Gossip:
You got cock-blocked by your own
sister!; 2011 West Word: She tries to
take him home to smoosh, but the
smash room gets invaded by MVP
and Snooki gets cock blocked; 2012
Elite Daily: The roommate will be
envious of the ass you bring home, they
may even cock block you
cock-block2 n. potentially offen-
sive [1] an instance of interfering,
intruding or thwarting any activity:
2004 Hellbent, film: I never seen a
cock-block like that in my life; 2006
Can Mag: Looks like the big guy is
throwing a cock block. Had enough?;
2011 Hill Buzz: Thompson comes into
SC to do a cock-block and let McCain
 Glossary
beat Huckabee [2] an instance of inter-
fering with someone’s intentions to
have sex or with the very sex act (cm,
gs): 2010 Daily Cardinal: Sorry to
hear about the cock-block!; 2011 Marie
Claire: A cock-block ruins things, and
usually it ruins things abruptly; 2012
Elite Daily: No man wants to deal with
the cock block. It should be considered
as a disaster to your sex life
cock-blocka see below
cock-blocker (or cock-blocka) n.
potentially offensive [1] a
person who interferes, intrudes or
thwarts any activity: 2009 TV Squad:
Why are you being such a cockblocker,
he asks; 2009 Guitar World Magazine:
Guys you are the ultimate cock
blockers of the universe; 2010 TV
Magazine: She’s a cock-blocker. She
needs to get a life [2] a person who
interferes with someone’s intentions to
have sex or with the very sex act (gs):
1990 TV Magazine: I was very disap-
pointed at Will in this episode.
I thought he was being a little too
jealous and too much of a cockblocker;
2006 New York Times: More surpris-
ingly, he joined the “Cock-blocker”
(i.e. a guy who hinders another’s
chances with a coed) user group;
2009 YouTube: They get their super-
power by having meaningless sex and
they fear that the cock-blocker would
return
cock diesel n. potentially offen-
sive a muscular man (gs, rk): 2003
Bad Boys II, film: She’s attracted to
these dumb, musclebound dickheads,
cock diesels that can’t even turn to
wipe their ass; 2007 Body Building:
What up, cock diesels! I just ordered
controlled labs WF, GD, and PW; 2010
Club Si: It is full of loose farm whores
and suburban airhead cock-diesels
cold1 (or cold chilling, cold chillin’) adj.
excellent or admirable (jg, rk): 2000
161
Bamboozled, film: You know you’re
cold chillin’; 2000 Snoop Dogg: My
homey from the CPT, he cold chillin;
2009 Hype Beast: The pink tee is very
cold-chillin
cold2 adv. extremely or totally: 2009 Ezee:
A young couple were experiencing
financial difficulties, that is, they were
cold broke; 2011 Tennis Forum: I used
to respect Maria. But not anymore. She
just cold cheated right there; 2011 Real
Wrestle Crap: He’s stone cold crazy,
you know
cold chilling, cold chillin’ see cold1
cold in hand phr. without money (cm,
jg): 1980 Robert Hemenway: Zora
explained to her literary agent, Jean
Parker Waterbury, that she was cold
in hand. That is a Negro way of saying
penniless; 1985 Dubuque Telegraph
Herald: They were cold in hand,
broke; 2013 American Blues Scene:
To be cold in hand means to have no
money
Colored People’s Time (or C.P. time,
CP time) n. potentially offen-
sive a belief that African Americans
are not punctual (cm, gs, jg): 2000
Bamboozled, film: Colored People’s
Time is the stereotypical belief that
Negroes are always late and have no
sense of time; 2007 My Space: All
ladies will be granted free admission
until 1130 PM, so get there early. No
CP time, please; 2007 Dallas Morning
News: When the senator finally made it
to the ballroom stage Friday, he
alluded to “CP time,” or colored
people’s time
color scale n. the gradation of skin color
value from very light to very dark (cm,
gs): 2005 Duane Cady: The lighter
their skin tone the higher their status
on the color scale; 2009 Hello Beauti-
ful: Y’all niggas should be ashamed!
Measuring Black women by a “color
scale” is degrading and uncalled for.
162 Glossary
Ugh!; 2012 Chicago Tribune: Zora
Neale Hurston offered this color scale
for blacks: high yaller, yaller, high
brown, vaseline brown, seal brown,
low brown, dark brown
color-struck adj. harboring prejudice
against dark-skinned people, especially
African Americans (bk, cm, gs, jg):
2004 Washington Post: He showed a
preference for light-skinned girls with
wavy hair and was color-struck; 2007
USA Today: He was “color struck,”
the term many blacks use to describe
those who prefer blacks of one shade;
2010 San Francisco Bay View: Amer-
ica and the world are still color struck
and racist
come correct phr. to do something which
is expected or appropriate (gs, jg,
RK): 2005 Soul Strut: I hope I “came
correct” enough for you; 2010 Dia-
mond: Niggas betta come correct;
2010 Rap Radar: Redman came correct
with this shit
come down v. to happen (bk, jg): 2008
Democratic underground: I am waiting
to see the country returns to see what
came down; 2008 Las Vegas Sun:
There is not a lot of warning that
something is coming down; 2009
Fresno Bee: I want to know if some-
thing is coming down
come out of a bag phr. to act contrary to
expectation (bk, gs, jg): 2000 Geneva
Smitherman: You can try talkin to him,
but ain no tellin, he might come out of
a bag; 2009 Blogspot: I don’t know if
you gon’ be cool or if you gon’ come
out of a bag on me; 2011 Yahoo
Answers: If you assume someone is
lovable, they may come out of a bag
come with it phr. to challenge or dare
someone to do something (gs, jg):
1993 Ant Banks: You wanna get toe-
to-toe, come with it. Oh, I forgot, you
just a punk, forget it; 2001 Down
Time, film: Show me what you got,
bro. Yeah, come with it!; 2004 B. K.
Ray: Come with it, motherfucker. It’ll
be a fight
conk1 n. hairstyle of straightened hair,
done especially by lye and other chem-
icals (bk, cm, gs, jg): 1987 St. Peters-
burg Times: The conk made us look
cool; 1992 Malcolm X, film: Nigger?
Who’s wearing the conk?; 2008 New
Jersey Online: He was a skinny
colored man with a big conk
conk2 v. to straighten hair, especially by
lye and other chemicals (bk, jg): 1993
Greensboro News and Record: Shorty
teaches his new buddy how to dress
walk and conk his hair; 2006 San
Diego Union Tribune: He ought to
have been stubbornly continuing to
conk his hair; 2009 Video Hub: She
conked her hair
conversate v. to carry on a conversation
(gs, jg): 2000 Jay-Z: You wanna con-
versate with the writer?; 2009 USA
Today: It’s something we’ll conversate
about; 2010 Southland, TNT-TV
series: “We’re having a conversation.”
“You don’t conversate unless you have
to. Get out of my house!”
coochie n. potentially offensive
the vulva (cm, gs, rk): 1996 Snoop
Dogg: Her coochie lookin juicy, she
never ate a dick before but she gon’
do me; 2008 Insider: If that little fruit-
cake actually pulls this off, then she
may have flashed her coochie in public
for the last time!; 2010 Leagle: She also
testified that appellant put his fingers
inside her “coochie”
cook (or cook with gas) v. to perform in
an excellent or admirable way (gs, jg):
2002 Design Community: Now you’re
cooking, dude! That’s my kind of stuff;
2007 Houston Chronicle: “You guys
are really cooking with gas!” station
communicator Kevin Ford in Mission
Control told the astronauts; 2013 Con-
cert Blogger: The band cooked from
 Glossary
the opening note and their set was
definitely a standout performance
cookie n. potentially offensive the
vulva (bk, cm, gs): 2010 XXX Haven:
Her little pink dildo was deep inside of
her cookie; 2010 Dog Pound, film: You
take so much time that this girl’s
gonna be half asleep by the time you
even get to her cookie; 2010 Booba-
holic: She strips this tiny outfit off and
spreads her cookie wide open for you
cook with gas see cook
cool1 adj. [1] calm (cm, gs): 1993 Us3:
I rocked an A average so everything’s
cool; 2004 Starsky and Hutch, film:
We’re always cool; 2009 Scrubs,
ABC-TV series: Be cool, honky!; [2]
(or cool-ass) excellent or admirable
(cm, gs, jg, rk): 2004 Girl Next Door,
film: It’s a cool ride!; 2006 Erie Times-
News: There’s nothing’s wrong with
having cool-ass black guy as a side-
kick; 2009 Glamour Edge: We’re not
dating, although she’s a cool-ass
babe! [3] satisfied, reconciled or with-
out any obligations (gs, rk): 1994
Pulp Fiction, film: “Are we cool?”
“Yeah, we’re cool!”; 2004 Wil Whea-
ton: Are we cool, or what?; 2008
Tropic Thunder, film: “Are we cool?”
“Not really!”
cool2 (or coolness) n. calmness (gs): 2001
New York Post: The vice president sits
very coolly, and I admire his cool; 2009
Ebony: Was he melodramatic and
sometimes a little uncool in his overt
coolness?; 2010 Atlantic Monthly: The
more Democrats saw of him, espe-
cially as the campaign heated up, the
more they liked his cool
cool3 excl. it is excellent or admirable:
2006 Two and a Half Men, CBS-TV
series: “I see no reason why you can’t
go.” “Cool!”; 2009 Bleacher Report:
They’re going to pay me to do it?
Cool!; 2011 Ocean’s Eleven, film: “I
think she really likes me!” “Cool!”
163
cool-ass see cool1
cool breeze n. an excellent or admirable
person or thing (jg): 2004 Washington
Post: He’s a cool breeze; 2006 Invin-
cible, film: What’s up, cool breeze?;
2008 Huffington Post: He’s a cool
breeze all right. Oh people, do you
realize we might get to have a smart,
dignified President?
cool it v. [1] to be calm (cm, gs, jg): 1987
House of Games, film: Cool it, man!
You’ll get the money; 2008 Tampa
Tribune: Cool it, man. What’s wrong?;
2010 Wall Street Journal: But even
before that announcement, a powerful
voice in Beijing was urging people to
cool it [2] to quit doing something (gs,
jg): 1998 Fat Joe: Cool it, mama! You
gettin too hot!; 2000 Los Angeles
Times: Sylvia grabs my arm and tells
me to cool it; 2006 Dreamgirls, film:
I said, cool it, Effie!
coolness see cool2
cool out v. [1] to be calm and relaxed
(cm, gs, rk): 1987 Beverly Hills Cop
II, film: You got to cool out, relax.
Things like this work out, trust me;
1991 New Jack City, film: Cool out,
you’re jumping the gun; 2005 Weather
Man, film: I should cool out a little,
I guess [2] to spend time, especially
relaxing or wasting time doing nothing
(jg): 2006 Snoop Dogg: I came to cool
out, lay back and get blown; 2012
Boom Box: She cools out with her
friends; 2013 New York Times: Now is
the perfect time to cool out with some
free jazz concerts
cop v. [1] to assume or put on (jg): 2003
News Tribune: Asked how he likes
walking to and from school, Sam
copped a look of studied indifference;
2008 Fan Fiction: Folding my arms
across my chest, I cop a frown; 2010
OK Magazine: The research puts the
singer at the top of a list of men who
girls would most like to cop a look at
164 Glossary
on [2] to get or obtain (cm, gs, rk):
2004 Ray, film: Cop some licks from
more experienced cats, you dig?; 2007
Cane, CBS-TV series: It copped a
massive blast of street cred; 2013
Criminal Minds, CBS-TV series: They
were trying to cop some weed
copacetic adj. good or quite satisfactory
(bk, cm, gs): 1992 Malcolm X, film:
“How you doing, baby?” “I’m all
right. Copacetic”; 2003 One Love,
film: Everything’s copacetic, man!;
2009 Christian Science Monitor: But
outside the Washington beltway, things
are not so copacetic for the GOP
cop an attitude (or cop a tude, cop a
’tude) phr. to have an arrogant, con-
descending or confrontational attitude
(bk, gs, jg, rk): 1996 Long Kiss
Goodnight, film: If you do cop a ’tude,
I will see to it that you spend the next
ten years in prison; 2009 New York
Daily News: Don’t cop an attitude with
me, I have every reason to be mad;
2009 Los Angeles Times: All of a
sudden, Monica decides to cop an atti-
tude and stir things up
cop a tude, cop a ’tude see above
cop some Z’s phr. to take a nap (bk, cm):
1990 Washington Post: Just close them
eyes and cop some Z’s!; 1993 Newport
News Press: The Courtemanche family
below enjoys the show while little Ryan
tries to cop some Z’s; 2008 Oakland
Tribune: She just desperately wants to
cop some Z’s
corner n. a street corner where drugs are
sold (cm): 2006 Wire, HBO-TV series:
This is my corner, I ain’t going
nowhere; 2009 Notorious, film: Yo,
thanks for representing for the broth-
ers hustling on the corners, man; 2011
Currensy: This is for my hustling nig-
gas, niggas on the corner
cornrows n. small braids arranged in
rows and close to the scalp, often
adorned with colored beads (gs): 2002
8 Mile, film: You musta had them corn-
rows rolled too tight!; 2004 Hair Show,
film: It’s that diversity that makes black
hair so beautiful: straight hair, braids,
dreads, cornrows, Afros; 2009 San Ber-
nardino Sun: He is 5-feet-10, weighs
260 pounds and has short black hair
that is often in corn rows
co-sign (or co-sign for) v. to support (jg):
2002 People: First he ran the idea past
his therapist, who, he says, totally co-
signed it; 2006 Randy Kearse: How can
you co-sign that garbage?; 2010 Black
Voices: I don’t co-sign for people that
impregnate multiple women
co-sign for see above
country bama (or country ’bama) n.
potentially offensive an uncul-
tured or unsophisticated person from
the southern USA: 2007 Black Planet:
Hell, yeah, I’m a country bama but do
I look it? Hell, no!; 2010 Dime Wars:
This dude is not even from the A.T.L.
He is a country bama; 2010 YouTube:
Does your man smell like a country
bama?
couz see cuz
C.P.T. (or CPT) n. [1] Compton, Califor-
nia (gs, jg): 2004 Urban Dictionary:
Many people will sometimes refer to
Compton as “The CPT”; 2010 You-
Tube: This is a remix done by me and
some of the best rappers born and
raised in CPT; 2012 Ryder Tee:
I used to live in CPT [2] POTEN-
TIALLY OFFENSIVE a belief that
African Americans are not punctual
(gs, jg): 1990 House Party, film:
That’s why you can’t be on C.P.T.;
2009 Facebook: I operate on CPT;
2009 Shenantics: If you answered yes
to these questions you suffer from CPT
(Colored People’s Time)
C.P. time, CP time see Colored
People’s Time
cracker n. potentially offensive a
white person, especially if poor, racist,
 Glossary
or from the southern US (cm, jg): 1995
Jayo Felony: Called me “nigga”, now
my homies put that cracker to sleep;
2000 Bamboozled, film: The reason
why these shows didn’t get picked up
is because nobody, niggers and
crackers alike, wants to see that junk;
2004 Chris Rock: Never Scared, film:
If I stop at this sign, these crackers will
kill me
crack on v. to insult someone (bk, gs, jg,
rk): 1993 New York Times: Everybody
would crack on me; 2009 Cane Sport:
Other players crack on me because I’m
from North Carolina; 2009 Fight
Magazine: His housemates continue
to crack on him, saying he should
fess up
crazy adv. a lot of or plenty of (gs, jg,
rk): 2006 Randy Kearse: Dawg has
crazy rocks in his watch; 2009
D Listed: Oh, this bitch has crazy of
the brains!; 2013 Tumblr: Then again a
baby is crazy responsibility
crazy-ass adj. very crazy (cm, gs, jg):
2004 Two and a Half Men, CBS-TV
series: Now we have to throw a party
for your crazy-ass mother!; 2009
Celebrity Gossip: He is known for his
crazy-ass political views almost as
much as his music; 2009 Las Vegas
Review-Journal: Why do you need a
crazy-ass clown to host it?
CREAM see below
cream (or CREAM) n. money (jg, rk):
1996 Ice-T: The cream is the ultimate
goal; 2000 Snoop Dogg: Julio Iglesias
is makin’ CREAM like that nigga; 2001
Wu-Tang Clan: Thanks to all you
haters for all the CREAM you made
us!
crew n. a group of young people (cm, gs,
jk): 1991 New York Magazine: Chil-
dren call their circle of friends
“crews” or “posses,” just like the
dealers do; 2012 Facebook: Justin Bie-
ber hangs with his crew in Chicago!;
165
2013 News, CBS-TV program: She’s
hanging with her crew at the beach
crib n. an apartment or house (cm, gs, jg,
rk): 1999 Sopranos, HBO-TV series:
We’re having a party at G’s crib. You
interested?; 2008 Janet Perr: I got
biyatches. I got plenty of chedda, and
a phat crib; 2010 New York Daily
News: He was left to bleed to death in
my crib
crimey (or crimie) n. a close friend (cm,
gs, rk): 1994 Fresh, film: You one bad
motherfucker, crimey!; 2007 Black
Planet: You are my crimie to the death
and don’t forget that. I’ll kill a biyatch
over you any day of the week if I had
to!; 2007 Yelp: Congrats to the best
crimey ever! I’m so proud of you!
crimie see above
crip v. to be a member of a criminal gang,
especially the Crips, and be engaged in
its activities (jg): 1993 Bloods and
Crips: Creepin ain’t easy, but it’s
damn sure fun; 2004 Derek Grover:
They knew I was crippin but niggas
just don’t pay me any attention any-
more; 2013 Hood Up: We been crippin
for decades now, we well respected
Cris see below
Criss (or Cris, Crys) n. Cristal champage
(jk, rk): 2000 R. Kelly: Me, Kelly,
Gotti, and Hov drinkin Cris like it’s
H20; 2006 Bekay: You say you only
drink Cris?; 2007 David Austin: Buck
walked in with a bottle of Cris
Crooklyn n. Brooklyn, New York (cm,
jg, rk): 1993 Black Moon: I’m all that,
straight from Crooklyn, better known
as Brooklyn; 2005 Time Out Chicago:
Yeah, I live in Crooklyn, baby; 2007
New York Observer: According to his
Myspace page, he lives in “Crooklyn”
but he isn’t a native
crumb-crusher n. a baby or a little child
(cm, jg): 1991 Ocala Star-Banner:
If you have a houseful of crumb-
crushers, a station wagon is nice; 2002
166 Glossary
Indianapolis Star: Hanging around
with crumb-crushers and testy teen-
agers seems beneath you; 2009 Black
Athlete: They want women barefoot,
with crumb-crusher in tow, dependent
and mildly educated
crumbs n. insignificant people (gs, rk):
2006 Randy Kearse: I used to
help all them crumbs; 2009 Neowin:
I absolutely hate those stupid
crumbs; 2013 Tumblr: Motherfucking
crumbs! Who the fuck do you think
you are?
crumb-snatcher n. a baby or a little child
(cm, gs, jg, rk): 2003 Daddy Day
Care, film: Them little crumb-
snatchers got under my skin; 2009 Vir-
ginian-Pilot: September means your
little evil crumbsnatchers are finally
off the streets and become someone
else’s nightmare for nine months;
2009 Examiner: I read and acted out
the story in front of two dozen wide-
eyed crumbsnatchers
crunk adj. full of energy and excitement
(rk): 2013 J. Unit: Let’s go get crunk.
Have a good time!; 2013 Facebook:
Hope you all have a very crunk Christ-
mas!; 2013 Tumblr: I’m listening to the
music and feeling crunk
Crys see Criss
cut loose v. to give up (bk, cm, jg): 1995
Bad Boys, film: Now don’t worry,
you’ll be set free. Cut loose. You’ll be
back to your own life; 2000 Chicago
Tribune: Megan wanted to cut loose;
2008 News, ABC-TV program: Now,
he is ready to cut loose
cut someone some slack phr. to allow
someone some leeway (cm, gs, jg):
1996 Get on the Bus, film:
A reasonable man like you can under-
stand that. So why don’t you cut him
some slack?; 1998 Buffy the Vampire
Slayer, WB-TV series: “Cut me some
slack!” “Why should I?”; 2008 New
York Times: New Yorkers will cut her
some slack if she’s appointed, just
because of who she is
cuz (or couz) n. [1] a close friend (cm, gs,
jg): 1995 Heat, film: I ain’t you cuz,
you rat motherfucker; 2004 Fifty First
Dates, film: By the way, cuz, I met this
sexy blonde tax attorney at Starbucks
today; 2008 Gran Torino, film: Come
on, man, let’s go. We are cuz, right?
[2] a fellow African American (cm, gs,
jg): 2009 Northern News Services:
Thank you my cuz, I wish you a won-
derful Christmas this year; 2009 My
Space: He’s a cuz from the hood;
2011 Black Voices: Your cuz seems like
she is exaggerating a bit
D
D n. Detroit, Michigan (gs): 2002 8 Mile,
film: That’s why the fuck we’re in the
D; 2010 Detroit 187, film: I’m gonna
show her what living in the D is all
about; 2011 Huffington Post: I’ve since
moved to Southfield, but you can bet
I still consider myself living in the D!
da bomb see the bomb
daddy (or daddy-o) n. [1] a man (cm, jg,
rk): 1991 Jungle Fever, film: Yo,
daddy! I’ll suck your black dick for
$2; 2004 Ray, film: “Say, daddy-o,
what ax do you play?” “Piano”; 2008
Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the
Crystal Skull, film: What are you
looking at, daddy-o? [2] a friend (cm,
rk): 1998 Snoop Dogg: Yah daddy
fucked it up; 1996 Get on the Bus, film:
Your daddy got 187’d by a brother;
2010 New Hampshire Union Leader:
You and daddy-o need to grow up
and start accepting responsibility for
your actions [3] a male lover, espe-
cially one who keeps a younger mis-
tress (bk, cm, jg): 1997 Four Little
Girls, film: Her daddy liked the little
outfit she had on; 2003 Las Vegas
Review-Journal: When we went
 Glossary
grocery shopping, my daughter started
asking strange men to be her daddy;
2009 Progressor Times: Are you going
to be my daddy?
daddy like excl. I like it: 2009 Xanga:
Visit Beachnut’s Xanga Site! Daddy
like!; 2009 Encyclopedia Dramatica:
Hmm. Daddy like! She reminds me a
bit of Uma Thurman; 2012 Facebook:
My boys brought home candy. . . daddy
like!
daddy-o see daddy
daisy dukes (or dazzey dukes, dazzey
duks) n. very short and tight female
shorts (gs, jg, rk): 1993 Los Angeles
Times: Some women still go for the
cheeky dazzey duks, hyper-abbreviated
shorts; 2007 Insider: Here are some
new pictures of Jessica wearing daisy
dukes; 2010 Teen Hollywood: Tamara
wears some super short shorts (daisy
dukes) in the film
damn skippy excl. certainly (gs, jg):
1993 Fear of a Black Hat, film: “I
noticed you don’t smile too much.”
“Damn skippy. If you be smiling,
motherfuckers think you’re a punk”;
2006 Just My Luck, film: “That’s some
expensive shit.” “Damn skippy”; 2007
Juno, film: “I’m not ready to be a
mom!” “Damn skippy, you’re not!”
damn straight excl. certainly (gs, jg):
1994 Shawshank Redemption, film: “A
week in the hole is like a year.”
“Damn straight!”; 1997 One Eight
Seven, film: “In my book, you’re a
hero!” “Damn straight!”; 2002 Wire,
HBO-TV series: “Everything I said in
here stays here!” “Damn straight!”
dank n. high-quality marijuana (cm, gs,
jg, rk): 2001 Michigan Daily: The lyr-
ical content of the album is not surpris-
ingly non-prolific: it essentially covers
drinking, smoking dank, and fucking;
2002 Miami New Times: He says a lot
of other dealers will buy dank at a
discount and sell it at a full retail
167
price; 2008 Snoop Dogg: I’m gon’ be
smokin’ dank, livin’ like a boss
dap1 adj. elegant, stylish or well-dressed
(bk, cm, gs, jg): 2000 Tonight Show
with David Letterman, CBS-TV pro-
gram: He looked pretty dap; 2010 OK
Cupid: You’ll find me at Revolution
Cafe, dressed dap, wearing my favorite
black fedora; 2013 Facebook: We
looked dap last night
dap2 n. [1] respect (cm, gs, jg): 2009
Ebony: They get much dap for this;
2010 Ebonics Translator: Amy deserves
dap because her singing is awesome;
2011 Apartment Therapy: I think
I should get some dap for making it
work [2] touching someone’s clenched
fist, in greeting or agreement (gs, jg,
rk): 1991 Jungle Fever, film: I got to
give you some dap; 2002 Orlando Sen-
tinel: That’s way cool, dude! Give me
some dap!; 2004 Celebrity Cafe: When
I finally got there he said what’s up
and gave me some dap
dap3 v. to touch someone’s clenched fist
with one’s own, in greeting or agree-
ment (jg): 2011 Vibe: Tupac’s dapping
his boy Money B; 2011 Nah Right: He
dapped me with his hand; 2011 Grey’s
Anatomy, ABC-TV series: Dap me!
dawg see dog1
day late and a dollar short phr. too late
or having missed one’s chance (gs):
2011 National Post: He’s been simi-
larly a day late and a dollar short in
dealing with Libya, procrastinating
when he should have been imposing a
no-fly zone; 2011 Austin News: I think a
bond revocation at this point in time is
a day late and a dollar short; 2011 New
York Times: Cynical friends say I was
a day late and a dollar short, that
I missed a golden opportunity
dazzey dukes, dazzey duks see daisy
dukes
d-boy n. a street-level drug dealer (jg,
rk): 2002 Palm Beach Post: She did
168 Glossary
drugs, she knew all the d-boys on
the corners; 2002 WC: I’m the gangsta
rap nigga that the d-boys love; 2006
ATL, film: You got the d-boys in here
too
dead v. [1] to abandon, especially one’s
boyfriend or girlfriend (gs): 1997 New
York Magazine: So I deaded her.
I can’t chill with her anymore. She’s
a ho’!; 2006 Randy Kearse: I deaded
my shortie two months ago; 2010
Yahoo Answers: I deaded her after
she said she wants to be close friends,
was that the right thing to do? [2] to
refuse or say no (gs, rk): 2006 Jay-Z:
I should have been deaded; 2009 Media
Stream: They successfully deaded the
proposal; 2010 Broadband Reports:
Judging from Rebecca’s silence per-
haps her boss deaded her
dead cat on the line phr. something
suspicious or shady (gs): 1991 Los
Angeles Times: In the Southeast it’s
said “there’s a dead cat on the line”
to describe a sense that something’s
wrong; 2000 Tampa Red: There’s a
dead cat on the line. I ain’t lyin’,
you’re the cheatin’ kind; 2006 Char-
lotte Observer: There’s a dead cat on
the line means there is something sus-
picious going on
dead presidents n. US dollar bills (cm,
gs, rk): 1991 Ice-T: All I love’s my
dope and dead presidents; 2000 Wash-
ington Post: An armored car full of
dead presidents is on its way to the
incinerator; 2002 Civil Brand, film:
Got moolah? People need you! Dead
presidents feed you!
deaf see def
deejay1 (or DJ) n. a disc jockey (gs):
2004 Ventura County Star: A deejay
will provide music until midnight;
2010 Las Vegas Weekly: Lucas loved
the Strip view from the rotunda where
the group danced to the beats of the
deejay; 2013 Ebony: I’ve always been
around music in my household, so
becoming a DJ was like a natural pro-
gression for me
deejay2 (or DJ) v. to be a disc jockey:
2010 California Chronicle: My folks
were always buying me records, which
is how I started deejaying; 2013 Uni-
versity of Alabama Crimson White: He
has been DJing since his senior year of
high school; 2013 Broadway World:
Back in the day, you didn’t have com-
puters, YouTube, or schools to learn
how to DJ
deep1 (or deep-down) adj. intense, pro-
found or serious (gs, jg): 2007 Meet
the Browns, film: The movie’s been
pretty deep so far; 2009 Funny People,
film: Ira, this is deep shit. People get
divorced; 2011 Bitch Magazine: For
some of us, that means we have a
deep-down desire to be pregnant
deep2 adv. as a large group (gs, jg, rk):
1998 Bizarre: I’m the reason niggas
come ten deep and end up leavin solo;
2010 Nah Right: They be deep every-
where, extra cocky and just posted up
in the hood; 2010 Sun Gazette: We can
go seven deep or more, and that will
help us
deep-down see deep1
def (or deaf) adj. excellent or admirable
(bk, cm, gs, jg): 1989 Daily News
of Los Angeles: Who’s that deaf chick
packin heat?; 1993 CB4, film: I wanna
hear some of those deaf rhymes; 2009
Tumblr: Michelle and Mary were
there, so it was a def party
deliver v. to perform in an excellent or
admirable way (gs): 2000 Bamboozled,
film: I want you to think about what
I just said and how you can deliver;
2009 Free Press Houston: We finally
got back on course with Rusted Shut,
and holy shit, motherfuckers delivered;
2009 Blue Mixx: The band really
delivered, and played with power and
virtuosity
 Glossary
den n. an apartment or house (cm, gs):
2003 Erie Times-News: Wolf was chil-
lin’ in his den when he got the news;
2005 St. Louis Post-Dispatch: He actu-
ally looked forward to getting back to
his den for some quality television
time; 2010 Washington Post: I was in
my den with my wife
deuce deuce n. [1] a 22-caliber handgun
(gs): 1991 Boyz in the Hood, film: “I
think it’s a .357 Magnum!” “Really?
I got a deuce deuce. My brother
gave it to me before he went to jail”;
2003 Rudy Gray: He uses a deuce-
deuce with a silencer; 2009 Virginian
Pilot: He also says he has a deuce-
deuce, slang for a 22-caliber hand-
gun [2] a twenty-two-ounce bottle of
strong and cheap malt liquor (gs):
2011 Yahoo: Is drinking a deuce
deuce everyday bad for you?; 2011
Tiger Droppings: Did you know that
they don’t even have 22 oz bottles
anymore? We used to drink a deuce
deuce everyday; 2011 Summit Post:
We sat there drinking a deuce-deuce
I brought
dickty see dicty
dick-whipped adj. potentially
offensive (of a woman) dominated
by one’s boyfriend or husband (gs):
2004 Las Vegas Mercury: I was never
going to be dick-whipped in all my life;
2013 Facebook: You’re following me
around like a dick-whipped chick;
2013 Topix: It’s sad that some invisible
tyrant has you dick-whipped
dicty (or dickty) adj. self-important or
arrogant (bk, cm, jg): 2004 Brother
to Brother, film: Who’s the dicty kid?;
2007 San Diego Online: Phone all your
hep cats and tell them a dicty duchess
is singing in San Diego; 2010 Wikipe-
dia: He was accused by some black
musicians of a dicty attitude, that is,
acting as though he was a member of
the white middle class
169
diesel n. a muscular man (gs, rk): 2000
Bamboozled, film: What, you been
doing push-ups now? You coppin’ a
diesel now?; 2006 Randy Kearse: He
was diesel ’til he started smokin’
crack; 2010 Oh L.A.: He’s the big
diesel nigga, I’m the mid-size nigga!
different strokes for different folks phr.
different things please different people
(bk, rk): 1993 Mad Dog and Glory,
film: “You should try that shit with me
some time!” “Yeah? Different strokes
for different folks”; 2010 USA Today:
It was different strokes for different
folks as players and coaches found a
variety of ways to pass the time; 2011
Shape: Just like there are different
strokes for different folks, there are
different styles of wedding dresses
dig v. [1] to like or regard favorably (bk,
cm, gs, jg, rk): 2000 Car and Driver:
The handling is totally bitchin’ and the
chicks really dig it; 2003 American
Splendor, film: This is terrific, I really
dig your work, man; 2009 Scrubs,
ABC-TV series: This is some chick
that digs fat guys! [2] to understand
or comprehend (bk, cm, gs, jg, rk):
2004 Ray, film: I came to cop some
licks from some more experienced cats,
you dig?; 2004 Starsky and Hutch,
film: I can dig what you’re saying;
2009 Las Vegas Review-Journal: Dude,
can you dig that?
digits n. a telephone number (cm, gs, jg,
rk): 2006 ATL, film: I need to get your
digits; 2009 News, Fox-TV program:
Jon asks Elena for her digits; 2010
Brooklyn Papers: He was repeatedly
asking for her digits
dig on v. [1] to like or regard favorably
(jg): 1994 Pulp Fiction, film: I ain’t
Jewish, I just don’t dig on swine, that’s
all; 2000 Remember the Titans, film:
Me and Rev both dig on The Tempta-
tions; 2010 Hole in One, film: I don’t
dig on the ginger, I’ve got my eyes on
170 Glossary
that one [2] to observe, notice, or pay
attention (jg): 2004 Spider-Man 2,
film: Now, dig on this!; 2009 Brooklyn
Vegan: In the meantime, dig on this
killer live video from Roadburn
2009!; 2011 SB Nation: Make sure to
dig on this New York Times story
dime (or dime piece) n. a sexually attract-
ive person, especially a woman (gs,
jg, rk): 2004 Snoop Dogg: You look
like a dime right from here; 2009 My
Normal, film: What’s up with that little
dime piece you broke up with the other
night?; 2010 Stone, film: You seen her?
She’s a dime, dawg. Perfect ten, man!
dime piece see above
dip v. [1] to leave (gs, jg, rk): 2006 Too
Short: Girl, if you don’t get naked, I’m
about to dip; 2007 Baby Bash: Let’s
dip and hit the strip tonight! We only
live once; 2009 Real Talk NY: Hop in
the whip, and we ready to dip! [2] to
interfere by being nosy (gs, rk): 2009
Secret Obsessions: Everyone was con-
versating with their own little group so
I wasn’t too worried about dipping
into our conversation; 2010 Black
Voices: I’m certain there was some
dipping into my ancestral gene pool;
2010 Zeta Boards: She was dipping in
his business. I guess she was obsessing
over him, too
dipped adj. elegant, stylish or well-
dressed (gs, jg, rk): 2004 Stranger:
Some other kid was dipped in a fake
Gucci sweat suit; 2006 Randy Kearse:
They all came dipped to my party; 2009
Access Hip-Hop: I like to look dipped
and dead-sexy and all that shit
Dirty South n. any southern state or
southern states in the USA (rk): 2006
ATL, film: And we’ve got another
scorcher planned for you here in the
Dirty South; 2009 Ebony: It’s what
Dirty South did for Atlanta; 2009
Frisky: When I lived in the Dirty South,
I heard lots of sexist comments
dis see below
diss1 (or dis) v. [1] to disrespect by
belittling or disparaging (bk, cm, jg):
2000 St. Louis Post-Dispatch: Jennifer
dissed their skill as actresses; 2004
News, CNN-TV program: Diss him
all you want, but you’d take him on
your team in an instant; 2006 Pitts-
burgh Post-Gazette: Some people
might diss him for not staying longer
[2] to tease, especially by provocative
rhyming comments in a gamelike
manner (cm, gs): 2007 Stomp the Yard,
film: I don’t wanna diss them in front
of their home crowd; 2010 Root: It’s
been a privilege to listen in on the
State of the Union, walk the first lady’s
garden, and diss Sarah Palin on
national television; 2013 Hollywood
Gossip: I believe he secretly likes this
dissing between his two friends
diss2 (or dis) n. an act of disrespecting by
belittling or disparaging (gs, jg): 2000
Bamboozled, film: They named
Muhammad Ali Cassius Clay. You
don’t call him Cassius Clay. It’s a
dis; 2003 In the Cut, film: “Aren’t you
afraid your book on slang is like a
dis?” “A dis on whom?”; 2013 Hip
Hop DX: Waka was asked if he felt
that the mention of his name on “Rap
God” was a diss
District n. Washington, dc (cm, gs):
2000 Washington Times: By contrast,
Gore was born in the District, has
lived in the area most of his life; 2007
Washington Post: We who have lived
in the District know what is really
happening; 2009 Ebony: He has a Rus-
sian passport, has lived in the District
for a decade and is known locally as
Vasily Ivanovich
diva n. an accomplished and distin-
guished woman, especially a talented
female rapper (gs, jg): 2008 Showbiz
Spy: This risque video cemented
her new image as a sexy diva; 2009
 Glossary
Appleton Post-Crescent: Taylor Swift
won’t ever become a diva who gets
caught up trying to bask in her own
spotlight; 2011 New York Daily News:
The diva remained seated when
50 Cent stopped by to say hey, but
she rose and planted a double kiss on
Ryan Gosling
dividends n. money (gs, rk): 2009
Ebony: Ebony had an opportunity to
talk to Tage how he got into classical
music and how hard work pays big
dividends; 2009 My Space: Hopefully
in the process, I’ll gain enough divi-
dends to go back to my neighborhood
and help; 2009 All Hip-Hop: Just
having him on the record would pay
her enough dividends later
dizzle n. state of affairs or a thing at issue:
1997 Washington Times: They didn’t
mind the dizzle; 2002 Los Angeles
Times: What’s the dizzle, my nizzle?;
2009 Big Bang Theory, CBS-TV series:
Bernadette, say some shizzle about the
dizzle!
DJ see deejay1, deejay2
DL see down-low
do1 v. [1] to have sex with (gs, rk): 1997
Simpsons, Fox-TV series: I ain’t too
good at talking to women, I really
wanted to do you; 1998 54, film: I can
do anybody; 1998 Beavis and Butthead,
MTV-TV series: I wanna, like, you
know, do her [2] to perform oral sex
on (gs, rk): 1994 Pulp Fiction, film:
You gotta remember who’s doing who;
2006 Randy Kearse: You do me, and
I’ll do you; 2013 Facebook: Last night
some fine chick did me good
do2 (or ’do) n. a haircut (bk, cm, gs, jg):
1999 Late Show with Conan O’Brien,
NBC-TV program: Do you like my new
do?; 2009 New York Daily News: This
salon is the perfect place for ladies and
gents to get a new do; 2010 Marie
Claire: Teaming her new ’do with
a high-neck button-front dress, the
171
actress seemed more than pleased with
her makeover
do a bid phr. to serve a prison sentence
(gs, jg, rk): 2003 2 Fast 2 Furious,
film: You just came home from doin’ a
bid; 2010 Freddie Gibbs: My nigga
Rich doin’ a bid. If I would’ve been
with him I would joined him; 2010
Stone, film: I’ve done a long bid, man
Doctor Feelgood (or Dr. Feelgood) n. a
physician who freely prescribes pleas-
urable drugs, especially amphetamines
(bk, cm): 1982 Cheers, NBC-TV series:
Otherwise, she would be Doctor Feel-
good’s next patient; 2006 Homer News:
Addicts went to Doctor Feelgoods as he
called them who prescribed the drug
without too many questions; 2009 Time:
He became dependent on prescription
medication and on the Dr. Feelgoods
who cater to the pharmacological
demands of the stars
dog1 (or dawg) n. [1] a friend (gs, rk):
2004 Snoop Dogg: It’s so relentless,
and all my dogs up against the life
sentence; 2009 Ebony: Dawg, I’m with
you on your comments about Wooten
and Stanley; 2011 Village Voice: No
offense to my dawg Slick, but we joke
about this all the time [2] a seducer or
womanizer, especially if very skillful
(bk, gs): 2006 Two and a Half Men,
CBS-TV series: You’re doing a hot
twenty-two and you’re cheating on
her? I’m so proud of you! My brother’s
a dog!; 2008 Big Bang Theory, CBS-
TV series: Have you slept with her yet?
Hm? You dog!; 2009 New York Daily
News: It was the third wink that sold
me. He’s a sexy dawg [3] an aggressive
or brutal man (bk, jg): 2001 Los
Angeles Times: McCarron is a real
dog when it comes to this race; 2010
Chappelle’s Show, WGN-TV pro-
gram: Come on, dog, you hit my
elbow!; 2013 Rap Genius: DMX is
known for his aggressive, dark,
172 Glossary
growling rap vocals. He’s a real
dawg! [4] an unattractive woman (gs,
jg): 1993 Heaven and Earth, film: It’s
my first girlfriend’s house. She was a
real dog; 1995 Welcome to the Doll-
house, film: “Do you think she’s
pretty?” “Not that pretty, really. She’s
a dog”; 2013 Fan Fiction: If she’s such
a dog (ugly girl) then why am I here?
dog2 (or dog out) v. [1] to criticize (cm,
gs): 1997 St. Louis Post-Dispatch: I’ve
had guys come up to me and say,
“Hey, you dogged me out,” meaning
I criticized them; 2003 Bad Boys II,
film: Then, on top of that shit, you
gonna dog my baby sister?; 2007
Ebony: Nagin, who has been both
dogged and praised since the Katrina
disaster, is nearing the end of his
second term as mayor [2] to treat badly
or brutally (cm, gs, jg, rk): 1990
Rocky V, film: If he refuses, you gotta
insult him, you gotta dog him, you
gotta humiliate him; 2006 International
Herald Tribune: They dogged me and
I will dog them back; 2006 Boy Cul-
ture, film: Jill said she couldn’t trust
nobody after you dogged her
dog out see above
dogs n. shoes, especially gym shoes (gs,
rk): 2006 Randy Kearse: Don’t step on
my dogs; 2010 HSN Online: I must
have gotten a bad pair of dogs. Mine
are nothing like the color shown here;
2013 Facebook: I ran in my new dogs
today. Happy!
do-it fluid (or do-it-fluid) n. liquor (cm,
gs, jg): 2001 Redman: Lubricate y’all
veins with this do-it fluid; 2007 Lil
Wyte: What’s do-it-fluid? I knew you
would ask. [It’s] whatever liquor you
you put in your body when you wanna
get trashed; 2013 Twitter: I’m in need
of some do-it fluid!
don’t even go there see below
don’t go there (or don’t even go there)
excl. I do not want you to talk or think
about it (bk, gs, jg, rk): 2000 Crew,
film: “You look tense.” “Don’t even
go there!”; 2007 Chicago Tribune:
Want to respond? Don’t even go there;
2011 Fan Fiction: Please, don’t go
there. We already talked about this
don’t hate excl. do not be envious (rk):
2010 My Space: I know I’m sexy so
don’t hate!; 2010 Huffington Post:
Don’t hate! Blacks don’t crack!; 2011
Parenthood, NBC-TV series: Yo,
Braverman! Don’t hate, man! Come
in!
don’t sweat it excl. do not worry (cm, jg,
rk): 1996 Time to Kill, film: “This is
all my fault!” “Don’t sweat it, really”;
2002 Chicago, film: Don’t sweat, I can
do it alone; 2009 Ebony: If you can’t
make the trek down to ATL like I did,
don’t sweat it
dookie (or dooky, dukie, duky) n. excre-
ment (cm, gs, jg): 1993 Fear of a
Black Hat, film: Your album was like
dookie on the street, it just sat there
and stank; 2002 Big Fat Liar, film:
I took a dookie and clogged up the
toilet; 2006 South Park, Comedy Cen-
tral TV series: Who made dookie in the
urinal?
dookie chain (or dooky chain, dukie
chain, duky chain) n. a large gold
rope-type chain, worn around the neck
(cm, gs): 2008 Boxing Scene: I think
I even saw a gold dukie chain on him
once; 2009 Washington Post: The med-
allion hung from a series of gold links
that looked just like dookie chain; 2009
Black Planet: She asked my son if she
could wear his dooky chain during the
show
dookie rope (or dookey rope, dukie
rope, duky rope) n. a large gold
rope-type chain, worn around the neck
(jg): 2006 New York Times: Essential
items include the eye-catching hat and
the super-size gold chain, which is
known as a dookie rope; 2008 Yahoo
 Glossary
Answers: Where can I buy dookie
ropes in Boston?; 2010 Pack FM: You
wanna keep that dookie rope?
dooky see dookie
dooky chain see dookie chain
dooky rope see dookie rope
do one’s thang see below
do one’s thing (or do one’s own thing,
do one’s thang, do one’s own thang)
phr. [1] to follow one’s preferences or
style (cm, gs, jg): 2008 Brown Sista:
This kinky haired Afro sista is doing
her own thing and still rising to the
top; 2013 New York Times: It has
always been a place where you can
go, be free, and do your own thing;
2013 Los Angeles Times: I think you
gotta go in there and do your thing
[2] to perform in an excellent or admir-
able way (rk): 2006 Hip Hop DX:
Anyway, he is new to the game and
he did his thing on the album!; 2009
Ebony: Do your thing Karrine! Make
that money and keep the books
coming!; 2009 Rolling Stone: All in
all, go ahead, do your thang!
do one’s own thing, do one’s own
thang see above
dope n. marijuana (cm, gs, rk): 1990 Ice
Cube: You can either sell dope or get
your ass a job; 1996 Gotti, film: The
guy’s pushing dope; 2000 High Times:
These niggas had everything: bitches,
gold, dope, rides
do-rag (or ’do-rag) n. a nylon wrap or
scarf worn over a male haircut (bk,
cm, jg, rk): 2009 Worst Previews:
We now have a restricted trailer for
it, showing Segal in a do-rag kicking
some ass; 2010 Atlanta Journal-
Constitution: The victims described
one of their assailants as a black male
wearing dark clothing and a do-rag;
2011 New York Daily News: Harlem’s
Aaron Henry was tired of wearing a
‘do-rag that left him with marks on his
forehead
173
double-clutcher n. contemptible or
despicable and untrustworthy person
(bk): 2008 Honolulu Advertiser: He’s
not really a double-clutcher; 2010
Twitter: How long before you wake
up and realize you are a double
clutcher?; 2010 Yellow Bullet: I’m
not a double-clutcher like you
double-clutching adj. contemptible or
despicable and untrustworthy (bk):
2009 Isxnation: They can’t catch that
guy! He’s a double-clutching son of a
mother!; 2010 Evox Forums: You’re a
double-clutching motherfucker; 2010
Crazy Shit: He’s a double-clutching
sumbitch
double deuce n. [1] a twenty-two-ounce
bottle of strong and cheap malt liquor
(gs): 2011 Topix: You work for a so-
called contractor and during your
breaks drink double deuce; 2012 Chi-
cago Sun-Times: Henderson asked the
victim to buy him a “double deuce,”
referring to a beer bottle; 2013 New
Haven Independent: It’s like downing
a forty or a double deuce [2] a 22-
caliber handgun (gs, jg): 1995 News-
week: A double deuce is a .22; 2005
Urban Dictionary: Man, you ain’t
tryin’ to kill that guy wit’ a double
deuce!; 2013 Goodreads: She drew on
him a double-deuce, but he tore the
weapon out of her hands
Double R n. a Rolls-Royce automobile
(gs): 1996 Snoop Dogg: Don’t get jeal-
ous when you see me in the Double R;
2009 Skull Game: Danni who sponsors
this site is a genius, drives a Double
R [a Rolls and a Royce], and has the
best looking bitches ever; 2010 Ten
Tenths: Are you sure that Jo is going
to drive a Double R?
down adj. [1] (or down by law) excellent
or admirable (cm, gs, jg, rk): 2006
Randy Kearse: She thinks she’s down;
2010 My Space: The concert was
down, real down; 2010 Nah Right:
174 Glossary
Fat Joe is down by law and any
attempts to assassinate his character
are futile and blasphemous [2] linked,
connected or affiliated with (bk, cm,
gs, jg, rk): 1998 He Got Game, film:
So you in the Mafia, down with Gotti,
huh?; 1999 Tampa Tribune: I still have
a lot of friends who are down with the
gang; 2000 Bamboozled, film: I’m
down with Della [3] willing or ready
to do something (gs, jg, rk): 2000
Bamboozled, film: “It sounds very
risky, you are not getting cold feet?”
“No. I’m down”; 2005 Beauty Shop,
film: Are you down for some Krispy
Kreme?; 2006 Christian Science Moni-
tor: Are you down with that? [4] (or
down with it) aware, knowing or
understanding (cm, jg): 1996 Fugees:
A boy’s trying to front like he’s down
with it; 2003 Greg Tate: He was trying
to impress them with how down he
could be with Ultra Blackness; 2013
Pop Dust: Their comeback single
offers an implication that the group is
down with the current trends
down by law see above
down home adv. in or toward the south-
ern USA (gs): 2004 Ray, film: Down
home, we call it “country dumb”; 2008
Word Reference: We went down home;
2010 Daily Kilos: I used to drink Sazer-
acs when I lived down home in
Kentucky
down-home adj. typical of southern USA
(gs, jg): 2007 Chef Moz: The Diner
offers down-home experience with a
classic Southern breakfast and a diner
style lunch; 2010 Salon: It’s a down-
home, Dixie drink for comfort; 2010
Slate: With Dixie up for grabs, the
GOP went carpetbagging for electoral
votes: Barry speaks with down-home
drawl!
down-low (or DL) adj. secret, covert or
clandestine (gs, jg): 2013 Quizlet: He
runs a down-low operation, and he
receives information about the market
in advance; 2013 City University of
New York student: This is strictly
down-low stuff; 2013 Twitter: Making
photographs of someone’s assets with-
out their consent is really a down-low
action
down South adv. in or toward the south-
ern USA (gs): 1995 Clockers, film:
You’re lucky we don’t blow your ass
off like them crackers down South;
2004 Ray, film: You can haul your
asses back down South; 2011 Chicago
Sun-Times: Smith wasn’t sure if a
Yankee could live down South
down with it see down
Dozens n. teasing, especially by provoca-
tive rhyming comments in a gamelike
manner (cm, gs, jg): 1994 Los Angeles
Times: The Dozens is about maintain-
ing your cool; 1994 Baltimore Sun: The
dozens is a game of verbal combat,
played mostly by black males on street
corners. It is to teach participants to
keep cool under adverse circum-
stances; 2003 Richmond Times: The
men congregate here to share a flask,
play the dozens and carry on a running
commentary
D.P. n. Dom Perignon champagne (gs):
2009 Newsgrounds: I am drinking a
D.P. at the moment actually. I love this
stuff; 2009 Face Punch: I’m drinking a
nice, cold, bubbly glass of D.P. as we
speak; 2009 Wine Review: It’s even
better than if you had aged D.P. your-
self, because the Dom Perignon cellars
will have aged it ideally for you
drag n. a dull or boring person (cm, gs):
1985 Heavenly Kid, film: You’re get-
ting to be a real drag; 2000 Los
Angeles Times: You’re such a drag.
Why don’t you just shut up?; 2011
Florida Today: He’s a real drag. The
worst part? You can’t get rid of him
drama queen n. someone who tends
to react in an exaggerated or overly
 Glossary
emotional way (rk): 2004 Desperate
Housewives, NBC-TV series: Come
on, drama queen!; 2008 Chicago Trib-
une: I work closely with a young
woman who is a drama queen; 2010
News, CBS-TV program: She is a bit
of a drama queen
draped adj. [1] dressed (jg): 1994 New
York Times: Celtics Imagine Jordan
Draped in Green; 2010 Art Daily: The
following year she was draped in a
burqa; 2011 Black Voices: Nelson
Mandela’s grandson was draped in
the lion’s skin [2] wearing a lot of
expensive jewelry (gs, jg, rk): 2002
Vagina Monologues, film: Just there,
all draped in the diamonds; 2005
Washington Post: Rapper 50 Cent
was draped in many diamond and
platinum medallions; 2010 Melo-X:
Hail the king draped in Pharaoh’s
bling!
drapes n. clothes, especially fashionable
(bk, cm, jg): 1989 Mary Helen Ponce:
The guys took pains to dress in the
latest drapes: French-cuffed shirts
and jackets that spelled “class”; 2005
Blogspot: She discreetly shrugged off
her drapes; 2007 Flickr: Lauren is very
happy with her new drapes. What do
you think of them?
draws n. underpants (gs): 2005 Aristo-
crats, film: My son comes in, drops
his draws; 2009 Black Gay Gossip:
Why is this boy dancing in his draws?;
2011 Auto Blog: The guy had more
money in his draws than 50 Cent is
staching in his vehicle in this video
dreadlocks (or dreads) n. a hairstyle of
loose thick braids, created by growing
hair without combing it for a long time
(cm, gs, jg): 1999 Futurama, Fox-TV
series: A Jamaican man with dreads
crosses the street; 2009 Ebony: Why
aren’t there any sisters with dreads in
the film?; 2010 Yuma Sun: The man
was described as dark-complected,
175
5 feet tall, with silver front teeth and
dreadlocks
dreads see above
dress-off n. a competition among flashily
dressed persons (bk): 1985 Chicago
Tribune: The dressoff starts more
slowly and rarely reaches the import-
ance it does in Paris; 1993 South Flor-
ida Sun: That might have won most
dress-offs, but when Frenchy walked
down the runway, the night was over;
2012 Hollywood Gossip: They prob-
ably had a dress-off
Dr. Feelgood see Doctor Feelgood
drill v. potentially offensive to
have sex with (cm, rk): 1987 Blind
Date, film: You son of a bitch, are
you drilling her?; 2009 Clip Inspector:
He drilled that chick in all positions
after she gave him amazing blowjob;
2010 Twitter: There’s no better feeling
than drilling bitches
driving while black (or D.W.B., DWB)
n. potentially offensive an
instance of stopping African American
motorists for no apparent reason (bk,
gs): 2002 Detroit News: Civil rights
advocates called the case an example
of “driving while black,” commonly
called D.W.B.; 2007 New York Daily
News: He is accusing local cops of
pulling him over for “driving while
black”; 2012 Parenthood, NBC-TV
series: “He’s also half white!” “He
can use his white card when he gets
pulled over by a cop for driving while
black”
drop v. to release a music album (jg):
1999 Billboard: Alejandro Fernandez
is due to drop a new album; 2000 Vibe:
Mannie and Baby have also managed
to drop a new album; 2011 Sound
Spike: Though no specific release date
has been announced, Lil Wayne plans
to drop a new album this spring
drop knowledge see drop the knowledge
drop science see drop the science
176 Glossary
drop the knowledge (drop knowledge)
phr. to give valuable information (gs,
jg): 1994 State: The trio drops the
knowledge of George Jackson and
Eldridge Cleaver, and advocates
laying low in the ’hood; 2000 San
Antonio Express-News: I won’t drop
the knowledge on you; 2008 Ebony:
There is a way to drop the knowledge
and kick the science without offending
anyone and still keeping it clean and
funny and right on point
drop the science (or drop science) phr.
to give valuable information (gs, jg,
rk): 1996 Martin, Fox-TV series: Drop
the science, baby! You’re pregnant?;
2004 Wu-Tang Clan: I drop the science
like girls be droppin babies; 2007
Entertainment Weekly: They drop the
science about Jenn’s real Denver
sexual history
drop-top n. a convertible automobile (gs,
rk): 2009 Auto Guide: Other than
being a drop-top we don’t expect much
else new; 2009 Ebony: Davis drove to
the ceremony in a 1966 red drop-top
Ford Mustang; 2011 Automobile
Magazine: The new drop top will join
Mazda’s MX-5 as the two sole offer-
ings in the entry compact roadster
segment
D-Town (or D Town) n. Detroit, Mich-
igan: 2006 Dayton Daily News: Emi-
nem, the first white rapper, is from
D Town (Detroit); 2006 Sweet Science:
I’m from D Town baby, not the rap
band. I’m talking about Detroit; 2011
Big Sean: I’m just D-Town repping,
making all theses niggas who second-
guessed regret it
ducats see below
duckets (or ducats, duckettes) n. money
(gs, jg, rk): 2000 Boston Globe: Har-
vard student Patricia Ryan should
have more than enough ducats to pay
for med school; 2002 Blue Crush, film:
We all know summertime is a bummer
with no duckets; 2008 Ebony: Those
high-powered cats whose pockets you
tapped pay large duckets for that kinda
info
duckettes see above
dukie, duky see dookie
dukie chain, duky chain see dookie
chain
dukie rope, duky rope see dookie rope
dumb-ass adj. very stupid (cm, gs, jg):
2000 Bamboozled, film: “What do you
want us to do?” “Dumb-ass
question!”; 2004 Two and a Half
Men, CBS-TV series: You think she
really cares about your dumb-ass
party?; 2009 Washington Post: Oba-
ma’s supporters are not so dumb-ass
fools to not understand that it is polit-
ics here
dunkie butt (or dunky butt) n. large but
shapely buttocks (bk): 1994 12 Gauge:
Just gimmie that dunkie butt and them
big ol’ legs. I ain’t too hard to beg;
2009 Hot Mom: I envisioned a dunkie
butt and immediately went to a jog;
2011 YouTube: Ain’t none of these
girls got a dunkie butt or legs or
thighs!
dunky butt see above
Dutch Master (or Dutchmaster) n. a
cigar with the tobacco replaced with
marijuana (gs, jg, rk): 2006 Grass
City: Here’s my how-to roll a Dutch
Master, in my opinion, the best blunt;
2009 Yahoo Answers: Why would you
smoke a Dutchmaster?; 2009 North
Jersey: There was no marijuana but
the officer saw a Dutch Master on the
rear seat floor
D.W.B., DWB see driving while black
E
Ebonics n. a non-standard variety of
African American English, sometimes
considered as a language in its
own right, or synonymous with
 Glossary
African American English (cm, gs):
1999 3rd Rock from the Sun, NBC-TV
series: Sorry, Nina, I don’t understand
Ebonics!; 2000 Bamboozled, film: He
speaks fluent Ebonics; 2009 Dallas
Morning News: It sounded like Ebo-
nics and we all know that communi-
cation skills are critical to success
eightball n. [1] one-eighth of an ounce of
cocaine (gs, rk): 1995 Richmond
Times: An eightball of cocaine, 3.5
grams, sells for $265 to $350; drugs
are available at schools throughout the
area; 1996 Philadelphia Daily News:
The package was determined to con-
tain an eightball of cocaine; 2002 Wire,
HBO-TV series: My uncle gave me an
eightball of coke, told me to take it
over to her [2] Olde English 800 malt
liquor (jg): 1993 Poetic Justice, film:
“They don’t have no eightball? Y’all
ain’t got Olde E?” “They don’t sell
that outside the black neighborhoods”;
2000 Jervey Tervalon: They are sitting
under a streetlight, drinking eightball;
2007 Williams Record: Martha Stewart
drank an eightball on Conan O’Brien,
and the beverage is a favorite of
N.W.A. and Afroman
eight rock n. potentially offensive
a very dark-skinned African American
(cm, gs, jg): 1998 New York Observer:
Their eyes gave no sign of what they
really felt about those who weren’t
eight-rock like them; 2009 Doc Share:
Bertha was referred to as an eight
rock, which is a derogatory term for
a dark-skinned person; 2013 Melanie
R. Anderson: Pat uses the term “eight
rock” to denote skin color of a “blue
black”
emcee1 (or M.C., MC) n. a performer of a
rap song (gs, jg): 2000 Snoop Dogg:
They say, what’s a rapper? Well nigga,
what’s an emcee?; 2007 San Francisco
Chronicle: I think a true MC should be
able to freestyle; 2013 Source: You’re
177
familiar with J. Cole’s rise to promin-
ence as an emcee and producer
emcee2 (or M.C., MC) v. to perform rap
songs (jg): 1991 Seinfeld, NBC-TV
series: Jack is emceeing tomorrow;
2010 About Rap: It’s a step by step
instructional guide on how to emcee;
2010 E-How: One of the early founders
of emceeing and hip-hop was DJ Kool
Herc from the Bronx
ends n. money (cm, gs, jg, rk): 1996 Dr.
Dre: The bitch is gonna get your ends;
2005 Aaron Peckham: Can you hook
me up with a job? I’m just trying to
hold some ends; 2008 Seattle Post-
Intelligencer: You can never have
enough ends
European Negro n. potentially
offensive an African American
who assumes the behavior and values
of the white society (gs): 2009 Meta-
Filter: They’d unfailingly refer to
him as a European Negro; 2009
Black Voices: I’m not a European
Negro; 2011 Your Black World: Some
have become European Negroes
trying to copy the former enslaver’s
behavior
everythang is everythang see below
everything is everything (or everythang
is everythang) phr. everything is okay
(gs, rk): 1995 Vampire in Brooklyn,
film: Everything is everything, I ain’t
seen nothing; 1996 Snoop Dogg:
Everything is everything, everybody
playin cool; 2010 Washington Wizards:
They are thinking everything is every-
thing, but I tell them, you all are going
to schools that aren’t as good as other
schools
eyeball v. to stare at or observe closely
(bk, cm): 1991 Boyz in the Hood, film:
So I’m, like, eyeballing her and she
walks right up on me and busts out,
“Is this your ride?”; 1999 Seinfeld,
NBC-TV series: That guy was eyeball-
ing me the whole time; 2001 Wu-Tang
178 Glossary
Clan: I’m on the strip, eyeballin’ the
chicks
F gas can’t fade this shit: got shot five
facety adj. self-important or arrogant (jg,
rk): 2001 Seattle Post-Intelligencer:
You too facety, I think; 2010 My Space:
Most of the black girls these days can’t
handle boys because they are very fac-
ety; 2012 RoxXxan: They say I’m too
fucking facety. Is it because my jeans
hang low below my waist, G?
fade1 n. [1] very offensive a white
person (bk, jg): 2010 Black Voices:
He could shoot that fade; 2013 Hood
Up: I’m old school, so I prefer fair one.
We don’t call them “fades”; 2013
Meme Generator: Not even I can save
you from these fades, nigga [2]
potentially offensive an African
American who is subservient to whites
or adopts their values and attitudes
(bk, cm, jg): 1994 Clarence Major:
Fade [is] a Negro who fades into a
white way of life; 2007 Barbara Kipfer:
Fade [is] a black person who prefers
white friends, sex partners, attitudes;
2010 Hentai Geek: They called him a
fade or something like that [3] a male
haircut in which the sides of the head
are closely cut and the top of the head
is not (bk, cm, gs, jg): 1990 Run-
D.M.C.: Is she jockin’ my ’fro or my
fade?; 1990 New Yorker: He has his
hair cut in a flashy high-low fade;
1996 Cincinnati Magazine: For black
teens, the fade is pretty standard
fade2 v. [1] to cause problems for some-
one (gs): 2000 Sucka Free: They all
crazy, but they don’t fade me; 2000
DJ Quik: You can’t fuck with a nigga,
thinking you wanna fade me; 2003
Esham: If he tryin jump bad, I’m a fade
him [2] to ignore or to get rid of (cm,
jg): 1992 Dr. Dre: I don’t give a fuck
about a bitch, but I and her know that
they can’t fade this; 1993 CB4, film: All
that tryin’ to fade me, I think you hit it
wrong; 2001 Tupac Shakur: Y’all nig-
times, got out of jail on bail, and sold
five million! I’m a self-made
millionaire!
faded adj. [1] drunk (cm, gs, jg): 2009
Blogspot: I think we all got faded to
drive anywhere; 2009 Urban Diction-
ary: Wow, man, I had a lot of beer. I’m
really faded; 2013 Twicsy: Nigga got
faded and robbed [2] under the influ-
ence of a drug (cm, gs, jg): 2008
Yahoo Answers: I told him I was faded
(under the influence of marijuana);
2012 Chris Brown: Nigga gon’ be
faded, all the way to the AM; 2013
Marijuana: Tyson got faded on Waikiki
Beach with a bunch of recent high
school graduates
fake v. to pretend, especially by making a
pretense of knowledge or skill (rk):
2006 Dreamgirls, film: I’m faking my
way; 2006 Randy Kearse: I already
know you fakin’; 2010 XXL Magazine:
I’m tired of niggas lying, man. Quit
faking!
fake out v. to deceive, especially by
doing something opposite rather than
expected (cm, gs, rk): 2002 Newport
Daily Press: I thought maybe he would
fake us out, but he didn’t; 2008 News-
week: Brian faked us out, and freaked
us out; 2010 Louisville Courier-
Journal: Graham attempted to fake
him out
fall out v. [1] to be surprised (cm, jg):
1992 Richard Price: You gonna fall out
when I tell you who I’m talking about;
2013 Twitter: Franklin, you’re gonna
fall out when you see this; 2013 New
York Post: I just fell out when I heard it
[2] to faint or collapse, especially if
intoxicated (gs, jg): 2008 Opiophile:
My dad was in the room when I “fell
out” so he immediately took me to the
 Glossary
hospital; 2009 Trick Daddy: She about
to fall out, she can’t take the way her
knees shake; 2010 Date Hookup: I just
drank some whiskey and fell out
fall up v. to come for a visit (bk, jg, rk):
1999 Twista: I fell up in the club
tonight; 2004 Lil Jon: You fall up in
the club and them niggas wanna mug;
2006 Randy Kearse: We probably fall
up in there around six
fam n. [1] a family (gs, jg, rk): 1991
What About Bob?, film: Fay, Anna
and Siggy, come here! Here’s the
fam! The Marvins; 1999 Ice-T: My
fam stay together; 2009 Ebony: I will
see you and the fam real soon [2]
friends (gs, rk): 2005 Aaron Peckham:
My fam was mad deep up in the club
the other day; 2007 David Austin:
“How’d you get this shit so fast?”
“For my fam I move mountains”;
2009 ESPN: All of his boys, his fam,
his crew, flipped on him
fancy-ass adj. very fancy or elegant (cm,
gs, jg): 1999 Los Angeles Times: What
about fish sold in your fancy-ass res-
taurants?; 2006 Ruthless Reviews: He
takes her to a fancy-ass seven-course
dinner and everyone in the restaurant
can see her tits!; 2010 Heart Racer: I’ve
spent all my cash on a fancy-ass pair
of trainers
fat-ass adj. [1] very obese (jg): 2002
8 Mile, film: Look at this fat-ass
nigger!; 2004 Blogspot: If all you can
think to talk about is food, then you
must be one fatass motherfucker; 2008
30 Rock, NBC-TV series: I’ve changed
into a fatass adult [2] very sizeable and
impressive: 2002 John Q, film: The
HMO sends the doctor a fat-ass bonus
check; 2006 Catch and Release, film:
Here’s a fatass check to smooth out the
ride; 2013 YouTube: I don’t have a
fatass car
fat cat n. a wealthy, powerful or privil-
eged person, especially a business
179
person (cm): 2009 Lori Copeland: He
was a fat cat, flashing a large diamond
pinkie ring; 2010 Game Faqs: It was
still plenty of cream even for fat cats;
2011 Atlanta Journal-Constitution:
He’s been a fat cat ever since Braine-
less signed that contract
fatmouth1 v. to talk too much (cm, gs,
jg): 1991 Allentown Morning Call:
I don’t go to power lunches any more.
All that talk and nothing ever comes
of it. Getting together and nothing
but fat-mouthing; 1997 St. Petersburg
Times: If the Olympics gave a gold
medal for fat-mouthing, he would be
a cinch; 2009 Dallas Morning News:
This is from the bully whose racist
fat-mouthing led to the Freddy’s Fash-
ion Mart fire in Harlem
fatmouth2 n. someone who talks too
much (jg): 2007 Daily Kos: Pickens is
a liar and a fatmouth; 2009 Urban
Dictionary: She’s such an annoying
little fatmouth; 2009 Politico: If Rush
wasn’t such a fatmouth, perhaps
people wouldn’t want to tear him down
as much
fay (or ’fay) n. very offensive a white
person (bk, cm, gs): 1994 Clarence
Major: Fay [is] a white person; 2005
William Whitmire: White people were
called Fays; 2007 My Space: You guys
are a bunch of fucking fays
feel v. to empathize with someone (gs,
jg, rk): 2002 Civil Brand, film:
I know what you mean, I feel you, girl;
2008 Winston-Salem Journal: They
don’t feel what you’re saying or they
don’t understand; 2010 Exclaim: I feel
what you’re saying
feel a draft phr. to sense that one is being
rejected or unwelcome, especially for
racial reasons (bk, cm, jg): 1986
Toronto Star: When he sensed racial
prejudice he would say “I feel a
draft”; 2004 Workers: Anyone feel a
draft? The Democratic Party is moving
180 Glossary
to block candidates to the left of Kerry
from getting on the ballot; 2005 Canoe:
Is it just me, or do you feel a draft?
fessor (or ’fessor) n. a professor (cm, jg):
1999 David Roediger: They said he was
a ’fessor in a college, could talk all
kinds of languages; 2009 Blogspot:
I ain’t no college fessor, but here’s
what I think is going on here; 2013
Alabama Writers’ Forum: Who would
have thought she would one day
become a Ph.D. and a ’fessor?
field nigga see below
field nigger (or field nigga) n. very
offensive unless used by
african americans a rebellious
lower-class African American, espe-
cially working on a farm (cm, gs,
jg): 1999 Public Enemy: I’m that field
nigga they all fear; 2009 Sisters Talk:
In other words, Obama is a house-
nigga and Tupac would have been a
field nigga; 2012 Django Unchained,
film: “Let’s hope she works in the
house, not in the field.” “Oh no, she
ain’t no field nigger”
fiend n. [1] a drug addict (gs, rk): 1993
Us3: I hear the beats thump, I shake
like a fiend; 2002 Jay-Z: We even sold it
to the same damn fiends; 2007 Yahoo
Sports: If some kid happens to be a pot
fiend or have a gambling problem, a
team wants to know [2] an excellent or
admirable person or thing (cm, jg):
1994 Clarence Major: Fiend [is] any
thing or person of positive quality;
2012 Los Angeles Times: He was a
fiend when it came to getting every
sound right; 2013 Pittsburgh Post-
Gazette: He’s also a fiend when it
comes to the free throw line on
the basketball court, sinking up to
100 consecutive baskets at a time
fiending (or fiendin’) adj. having an
intense crave or desire (gs, rk): 2006
Public Enemy: All these brothers
around here fiendin for that crack;
2009 Twitter: I am fiendin’ for a huge
glass of ice cold water; 2010 News,
MTV-TV program: I been fiending to
do something like that
fifty eleven (or fifty leven) adv. very
many (cm, jg, rk): 1999 Charlotte
Observer: I’ve heard most of them fifty
leven times, but each time he tells one
it gets embellished; 2006 Saigon: Nig-
gas dropped dimes on me bout fifty
eleven times; 2013 American Conser-
vative: There are fifty-eleven reasons
fifty leven see above
fire on v. to beat, strike or hit (bk, cm, jg,
rk): 2006 Randy Kearse: She just fired
on my ex-girlfriend for no reason; 2010
New York Times: The talk returned to
boxing. Danny Brown was a childhood
classmate who “fired on me” in grade
school; 2010 My Space: You really
shoulda fired on me, nigga!
fire up v. to light a marijuana cigarette
(gs, rk): 1999 Chicago Sun-Times:
Wolfe fired up a marijuana cigarette;
2009 Terre Haute Tribune Star: He
never used marijuana at work, but as
soon as he got home he’d fire one up to
relax; 2010 Examiner: Folks who grew
up in the 60s and 70s smoked weed in
high school, hit the bong in college,
fired up a joint after the kids were born
first and fifteenth n. those days in a
month when welfare checks are distrib-
uted (jg): 1998 Ice Cube: The first and
fifteenth is like Christmas; 1999 Nas:
First and fifteenth I’m layin at the
check cashing; 2009 Yahoo Answers:
Welfare checks, you get them on the
first and fifteenth
first mind n. the first and the best idea or
thought (gs): 2005 Beacon Journal: My
first mind was: no more sleepovers;
2007 Los Angeles Times: I should have
followed my first mind and said I was
not sure, but the detectives told me it
was him; 2009 Ebony: Talk to her
about instincts and the importance of
 Glossary
listening to that first mind, the one that
speaks loudest before you allow the
second guess
fish (or fish hole) n. potentially
offensive the vagina (bk, gs): 2008
Oxygen Forum: I’d like to finger her
fish; 2009 Ninja Dude: I would bend
Amanda over, lick her fish hole, then
pound that sweet little love muscle;
2010 Perez Hilton: Will she wash her
fish hole?
fish hole see above
five n. shaking hands with someone or
slapping someone’s hand in greeting
or congratulation (bk, cm, gs, jg):
2000 Geneva Smitherman: African
American women’s five involves
sliding one’s forefinger across the
forefinger of the other sista; 2008 Chi-
cago Tribune: He’s not hot, he’s
scalding. You don’t want to even touch
his hand to give him five; 2009 Whitney
Fan: You ain’t gave me no five, kids!
Five-O (or 5-O) n. police (cm, gs, jg,
rk): 1995 Worcester Telegram Gaz-
ette: “They’re mad cool, they’re more
like friends than Five-O,” said a
member of The Bomb Squad, using
slang from an old TV show to describe
the police; 2001 Exit Wounds, film: Yo,
it’s Five-O! It’s a setup! Get out!; 2003
Final Destination 2, film: Shit! Five-
O’s coming! Let’s fucking roll
five-oh-two (or 502) n. drunk driving
(jg): 1987 Roxanne, film: “There’s a
possible 502 on Main!” “Proceed to
Main, confirm”; 1996 Up Close and
Personal, film: “You know what a
five-oh-two is?” “D.W.I., driving while
intoxicated”; 2011 Fan Fiction: Atten-
tion, dispatch, any patrol cars near
Phoenix Avenue? I have a five-oh-two
five on the sly phr. shaking hands with
someone or slapping someone’s hand
held in the back, in greeting or con-
gratulation (cm, gs): 2000 Minneapolis
Star-Tribune: “Five on the sly” is a
181
hand slap done with the hands held
behind the back; 2008 Online Athens:
I’m turning around and giving high
fives on the sly; 2011 Blogspot: Madee
stuck her hand out behind her back
and the lady gave her a random five
on the sly
Five Percenter n. a member of a
religious group established by former
members of the Nation of Islam: 1996
Sapphire: I forget all that shit – Five
Percenters, Black Israelites; 2002 Lisa
Green: The Five Percenters is an
Islamic organization based in New
York; 2008 Welcome Home Roscoe
Jenkins, film: You Muslim now? You
a Five Percenter?
Five Percent Nation (or 5% Nation) n. a
religious group established by former
members of the Nation of Islam (gs,
jg): 2009 Film: The film also provides
a look at how he became involved in
the Five Percent Nation; 2013 Chris-
tian Post: Jay-Z appears to have
embraced the beliefs of the Five Per-
cent Nation; 2013 New York Times:
Dasani stands surrounded by family
outside an annual meeting of the Five
Percent Nation at the Harriet Tubman
School in Harlem
fizzle n. [1] sex or the sex act: 2006 Some-
thing New, film: He was fine, but there
was no fizzle; 2010 E Harmony: All the
other guys they are more interested in
fizzle; 2010 Wrapped: She obviously
needs some fizzle [2] a woman as a
sex object or partner: 2010 Daily Kos:
After today, only 50% of the people
who have called me a fizzle; 2010
Toobed: Erika Fief is a sexy fizzle;
2013 Blogspot: I feel more like a dumb
fizzle
flat top n. a male hairstyle that is high,
square, and flat on top (gs): 1993 Us3:
I went to the barber shop, I told Ed to
hook up the low flat top; 2004 Milwau-
kee Journal Sentinel: You can’t tell a
182 Glossary
barber to give a kid a flat top over the
kid’s wishes; 2010 Tampa Bay: Today,
he still has the muscular frame of a
soldier and keeps his graying hair in
a flat-top
flava see below
flavor (or flava) n. [1] sexual attractive-
ness (gs, jg): 2004 Hair Show, film:
It’s all about the flavor; 2009 Right
Cross Entertainment: I think she has
flava, she’s a total package; 2009
Flavor XXX: Sometimes we’ll throw
a white chick in if she has flavor [2] a
sexually attractive woman (bk, jg):
1990 Max Monroe: Loose Cannon,
CBS-TV series: Flavor, isn’t she?;
2006 Public Enemy: They call me
“flavor”; 2007 Hollywood Gossip:
She’s a real flavor [3] style (gs, jg,
rk): 1995 Dr. Dre: Once you hear the
beat kid, check the flavor that I’m
bringin’; 1996 Snoop Dogg: I got the
flavor, I’m major; 2006 Randy Kearse:
I’m the one with all the flavor around
here
flex (or flex on) v. [1] to try to impress
people by showing off (gs, jg, rk):
2009 Ebony: Step back and give the
man room enough to flex; 2012 Chief
Keef: I’mma show you how to ball.
I be flexing on these lames; 2013 Trini-
dad James: I’m a flashy young nigga,
I be flexin’ on niggas [2] to impress
people by acting macho or intimidating
(gs, jg, rk): 1995 Clockers, film: This
guy flexed on me. I got scared. You
know the rest; 2013 Twitter: He walks
into my room tryin to flex me carrying
a pocket knife; 2013 Sound Click: Who
you flexin’ nigga? You don’t really get
it poppin; with Queens!
flex on see above
flip v. to reverse the meaning of words,
especially from unfavorable to favor-
able (rk): 1995 Toledo Blade: These
guys flipped the whole thing; 2005
New York Newsday: Then he flipped
the whole thing; 2006 Randy Kearse:
See if he can flip it like this
flip the script phr. [1] to reverse the
meaning of words, especially from
unfavorable to favorable (gs): 2000
Snoop Dogg: I can flip the script but I
chose not to this time; 2009 Dollhouse,
Fox-TV series: You’ve got the lingo to
flip the script; 2009 Ebony: Charlie, let
me flip the script [2] to make a complete
reversal of one’s attitude (rk): 2002 8
Mile, film: Just make sure you flip the
script on this shit tonight!; 2008 Boston
Globe: Obama is going to flip the script
once he is elected President; 2008
National Public Radio: What about
voters who flip the script?
floating (or floatin’) adj. under the influ-
ence of a drug (bk): 2007 Nigga Know:
Usually it’s just a few able-bodied nig-
gas floating, giggling like bitches; 2012
James Swartz: The girl was “floating”
now, a term given to marijuana intoxi-
cation; 2013 Life Punch: Smoke weed
everyday! Dis nigga be floating!
floss v. to try to impress people by show-
ing off (gs, jg, rk): 2004 Hair Show,
film: Miss Girl is just flossin’, drivin’
around in her new car; 2004 Wu-Tang
Clan: I can’t stand niggas that floss too
much; 2009 Ebony: On the face of it,
you could conclude that Marbury is
just flossing
flossy adj. trying to impress people by
showing off (rk): 2004 Snoop Dogg:
You real bossy like, and sometimes
flossy; 2009 My Space: We dress nice
and act flossy; 2009 Cincinnati News:
He flaunted his money by wearing fla-
shy clothes and acting flossy
flow1 v. to rap very well (gs, jg): 1991
Ice-T: I used to listen to rappers flow;
2000 Afroman: I’m flowing on the mic
like the Mississippi River; 2000 Afu-
Ra: I can flow all day or flow all night,
and each of my verses could be used as
a night light
 Glossary
flow2 n. the ability to rap very well (jg,
rk): 2010 Real Talk NY: Only Pac
and Biggie are truly missed, no one
else even sounds close to their flow or
style; 2011 SOHH: I know even before
I hear his raps, his flow is going to be
perfect; 2012 New York Times: Obser-
vers noted Obama’s use of black
slang in relation to hip-hop culture,
like “flow”
fly adj. excellent or admirable (bk, cm,
gs, jg, rk): 1993 Us3: I’m fly as can
be; 1993 Ice-T: You punks are jealous
cause I’m rollin in fly shit; 2004 Hair
Show, film: Mona, can I buy you a
drink? You look fly as shit. Damn!
fly chick n. a young and sexually attract-
ive woman who likes to party (bk, cm,
jg): 2000 Big L: I’m a street genius
with a unique penis, I got fly chicks
on my dick that don’t even speak Eng-
lish!; 2009 Stuffy People: She’s cer-
tainly a fly chick but her make-up
game is not it!; 2011 Elzhi: I knew this
fly chick, pretty right, she was my type
fly girl n. a young and sexually attractive
woman who likes to party (cm, jg):
1993 Us3: We’ve been cool since day
one scoopin’ all the fly girls, havin’ all
the fun; 2007 Lil Wayne: Make the shy
girl horny, make the fly girls corny!;
2010 Showstopper Online: Deidre
Lang was a fly girl on “In Living
Color” and performed in the Broad-
way “Hair Spray”
fo-fo n. a forty-four caliber handgun: 1999
DMX: Fuck the po-po, nigga keep a
fo-fo!; 2000 Eminem: Come on and
shoot the club with a fo-fo; 2010 WC:
I shot the nigga in the head with fo-fo
I grabbed my Mac when the mother-
fucker hit the floor
foolio n. a stupid person (rk): 2008 News,
MTV-TV program: Dear foolio! Real
men don’t treat women like garbage!;
2009 Urban Dictionary: Bill made him
look like such a foolio; 2009 Insider: If
183
you want to see a foolio on a Segway
just watch this
for real adv. really, genuinely or ser-
iously (cm, jg): 2009 Southland,
NBC-TV series: Do you want to lose
him for real this time?; 2012 Facebook:
What’s going down for real?; 2013
Tumblr: She kissed him for real for
the first time later that night
for sheezy (or fo’ sheezy) phr. certainly
(jg): 1999 Ant Banks: Is he my nigga?
Fo’ sheezy, nigga!; 2003 Urban Dic-
tionary: “That chick was so ugly!”
“For sheezy!”; 2013 Black Planet:
Show me some luv and for sheezy I’ll
return tha flava
for shizzle (or for shizzle my nizzle, fo’
shizzle, fo’ shizzle my nizzle) phr.
certainly (jg): 2007 Two and a Half
Men, CBS-TV series: “The kid’s a
sponge!” “For shizzle my nizzle!”;
2010 Salt Lake City Weekly: We could
take their paychecks for shizzle!; 2009
Scrubs, ABC-TV series: “You wanna
get into water?” “Fo’ shizzle!”
for shizzle my nizzle see above
fo’ sheezy see for sheez
fo’ shizzle see for shizzle
fo’ shizzle my nizzle see for shizzle
fo’ sho phr. certainly (jg): 2003 Royce
Da 5’9’’: Fo’ sho nigga, I’m in this
game, and it’s all good; 2008 Toronto
Stories, film: “Call me sometime,
will ya?” “Fo’ sho!”; 2013 Atlanta
Journal-Constitution: It is the best test
fo’ sho
forty (or 40, forty dog, 40 dog, forty
ounce, 40 ounce, 40 oz) n. a forty-
ounce bottle of strong and cheap malt
liquor (cm, gs, jg, rk): 1998 Charlotte
Observer: When somebody buys a
forty, they’re going to drink a forty;
2009 L.A. East Side: He got a forty
dog in a black bag in his right hand;
2010 Big Bang Theory, CBS-TV series:
I will never run to a gas station for a
pack of forties
184 Glossary
forty acres (or 40 acres) n. symbolic
reparations for enslavement (gs): 1999
Walt Harrington: I say forget about the
forty acres. There ain’t gonna be no
fuckin’ forty acres! It’s been a hundred
and twenty-five years since the Civil
War; 2000 Tupac Shakur: Where’s our
forty acres and a mule?; 2008 Kansas
City Star: They never received the
promised forty acres
forty dog see forty
forty eleven (or forty leven) adv. very
many (cm, jg, rk): 2006 Flyer Talk:
This guy must’ve had some forty-
eleven odd different credit cards!;
2013 City Data: I’ve asked you forty-
eleven times; 2012 Twitter: I have forty
eleven things to do
forty leven see above
forty ounce see forty
four-eleven (or 411) n. information or
facts (jg): 1995 Clueless, film: Here’s
the 411 on Mr. Hall. He’s single, he’s
47; 1995 Mack 10: She knew the
411 on every one of them; 2013 Face-
book: Message me your details and I’ll
give you the four eleven on the price
four-one-one (or 411) n. information
or facts (bk, gs, jg): 1997 Rocky
Mountain News: LL Cool J gives us
the 411 on his life with a surprisingly
candid biography that suffers its share
of silly metaphors; 2003 Boston
Herald: He says he can’t give us the
411 on that; 2008 Black Voices: Pre-
pare to be enlightened as Black Voices
sheds light on Ramadan and gives you
the 411 on fasting
fox n. a sexually attractive woman (bk,
cm, gs, jg): 1999 Saturday Night Live,
NBC-TV program: She’s still a fox;
2010 Us Magazine: I’ve seen pix of
her from back in the day and she was
such a fox; 2011 Screen Junkies: It
makes her one sexy fox
foxy adj. (of a woman) sexually attractive
(cm, gs): 1996 New York Times: They
soon realize that what they really want
is a fine pad and a foxy chick; 2000
Bamboozled, film: Why don’t you get
her a dress? You mean one of those
sexy, foxy ones; 2006 Portland Mer-
cury: He gets himself a foxy girlfriend
who actually likes football
Franklin face n. a hundred dollar bill
(gs): 1997 Notorious B.I.G.: I pop
open the briefcases, nothin but Frank-
lin faces; 2008 Two World Unite: I do
not think I have seen so many Franklin
faces together or any for that matter.
The largest bill I am familiar with is a
$20; 2012 Chevy Woods: She know I’m
motivated by a Franklin face
freebie n. anything given or enjoyed free
of charge (bk, cm): 1998 He Got
Game, film: There’s no free pussy
around here, no freebies; 2010 About:
Ask about the MasterCard offer before
ordering, and enjoy either a twenty
percent discount or a freebie off the
menu; 2010 San Francisco Chronicle:
We know that lower rates and freebies
help accomplish this
freestyle1 n. spontaneous and improvised
music, especially rap (jg): 2007 Multi-
channel News: It enables members to
easily record, collaborate on, search
and listen to freestyle or written raps,
without any need for software or file
uploading; 2008 Love, Peace and Beat-
box, film: We’ll work out a set, and in
between maybe do some freestyle; 2009
Ebony: Doing a set mixed with his own
hits and a tour of classic hip hop, he
moved deftly between classic lyrics
and his own freestyle
freestyle2 v. to perform music in a
spontaneous and improvised manner,
especially rap (gs, jg, rk): 1998 Public
Enemy: I don’t freestyle much; 2003
Salt Lake Tribune: Dr E, as he is
known in the nightclubs where he
works, teaches these kids how to free-
style, or rap; 2011 Miami New Times:
 Glossary
I took him on tours where he had to
freestyle other rappers
fresh adj. excellent or admirable (bk, cm,
gs, jg): 1986 New York Daily News:
We hang out with him because he’s
fresh; 2004 Hair Show, film: She’s dri-
vin’ around in her fresh little car;
2005 Aaron Peckham: Let’s go to Dar-
rell’s Shop, they got fresher records
there
fro (or ’fro) n. a hairstyle of bouffant,
tightly curled hair, worn by many Afri-
can Americans (bk, cm, gs, jg): 2000
Chicago Sun-Times: Back in the days
Jackson still had a ‘fro; 2007 Washing-
ton Post: He actually had a fro once
upon a time; 2009 Ebony: Just because
your fro is one big mass of hair doesn’t
mean you can’t add funky hair acces-
sories to jazz up your do!
from day one phr. from the very begin-
ning (gs, rk): 2011 Chattanoogan:
Other winners from day one were
Davidson and Wofford; 2011 ESPN:
We’ve said from day one that the cur-
rent system needs to be fixed; 2011 New
York Post: From day one we’ve talked
about getting that banner, putting it on
the wall to let everyone see
from jumpstreet phr. from the very
beginning (bk, gs): 2000 Fort Worth
Star-Telegram: The Rodman-
Mavericks marriage was destined for
divorce court from jumpstreet; 2000
Bamboozled, film: My only mistake is
I didn’t believe in your genius from
jumpstreet; 2010 Detroit News: From
jumpstreet he told me that he was
going to show Ziggy how much he
loved him
from the get-go (or from the git-go) phr.
from the very beginning (bk, cm, gs,
jg, rk): 2000 Snoop Dogg: Like I told
you from the get-go, don’t trust no
one!; 2008 30 Rock, NBC-TV series:
Let’s do it again from the get-go!;
2010 Philadelphia Inquirer: Most local
185
leaders have supported the proposal
from the git-go
from the git-go see above
from the jump phr. from the very begin-
ning (gs, rk): 2009 Washington Post:
The main thing is that from the jump
they had no energy; 2010 News, Fox-
TV program: The president basically
put forth that from the jump the Feds
did everything that they could to deal
with the situation; 2010 Boston Globe:
It was obvious last night from the jump
from the rip phr. from the very begin-
ning (gs): 2009 Rakim: I told you from
the rip, we gone do what we do; 2013
Word Press: I knew from the rip that
this was gonna be a killer Sunday
lunch; 2013 Twitter: That’s how
I know that she has loved me from the
rip
front v. [1] to pretend (gs, rk): 1991
Jungle Fever, film: You sure she ain’t
got no money? She could be frontin’,
you know?; 2004 Nekousa Mullin: Quit
frontin’, Reginald. You don’t buy all
this shit just for me; 2005 Vibe: You
ain’t never had no real drama in your
life, Nelly, so stop frontin’ [2] to try to
impress people by showing off (gs, jg,
rk): 1993 Us3: C’mon, you don’t have
a job, I know you’re frontin’ hard,
borrowed the ride from mom; 2004 Lil
Flip: Can’t nobody throw a party like
me, so quit your frontin!; 2007 XXL
Magazine: Next time I see him on
Smack DVD, fronting big time, like
he’s a real gangster with money stalks
fronts n. teeth, especially front teeth (jg,
rk): 2006 Randy Kearse: He got one of
his fronts knocked out; 2008 Dental
Fear Central: While she was scaling
my bottom teeth, all four fronts fell
out; 2013 Twitter: I laughed so hard
my gold fronts fell out
fry v. to straighten the hair using a heated
metal comb (bk, cm, gs, jg): 1993 San
Diego Union Tribune: The point is,
186 Glossary
even if Jackson does have a skin dis-
ease, he didn’t have to fix his nose and
fry his hair to make it straight; 2005
Coach Carter, film: Your cousin gets
back from getting her hair fried and
dyed; 2011 Topix: That woman knows
how to fry your hair
funds n. money (gs, jg): 1997 Jay-Z: The
plan was to get funds; 2003 Macon
Telegraph: I don’t think they’ve got
any funds to give us; 2007 Wu-Tang
Clan: My woman need funds, plus her
hair and her toes done
funk n. [1] the soulful or earthy quality
in African American music (cm, gs):
1998 Hartford Courant: Once the band
got in its groove, everyone could
appreciate the funk of songs like
“Shake What You Got” and “Ele-
phant’s Foot”; 2004 Jazz Times: You
can feel the funk in their makeover of
Burt Bacharach’s “The Look of Love”;
2009 Examiner: I love the funk in his
music. I love the sexuality, and the
great tempo changes [2] anything
basic or elemental (gs, jg): 2013
Adventure Divas: She knows her funk
and she uses it; 2013 Twitter: Enjoy the
funk and share the vibes!; 2013 Home
Barista: I miss the earthy funk in my
espresso [3] body odor (cm, gs, jg):
2008 Blogspot: He tells me that the
chair umpire can smell her disgusting
funk while she is sitting during change-
overs; 2009 Baby Center: The last few
days, no matter how much I wash,
there’s this awful funk coming from
his neck area; 2012 Twitter: Every time
he passes me, I smell his funk
funky adj. [1] soulful or elemental (cm,
gs, jg): 1993 Us3: Scribble drabble
scrabble on the microphone I babble
as I fix the funky words into a puzzle;
2008 New York Times: The fancifully
funky voice of Stevie Wonder emanates
from her computer’s sound system;
evocative portraits by Hipolito Torres
grace the walls; 2013 Cultural
Exchange: Hardwood floors and brick
interior create a warm resonate sound
and a funky atmosphere [2] (or funky
fresh) excellent or admirable, espe-
cially if fashionable or popular (gs,
jg, rk): 1984 Prince: Thank you for a
funky time, call me up whenever you
want to grind; 2002 Missy Elliot: We
funky fresh dressed to impress, ready
to party!; 2008 Atlanta Journal-
Constitution: It was a really funky
car, we took photos of it side by side
with mine
funky fresh see above
G
G n. [1] a man (gs, rk): 1992 Dr. Dre:
I’ma let ’em understand from a young
G’s perspective; 2006 Randy Kearse:
What time you got, G?; 2009 Verne
Harvey: I thought y’all was cool.
What’s up, G? [2] a close friend (jg,
rk): 2002 8 Mile, film: Why you fuckin’
with the gay guy, G?; 1993 Us3: Yo G,
I got it goin’ on!; 2002 Jay-Z: I leave
off to the club, G’s in the back [3] a
member of a criminal gang (jg, rk):
1999 Dr. Dre: Real G’s don’t cry; 1999
Goodie Mob: Hoe better know who the
true G’s are!; 2005 Aaron Peckham:
That’s a real G. Don’t piss him off
gaffle v. [1] to rob or steal (gs, rk): 2005
Aaron Peckham: Uncle Sam gaffles me
every time I have to pay my taxes; 2009
Live Journal: The cunt came in and
gaffled everything she could get her
mitts on that was left; 2012 Facebook:
I want to find out who gaffled my bike
and beat some ass [2] to trick someone
out of something (gs, rk): 2006
Colma: The Musical, film: He gaffled
my money; 2009 Urban Dictionary:
Damn, dude, you got gaffled at the
club when you spent $50 to get in
and I spent $20; 2013 University of
 Glossary
California student: You paid $200 for
this shit? Man, you got gaffled
game1 n. [1] deception or manipulation
(cm, gs, jg, rk): 1995 Clockers, film:
They ran a game on me, these two;
2003 Nate Dogg: You’re sound your
whole shit’s plain. It all sound the
same. Nigga, you need game; 2010
Real Talk NY: Fat Joe is playin’ his
game [2] criminal activity, especially
drug-dealing or prostitution (gs, jg):
1994 Master P: Motherfuckers in the
game straight clocking cheese; 2006
Wire, HBO-TV series: They’re deep
in the game; 2008 Three 6 Mafia: They
say they shippin keys, a hundred per-
cent of that is cut. They say they in the
game, but niggas takin it up the ass
game2 v. to deceive or manipulate (cm,
gs, jg, rk): 2000 AZ: For all those
days you tried to game me; 2010 Real
Assanova: I never tried to game her,
never made any sexual advances; 2011
Word Press: He was trying to game me
to get out of paying me back
gangbang v. to be a member of a criminal
gang and be engaged in its activities
(cm): 1992 Los Angeles Times: Gang
members go gangbanging to protect
their surf; 2005 New York Daily News:
We’ve been gangbanging for so long,
we know you fight your own battles;
2009 Topix: I’ve been gangbanging
for over twenty years and I know for
a fact there is a fine line you just don’t
cross
gangbanger n. a member of a criminal
gang (cm, gs, jg): 1995 Heat, film: Do
they look like gangbangers working
the local 7–11 to you?; 2003 Bad Boys
II, film: They were the gangbangers
that tried to hijack the boss; 2008
Ebony: His little sister was harassed
by a gangbanger on a city bus
gangsta n. [1] a member of a criminal
gang (gs, jg): 1995 Clockers, film:
Everybody wants to be a gangsta,
187
right?; 2003 Tupac Shakur: Resurrec-
tion, film: Some people say I was a
thug and a gangsta; 2009 Chicago
Sun-Times: Once a gangsta always a
gangsta [2] a rebellious and noncon-
formist person, especially the one who
opposes the white establishment (gs,
jg): 1999 Dr. Dre: I’m representin’
for all the gangstas all across the
world; 2005 State Property 2, film:
You don’t need my help ’cause you’re
a gangsta; 2011 Live Leak: These are
straight up Vancouver gangstas rebel-
ling against the White Imperialist
Powers! [3] a genre of rap music char-
acterized by rapacity, violence and
mysogyny: 1993 San Diego Union
Tribune: I have a responsibility to not
play gangsta. In my opinion, it doesn’t
belong on the radio; 1996 Chicago
Tribune: What will be the legacy of
the young man who played gangsta?;
2004 Los Angeles Times: Gangsta
lyrics aside, the rapper needs more
originality to rise above his 1990 hit
gangstafy v. to make something or some-
one look typical of the inner-city
ghetto gangsters: 2004 Shyne: This is
the gangsta lean and the gangsta vibe,
keep it gangstafied, nigga, or die; 2006
Newgrounds: I hate how they try to
gangstafy everything; 2006 Z-Ro: I’m
a gangstafied motherfucker
gangsta glide n. a male style of walking
or strutting with a slight dip in the
stride: 2009 Urban Dictionary: That
guy’s gangsta glide made him look
physically challenged; 2010 Columbia
University student: Check out his gang-
sta glide! The dude looks ridiculous;
2010 Tha Dogg Pound: I’m a ride, I’m
a slide, with that gangsta glide, I’m a
gangsta nigga
gangsta grip n. holding an object, espe-
cially a gun, sideways: 1996 Patrick
Duncan: Monfriez took the pistol back
and demonstrated an exaggerated
188 Glossary
gangsta grip; 2005 Aaron Peckham:
I got my cap to the back and my AH-
47 in a gangsta grip; 2009 Packing 4
Life: His imaginary grip was definitely
a gansta grip
gangsta juice n. Olde English 800 malt
liquor (jg): 2002 King Tee: It’s many
niggas drinkin that gangsta juice; 2009
My Space: I’m sippin on gangsta juice;
2013 Black Planet: Stop drinking that
gangsta juice!
gangsta lean n. a style of automobile
driving in which the driver sits slung
low and tilted toward the passenger
seat (jg): 2007 Savannah Morning
News: Some are yakking on the phone,
others are driving with the gangsta
lean; 2007 My Space: Its hard to see
over the hood of my Explorer doing the
gangsta lean; 2009 Corpus Christi
Caller-Times: Sun roof top, diamond
in the back, digging the scene with
the gangsta lean
gangsta limp n. a male style of walking
or strutting with a slight dip in the
stride (gs, jg): 2004 Chicago Sun-
Times: It was a gangsta limp. He
thought it was cool; 2005 Orlando Sen-
tinel: Affecting a gangsta limp, he
claims to be from Roxbury, but his
downtrodden colleagues see right
through him; 2009 Louisiana Weekly:
I’m the brother that makes you cling
more tightly to your purse when you
see my silhouette coming down the
street with a gangsta limp
gangsta roll n. a large wad of money (gs,
jg): 2007 Edward Morris: He reached
in his hip pocket, removed a gangsta
roll and carefully peeled off a fifty;
2009 Wiki How: Be careful who sees
your gangsta roll. The last thing you
need is to get mugged; 2012 Yelp: You
don’t need to bring a gangsta roll cuz
it’s super affordable
gangsta walk n. a male style of walking
or strutting with a slight dip in the
stride (gs): 1996 Daytona Beach
News-Journal: 2Pac talked the gang-
sta talk and now he’s walked the gang-
sta walk right to the graveyard; 2000
Snoop Dogg: I know you gettin yo
gangsta walk on right now; 2009 Twit-
ter: He is perfecting his gangsta walk
ganja n. marijuana (bk, gs): 2002 8 Mile,
film: You want to smoke some ganja?;
2007 Two and a Half Men, CBS-TV
series: Oh, it’s definitely ganja! We’re
gonna get busted!; 2009 Atlantic
Monthly: I was invited to smoke ganja
gank v. [1] to rob or steal (gs, rk): 1999
Ice-T: You ganked a suitcase full of H;
2005 Aaron Peckham: People always
gank my damn lighters!; 2009 Bitch
Slap, film: Let’s gank this fucker right
now [2] to trick someone out of some-
thing (gs, rk): 1995 Bad Boys, film:
Let’s gank these fools!; 2001 Snoop
Dogg: Baby you gank em and play
em; 2003 Turk: You niggas thought it
was over, but it ain’t. You thought
I couldn’t bounce back, nigga you got
ganked
gas (or gas up) v. to flatter insincerely
(gs, rk): 1991 Barton Fink, film: “I
think it’s the best.” “Don’t gas me,
Fink”; 1998 Jay-Z: I gassed the bad-
dest girl in the class to show me her
knockers; 2006 Randy Kearse: Watch
how easily I can gas shortie up
gas up see above
gators (or ’gators) n. expensive shoes
made from alligator skins (rk): 1996
Jay-Z: I still keep the illest gators,
tailor made; 2005 News, MTV-TV pro-
gram: Snoop entered with his expen-
sive gators on; 2009 Ebony: Gators
and Borsalinos? Nah. Throwback
jerseys? OK if you’re twenty and
younger
gauge n. a shotgun (gs, jg, rk): 1993 Ice-
T: I’m not to be fucked with, step in the
range of my gauge and get bucked
quick; 2005 Aaron Peckham: I blasted
 Glossary
him with my gauge!; 2009 Game
Battles: If you look closely you can tell
he bust a shot with a gauge and the
next second he is chainsawing him
g’d up see below
geared up (or g’d up) phr. elegant, styl-
ish or well-dressed (gs, jg, rk): 2009
Futurama, Fox-TV series: He sure
looked pretty geared up; 2009 Ebony:
Audience members were geared up in
togas; 2009 Screen Weekly: I remember
I was all geared up for the first shot
Geechee (or Geechie) n. potentially
offensive [1] a southern seacoast
African American, known as Gullah
(bk, cm): 2003 Charleston Post Cour-
ier: Gullah people are known as Gee-
chee in Georgia and Florida; 2010
Connect Savannah: The Gullahs in
South Carolina and the Geechees in
Georgia were left virtually alone;
2010 Black Voices: I was born in
Georgia and have Geechees in my
family [2] the creole language used by
southern seacoast African Americans,
known as Gullah (bk, cm): 2000 Palm
Beach Post: He grew up speaking Gee-
chee (also called Gullah), the lan-
guage of his home environment; 2005
State: I knew about it but we didn’t call
it Gullah. We called it Geechee; 2008
News, MSNBC-TV program: Thomas
has chalked up his silence to his
struggle as a teenager to master stand-
ard English after having grown up
speaking Geechee
Geechie see above
geeked (or geeked up) adj. [1] under the
influence of a drug (rk): 2005 George
Carlin: Life Is Worth Losing, HBO-TV
program: They get completely geeked
on speed; 2005 D4L: I’m geeked up
and I can’t see, and all the walls keep
lookin at me; 2008 Seattle Times: One
of my coaches told me last night not to
get all geeked up [2] excited (gs): 2011
Young Jeezy: I was super geeked, cash
189
flowing, money flowing, yeah, that’s a
super week; 2013 Cherokee Leader:
I think we were a little too geeked up
in the beginning, and we had a hard
time settling down; 2013 News,
WIBW-TV program: There were guys
geeked up to play, so there was kind of
an adrenaline flow to that game
geeked up see above
geographical adj. harboring prejudice
against someone because of their place
of origin (rk): 2006 Randy Kearse:
Catz from Brooklyn are real geograph-
ical; 2010 My Space: I’m kind of geo-
graphical, so if its not east coast, I’m
really not impressed; 2010 Realest Nig-
gas: I don’t understand why dudes are
so geographical when it comes to
music
get an attitude (or get a tude, get a
’tude) phr. to have an arrogant, con-
descending or confrontational attitude
(bk, jg): 1994 St. Petersburg Times:
Don’t get a ’tude, dude!; 2006 Wash-
ington Post: The kid’s going to get an
attitude back, and the kid’s going to
make the parent nervous; 2006 Provi-
dence Journal: Get an attitude. Be
rude. Show up late and don’t apologize
for it
get a nut phr. to have an orgasm (gs,
rk): 1996 Jay-Z: He got a nut; 2009
Slim Thug: When the bitch get a nut,
her pussy squirt; 2010 Street Directory:
For twenty dollars he’s gonna get a
nut, stay all night for another ten bucks
get a tude, get a ’tude see get an attitude
get busy phr. [1] to have sex (cm, rk):
1993 CB4, film: Enough with this fore-
play. I’m gonna get busy, baby!; 1995
South Park, film: Let’s not talk, let’s
get busy!; 1996 Ice-T: Are these girls
ready to get busy? [2] to start to do
something: 1993 Ice-T: Get on the mike
and tryin to get busy; 2007 Stomp the
Yard, film: Y’all heard the man. Get
busy!; 2009 News, CNN-TV program:
190 Glossary
You roll your sleeves up and say,
“Let’s get busy”
get down phr. [1] to let oneself be natural
and unrestrained (bk, cm): 1995 Pulp
Fiction, film: Get down, get down!;
1998 Belly, film: Can a nigga just get
down? Get a drink? Get some ass?;
2005 Coach Carter, film: Big ups to
everybody who came out to the Rich-
mond High winter dance, y’all! Get
down! [2] to make an effort (bk):
1991 Jungle Fever, film: Tell the dick
to shut the fuck up and get down!; 2009
Factoidz: This will force them to have
to get down to do this; 2011 Globe and
Mail: You have to be ready to get down
to it
get in someone’s face phr. to act in a
confrontational way toward someone
(gs, jg): 2000 Remember the Titans,
film: “You blew your assignment!”
“Man, I’m covering for you. Don’t
get in my face”; 2012 New York Times:
He’s not the kind of guy who’s going to
get in your face or yell at you; 2012 Los
Angeles Times: If you are not doing
your job, someone should be allowed
to get in your face
get it on phr. to start something, espe-
cially with a positive mood (cm, gs,
jg): 2003 Anger Management, film:
Good evening. Ready to get it on?;
2008 You Don’t Mess with the Zohan,
film: “Let’s go, let’s get it on!” “No,
let’s not go!”; 2010 University of Ala-
bama student: Come on, get it on! It’s
gonna be fun!
get it together phr. to focus or concen-
trate (bk, gs): 1993 CB4, film: Look,
you guys can rap, but you got nothin’
I can sell. If you get it together, give me
a call; 2006 Public Enemy: We got to
fuckin get it together; 2008 Ebony: I am
hoping she can get it together
get jiggy phr. [1] to be sexually involved,
especially in an uninhibited way: 2000
Bamboozled, film: Are you getting
jiggy with him?; 2003 Haunted Man-
sion, film: He wants to get jiggy with
my wife?; 2009 Spring Breakdown,
film: “What are you doing here?”
“Getting jiggy” [2] to dance or feel
the urge to dance: 2000 Next Friday,
film: I’m in the mood to get jiggy.
I wanna party; 2001 Osmosis Jones,
film: You don’t dance? Don’t tell me
you ain’t never gotten jiggy with it;
2013 Tumblr: Put on your dancin’
boots and let’s get jiggy
get mines phr. to get something that
belongs or is due to you (gs, rk):
2008 30 Rock, NBC-TV series: I’m
getting mines!; 2008 Belleville News-
Democrat: We don’t have anybody
out there trying to get mines. That’s
not something that we deal with; 2010
Washington Post: C’mon, it’s DC,
I got to get mines
get missing (or get missin’) phr. to leave
(rk): 2006 Jay-Z: You can get missing
anywhere you like to; 2009 Bebo: Get
with us or get missin’!; 2010 Actionext:
I had to get missin’, I’m tired of you
stressin’ me
get off someone’s case phr. to leave
someone alone (bk, jg): 2008 Big
Bang Theory, CBS-TV series: Can
you just get off my case?; 2009 Cape
Cod Times: If you’ll get off my case,
I’d like to get back to doing what I can
do better than all of you; 2010 New
York Daily News: I wish people would
get off his case and see him as a human
being
get one’s act together phr. to focus or
concentrate (bk): 2008 Ebony: I trust
that he will read this article and get
his act together; 2010 News, ABC-TV
program: It is ironic that this book
tells the story of my own struggle
to get my act together; 2010 Denver
Post: Frank got me to get my act
together, he uplifted me in every
way, he saved me
 Glossary
get one’s head together phr. to focus or
concentrate (bk, jg): 2009 Seattle Post
Intelligencer: I did a little praying and
tried to get my head together and keep
my nerves down; 2010 Calgary Sun:
Now, I’ve got to get my head together
and play well; 2010 Kansas City Star:
He said he just needs to get his head
together
get one’s kicks phr. to have a good time
(jg): 2010 News, Fox-TV program: I’m
not just some asshole who’s here to get
his kicks telling you what to do; 2010
Long Beach Press Telegram: I get my
kicks, my fun out of winning. I feel my
best when I’m playing on the field,
that’s when I’m my happiest; 2010
New York Times: Sharon is a tease,
and the only way she can get her kicks
is to play men like suckers
get one’s shit together phr. poten-
tially offensive to focus or con-
centrate (bk, jg): 1994 Above the Rim,
film: This boy ain’t got it. Get your shit
together, man!; 1997 Wu-Tang Clan:
Get your shit together ’fore the fuck
Illuminati hit; 2010 Us Magazine: If
you want someone with a brain to help
you get your shit together, hit me up
get one’s stuff together phr. to focus or
concentrate (bk): 2009 Huffington
Post: Either get your stuff together fast
and succeed on your own or you will
face the consequences alone; 2009 San
Francisco Chronicle: He realizes he
needs to get his stuff together; 2010
USA Today: Hey, you’ve got to go get
your stuff together
get on someone’s case phr. to start
annoying or nagging someone (bk):
2007 Seattle Times: She forces you to
have to get on his case about certain
things; 2008 New York Times: You can
bet that organized labor will get on his
case for proposing to reduce the state
work force; 2010 Boston Globe: That
was the only time that Ford had to get
191
on my case saying I was supposed to
be playing a gay man
get on wax v. to record a music album
(gs): 1987 Philadelphia Daily News:
They said he’d never get on wax. Well,
I watched him mature in the studio;
1996 Milwaukee Sentinel: A local musi-
cian had mortgaged everything but the
family cat to get on wax; 2010 Hip Hop
DX: That’s the attitude you would get
on wax!
get out of someone’s face phr. to leave
someone alone (bk, jg): 2003 Bad
Boys II, film: “We gonna talk about
this!” “No, get out of my face!”; 2005
Boston Globe: I’d tell him to get out of
my face and go coach somebody else
for a change; 2010 USA Today: I told
him he better get out of my face
get over on v. to take advantage of some-
one or a situation, especially by decep-
tion (gs, jg): 1999 Sopranos, HBO-TV
series: Nobody’s gonna get over on
me; 2002 Lisa Green: The students
tried to get over on the teacher; 2011
Black Voices: You can get over on
Uncle Sam
get some leg phr. to have sex with a
woman (gs, jg): 2005 Urban Diction-
ary: You are going to get laid, you are
going to get some leg; 2010 Detroit
Free Press: You’ll get some leg tonight
for sure!; 2013 Twitter: I tip my hat to
Tucker. Dude got some leg
get someone’s nose open phr. to have
someone infatuated with oneself (gs,
jg): 1993 Posse, film: Lana got your
nose open, ain’t she?; 1993 What’s
Love Got to Do with It, film: He’s got
my nose open and I’m gonna keep him
satisfied; 2013 Waka Flocka Flame:
Her body language so sexual. This
kind of girl got my nose open
get with it phr. to show interest, attention
or enthusiasm (cm, gs, jg): 2010 Big
K.R.I.T.: Get with it, bitch, I throw
money like hot potatoes; 2012 Daily
192 Glossary
Ranger: They told me to get with it and
figure it out; 2013 Ruste Juxx: Brook-
lyn’s in the house, get with it,
motherfucker!
get with the program phr. to follow the
rules and do what is expected (cm, gs,
jg): 1991 Boyz in the Hood, film: “See,
you gotta get with the program.” “I’m
Catholic, it goes against my morals”;
2005 Beauty Shop, film: If you wish to
continue working here, I suggest that
you get with the program and give me
some proper respect; 2011 Los Angeles
Times: Harris has come under pres-
sure from the Obama administration
to get with the program and agree to
a settlement
ghetto v. to make something look
typical of the inner-city ghetto, espe-
cially by making it flashy or tasteless:
2002 New Schoolers: It’s OK as long
as they don’t get to ghetto their style;
2007 Mazda World: I hate ghettoed
cars; 2009 My Hattiesburg: Santa
ghettoed his sled out and went for a
test run
ghetto bird n. a police helicopter, often
used in inner-city ghetto cummunities
(gs, jg, rk): 2006 Public Enemy:
I been around the world, seen a lot of
shit in my life, same sirens, same
ghetto birds swirlin at night; 2007
J. Cole: I look up the sky, see that
ghetto bird circling; 2009 Whittier
Daily News: I figured it was only a
matter of time until a ghetto bird
buzzed the neighborhood
ghetto blaster n. a large portable stereo
player (cm): 1983 Joseph Wambaugh:
That sucker is the fifth thief I seen this
morning with brand new ghetto
blasters; 1990 Graveyard Shift, film:
Leave the ghetto blaster back in the
ghetto!; 1998 Glenn Harper: People in
Mexico, just like in the African-
American community, utilize the ghetto
blaster in many ways
ghetto box n. a large portable stereo
player (cm): 1992 Ricardo Cortez
Cruz: Whenever we had to sit outside
we always took a ghetto box with us, so
we cranked up a special twelve-inch
version of Planet Rock by Afrika Bam-
baataa; 1996 Elmore Leonard: He went
to talk to a man who prepared cafe
Cubano and smoked Cohiba panatelas
to Radio Mambi on his ghetto box;
2008 Terry Gavin: She finds time to
pack up her ghetto box
ghetto’d (or ghetto’d out) adj. typical of
the inner-city ghetto, especially if fla-
shy or tasteless: 2002 Bimmer Forums:
That car looks ghetto’d out. Not my
style at all; 2008 Chimp Out: It’s bad
to have to look at niggers in their
ghetto’d out saggy pants and baggy
T-shirts; 2011 When I Was 17, MTV-
TV program: Selita got all ghetto’d out
for her prom
ghetto’d out see above
ghetto fabulous1 n. [1] someone who
lives lavishly and whose life surpasses
the standard of living in an inner-city
ghetto (gs): 2003 Duke Chronicle:
Children growing up in this climate
are constantly being bombarded by
the media with imagery of the rich
and famous or the ghetto-fabulous;
2010 S2S Magazine: These friends
quickly learn that living the lifestyle
of the ghetto fabulous is not always
champagne wishes and caviar
dreams; 2012 Reddit: Nouveau riche
and the ghetto fabulous are the ones
who buy bling [2] lavish life surpass-
ing the standard of living in an inner-
city ghetto (gs, rk): 1997 Money
Talks, film: I was just living ghetto
fabulous; 2002 Baltimore News-
Tribune: Ghetto fabulous is part of
the same vibe, but it’s the new rich
buying up; 2009 Love to Know:
Ghetto fabulous is a slang term used
to describe a lifestyle that includes
 Glossary
certain luxuries even though some
basic needs may go unmet
ghetto fabulous2 adj. living lavishly
and surpassing the standard of living
in an inner-city ghetto (jg, rk): 1999
Washington Post: It turned high
school dropouts into self-styled
ghetto fabulous entrepreneurs; 2000
Bamboozled, film: All my niggas
wear Timmy Hillnigger or they don’t
wear a damn thing at all! It’s ghetto
fabulous!; 2008 30 Rock, NBC-TV
series: This bling? This is ghetto
fabulous!
ghettofy v. to make something look typ-
ical of the inner-city ghetto, especially
by making it flashy or tasteless: 2003
Malibu’s Most Wanted, film: I’m
gonna walk in there and be crazy. I’ll
be ghettofied, buckwild; 2007 River-
front Times: The threat of ghettofica-
tion is always looming; 2011 YouTube:
Lol! Too white! You need to ghettofy
for the wigger masses!
ghettoize v. to make something look typ-
ical of the inner-city ghetto, especially
by making it flashy or tasteless: 2011
Ottawa Citizen: If that’s ghettoization,
then ghettoize me, baby; 2011 Atlantic
Monthly: What we need now are not
white movies with Benetton tokenism,
nor movies that ghettoize racial
experience; 2013 Dallas Observer: It’s
an example of ghettoized architecture,
mannered and overdone
ghetto lullaby n. innercity-ghetto noise,
especially sirens, helicopters, gunfire:
1993 Menace II Society, film: I ain’t
raisin’ no family down here. The
ghetto lullaby puttin’ my kids to sleep.
Copters and shit flyin’ by all night;
2007 Boston Nexus; I was lulled to
sleep by the blaring of sirens and the
undistinguishable blows of gunfire, a
somewhat of a ghetto lullaby; 2009
Wiki Name: Tamisha calls the gunfire
and sirens that tear through her
193
Dorchester neighborhood at night her
ghetto lullaby
ghetto pass n. a fictitious pass given to
someone who is not from an inner-city
ghetto but who socializes with people
who are (rk): 2000 Dallas Morning
News: You chill here too long and
you have your ghetto pass revoked;
2002 Lakeland Ledger: Kelly does not
deserve a ghetto pass; 2009 Charlotte
Observer: Merritt still had his ghetto
pass, he understood his students’
hiphop slang and knew their music
ghetto queen n. an African American
woman who lives in the inner-city
ghetto, especially a mother who
struggles to provide for her family:
1994 Los Angeles Times: She’s not a
ghetto queen or a girl from the ’hood
with baggy pants; 1999 Krayzie Bone:
This verse is for my ghetto queens,
tryin’ to come up and get them better
things; 2002 Philadelphia Daily News:
They made her look like a ghetto queen
ghetto rags n. clothes typical of the inner-
city ghetto and hip-hop culture: 1991
St. Louis Post-Dispatch: You find it
ironic that ghetto rags would inspire
high fashion; 2007 Boston Herald:
There were Southern whites from
Nashville, skinheads from New Jersey,
and black kids from Cleveland wearing
ghetto rags; 2014 Epinions: They
eschew their formal gowns for ghetto
rags
ghetto rich adj. maintaining outward
signs of wealth without any real
money, especially living lavishly in
an inner-city ghetto: 2011 Blogspot:
Sure, many Americans are earning
well above the poverty line, however
they are ghetto rich; 2013 RedEye Chi-
cago: It started doing multiple shows
per night, and then immediately
I turned ghetto rich; 2013 News,
ABC-TV program: They’ll settle, and
you’ll still only be ghetto rich
194 Glossary
ghetto star n. a leading member of a
criminal gang from an inner-city ghetto
(jg): 1993 Sanyika Shakur: I am trying
to utter my admiration for this cat
who is quickly becoming a ghetto star;
1995 Tupac Shakur: When I grow up,
I wanna be like them and live my life as
a ghetto star; 2006 Palm Beach Post:
A promoter of the event Raymond
Lowe is a self-described ghetto star
ghetto stick n. a shotgun: 2006 Stephen
J. Cannell: This time I saw that she
thumbed buckshot into the cut-down
12-gauge, known on the street as a
ghetto stick; 2008 Yelp: Those two are
wacked with a ghetto stick: bang,
bang, bang; 2010 Indiana Gun Owners:
I admit shooting one with a ghetto stick
makes me smile
ghetto wine n. cheap alcohol, especially
wine or malt liquor: 1997 Michigan
Daily: He was talking about the not-
so-fine ghetto wine; 2006 Bizzy Bone:
Baby, I’m feelin’ I’m doin’ so fine.
Sippin’ that ghetto wine; 2011 40 Oz
Malt Liquor Paradise: Maybe this is
old news, but I scored a couple flavors
of a ghetto wine I’ve never seen before
called PrimeTime
gig1 n. [1] a musical performance or con-
cert (cm, gs): 1986 Tina Turner and
Kurt Loder: I’d go to see them in East
St. Louis after my gig; 1999 Billboard:
We started doing gigs at the Red Fox
Inn; 2004 Ray, film: I’ll be getting
other gigs; [2] a temporary job, espe-
cially for one night (cm, gs): 1997 New
York Magazine: Beaver was working
as a teacher in Florida, getting fed up
with bureaucratic obstacles and
looking for a new gig; 2000 Cosmopol-
itan: A new co-worker asked if how
I liked my new gig; 2008 30 Rock,
NBC-TV series: I’m so excited about
this gig!
gig2 v. [1] to give a musical performance
or to play a concert (cm): 1999
Billboard: The band has already
started gigging; 2008 San Diego
Magazine: She’s released three EPs
and has been gigging all over South-
ern California; 2010 People Weekly: At
night he gigged in local small clubs [2]
to have a temporary job, especially for
one night (cm, gs): 2009 Lansing State
Journal: The guys have already gigged
in France; 2010 People Magazine:
Leno was gigging in the sleaze clubs,
college campuses, even the old-age
homes of the hinterlands; 2013 Yahoo
Voices: He gigged his way through
college
girl n. cocaine (cm, gs, rk): 2006 Urban
Dictionary: That retard got caught
trying to sell 2k worth of boy and girl;
2010 World Star Hip Hop: To all y’all
talkin’ ’bout dude bein’ a junkie: he
snorted girl, not boy!; 2012 Yahoo
Answers: WTF, have you been snorting
girl?
give it up phr. to give applause or praise
(cm, rk): 2009 Black Dynamite, film:
Come on, give it up to Afrodite and the
Moonchild! Give them a nice round of
applause!; 2013 New York Post: Let’s
give it up for Coach Garrett!; 2013
New York Magazine: Give it up for
one of the baddest rappers in the
game!
give someone a holla see below
give someone a holler (or give someone
a holla) phr. to contact someone: 1997
Money Talks, film: This is my card.
Will you give me a holler?; 2009 New
York Times: If there are any specific
points you’d like to see discussed,
please give me a holler; 2013 South-
land, TNT-TV series: If I see them, I’ll
give you a holler
give someone an attitude (or give some-
one a tude, give someone a ’tude)
phr. to have an arrogant, condescend-
ing or confrontational attitude (bk,
jg): 2008 Chicago Tribune: I asked
 Glossary
the attendant for help and she gave me
an attitude; 2010 People Magazine:
When I would go into a store, the
salesclerks would give me an attitude
because I was asking for a size they
didn’t carry; 2013 Southland, TNT-TV
series: What was that? The rookie’s
giving me an attitude?
give someone a play phr. to flirt or
express sexual interest in someone
(jg, rk): 1993 Snoop Dogg: Why don’t
you give me a play? I’ll give you all my
love today; 2008 Errol Shaw: Are you
telling me that you just gave me a play,
and now you are telling me about your
husband?; 2011 Democratic Under-
ground: Perhaps the man stunk and
that is why she didn’t give him any
play!
give someone a tude, give someone a
’tude see give someone an attitude
give someone five phr. to shake hands
with someone or slap someone’s hand
in greeting or congratulation (bk, cm,
gs): 2005 Coach Carter, film: Give me
five! Just give me five!; 2009 Columbus
Dispatch: I want to give him five and
wish him well; 2010 City Pulse: “Give
me five,” he shouts, left arm straight
up with five fingers extended
give someone some dap phr. to touch
someone’s clenched fist with one’s
own, in greeting or agreement: 2004
Celebrity Cafe: When I finally got
there, he said “what’s up” and gave
me some dap (shook my hand); 2005
ESPN: Everybody saw me putting on
my uniform, they all came up and gave
me some dap; 2005 St. Louis Post-
Dispatch: Give me some of that, give
me some dap!
give someone some love n. to show
someone one’s respect or appreciation
(gs, jg): 1994 U.N.L.V.: I’m givin’ a
lot of love to my niggas that are dead;
2005 Madagascar, film: Give me some
love! The plan worked! I’m very
195
clever!; 2012 New York Times: He’s
immensely talented and the secret to
him is to give him some love and sup-
port, and then he flourishes
give someone some skin phr. to shake
hands with someone or slap someone’s
hand in greeting or congratulation (bk,
cm, gs, jg): 1988 Chicago Tribune:
The man’s left hand was in the air,
palm toward me. I was being invited
to give him some skin; 2004 Ray, film:
There you go! Give me some skin!;
2008 Belleville News-Democrat: Give
me some skin, bro!
give someone some slack phr. to allow
someone some leeway (cm, gs, jg):
1993 What’s Love Got to Do with It,
film: They’d get off my back, give me
some slack; 2010 Los Angeles
Times: Kristen is only nineteen. Give
her some slack; 2011 New York Times:
They’ve got to give him some slack. He
hasn’t thrown a ball in a game in
months
give someone some sugar phr. to kiss
someone (cm, gs): 2006 Chicago Sun-
Times: She gave me some sugar; 2007
Two and a Half Men, CBS-TV series:
Come on, give me some sugar!; 2011
Big Bang Theory, CBS-TV series:
Give me some sugar, Betsy!
glass dick n. potentially offensive
a glass pipe used to smoke crack
cocaine (gs, rk): 1991 New Jack City,
film: People sit down and light that
glass dick and take a hit; 2008 Insider:
All you want to do is suck the glass
dick, right?; 2011 Cedar Rapids, film:
It’ll make you feel better. Suck the
glass dick, dude
God don’t like ugly phr. any negative
behavior or feeling, especially envy,
is displeasing to God (gs): 2002 All
About the Benjamins, film: God don’t
like ugly, and you is an ugly mother-
fucker; 2006 Big Momma’s House 2,
film: Girl, you got a mean streak in
196 Glossary
you, and God don’t like ugly; 2010
Yahoo Answers: “God don’t like
ugly” is not referring to physical
attractiveness. It means that God
doesn’t like ugly behavior
go down v. to happen or be about to
happen (bk, cm, gs, jg): 1995 Heat,
film: I know that something is going
down, Vincent; 2005 Honeymooners,
film: This is the place where it’s gonna
go down; 2010 Examiner: You don’t
have to be a guru to think something’s
going down; all you have to do is read
the Internet reports
go for bad phr. to act tough, especially in
order to scare or intimidate others (gs,
rk): 2009 Lottery Post: I feel all the
prisoners who like to go for bad and
shoot people ought to be sent over to
Iraq; 2010 T.I.: I ain’t gonna go for
bad, I ain’t looking for no trouble;
2010 Hip Hop Wired: A lot of them go
for bad because they are not being
disciplined at home
go through changes phr. to pass through
various emotional difficulties (bk, gs):
2006 Kansas City Star: She seemed to
understand what I was going through
when I went through changes; 2009
Beaumont Enterprise: I know women
go through changes; 2010 Us Maga-
zine: Real women go through changes
in pregnancy
got it going on (or got it goin’ on) phr.
[1] to be successful or live well (jg,
rk): 1993 Us3: Yo G, I got it goin’ on!;
2005 Be Cool, film: She sings, she
writes her own stuff, she got it going
on; 2005 Hustle and Flow, film: You
the man. You got it going on [2] to
perform in an excellent or admirable
way (cm, gs, rk): 1993 CB4, film:
Dawn got it goin’ on; 1999 Sopranos,
HBO-TV series: Some good guitar.
Listen to that. They got it going on;
2006 High School Musical, film: Wild-
cats sing along, they really got it going
on! Wildcats in the house, everybody
sing out!
go upside one’s head phr. [1] to beat,
especially around the head (bk, cm,
gs, jg): 2008 Kansas City Star: He
helped the big guy fall over and pro-
ceeded to go upside his head; 2009
Black Voices: Tiger Woods’ wife can
go upside his head and he still treats
her right; 2011 Chicago Tribune: And
just when you’re ready to go upside his
head with a leg from the table that he
broke he hands you a check for
$100,000 [2] to defeat utterly: 1998
Penny Mickelburry: Eldon went upside
his head once; 2007 South Florida Sun:
The Oklahoma Sooners used it to go
upside their heads; 2009 Lipstick
Alley: She told me how she was gonna
go upside his head
gray1 n. very offensive a white
person (bk, cm, gs, jg): 1996 Gerald-
ine Coleman: They were white and
I was black. We’d call them “ofays”
or “grays”; 2010 Nah Right: They just
can’t wait to beat the grays; 2011 OC
Connect: Guys in the AF I worked with
called them “grays” or “pinks,” “red-
necks,” lots of colorful labels, so to
speak
gray2 adj. very offensive (of a
person) white (jg): 2000 Bamboozled,
film: You know how them gray people
been tryin’ to trick us with their slick-
ery?; 2005 African America: It reminds
me of the “ofay” or “gray” mentality
of my youth. Those used to be code
words for white Europeans; 2008 Aver-
age Bro: That’s what most gray folks
do, test you to see how you react
gray boy n. very offensive a white
man, especially young (cm, jg): 1990
George Carlin: Doin’ It Again, film:
I’m whitey, the blue-eyed devil, gray
boy, honkie, motherfucker myself.
Don’t bother my ass!; 1992 Trespass,
film: What you gray boys cookin’ up?;
 Glossary
2008 Average Bro: I am certainly not
goint to let some gray boy do it
G-ride (or G ride) n. a stolen automobile
(gs, jg): 1990 Rookie, film: I love
chasing G-rides; 1997 Salt Lake Trib-
une: They may not have known that a
“G-ride” is a stolen car; 2000 Rocky
Mountain News: He planned to go see
his girlfriend and get a G-ride, street
slang for a stolen car
grill n. [1] the face (gs, jg, rk): 2006
Remy Ma: Bitch, don’t ask me why
I gotta a nice grill. This is just how
my face is; 2010 University of Missis-
sippi student: Yo, check out his grill!;
2012 Facebook: I’m tired of looking
at her ugly grill every time she talks
[2] the mouth (gs, jg, rk): 1999
Mr. Shadow: Face the motherfuckin’
wall and shut your grill, I’m a paralyze
your heart and shove your ass under
the hill; 2006 Randy Kearse: The ball
smashed ’em right in the grill; 2009
Burbler: She opened her grill to give
me a reply [3] a set of decorative
veneers put over one’s teeth: 2013
Atlanta Black Star: Jill Scott, known
for her bombastic voice surprised her
fans when she posted a photo of her
grill on Twitter; 2013 Rumor Fix: The
rapper is known for his eccentric style
and sporting a flashy gold grill; 2013
People: Miley Cyrus found a way to
one-up herself with a special acces-
sory: a gold diamond grill
grip n. money (gs, jg, rk): 1994 Above
the Rim, film: Grip, it’s all about grip;
2009 Jam Personals: Some of you losers
are stuck with baby mamas who don’t
have no grip, that’s why u feel
offended; 2009 Motorcycle: He has the
grip to pay for it all
grit n. potentially offensive a
white person, especially from the
southern USA (bk, jg): 2005 Urban
Dictionary: That’s where the grits
hang out; 2006 Bluffton Today: When
197
I was growing up, we always referred
to a “grit” as sort of between po’ white
trash and redneck; 2013 Bubble News:
Avoid words like redneck, hillbilly,
cracker and white trash
grits n. food (bk, cm, gs, jg): 1996 Get
on the Bus, film: We’d be talking about
grits; 2009 Zazzle: Will you stay for
some grits?; 2009 Modern Belle: I’ve
had really bad grits, and I’ve had
absolutely yummy grits
grown folk n. adults (gs): 1996 Tupac
Shakur: Next time grown folk talkin’,
nigga, close your mouth!; 2007 Ebony:
Grown folk should know better; 2010
SOHH: It’s the best song I’ve heard.
It’s for grown folks
grub1 n. food (cm, rk): 1999 New York
Times: While the Army has never been
known for tasty grub, there is no better
source for innovations in packaging
and preservatives; 2009 Myrtle Beach
Sun News: Adults and kids will have a
chance to eat some grub; 2011 News,
CBS-TV program: A crowded college
cafeteria is a place to grab some grub
and also, potentially spread some
germs
grub2 v. to eat (bk, cm, gs, rk): 2005
West Seattle Herald: I know you like
to grub and I know you’re not a health
nut; 2007 Hartford Courant: My food
was ready before the line went down
and I wanted to grub; 2011 Los
Angeles Times: If your dad loves to
grub, he’s sure to have fun at this cool
foodie festival
H
hacked (or hacked off) adj. irritated (bk,
cm): 1999 Topeka Capital Journal:
The farmer didn’t want to create undue
hard feelings, but he was pretty hacked
off by the whole episode; 2007 Beacon
Journal: He was hacked off that every-
one in the country didn’t believe he
198 Glossary
could play at this level; 2008 Ebony:
A foul means someone actually got
hacked
hacked off see above
half-ass1 adj. potentially offensive
done or made without enough effort,
care or enthusiasm (cm, gs): 2010
Word Press: How does one respond
to such a half-ass apology?; 2010 You-
Tube: It’s a half-ass effort so don’t
expect a masterpiece; 2010 Greater
Long Beach: I wouldn’t say Jerry
Brown has run a half-ass campaign
half-ass2 v. potentially offensive
to do or make something without
enough effort, care or enthusiasm
(cm): 2008 30 Rock, NBC-TV series:
I feel we’re half-assing this!; 2011
Stanford Daily: The players want to
be there just about as much I want to
watch them half-ass their way through
the games; 2011 News, MTV-TV pro-
gram: Still, just like in his movies,
Franco doesn’t half-ass anything
half-step v. to do or make something
without enough effort, care or enthusi-
asm (gs, jg): 2001 Two Can Play That
Game, film: Tell her you wanna go to
that party. Because Shanté, she half-
steppin’. And you got other options.
Stop pining over this woman; 2006
Concord Monitor: For so long our
justice system has been half-stepping
on the ways it deals with sexual devi-
ates; 2008 Mets Geek: He’s been half-
stepping since last year and I don’t
think Amaro is going to be any
different
hammer n. a sexually attractive woman
(bk, cm, gs, jg): 2008 Media Takeout:
I love Serena. Serena’s body is sick. As
my brother says, “She’s a hammer”;
2010 Momentum Fathering: You still
work a day job and aren’t totally busting
up your cubicle with a sexy hammer
dressed in a superhero costume; 2010
My Space: I am a sexy hammer with a
mean attitude. Remember, looks can be
deceiving
handkerchief head n. potentially
offensive an African American
man who is subservient to whites or
adopts their values and attitudes (cm,
gs, jg): 2008 Bob Zellner: The kids are
going to walk out on that handkerchief
head; 2008 Miracle at St. Anna, film:
“He calls me a handkerchief head!”
“What?” “An Uncle Tom”; 2013 Black
Planet: The handkerchief heads have
lost their minds on this one
handle your business phr. to start taking
care of business (gs, rk): 1994 Above
the Rim, film: Go, boy, go! Straighten
these motherfuckers out. Handle your
business!; 2008 Ebony: Handle your
business, lovey, and stop acting like
your mind is bad!; 2009 My Latino
Voice: I just told you who I was, go
handle your business
hard rock n. a physically and mentally
tough person (gs, jg, rk): 1988 Sir
Mix-a-Lot: Death to competitors! You
understand, motherfucker, I’m a hard
rock!; 2000 DMX: Most of these hard
rocks turn out to be soft; 2004 Jim
Jones: My nigga Zekey surely a hard
rock, he survived them forty-some-odd
shots
hate (or hate on) v. to be envious and try
to prevent someone from doing some-
thing successful or funny (gs, rk):
2005 Honeymooners, film: Ralph, stop
hating!; 2009 Ebony: Don’t hate on the
aspiring actress. That’s just wrong;
2010 Saturday Night Live, NBC-TV
program: “It was bad, it sucked bad!”
“Y’all just hatin’”
hate on see above
hata see below
hater (or hata) n. an envious person who
is trying to prevent someone from
doing something successful or funny
(gs, jg, rk): 2000 Afroman: I’m the
greatest, and all you haters, I’ll mash
 Glossary
you like potatoes 2010 T-Mac: Man
dem haters can’t stand to see a nigga
like me, they see dem gator boots and
Versace suits; 2010 New York Times: I
couldn't care what these haters say
hat up v. to leave (cm, gs, jg): 2005
Beauty Shop, film: Let’s hat up, y’all!;
2009 Speed Talk: I’m hatting up
and heading out for the Hot Rod
Reunion; 2011 Facebook: Let’s hat up
for the USA
have a ball phr. to have a good time
(cm): 1986 Tina Turner and Kurt
Loder: Me and my friends were havin’
a ball: sneakin’ and smokin’ and drin-
kin’ and doin’ darn near everything;
1998 He Got Game, film: We had a ball
already; 2009 Ebony: They had a ball,
recalled Manning, who arranged the
meeting
have an attitude (or have a tude, have a
’tude) phr. to have an arrogant, con-
descending or confrontational attitude
(bk): 2004 Chicago Tribune: Everyone
in the family has a tude; 2009 Birming-
ham News: He told me that if you had
an attitude, you wouldn’t get any-
where; 2010 Buffalo News: This is
where our delegation needs to have
an attitude and be prepared to do
battle
have a tude, have a ’tude see above
have game phr. to have the ability to
deceive or manipulate (cm, gs): 2006
Bring It On: All or Nothing, film: Jesse
don’t have game like I do; 2010 Top
Mac Nigga: It shows how important it
is to have game; 2011 Wonkette: Who
would have thought that doughy, pasty
motherfucker had game?
have one’s nose open phr. to be infatu-
ated with someone (cm, gs, jg): 2013
Tumblr: Danny has had his nose open
for her for a while; 2013 University of
California student: She had her nose
opened for him; 2013 Wattpad: She
knew she had her nose open for Raven
199
have papers see below
have papers on (or have papers) phr. to
be legally married (bk, jg): 1986
Washington Post: I will not be number
two, I got papers on you; 2009 Baby
Names World: She said she had papers
on him; 2010 LaDonna Smith: “His
wife? You are not married anymore!”
“I am married to him and I have
papers on him”
hawk1 (or Hawk) n. the cold winter wind
(bk, cm, gs, jg): 1995 Red Jordan
Arobateau: Mickey waits outside on
the steps, shielded from the cold hawk,
Chicago’s icy wind from over the lake;
1997 New York Times: Not even the
infamous winter wind, known here as
The Hawk, appears likely to chill the
property market here; 2003 Democratic
Underground: It’s way too early for the
hawk in Chicago
hawk2 v. to stare at or observe closely
(cm, gs, jg, rk): 1992 Juice, film:
I grew up on a sidewalk where
I learned street talk and then taught
to hawk New York; 2006 Randy
Kearse: I can’t go anywhere without
him hawkin’ me; 2009 Anchorage
Daily News: There were no ladies
hawking me
hawkins (or Hawkins) n. the cold winter
wind (bk, cm, jg): 2009 Barry Popik:
Chicago’s wind is called “hawkins” or
“the hawk”; 2010 Sewanee: Hawkins
was the essence of cold, of terminal,
destructive cold; 2011 Examiner:
A “Chicago Defender” article calls
the Chicago winds “The Hawk or
Hawkins”
headlight n. potentially offensive a
light-skinned African American (bk,
cm, jg): 1994 Clarence Major: Head-
light [is] a light-complexioned Afro-
American girl — because she tended
to stand out in a crowd of darker
people; 1996 Connie Eble: A headlight
is a light-skinned black person; 2010
200 Glossary
Shout Out Clothing: She was a dis-
tressed sexy headlight
Head Nigger In Charge (or Head Nigga
in Charge, H.N.I.C.) n. very
offensive unless used by afri-
can americans (often sarcastic) an
African American person in charge
(cm, gs, jg): 1992 Malcolm X, film:
I’m the Head Nigger in Charge; 2001
Snoop Dogg and Tha Eastsidaz: Let my
homies off the yard, I shall see the
Head Nigga in Charge; 2003 How to
Get the Man’s Foot Outta Your Ass,
film: “How do I look?” “H.N.I.C.”
“Head Nigga In Charge?” ‘Huh!”
head up v. to confront or attack (bk, gs,
jg, rk): 2000 Snoop Dogg: We could
go head up; 2010 All Hip Hop: You
wanna head him up in a debate?;
2013 Twitter: If you don’t like me, head
me up
healthy adj. potentially offensive
(of a woman) curvaceous (rk): 2009
X Peeps: You don’t have to be fat, but
it is preferred that you are a healthy
bitch; 2010 Form Spring: They want a
real man, and that is why you will
never get a nice, healthy bitch; 2010
MizFit Online: I’d rather be a healthy
bitch than a skinny bitch
hellified adj. extreme or total (gs, jg):
2008 New York Times: We’re getting
a feel for how Matt’s playing. He’s
playing some hellified ball; 2008 Los
Angeles Times: We’ve got a hellified
offense here; 2010 R.O.W.D.Y.: I’m a
hellified nigga
Hen Dog n. Hennessy V.S. cognac (gs):
2001 D12: Forget the Moet, we’re drin-
kin’ Hen Dog all night; 2009 Black
Planet: Every weekend I drink Hen
Dog with my dogs; 2010 Dime Wars:
No one forced him to show acts of drink-
ing Hen Dog straight from the bottle
Hennie see below
Henny (or Hennie) n. Hennessy V.S.
cognac (jg, rk): 1998 Jay-Z: I couldn’t
drink the Henny straight; 2004 Method
Man: We drinkin’ Henny ’til we flip,
poppin’ bottles ’til we sick. All y’all
haters eat a dick!; 2009 Twitter: Who’s
gonna drink Henny with me?
hep see hip
hepcat see hipcat
hepster see hipster
herb n. marijuana (cm, gs, rk): 2003
Gang Starr: I’m drivin home tipsy from
the club, puffin herb, vision blurred;
2006 Daytona Beach News-Journal:
He doesn’t actually smoke herb up
there; 2008 Orlando Sentinel: Never
thought I’d see a knight, Sir Ben
Kingsley, smoking herb with a member
of the Wu-Tang Clan
he-say she-say n. gossip or rumor (gs,
jg, rk): 2008 Hip Hop DX: Ignorant
fools wanna bash another man
because of some he-say she-say; 2010
Trip Lee: Now I’d heard a lot of he-say
she-say in my life; 2010 Black Hair
Media: He is suing her for some
he-say she-say
high five n. shaking hands with someone
or slapping someone’s hand held high,
in greeting or congratulation (cm, gs):
1991 Jungle Fever, film: see you later!
High five!; 2007 Ebony: I saw two
matrons giving each other high five at
the Olive Garden yesterday; 2008 A
Good Day to Be Black and Sexy, film:
You used to give high fives to them
high-five v. to shake hands with someone
or slap someone’s hand held high, in
greeting or congratulation (gs): 2008
30 Rock, NBC-TV series: “Right, Mr.
D?” “High-five!”; 2010 Evansville
Courier Press: Everybody high-fived
Zach and called him “Z-Man”; 2011
San Francisco Weekly: If we were in
the room, we’d run onstage, Kanye-
style, to high-five her
high yella, high yeller see below
high yellow (or high yella, high yeller)
n. potentially offensive a
 Glossary
light-skinned African American, espe-
cially a sexually attractive young
woman (bk, cm, gs): 1991 Jungle
Fever, film: They called me a high
yellow; 1993 St. Petersburg Times: She
was called “a high yella”: too white to
be black, too black to be white; 2004
Washington Post: You think I’d be more
handsome if I were high yellow, like you?
hincty (or hinkty) adj. self-important or
arrogant (bk, cm, jg): 1992 Washing-
ton Post: You’ve got to understand
something here, something that all
those hinkty liberals, pinhead academ-
ics and whiny feminists never get right;
1994 Washington Times: These hincty
ladies were known for their marital
linkages to prominent black men;
1998 Michigan Citizen: They got us
into university and then we got hinkty
and didn’t want to talk about that
anymore
hip (or hep) adj. [1] fashionable or popu-
lar (bk, cm, gs): 1986 Tina Turner and
Kurt Loder: The people went some-
where on the weekends, either to
Brownsville or to Ripley; Ripley was
hipper; 2009 Attleboro Sun Chronicle:
Those green glasses were pretty hip;
2009 Ebony: The best Chinese restaur-
ants were not in fact in Chinatown but
in Gastown, a hip emerging district
that borders Chinatown [2] aware,
knowing or understanding (bk, cm,
gs): 1995 Bad Boys, film: What hip
individual inspired this visit to the Bitt-
more?; 1998 Fear and Loathing in Las
Vegas, film: In my line of business it’s
important to be hep; 2002 Civil Brand,
film: Guess what? I’m hip to that scam
about your boys
hipcat (or hepcat) n. [1] a fashionable or
popular person (bk, cm): 1999 Wash-
ington Post: He’s a hepcat. At least he
thinks he is, though he’s really a lonely
guy beneath all that booze and bra-
vura; 2002 American Idol, Fox-TV
201
series: You were a hipcat, you were
great; 2002 Max Decharne: He’s cool,
he’s a hepcat. That is one well-dressed
dude [2] a devotee jazz or swing
music: 1993 Swing Kids, film: Let’s
go, hepcats! Come on, that’s the way
to swing!; 2010 Chubs: There’s a place
where all the hipcats go, they dance
and frolic to and fro; 2010 Firehouse
Swing: For over ten years, the Fire-
house Swing Dance has been the place
in San Diego where all the hepcats
congregate
hip-hop1 n. [1] African American urban
youth culture associated with rap
music, breakdancing and graffiti (bk,
cm, gs, rk): 2002 8 Mile, film: This is
hip-hop, you don’t belong here; 2003
Bad Boys II, film: You like hip-hop?
I love it; 2011 San Francisco Weekly:
They’re just dudes who have some
thoughts on race, love hip-hop, and
love getting drunk [2] rap music (bk):
1993 Us3: Feel the beat drop, jazz and
hip-hop, drippin’ in your dome; 1999
Ice-T: Then a music called hip-hop
came along and saved my life; 2009
Statesman Journal: He’s a very big
name in hip-hop, not just in the
Northwest
hip-hop2 adj. [1] characteristic of African
American urban youth culture associ-
ated with rap music, breakdancing and
graffiti: 1993 Us3: A hip-hop junkie is
what I am; 2009 Charlotte Observer:
Merritt understood his students’
hiphop slang and knew their music;
2013 New York Times: They are deeply
engaged in hip-hop culture [2] charac-
teristic of rap music: 2000 Tonight
Show with David Letterman, CBS-TV
program: It’s a hip-hop album; 2001
Snoop Dogg: This is one of the
greatest hip-hop records of all time;
2009 Detroit Free Press: A hip-hop
concert featuring rappers from across
the United States is set for tonight to
202 Glossary
benefit the son of a Muslim leader
killed in a shootout in Dearborn
hip-hop hug n. a combined handshake
and one-armed hug between two
males, popular among African Ameri-
cans: 2009 People Magazine: He also
told me how to give a proper hip-hop
hug; 2011 Gawker: Joe did the hip-hop
hug with them, because they’re black;
2013 Wiki How: Professor Neal
describes the “hip-hop hug” he gives
to other African Americans: “a hand-
shake, you pull yourselves together,
and you bump”
hipster (or hepster) n. [1] a fashionable
or popular person (cm, jg): 1992 Los
Angeles Times: Its biggest draw seems
to be Latino families, the local gay
community and black-clad Hollywood
hepsters; 1997 New York Times:
Today’s hepsters share a shoulder-
shrug at just about everything, a fash-
ionable ennui; 2010 New York Maga-
zine: The stereotype of a hipster is not
something people aspire to anymore
[2] a devotee of jazz or swing music:
2002 Confessions of a Dangerous
Mind, film: I just got fucked by this
drummer cat. A real righteous Negro
hipster; 2004 Ray, film: You’ve come to
the place where the hipsters hang their
bebop hats; 2010 Michael Fitzwilliams:
The patrons of the jazz scene were
called “hepsters” and heroin was
mostly acceptable in this venue
hit it phr. to have sex (cm, gs, jg): 1994
Clarence Major: What’s happening
with us, baby, it’s been a while since
we hit it; 1999 Nas: Don’t get with no
young bitch and hit it. She PG-13, you
rated R, she not permitted; 2009
R. Kelly: We hit it in the kitchen, that
night, at my home
hit skins (or hit the skins) phr. to have
sex (bk, gs, jg): 1996 Get on the Bus,
film: And nine times out of ten, the
honey he’d hit skins with, she’d be a
white girl; 1999 Ice-T: We hit skins all
weekend. We didn’t even eat, we just
hit em again; 2004 My Baby’s Daddy,
film: Is it cool to still hit the skins
during pregnancy?
hit up phr. [1] to contact (gs, rk): 2006
Randy Kearse: I was just about to hit
you up about that thing we talked
about earlier; 2007 Weapons, film:
Hey, when you need something, hit
me up; 2010 Beatdown, film: Dude, he
hit me up like three times today [2] to
graffiti: 2005 Aaron Peckham: You, we
headin’ out tonight to hit up the hood;
2007 Washington City Paper: One day,
my friend and I were talking, saying
we’re going to hit up the White House.
When I see my name, I’ll be so proud;
2013 New York Observer: Banksy
Ditches Retirement to Hit Up the Hell’s
Kitchen Hustler Club
hit upside one’s head phr. [1] to beat,
especially around the head (bk, gs,
jg): 2009 Global Grind: Pitbull was
hit upside his head with a beer bottle
while performing at Planeta Mexico in
San Antonio; 2009 Storm Front: The
reporter declares that a student was
hit upside his head with a gym bag;
2000 Chris Rock Show, HBO-TV pro-
gram: “He’s hitting everybody upside
the head!” “Stay on the line, we’re
sending help!” [2] to defeat utterly:
2006 Word Press: How hard do the
American people need to be hit upside
their heads?; 2009 Emerging Minds:
Those people had been hit upside their
heads for years, just as we have been,
until they adopted a different strategy;
2013 Tampa Bay Newspaper: Everyone
can hit up upside our heads
H.N.I.C. see Head Nigger In Charge
ho’ (or ho, hoe) n. potentially
offensive [1] a prostitute (bk, cm,
jg): 1998 Saturday Night Live: The
Best of Eddie Murphy, film: You can
make big money as a ho working for
 Glossary
me; 2006 Waist Deep, film: I will slap a
ho in here; 2010 Vanessa Place: A pimp
and his ho’s are referred to as a
family, with the attendant dysfunction
[2] a sexually promiscuous woman
(cm, gs, jg): 2002 Red and Black: If
a woman puts out, she’s a ho. If she
doesn’t, she’s a prude; 2002 Yale
Herald: Well, let me set the record
straight: she’s a hoe. Most of her time
spent in the office is on her knees, and
the rest? On her back; 2009 Mary Mor-
rison: Yet if a woman, irrespective of
her sexual orientation, was promiscu-
ous, she was a ho’, no explanation
needed [3] a contemptible or despic-
able woman (bk, gs): 2002 Shield,
film: What you do is not hand it over,
you stupid ho’; 2004 Salon: Why do
you say she’s a ho? To me, she seems
like a nice woman!; 2011 Us Magazine:
No one cares what this stupid ho is
doing anymore! [4] a woman (gs,
jg): 2000 E-40: I bet you want that
hoe to have your child; 2007 Debra
Clayton: He constantly paraded his
ho around town for everyone to see;
he didn’t even have the decency to hide
his affairs; 2009 My Yearbook: I love
hanging out with my ho’s and I love
meeting new people
hoe see above
Hog (or hog) n. a Cadillac automobile
(bk, cm, gs, jg): 1997 Jonathan
E. Lighter: The hustlers call them
Hogs, Cadillacs; 2009 Newsweek: It’s
Cadillac Escalade. 98% of the SUV
drivers don’t need such a big hog;
2010 Sports Illustrated: I’ve got two
Cadillacs to drive. A lot of guys work
all their lives and never get to drive a
Hog
holla at see below
holler at (or holla at) v. to contact (gs,
rk): 1998 Snoop Dogg: I mean when
I get lonely I’m a holler at you;
2001 Baby Boy, film: Let’s go holler
203
at these hos; 2007 David Austin: I’ll
just holla at you tomorrow, and let
you know
homeboy n. [1] a close male friend (bk,
rk): 1994 Above the Rim, film: Come
on, homeboy, let’s go!; 1999 Ice-T: I’d
like to send peace out to all my home-
boys; 2011 Washington Post: My home-
boy texted me [2] a fellow African
American man (bk, cm, gs, jg): 1997
Tupac Shakur: All my homeboys and
my homegirls, stay strong; 1997 Toni
Morrison: It was not hard to persuade
other homeboys to repeat it; 2007 30
Rock, NBC-TV series: You’re my
homeboy! [3] a male member of a
criminal gang (gs, jg): 1990 Seattle
Times: Rival gang members had killed
a homeboy, a fellow gang member
from his neighborhood; 1992 Public
Enemy: I got a homeboy who is out
on the block, he sells mo’ crack than
they sell fish at the dock; 1994 Pulp
Fiction, film: Me and my homeboys
are in the same serious fucking shit
now
homegirl n. [1] a good female friend (jg):
1998 New York Daily News: We didn’t
have to hire any actresses, those were
our homegirls; 2008 Snoop Dogg:
I know you remember me and my
homegirl Tanya; 2009 Big Bang
Theory, CBS-TV series: Another
round for me and my homegirl! [2] a
fellow African American woman (cm,
gs): 1991 Boyz in the Hood, film:
Homeboys, homegirls, ain’t no need
to be lax!; 1995 Coolio: The homegirl
down the street with the green eyes and
big titties is getting thicker; 2009 Mal-
colm X Park: They don’t seem to be
involved with homegirls [3] a female
member of a criminal gang (gs, jg):
1988 Colors, film: “Danny, I’m a
homegirl!” “This is my barrio, remem-
ber?”; 2002 8 Mile, film: I’ll let a
homegirl finish you off; 2009 News,
204 Glossary
MTV-TV program: I did this for my
homegirl
homes n. [1] a close friend (bk, jg): 1995
Heat, film: Don’t leave me like this,
please, homes!; 1998 Flipmode Squad:
I gotta hold it down for my homes, son;
2009 Scrubs, ABC-TV series: Don’t
call me homes! [2] a man (jg): 1994
Pulp Fiction, film: I’m gonna call a
hard, coupla pipe-hittin’ niggers
who’ll go to work on this homes here
with a pair of pliers and a blow torch;
2009 Big Bang Theory, CBS-TV series:
“We need to talk!” “Sure, what’s up,
homes?”; 2013 Sons of Anarchy, FX-
TV series: Don’t suck up to me now,
homes. It’s embarrassing
home slice n. [1] a close friend (rk): 2005
Aaron Peckham: Hey, whassup, home
slice?; 2009 Bebo: My summer days
have been spent boozing, hanging,
and laughing with home slices; 2010
Los Angeles Times: She will be press-
ing charges against her home slice [2]
a fellow African American (bk, gs,
jg): 1990 Mo’ Better Blues, film: You
already owe me $300, home slice;
2006 Urban Dictionary: Hey, home
slice, watcha doing on Friday?; 2009
Time Out New York: What up, home
slices?
homey (or homie) n. [1] a close friend
(bk, jg, rk): 1996 Get on the Bus,
film: My homies call me Smooth; 2003
St. Louis Post-Dispatch: I met with two
of my homeys the other night; 2011
USA Today: You used to be my homey.
Now, you act like you don’t know me
[2] a fellow African American (cm, gs,
jg): 2004 Washington Post: All the
brothers are laughing, my homeys
and friends; 2005 Coach Carter, film:
Yo, homey, look where you’re throw-
ing the ball, man; 2009 Ebony: It’s
Boston, homey, what did you expect?
[3] a member of a criminal gang
(jg): 1993 Washington Post: This song
is dedicated to my homeys in that
gangsta lean; 2001 Afroman: I see the
corner where I worked with my homies
in the back, LAPD searching for us,
looking for some crack; 2003 Bad Boys
II, film: Roberto saw these two crazy
gangbanger homeys
homie see above
honkie see below
honky (or honkie) n. very offensive a
white person (bk, cm, gs, jg): 1986
Tina Turner and Kurt Loder: We’d be
traveling through Alabama or some-
place, and getting run off the road by
pickups full of honkies with rifles; 1987
Tom Clancy: If all you honkies were
that dumb, my ancestors would have
imported yours; 2002 Antwone Fisher,
film: Yeah, I bet you won’t be fightin’
no more honkies on this boat
hoochie (or hoochie mama) n. poten-
tially offensive a sexually pro-
miscuous woman (gs, jg, rk): 1993
CB4, film: I am not a girlie, a skeezer,
a hoochie or a stunt. And most cer-
tainly, not a ho; 1996 2 Live Crew:
She ain’t nothin but a hoochie mama,
hood rat!; 2004 Against the Ropes,
film: Lose tonight, and you’ll be
waving bye-bye to your career, your
fan club, and the free hoochie mamas
that go with it
hoochie mama see above
hood (or ’hood) n. [1] a neighborhood
(bk, cm, gs, jg, rk): 2000 Jay-Z: The
niggaz in the hood was shook; 2009
Ebony: When he goes to speak about
the hood, it’s his hood. His experience
in the same bricks, on the same street;
2011 Seattle Post Intelligencer: Here
are some of the local happenings in
the hood [2] an inner-city ghetto (rk):
2005 Aaron Peckham: Some fools got
capped last night in the hood for lookin’
at someone the wrong way; 2010
News, CBS-TV program: He looks
like a street thug from the hood; 2010
 Glossary
Philadelphia Inquirer: They think I’m
just a drug dealer from the hood
hoodie see hoody
hoodoo n. bad luck or a person or thing
that brings bad luck (cm, gs): 2002
Below, film: I’m telling you, there’s
some bad hoodoo on this boat; 2010
Craw Daddy: The blueswoman learns
that someone’s put a hoodoo (or a
curse) on her; 2013 New York Times:
An old black maidservant tells Ann
that she will continue to be a
“hoodoo” until the girl finds herself a
husband
hood rat n. potentially offensive a
sexually promiscuous woman from the
neighborhood (jg, rk): 1999 Ice-T:
I still sell around the club, grips and
bloods and hoodrats, all around me;
2004 Hair Show, film: You have to
handle these little hood rats yourself;
2009 Press of Atlantic City: A hood rat
is a woman known for sleeping around
with various men in a neighborhood
hoody (or hoodie) n. a hooded sweatshirt
or top (rk): 2006 Jay-Z: I used to wear
my hoody like dat; 2009 Washington
Post: The man was often masked or
wore a hoodie, and many of the
assaults occurred in the dark; 2010
Brownsville Herald: A man in a hoodie
and a UT Longhorn cap is wanted for
holding up a bank at a Brownsville
Walmart
hoops n. the game of basketball (gs):
2004 Two and a Half Men, CBS-TV
series: Hey, Jake, wanna go shoot
some hoops?; 2007 Are We Done
Yet?, film: Man, you know this boy
got asthma. He can’t shoot no hoops;
2009 Ebony: College hoops, particu-
larly the tournament, provide athletic
departments big bucks
hooptie see below
hoopty (or hooptie) n. an old and battered
automobile (cm, gs, jg, rk): 2008
Marvin Lewis: I’d rather have a
205
hoopty and be happy than a Lambor-
ghini and get no sleep, work like crazy
trying to capture the American Dream;
2008 Chicago Tribune: She can’t pos-
sibly date a man who drives a rusted-
out hoopty!; 2008 Virginian Pilot: If
you are driving a hooptie passing
people on the road in newer models,
don’t be jealous
hot adj. sexually attractive and desirable
(cm, rk): 2000 Cosmopolitan: As
I waited for the train, I noticed an
extremely hot guy checking me out;
2000 Hustler: I recently started dating
this girl who is really hot; 2006 Two
and a Half Men, CBS-TV series:
You’re doing a hot twenty-two and
you’re cheating on her?
Hotlanta n. Atlanta, Georgia (rk): 1996
Los Angeles Times: The city might be
called Hotlanta because that is where
the action is in the Deep South, but
that nickname also could apply to the
summer climate; 1999 Englewood
Herald-Tribune: Michael has lived in
Hotlanta since graduating from Geor-
gia Tech; 2011 AVN Magazine: Fans
who can’t make it to Hotlanta this
week can still experience Ms. Blue at
her finest by viewing her sexy music
video
Hound (or ’Hound) n. a bus of the Grey-
hound Corporation (cm, jg): 1987
Stephen King: He would get on a
Hound and see how things looked
down in Florida; 2011 Backpacker:
Here in the Northwest, we’ve lost our
bus services. I used to be able to hop
on a hound at Stevens Pass or Sky-
komish, but they don’t stop there any
more; 2010 Rail Forum: I took a Hound
to Vegas, the driver was cool but the
bus was creepy
house v. to take something from some-
one, especially by force or manipula-
tion (cm, jg, rk): 2006 Randy Kearse:
I can’t believe you let ‘em house you;
206 Glossary
2006 American Hardcore, film: Third
time they came down, they got housed.
And we sent them back to the suburbs;
2009 Urban Dictionary: Dude, Jared
got housed last night by those thugs
house nigga see below
house nigger (or house nigga) n. very
offensive unless used by afri-
can americans an African Ameri-
can who acts subserviently toward a
white employer, especially working in
a household (cm, gs, jg): 2000 Bam-
boozled, film: Julius, are you calling
your sister a house nigger?; 2006
Washington Post: Uncle Colin was a
house nigga, did what massa Bush told
him to do; 2006 Public Enemy: These
house niggaz go fight in Iraq, cryin’ to
their mamma now they wanna come
back
humping (or humpin’) adj. excellent or
admirable (bk, gs, jg): 2006 Word
Press: The music was loud and the
party was humping!; 2010 Blogspot:
The music was humpin’ too. I think
they were playing ‘Booty Butt Cheeks’
or something similar; 2010 Facebook:
She looks humpin’!
hydro n. marijuana (rk): 1998 DJ Clue:
Queen’s niggas rock ice and smoke
hydro; 2005 Waiting, film: Soon as we
get the hydro, we can run this city like
the fuckin’ mob; 2010 Grass City: My
question is, is it safe to smoke hydro?
I illin’!” “I was da bomb!”; 2009 Access
ig (or igg) v. to ignore (cm, gs, jg, rk):
2006 Randy Kearse: You can’t ig me
forever; 2007 David Austin: I’m not
trying to igg you or anything but
I gotta deal with a lot of stuff right
now; 2010 My Space: You little nigga
want to ig me?
ill adj. [1] inferior or bad (bk): 1995
Bad Boys, film: Some major ill shit
happened down at the P.D. There’s
lots of heroin and cash involved; 2011
Jay-Z and Kanye West: Whole world
aiming at a nigga head, because I’m
the illest motherfucker alive; 2011
Black Voices: They get on these
boards and say some of the illest crap
I ever heard [2] excellent or admirable
(bk, jg, rk): 1998 Gang Starr: You
were the illest man alive, now I’m
reading your eulogy; 2009 My Space:
Yo man, I appreciate that, your stuff
sounds ill to me! Quality sound,
great man!; 2009 McGill Party: If you
know of an ill party or club event
coming up, simply mail us and we’ll
post it here
Illadelphia n. Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
(jg, rk): 2004 New York Times:
Dressed in a turquoise tunic that read
“Illadelphia” and a matching do-rag,
he was getting ready to go to work;
2007 Hip Hop DX: You wanted him to
slide through Illadelphia and do a
show; 2009 Body Building: I received
a couple samples from Illadelphia, so
I want to post up a review to show my
gratitude
illing (or illin’) adj. [1] inferior or bad
(bk): 2005 Simpsons, Fox-TV series:
Rappers stopped saying “illin” twelve
years ago; 2009 Blogspot: Yo, that
bitch was illin’ when she kicked me in
the bidness!; 2013 Twitter: Reagan was
so illin’, yo! [2] excellent or admirable
(jg): 2003 Marci X, film: “You was
Hip Hop: Damn, that sounds illin!;
2010 TV Clip: The beat is so illin’
and real crazy all the way thru [3]
irrational or crazy (bk, gs, jg): 1985
Krush Grove, film: “You’ve been illin’
lately!” “What you talking about?
Nobody illin’. Chillin’!”; 1994
Fresh, film: Why everybody around
here illin’?; 2004 Urban Dictionary:
You, dat bitch was illin’ when she
kicked me
 Glossary
ink n. cheap wine, especially red (bk,
cm): 2010 U-Turn Ho: I could drink
that ink!; 2010 Spaces: Geez, how can
you drink that ink? Gimmie an ice-cold
Corona!; 2013 Found SF: The cheapest
Italian restaurants served a full dinner
and a glass of red ink for 25¢
in the house adv. among us, especially in
the audience (gs): 1993 Ice-T: Peace to
all the MCs in the house; 2006 ATL,
film: It’s gonna be a long night for
some of y’all! We got the Warriors,
the Preps and the Ones in the house
tonight; 2010 Oprah Winfrey Show,
ABC-TV program: The entire family’s
in the house
in the mix adv. involved (cm, jg, rk):
1995 Friday, film: I can’t believe you
got me in the mix!; 2002 8 Mile, film:
How can you even bring them in the
mix?; 2009 Ebony: When God is in the
mix, nothing goes wrong
ish n. [1] excrement (gs, rk): 2008 Net-
work 54: If you have a dog, you can
bank on stepping in ish; 2011 Twitter:
Someone stepped in ish; 2012 Face-
book: If it smells like ish, looks like
ish, then it must be ish! [2] nonsense
(gs, rk): 2009 Yelp: I’ve had enough
of this ish!; 2009 Twitter: You talk ish
about everybody; 2011 Black Voices:
They are saying this ish to support
your love of white folk and defend
white racism [3] something inferior or
worthless (gs, jg, rk): 2009 Concrete
Loops: I wouldn’t go so far as to say
she sounds like ish; 2011 YouTube:
Watch this ish, nigga. Fo real!; 2013
Twitter: People who smell ish on the
train should be fined [4] something
irritating (gs, jg, rk): 2009 Black
Voices: Why are they even uploading
this ish?; 2009 Bossip: I wouldn’t visit
a fool either who is in jail for doing
stupid ish; 2013 Young Money Enter-
tainment: A lyin’ nigga, that’s the ish
I don’t like
207
it ain’t a thang see below
it ain’t a thing (or it ain’t a thang) n. it is
no problem: 1998 Lil Troy: It ain’t a
thing to me. You say you changed, you
look the same to me; 2006 Whiz Kha-
lifa: I’m heavy in the game it ain’t a
thing to a pro;2009 Blogspot: I been
spending money like it ain’t a thing
it’s on phr. something is about to start
(gs, rk): 2008 30 Rock, NBC-TV
series: This social experiment, it’s
on!; 2005 Beanie Sigel: Once it’s on,
nigga, bring the drama to ya lawn
nigga; 2010 Lil Wayne: You see that
coke turn to oil? It’s on, nigga, it’s on!
J
Jack D n. Jack Daniel’s whiskey (gs):
2009 My Space: You bring warmth to
my heart like my favorite drink Jack D;
2010 Yelawolf: Still sipping on Jack
D to my neck and my head starts feel-
ing heavy; 2010 Burbler: I need some
more Jack D in my flask
jack move n. [1] a strange action or biz-
arre behavior (gs, jg): 1992 Dr. Dre:
Niggaz, they will do jack moves; 2003
Cradle 2 the Grave, film: Only ques-
tion is, who’s behind this jack move?;
2003 Urban Dictionary: Tom made a
jack move by selling his house and
moving to Bermuda [2] a theft or rob-
bery: 1996 Don’t Be a Menace to South
Central While Drinking Your Juice in
the Hood, film: All right, give it up! It’s
a jack move, fool! Just don’t shoot;
2005 Dirty, film: We’re gonna go in
and make this jack move happen;
2006 Waist Deep, film: Get the fuck
on the floor right now, nigga. It’s a
jack move!
jack up v. to beat, strike or hit (cm, gs,
jg): 1993 Ice-T: I got backup to jack up
punks who try to act up; 1993 Us3:
One day he got caught in the act,
shacked up and jacked up and taken
208 Glossary
downtown; 2009 My Space: They
jacked him up real good
jam1 n. [1] a party or gathering where
musicians play improvised music,
especially jazz (cm, gs): 2001 Daytona
Beach News-Journal: Biggest crowd
I ever played a jam for was 8500 in
the O’Dome in Gainesville; 2008 New
York Post: Across the street, there was
this park and they used to play jams;
2012 Parenthood, NBC-TV series:
Sorry to interrupt the jam [2] a dance
party (cm, gs, jg, rk): 1997 Newport
Daily Herald: Once a month, in place
of their regular lesson, the students are
invited to a jam; 1998 Public Enemy:
This jam is number one; 2006 Randy
Kearse: I haven’t been to a good jam in
a while
jam2 v. [1] to play improvised music,
especially jazz (cm): 1999 New Repub-
lic: I’m bringing him to do a little
jamming; 2002 David Henderson:
I like to jam with other cats, but you
just can’t do that over there some-
times; 2008 Ebony: Never just jamming
for jam’s sake, he cared if our brothers
and sisters listened, if they understood
[2] to party or dance at a party (cm, gs,
jg): 2004 Sydney Molare: I’ve jammed
to the beat, but I can’t say I’ve really
listened to all the words; 2009 Love
Hurts, film: Get on the floor, boy.
We’re jamming!; 2010 Sade Ferrier:
The winning team grabbed their girl-
friends and jammed to the beat
jambox n. a large portable stereo player
(bk): 2002 Fan Fiction: They don’t call
it a CD player, it is called a jambox;
2005 Epinions: I had a jambox like that
in the 80’s; 2011 Rock Boat: Michael
was selling a homemade tape recorded
on a jambox in this bathroom
jamming (or jammin’) adj. excellent or
admirable (gs, jg): 1990 House Party,
film: It was a jammin’ party; 2004
Sideways, film: Jesus, she’s jammin’!
And she’s obviously into you; 2009 Ad
Land: The song was jammin’
jammy n. a gun, especially a handgun or
pistol (cm, gs, jg, rk): 1993 Fear of
a Black Hat, film: This is an Uzi.
This is a good jammy for beginners;
1993 Run-D.M.C.: I’mma pull my
jammy out and I’mma murder the
man; 1996 Jay-Z: Make sure your
jammy is full
jazz v. [1] to have sex with (bk, gs, jg):
1991 James David Horan: There was
this jerk snorin’ like a buzzsaw along-
side of me and I’m tryin’ to jazz his
wife!; 1991 Raphael Lafferty: He had
just come home a few minutes late and
had found two other fellows jazzing his
wife Regina; 2013 XXX Black Clips:
Jayden Simone jazzes her mamma’s
admirer [2] (jazz up) to enliven or
make more exciting and stimulating
(bk, gs): 1999 Magnolia, film: I get
so fucking jazzed at these seminars;
2004 Strategic Finance: Being around
too many people jazzed her emotions;
2010 Chicago Daily Herald: We’re
going to try and jazz it up
jazz up see above
jazzy adj. [1] played in a jazz way: 1994
New York Times: They are not so jazzy,
more in a ragtime style; 2007 Washing-
ton Post: The score is very jazzy at
times, but it’s also very choral and
has a big Broadway sound; 2008
Ebony: Check out the Turntable as we
spin the sounds of April Hill, the jazzy
and soulful vocalist who is breathing
new life into the soul music scene [2]
enlivening or exciting and stimulating
(gs): 1993 Snoop Dogg: I just love
your jazzy ways, Doggy Dogg, your
love is here to stay; 2006 Waist Deep,
film: We got a little event coming up.
Wanna make sure she’s jazzy; 2008
New York Times: One entire wall has
been covered with a very jazzy wall-
paper he designed
 Glossary
jects (or ’jects) n. housing projects for the
poor (jg): 2002 Wire, HBO-TV series:
They dropped the body where we’d see
it. To send the message to the jects;
2009 Saigon: Respect to all the kids
still trapped in the jects; 2010 Hood
Up: Any of you niggas livin in the
jects?
jelly roll n. potentially offensive
[1] the vulva (bk, cm, jg): 2009 Blues
Matters: The woman brags of her
prowess as a lover by claiming that
her jelly roll is worth lots of dough
and is fresh every day; 2009 Xroles:
Her jelly roll can twist your soul, her
eyes are big and brown; 2013 Japan
Tube XXX: Cute Jap whore gets her
jelly roll banged [2] sex or the sex act
(bk, jg): 1996 Dallas Observer: It’s
easy to have fun when you get to sing
lyrics like, “I feel like a bitch ’cause
I’ve got an itch,” and “No more jelly
roll until you get control”; 2000
Thomas Wolfe: “If you want jelly roll,
you’ve come to the right place. I ain’t
kidding you.” “With niggers? Are
niggers good?” “There ain’t nothing
better”; 2009 Black 47: I really need
some jelly roll
Jeri curl see Jheri curl
jet (or jet off) v. to leave (cm, gs, jg,
rk): 1999 Ice-T: Don’t forget it, grab
the blow, then jet before that ho’ hit the
door!; 2001 Swordfish, film: I gotta jet.
Thanks for the coffee; 2005 Surface,
NBC-TV series: “I gotta jet!” “You
should definitely come over sometime”
jet off see above
j-hat see jimmy hat
Jheri curl (or Jeri curl) n. partially
straightened kinky hair (bk, gs): 2004
Two and a Half Men, CBS-TV series:
“I like your hair!” “It’s called the Jheri
curl”; 2006 Milwaukee Journal Senti-
nel: Afro died out and was replaced by
the Jheri curl, a modern, curlier version
of the conk; 2009 Philadelphia Inquirer:
209
The Jheri curl became a staple hairstyle
in African American communities
jigga see below
jigger (or jigga) n. very offensive
unless used by african ameri-
cans [1] a fellow African American
(gs, jg): 2005 Newgrounds: Those jig-
gas from the club are gangstas. Better
watch your back; 2013 Twitter: So
many opinions by so many jiggaz;
2013 Black Planet: What’s up my jig-
gas from the D? [2] an African Ameri-
can friend: 2013 Urban Dictionary: Yo,
wassup, my jigga?; 2013 Body Build-
ing: Feeling lonely, where my jiggers
at?; 2012 Facebook: Shout out to all
my jiggaz!
jiggy adj. excellent or admirable (gs, rk):
1999 Bowfinger, film: It’s all good, it’s
jiggy, baby; 2008 Free Republic: It
sounds jiggy to me; 2009 My Space:
You still alive? Hope things are
looking jiggy on your side of life
Jim Browski (or jimbrowski) n. the
penis (gs, jg, rk): 2008 Nah Right:
You ever did so much coke and you
had the flyest broad with you ever,
and your Jim Browski wouldn’t
respond?; 2009 Access Atlanta:
A mixed signal is when you saying no
but you got your hand on my Jim
Browski; 2010 Let’s Go Kings: DD is
so fat, he has to strategically place
mirrors just to find his Jim Browski
jim hat see jimmy hat
jimmy n. the penis (gs, rk): 1991 New
Jack City, film: I had my jimmy waxed
every day last week; 1997 Booty Call,
film: “Give us your best condoms.”
“Fine, fine. Lambskin. Very sensitive.
Leaves some feeling for your jimmy”;
2003 Cheaper by the Dozen, film:
Sounds like someone got his jimmy
whipped
jimmy hat (or jim hat, jimhat, j-hat) n. a
condom (cm, gs, jg, rk): 1993 Big
Daddy Kane: I practise safe sex,
210 Glossary
with girls I lay next, in other words, the
j-hat’s on the head; 1998 Can’t Hardly
Wait, film: Yo, hold up! Do I put on a
jimmy hat now?; 2008 Extreme Movie,
film: Hold on a sec, babe. Let me grab
my jimmy hat
jive1 (or jive talk) n. [1] deceptive or
misleading talk (cm, gs, jg): 1999
Time: The coverage was all about
diversion, all about bright lights and
showtime and deflection. It’s all about
jive; 2005 Hustle and Flow, film: It’s
nothing but a bunch of jive and junk;
2008 American Thinker: Who else
believes his highfalutin jive talk? [2]
slang, especially African American
coined by jazz musicians (jg): 1980
Airplane, film: Stewardess, I speak
jive; 1989 Meet the Feebles, film: I’m
hip to your jive, but it don’t sound hip
to me; 2001 Royal Tenenbaums, film:
I’ll talk some jive like you’ve never
heard
jive2 v. [1] (or jive-talk) to deceive or
mislead: 2004 Ray, film: “I’d like to
discuss your future.” “Don’t jive me
now. I ain’t for sale”; 2008 Semi-Pro,
film: I’m not jivin’ you. I’ve never jived
you my whole life; 2009 Free Republic:
Stupid people always seem to be jive-
talked, hoodwinked and bamboozled
by the flowery speeches [2] (or jive-
talk) to use slang, especially African
American coined by jazz musicians
(jg): 2010 Xbox 360 Achievements:
Wish I knew how to jive like in “Air-
plane”; 2013 Richard Quarantello:
This guy was now jive talking me like
a bro; I didn’t understand half of what
he was saying; 2013 Exclaim: I was
jive talking and I was just hip [3] to
joke or tease (bk, cm, gs, jg): 1983
Streamers, film: I’m just jiving, you
know. Entertaining my own self; 2008
Democratic Underground: I’m just
jiving!; 2011 Modern Drummer: He
was just jiving with us
jive3 adj. deceptive or misleading (gs,
jg): 1997 Blackout, film: That’s real.
This here is jive; 2001 Joe Dirt, film:
“Everything I said is true!” “No,
Brandy is jive. I want to ask her why
she was playing games with you”; 2008
Washington Post: For some reason,
I’m not too surprised. I kind of thought
that Gibbs might be a jive dude
jive artist see below
jive-ass1 n. [1] (or jive artist) a deceptive
or misleading person (jg): 1993 Miami
Herald: For some, Coleman was a
charlatan, a jive artist; 2011 Facebook:
Don’t listen to these jive-asses tryin to
pull you down; 2013 Memphis Flyer:
Rufus was a jive ass who’d sell his
mother for a buck [2] deceptive or
misleading talk (bk): 1991 Five Heart-
beats, film: I can see through your jive-
ass like glass, nigga; 1993 Phoenix
New Times: Wolf is the king of jive-
ass; 2009 Tank Net: You take your jive-
ass and get the hell outta here before
I gets my fo-fo and bust your cap
jive-ass2 adj. deceptive or misleading
(bk, cm, jg): 1993 Bound By Honor,
film: That old man was no jive-ass
punk; 2008 Paste Magazine: Get your
jive-ass ghetto MF tush up on stage,
and sing!; 2009 Elmore Leonard:
That’s where you learn the expres-
sions, among the bad boys, the jive-
ass gangbangers showing off
jive talk see jive1, jive2
jock v. to like or admire (jg, rk): 1999
Snoop Dogg: I don’t jock no chick;
2009 Notorious, film: Everyone was
jocking him ’cause he never lost a
battle; 2009 That Grapejuice: First she
was jocking Gaga, now she’s going
after Madge
jodie, Jodie see below
jody (or Jody, jodie, Jodie) n. a man
having an affair with someone’s wife
or girlfriend, especially someone who
is in jail or went off to war (bk, cm,
 Glossary
gs, rk): 2001 Baby Boy, film: Jody, are
you messin’ with my date?; 2007 Army
Wives, film: A jody is a bad guy who
hooks up with all the mommies; 2009
Skinheads: I don’t mess with broads
that are in relationships. I am not a
goddamn jody
jone v. to tease, especially by provocative
rhyming comments about the oppon-
ent’s mother in a gamelike manner
(bk, jg, rk): 2000 James Haskins:
There are many different terms for
playing the dozens, including dissing,
joning, ribbing, signifying and
sounding; 2006 Randy Kearse: I didn’t
come here for ya friends to be jonin’
me; 2009 YouTube: He don’t know
how to jone these niggas
jones1 n. [1] a drug habit (cm, gs): 1998
Pittsburgh Post-Gazette: His jones
devours his life; 2006 San Francisco
Weekly: The narc succumbs to his
jones and eventually loses everything;
2009 San Francisco Chronicle: I also
know that there’s not a law in the
world that can keep a junkie from his
jones [2] an intense craving or desire
(cm, gs): 2005 Chicago Tribune: If you
didn’t know any better, you’d swear
that Tressel has a jones for drama;
2006 Kansas City Star: Cookbook
author Marlena Spieler has a jones
for cheese; 2010 New York Times: She
realizes that Liev Schreiber has a jones
for her
jones2 v. [1] to have a drug habit: 2000
Fort Worth Star-Telegram: “I had
been jonesing all day,” he said, using
a slang term to describe a craving for
drugs; 2009 House, M.D., Fox-TV
series: He was jonesing for snow
white; 2010 New York Times: Just
wander down to Vancouver’s seedy
Downtown Eastside neighborhood
where you’ll find homeless people,
prostitutes and addicts jonesing for
illegal drugs [2] to crave or desire
211
intensely (rk): 2005 Aaron Peckham:
She’s been jonesin’ for him for months;
2010 Cleveland Plain Dealer: She
sometimes finds herself jonesing for
high-end designer duds; 2013 Los
Angeles Times: You’re jonesing for an
ice cream but can’t get away from the
office
Jordans n. any of several brands of Nike
gym shoes (gs): 2011 Daily of the Uni-
versity of Washington: We got one guy
wearing Jordans all the time; 2011
Wikipedia: No matter the occasion,
he was always seen in his Jordans;
2011 Nike Talk: Even if I don’t ball in
my Jordans, I would like the comfort
they were made for
juice1 n. influence or power (bk, gs, rk):
1992 Juice, film: He got more juice
than everybody else on the street;
2004 Hair Show, film: Let me see what
kind of juice you got!; 2008 National
Public Radio: He said your adminis-
tration has no juice anymore among
Republicans on Capitol Hill
juice2 v. to trick someone out of some-
thing (gs, rk): 2000 New York Times:
He was saying that she was trying
to juice him for the money; 2001
Los Angeles Times: Adams was trying
to juice him for money; 2006
Randy Kearse: She been juicin’ dude
for years
juke1 n. [1] (or jukebox) a coin-operated
record player in a bar (bk, cm): 2002
Kerry Segrave: It easily became the top
pick on the juke and before the end of
the month it became popular on the
radio; 2010 San Jose Mercury News:
It played on big-city jukeboxes across
America in 1959; 2011 Dallas Obser-
ver: “Stairway to Heaven” played on
the juke [2] liquor (bk): 1999 New York
Post: He zigged and he zagged and
he had too much juke; 2005 Narkive:
You are willing to risk imprisonment
for another bottle of juke?; 2004
212 Glossary
St. Petersburg Times: We drink juke
out of glasses, not boxes
juke2 (or juke and jive) v. [1] to dance in
a boisterous fashion (bk, cm, jg): 1997
Poughkeepsie Journal: He was juking
and jiving during Vassar Brothers
Medical Center’s Halloween party;
2012 South Florida Sun-Sentinel: As is
his habit, he juked to the music, ges-
turing extravagantly; 2013 Lipstick
Alley: I can’t tell you how many black
people were juking and jiving to his
latest album [2] to deceive or mislead:
2009 Michigan City News Dispatch: He
taught me how to juke a lot of people;
2009 Charleston Gazette: In high
school I just outran everybody or juked
them; 2010 Black Voices: They want to
juke a person into thinking they are
honorable men
juke and jive see juke2
jukebox see juke1
juke house n. [1] a brothel (cm): 1994
Clarence Major: Jukehouse [is] a
whorehouse; 1996 Los Angeles Times:
All the forms of that global cultural
juggernaut rock ’n roll were born in
black juke houses in the South or in the
ghettos of factory cities in the North;
2010 Bleep: He was unaware “juke
house” means a brothel [2] a bar with
a coin-operated record player, espe-
cially cheap: 1989 New York Times:
The juke house or juke joint was just
about any place the music was regu-
larly performed; 2009 Taffi Stevens:
He used to play in the juke houses
down the South (a name for what they
called clubs in the North); 2013 South-
ern Folklore: He played local juke
house and parties throughout the ’30s
and ‘40s
juke joint n. a bar with a coin-operated
record player, especially cheap: 1998
James Ellroy: A black-white stick-up
gang had been clouting markets and
juke joints on West Adams; 2010 Chico
Enterprise Record: The club was one
of several juke joints in Southside
where African Americans went on Sat-
urday; 2010 New York Times: “Last of
the Mississippi Jukes” is a documen-
tary about blues and juke joints
directed by Robert Mugge
jumbo1 adj. very big: 1999 Chicago Sun-
Times: If you buy a jumbo SUV, you’ll
pay a little more than that; 2004 New
York Times: It’s like they have moved
into a jumbo apartment; 2010 San
Diego Union Tribune: I’ve heard it’s
difficult to refinance if you have a
jumbo loan
jumbo2 n. the penis, especially if large:
2000 Paul Beatty: Uh-huh, you stepped
on my jumbo!; 2011 Black Booty Bitch:
She gets on her knees and starts to
swallow his jumbo down her throat;
2013 iTimes: She acts surprised seeing
his jumbo
jump bad phr. to become hostile, men-
acing, or aggressive (cm, gs, jg, rk):
2002 Wire, HBO-TV series: We went
there all alone, jumping bad; 2003
Esham: If he tryin jump bad, I’m a fade
him; 2008 Robert Freedman: The last
dude who jumped bad with me was the
one who ended up crying like a little
girl
jump salty phr. to get irritated, angry or
hostile, especially suddenly (bk, cm,
gs, jg): 2005 Word Press: They jump
salty with each other; 2010 Ralph Elli-
son: First they jump salty with the truth,
and then they start yelling about justice;
2010 Psychology Today: I’ve never had
any use of it, and am liable to jump salty
at any time
junebug n. a boy who is named after
his father (cm, jg): 1994 Clarence
Major: Junebug [is] a variant of
“Junior Boy,” nickname for one who
is named after his father; 1997 Jackie
Brown, film: Yo, junebug! What’s
up?; 2000 Bamboozled, film: “Come
 Glossary
on, junebug!” “My father, I’m not mad
at him”
Juneteenth n. June 19, the day when
African Americans celebrate emanci-
pation from enslavement (cm, gs):
2001 New York Times: The date, known
as Juneteenth, is a day of reflection as
well as celebration; 2001 Los Angeles
Times: For many blacks, Juneteenth is
the real Independence Day; 2011 Chi-
cago Tribune: Juneteenth is the oldest
known celebration commemorating the
end of U.S. slavery
jungle fever n. an obssessive romantic or
sexual interest between an African
American person and a white person
(gs, jg): 1992 Armistead Maupin: I’d
slept with him out of affection and
respect, not out of jungle fever; 1993
USA Today: He’s a jungle fever homo-
sexual, he only likes white guys; 2011
Vanderbilt Orbis: Some students in
interracial relationships will still have
to deal with epithets like “yellow
fever” or “jungle fever”
junk in the trunk n. huge buttocks (jg):
2006 Hard Luck, film: Brothers like
some genuine junk in the trunk; 2007
This Christmas, film: White girls ain’t
got junk in the trunk; 2009 Globe and
Mail: A little junk in the trunk can be a
good thing
K Ice-T: Pop the Remy and kick back!;
keep it real phr. [1] to be oneself and
avoid pretending (gs, rk): 2003 Wire,
HBO-TV series: “Keep it real, yo!”
“Whatever!”;2006 American Dreamz,
film: That’s my dawg right there! Keep
it real, man!; 2008 Tricia Rose: So,
sometimes, keeping it real means
rejecting all the bling-bling [2] to stick
to one’s roots (gs, rk): 1998 He Got
Game, film: Boy, keep it real. Do what
a black man gotta do; 1998 Slam, film:
“Peace, black!” “Keep it real, man!”;
213
2003 Malibu’s Most Wanted, film:
Keep it real and be proud of who you
are!
keep on keeping on (or keep on keepin’
on) phr. to continue striving to reach a
goal despite adversity (cm, gs, jg):
2010 Us Magazine: Ignore the losers
and keep on keepin’ on!; 2010 National
Post: We’re down to as thin a situation
as I’ve ever experienced in my years in
football, but you just have to keep on
keeping on; 2010 Charleston Post
Courier: It’s about improvement and
focusing on mistakes and keep on
keeping on
kick v. to inform or provide information
(gs): 1992 Kansas City Star: Magic
and I have gathered some of our part-
ners to kick some knowledge to the
kids; 2005 Modesto Bee: It is a way to
inexpensively kick information to a
more accurate level; 2012 Facebook:
They were cited for failing to kick info
about the operation
kick a rhyme phr. to create rap lyrics and
rhymes: 1993 Us3: I know that the way
I kick a rhyme some will call me a poet;
2009 News, MTV-TV program: Carter
playfully kicked a rhyme that showed
her own musical skills; 2010 DJ BoBo:
It’s party time, that’s why I’m here
kicking a rhyme
kick back v. [1] to be calm (bk, gs): 1999
2008 Ebony: I kick back and listen to
music and get inspired from that; 2010
Pontiac Daily Ledger: Kick back and
take it easy! [2] to have a good time
(cm, gs): 1995 Bad Boys, film: Rent a
movie. Something we can kick back to;
2009 U-Stream: It’s a wonderful place
to kick back; 2010 Forbes: The walk-
way offers a welcome diversion, a
place to kick back and relax
kick ballistics see kick the ballistics
kicking (or kickin’) adj. excellent
or admirable (bk, gs, rk): 2005
214 Glossary
Bradenton Herald: This all-purpose
sauce tastes great on barbecued
chicken or brisket but it’s really kickin’
with ribs; 2009 Ear Sucker: The bass on
this thing is really kickin’ and it pro-
vides some awesome sound quality;
2011 Hop, film: It was great. Really
kicking!
kick it phr. [1] to talk to or with (gs, jg,
rk): 1997 Trojan War, film: Let’s kick
it, homey. So where do you guys go to
school?; 1998 He Got Game, film:
I don’t think they heard you, Stephen.
Kick it to ’em again one more time;
2008 Ebony: We used to kick it a lot
with this couple [2] to spend time,
especially to waste time doing nothing
(bk): 2005 Beauty Shop, film: Some
people just feel comfortable kickin’ it
with people they have somethin’ in
common with; 2011 Soul Surfer, film:
You can always come and kick it with
us, we don’t have to wait for the
action; 2013 Twitter: I’d rather kick it
by myself than have a whole crew of
bullshitters
kick it with someone phr. to be sexually
involved with someone, especially to
have an affair (gs, jg, rk): 2006 ATL,
film: I don’t wanna see you, talk with
you, kick with you; 2006 Randy Kearse:
How long y’all been kickin’ it with
each other?; 2007 Afro Samurai, film:
I’m thinking, shit, I’m even gonna find
me a hottie to go kick it with
kick knowledge see kick the knowledge
kicks n. [1] a good time or pleasure (cm,
rk): 2009 Washington Post: They’ve
apparently done this before, just for
kicks; 2010 News, Fox-TV program:
I’m not just some asshole who’s here
to get his kicks telling you what to do;
2010 New York Times: Sharon is a
tease, and the only way she can get
her kicks is to play men like suckers
[2] shoes, especially athletic shoes
(cm, gs, jg, rk): 1990 House Party,
film: I’d help you, man, but I got my
new kicks on; 2000 Bamboozled, film:
Can I get some new kicks?; 2005 Per-
fect Man, film: “How much your kicks
cost you?” “I paid $50 for mine”
kick science see kick the science
kick the ballistics (or kick ballistics)
phr. to talk, especially giving valuable
information (gs, jg, rk): 1992 Wash-
ington Post: Ice Cube kicked the bal-
listics for an hour with his deejay
Sir Jinx and two other rappers; 1993
Us3: Sucker niggas don’t know that
I can kick the mad ballistics plus I’m
wreckin’ every show; 1996 Los Angeles
Sentinel: Before we kick the ballistics,
first a few ground rules
kick the knowledge (or kick knowledge)
phr. to give valuable information (gs,
rk): 1993 Menace II Society, film: You
tryin’ to kick some knowledge?; 2009
News, MTV-TV program: A fan
wanted to know and Kellan Lutz kicked
the knowledge; 2012 YouTube: He
kicks knowledge on the current state
of hip hop
kick the science (or kick science) phr. to
give valuable information (gs, rk):
2007 Austin Chronicle: We’ll let news
editor Michael King kick the science;
2008 Ebony: There is a way to drop the
knowledge and kick the science with-
out offending anyone and still keeping
it funny and right on point; 2008
Final Call: The rap race will be lost
without a trace or a clue, but what to
do? Stop the violence and kick the
science!
kick to the curb phr. to reject (cm, gs,
jg, rk): 2010 Deseret News: Often
when they get in trouble or seriously
hurt, they are kicked to the curb, and
someone replaces them; 2010 Washing-
ton Post: President Obama wants to
kick to the curb a lot of tax breaks for
the nation’s wealthiest families; 2011
Big Bang Theory, CBS-TV series: Kick
 Glossary
him to the curb with a smile on your
face!
King Kong n. cheap and strong liquor
(bk, jg): 2005 Straight Dope: My
hands are shaky and I ain’t feelin’ well
from drinkin’ King Kong and cheap
muscatel; 2010 City of Recovery:
We’ve been drinking King Kong, beer,
and even whiskey; 2013 Dazed Digital:
You wake up in the morning and the
world is going round, high from drink-
ing King Kong, and your troubles
won’t come down
kinks n. extremely tight curls of natural,
unstraightened African American hair
(gs): 2007 Blogspot: We don’t want
Jill’s beautiful kinks to be permanently
straight; 2009 Loop: They never had
kinks or a fro, but straight, relaxed
hair or perfectly tempered curls; 2010
Washington Post: I combed her hair
hard, I rushed through her kinks too
quickly
knock v. [1] to criticize (cm, gs, rk):
2004 New York Newsday: He did
what’s right for him, for the right
motives. Not one reason to knock him
for that; 2005 Box Office Prophets: You
knocked him for his relatively soulless
performance in “Attack of the
Clones,” but Hayden proves that he
can be a respected actor in “Shattered
Glass”; 2010 Sporting Life: He
knocked me for not shooting, and at
the end of the day, I took a wrong
option [2] to give (bk, cm, jg): 1994
Clarence Major: Can you knock a dime
on me till payday?; 1995 Clueless, film:
Knock me a little kiss. See you!; 2007
Flickr: Knock us a kiss, darlin’!
knock boots phr. to have sex (cm, gs, jg,
rk): 1994 Chicago Sun-Times: They
just want to knock boots and father-
hood is not the ultimate goal; 2000
Bamboozled, film: Y’all together?
Y’all knocking boots?; 2008 Houston
Chronicle: So theoretically, you just
215
stop all forms of birth control and con-
tinue to knock boots and, boom, you
are pregnant!
Kong n. cheap and strong liquor (bk, cm,
jg): 2009 Mirrevenge: You’ve been
drinkin’ Kong!; 2009 View More Pics:
That’s what you get for drinking
Kong!; 2013 Gamespot: All that is
happening is Max drinking Kong and
talking about how terrible his life is
L
L n. a life sentence without the possibility
of parole (rk): 2005 Prison Talk: The
reality of my “special” situation with
my man doing an “L” hits me the
hardest at that time; 2006 Randy
Kearse: Dude’s lookin’ at an L this
time around; 2008 Feed Fury: If you
want to know what it’s like to be
young, black, gangsta and serving an
L (life sentence), you have to check out
this
Lac (or ’Lac) n. a Cadillac automobile
(jg, rk): 2001 South Park Mexican:
I used to drive a Lac sipping gin and
juice; 2009 YouTube: You wanna be
with a nigga who be drivin’ a Lac;
2009 Cadillac Forums: I drive a Lac!
That’s what matters!
lace v. to shoot (rk): 2003 Love Don’t
Cost a Thing, film: You trying to get
laced, Al?; 2007 Army of Pharaohs: My
whole team got laced; 2013 Twitter:
A nigga got laced and is going to the
hospital
laid-back adj. calm or relaxed (cm, rk):
2007 Ebony: The process is generally
fast and security is very laid-back, very
Canadian; 2009 New York Times: The
guide combined the laid-back attitude
of a surfer with the taxonomic com-
mand of an evolutionary biologist;
2010 Tampa Bay Newspaper: Gulfport
is a very laid back community and the
residents like it that way
216 Glossary
Lambo n. a Lamborghini automobile
(jg, rk): 2007 Popular Science: The
thought of driving a Lambo was just
too tantalizing; 2008 Ventura County
Star: I have never seen a woman drive
a Lambo; 2010 Robert Sanchez: But
really, who actually cares about a
Lambo’s practicality?
lame (or lame-ass) adj. [1] inferior, bad
or ineffectual (rk): 2002 Jay-Z: I got
lame bitches tryin to fuck with my case;
2005 Hustle and Flow, film: If you ain’t
feelin’ what I’m spittin’, you are lame
to the game; 2011 Brainerd Daily Dis-
patch: I used a pretty lame excuse [2]
old-fashioned and overly conservative
or conventional (cm, gs): 2000 Source:
He’s no longer who I thought he was:
lame, sell-out, bullshit, fake are some
adjectives that come to mind; 2008
Ebony: It’s a lame song but catchy;
2010 People: Your life is probably lame
and that’s why you are so negative and
mean spirited
lame-ass see above
lamp v. [1] to have a good time (gs, rk):
1993 Us3: Today I’m cold chillin’ right
around my way, I’m lampin’ with my
girl; 1999 Ice-T: I’d rather lamp in my
crib; 2011 Post Mortem America 2021,
film: I was just lampin’ in the crib with
my boys [2] to wait patiently (jg, rk):
2006 Randy Kearse: I was in here lam-
pin’ ’til y’all came; 2009 XXL Maga-
zine: Dude has been lampin for years!;
2011 Forum: I got tired of lamping
lard-ass adj. obese: 2008 Afrocentric:
I was expecting to see some big lard-
ass bitch; 2010 Spoof: It looked a tiny
amount compared to all the lard-ass
Americans; 2013 Tumblr: Why am
I such a lazy lard-ass bitch?
large (or large and in charge) adj. suc-
cessful and living well (cm, gs, jg,
rk): 1996 Martin, Fox-TV series: I used
to be large, I had the number one radio
show in the world; 2010 South Florida
Sun-Sentinel: Chad went from being
large and in charge to a guy who looked
flustered and confused; 2010 Miami
Herald: The pictures make him look large
and in charge
large and in charge see above
lay a trip v. to criticize or accuse some-
one of something (bk): 1999 ’60’s,
film: You tryin’ to lay a trip on some-
body? You picked the wrong man; 2005
Lawrence Online: You’re gorgeous,
and you don’t bitch or try to lay a trip
on me; 2011 Babylon: Don’t lay a trip
on me about low grades!
lay back v. to relax (cm, jg): 2002 Jay-Z:
We lay back, blowin ganja; 2009
ESPN: I’m different from another
person who want to lay back and do
nothing for rest of the life; 2011 Red
and Black: Even though the trio said it
likes to lay back, they’ve been working
on some serious music making
lay pipe phr. potentially offensive
to have sex (bk, cm, gs, jg, rk): 1993
Grumpy Old Men, film: “I’ve laid
more pipe in this town than Wabash
Plumbing!” “You’re going to go after
her?”; 2004 Ray, film: You keep laying
that pipe with Marlene and she’ll make
us all rich; 2010 Hip Hop DX: Did Tip
lay pipe to your bitch or something?
lazy-ass adj. very lazy (cm, gs, jg): 2004
Ray, film: These are some lazy-ass
bastards, so you gotta make sure they
don’t slough off; 2008 Wired News:
They are completely lazy-ass mother-
fuckers who cut corners at very oppor-
tunity; 2009 News, CBS-TV program:
The carriers and clerks are very hard
working people but the lazy-ass man-
agers take all the credit and none of
the blame
leave someone hanging (or leave some-
one hangin’) phr. [1] to ignore a hand
extended for a handshake or hand slap-
ping in greeting or congratulation (gs,
jg, rk): 2007 NBA: You’d better not
 Glossary
leave him hanging; 2010 YouTube: Joe
wanted to give me a high-five and
I totally left him hangin’; 2010 Twitter:
High five! Ah, left me hangin’! [2] to
ignore or disrespect: 2009 Indianapolis
Star: That wasn’t the only time he left
him hanging; 2009 30 Rock, NBC-TV
series: You do not leave a brother
hanging!; 2010 Two and a Half Men,
CBS-TV series: Are you gonna leave
me hangin’?
Left Coast n. West Coast: 2003 Stuck On
You, film: You know, it’s his first time
on the Left Coast; 2005 Aaron Peck-
ham: Arnie must feel very alone on the
Left Coast; 2011 Black Voices: Greet-
ings, big bro on the Left Coast!
legal adj. meeting the statutory age limit
required to legally consent to sex (rk):
2006 Randy Kearse: You don’t look
legal to me, let me see some ID; 2007
Shield, FX-TV series: “Hey, looks
like Moses finally made it to the land
of milk and underage honey!” “She
legal, and all kind of willin’!”; 2010
McStories: The bitch was legal, she
had a tight pussy and she clearly
wanted it from him
lemon n. potentially offensive a
light-skinned sexually attractive Afri-
can American woman (bk, cm, jg):
2008 Blogspot: I have later learned
that the skank that wishes she was
a lemon is now dead; 2009 Yahoo
Answers: Luckily I found out that she
was a lemon; 2009 Tom Dalzell:
Lemon [is] a light-skinned black
person
let it all hang out phr. [1] to be free and
unrestrained (bk, cm, jg): 2010 News,
CNN-TV program: I love people who
let it all hang out and are not afraid to
do so; 2011 News, ABC-TV program:
When we’re with the guys we just let it
all hang out; 2011 Aspen Daily News:
We have normal, conservative, regu-
lar jobs, but sometimes we just have
217
to let it all hang out [2] to talk frankly
and candidly (bk, cm): 2010 TV
Squad: The 61-year-old star talked
about making the decision to let it all
hang out in the book; 2010 Hollywood
Reporter: Lerner is an anomaly who
isn’t afraid to let it all hang out; 2013
Miami New Times: He really let it all
hang out in his autobiography
Lex n. a Lexus automobile (jg, rk): 2002
Ali G Indahouse, film: Time to have
sex, jump in my Lex!; 2003 Andre
3000: My nigga had a Lex; 2010 Black
Planet: I may or may not be what you
expect, but by the time I turn eighteen
I plan to be driving a Lex
lifted adj. [1] drunk (gs): 2009 Twitter:
He got lifted off the Henney; 2010 Uni-
versity of Mississippi student: The
motherfucker was lifted and could
barely walk; 2010 Posting and
Toasting: The guy was totally lifted
[2] under the influence of a drug (gs,
rk): 2002 Urban Dictionary: School’s
out! C’mon, let’s go get lifted!; 2006
Randy Kearse: Yo, they got madd lifted
on his birthday; 2009 Game Faqs: Yes-
terday me and my friends made a bong
and got totally lifted
like a mojo phr. extremely or totally (cm,
jg): 1989 Pamela Munro: He was
scoring like a mojo; 1998 Do or Die:
The fo-fo blew the mutherfuckin’ head
like a mojo; 2005 Home Recording:
This seems to be working like a mojo
like motherfucker (or like mothafucka,
like muthafucka) phr. very offen-
sive extremely or totally (jg, rk):
2009 My Space: It started raining
like motherfucker; 2009 Prince: Damn,
that bitch’s fine like muthafucka!;
2012 Twitter: I breakdance like
motherfucker
like stank on shit phr. potentially
offensive clinging to or following
as closely as possible: 2006 Black
Snake Moan, film: That gal be on your
218 Glossary
dick like stank on shit; 2011 Antonio
Styles: Immigration was on my ass like
stank on shit; 2011 Democratic Under-
ground: I’d be all over that like stank
on shit
like white on rice phr. clinging to or
following as closely as possible (gs,
jg): 1980 Tina Turner and Kurt Loder:
You’re the finest girl I ever saw in my
life, I want to stick to you like white on
rice; 2008 30 Rock, NBC-TV series:
From now on, I want you like white
on rice; 2010 News, CBS-TV program:
They’re going to be all over you like
white on rice because you can’t afford
to say “no”
listen up v. to pay attention and listen
carefully (bk, gs): 1990 Rookie, film:
Hey, listen up! I need two volunteers;
2010 New York Post: Listen up, haters
and ignorant people, you have no idea
what is going on in that man’s head;
2011 News, Fox-TV program: Guys,
listen up. A new study says it is actu-
ally healthy to stare at a woman’s
breasts
living large (or livin’ large) phr. success-
ful and living well (cm, gs, rk): 1999
Dr. Dre: I’m livin’ large like a fat
bitch; 2000 Ebony: Why are so many
sisters living large?; 2005 Young
Jeezy: I’m livin’ large, I got a million
worth of cars up in the garage
loc1 (or lock, lok) n. [1] a close friend (jg,
rk): 1999 South Central Cartel: I’m
your dog, you my loc, and that’s for-
ever, sho’; 2013 Phear: Paulie is my
homie and he’s out on bail. It’s good
to see my best loc walkin’ out; 2013
Twitter: How you doin, loc? [2] a
fellow African American (jg, rk):
1998 King Tee: Yo, loc, hear the beat
I’m displayin?; 2010 Larry Hill:
“Who’s that loc?” “This is ol girl
you thought I couldn’t knock, fool”;
2013 Black Planet: Keep on doin what
you doin loc, fuck all these hoodrat
hoes cuz you know we both done seen
‘m all [3] a member of a criminal gang
(jg): 2000 Nefarious: You sayin you a
loc but never gang-banged, you ain’t
no muthafuckin mobsta; 2011 Z-Ro:
I’m a loc and my loc niggaz need me;
2013 Hood Up: A lot of fake crip nig-
gas think they a loc
loc2 (or lock, lok) adj. insane, irrational or
mentally unbalanced (gs, jg): 2001
Tha Dogg Pound: Do I give a fuck?
Hell, no. I’m a loc nigga; 2002 Urban
Dictionary: I wouldn’t talk to that
bitch, she’s so loc; 2013 iPhoneogram:
I know he a loc nigga, I was just
expecting it when I downloaded it
loc’d out (or locked out, loked out) adj.
insane, irrational or mentally unbal-
anced (jg, rk): 1995 Crips: Baby
Gangsta Bone is a loc’d out young
nigga; 2009 Rumors on the Internet:
His first wife gets totally loc’d out
when these rumors are aired; 2013
University of California student: The
bitch looked pretty loc’d out
lock see loc1, loc2
locked out see loc’d out
locs (or lokes) n. sunglasses (gs, jg):
2006 Urban Dictionary: I was chillin
on the bloc wearin my locs; 2008
Brown Pride: He put on his locs and
left; 2012 Word Press: He had locs on,
he had the clothing
locks (or ’locks) n. a hairstyle of loose
thick braids, created by growing hair
without combing it for a long time (gs,
jg): 2009 Wahida Clark: She was
wearing a silk burgundy pantsuit and
her locks were wrapped with a bur-
gundy scarf; 2013 YouTube: How
lovely are my locks, you ask; 2013 Ras-
tafarianism Info: She stated that it was
a natural hair style and that she liked
her locks
lok see loc1, loc2
loked out see loc’d out
lokes see locs
 Glossary
lousy-ass adj. very inferior or bad (cm,
gs, jg): 2006 Village Voice: Another
lousy-ass flop of a Janet Jackson
record!; 2010 Topix: You’re doing a
lousy-ass job; 2013 New York Post:
I think he’s doing a lousy-ass job
love n. respect or appreciation (gs): 1994
U.N.L.V.: I walk in the club givin’ dap
to my boys because I got much love;
2005 Hustle and Flow, film: You better
show me some love for this one, man;
2010 XXL Magazine: He’s seen all
aspects of hip hop and has never
gotten the love he deserves
love bone n. potentially offensive
the penis (gs, jg): 2003 Urban Diction-
ary: She really likes my love bone; 2012
Twicsy: Dan has a big love bone; 2013
Mommy Tube: He can’t wait to stick
his love bone in her pussy
love muscle n. potentially offen-
sive the penis (rk): 2007 News,
CNN-TV program: That Bobbitt dame
took a sling blade to her husband’s
love muscle, did she not?; 2009 Ninja
Dude: I would bend Amanda over, lick
her fish hole, then pound that sweet
love muscle; 2010 Varsity Online: The
damage to his manhood did thus con-
tinue until his love muscle lost a sinew
low five n. shaking hands with someone
or slapping someone’s hand held low,
in greeting or congratulation (gs, jg):
1999 Daytona Beach News-Journal:
He turned toward Stack and gave
him a low five with his left hand;
2001 Scrubs, ABC-TV series: Give
yourselves the old low five!; 2008
San Francisco Chronicle: When they
passed each other along the ropes
at the next hole, Woods offered a
low-five
low-five v. to shake hands with someone
or slap someone’s hand held low, in
greeting or congratulation (jg): 2005
USA Today: The two stars, who
weren’t on speaking terms in the
219
preseason, low-fived each other and
went to the sideline smiling; 2009
Tumblr: Somewhere around this time,
Jennifer makes it a personal mission to
low-five everyone in sight; 2009 Cres-
ton News Advertiser: They low-fived
and smiled wide
low-life adj. unpleasant, contemptible or
despicable (gs, jg): 1989 Willie Dee:
Your gal’ll find another nigga, cause
the low-life bitch ain’t nothin but a
gold-digger; 1990 Poison Clan: That’s
all she’s worth to me, the low-life
whore; 1991 My Own Private Idaho,
film: She met that guy from Reno, that
low-life, gamblin’ cowboy fuck
M
mac see mack1, mack2
mac daddy see below
mack1 (or mac, mack daddy) n. [1] a
pimp (cm, gs, jg): 1991 Boyz in the
Hood, film: Who you calling wannabe
mack daddy?; 2006 Cecil Brown: You
would see black gals and white gals
coming in the club to meet their macks;
2008 CSI: NY, CBS-TV series: Danny
tells her mack was trying to protect her
from it; [2] a seducer or womanizer,
especially if very skillful (gs, jg,
rk): 2001 San Antonio Express-News:
Being a mack daddy in his late 50s and
becoming an actual daddy in the pro-
cess, he’s brought this upon himself;
2008 North Adams Transcript: If you
are good with the opposite sex you are
a mack daddy; 2009 Ebony: He’s a
long-legged mack daddy [3] an influ-
ential man (jg): 1995 Friday, film: He
thinks he’s a mack; 2001 King of the
Hill, Fox-TV series: I am the mack
daddy of Heimlich county. You get the
hell of my hood!; 2007 Sound Click:
I’m a mack when it comes to rap
mack2 (or mac) v. [1] to be a pimp (cm,
gs): 2001 Too Short: I been macking
220 Glossary
hard since eighty-eight; 2002 MNMsta:
I been macking hoes since day one;
2005 San Francisco Chronicle: Being
a mack isn’t easy. It takes discipline,
dedication, focus. All those things one
might apply toward a career if one
weren’t too busy macking [2] to be a
seducer or womanizer, especially if
very skillful (rk): 2004 Girl Next
Door, film: I will always remember
all the great times with the dirty dozen,
and macking all the honeys; 2006
Randy Kearse: I been mackin’ since
high school; 2006 Flyer Talk: He had
been macking and wanted to use the
club access to help out his game
mack daddy see mack1
mad (or madd) adv. [1] a lot of or plenty
of (gs, jg): 1994 Notorious B.I.G.:
I got mad friends with Benzos; 2005
Elle: Everyone knows you’ve got mad
talent, but in July you’re going to have
to prove yourself; 2011 Black Voices:
I have madd respect for you [2]
extremely or totally (gs, jg): 1994
Public Enemy: This is madd real;
1996 New Yorker: I’m mad talented;
2008 New York Times: In that one pic-
ture the studio took, I look mad stupid
madd see above
maggot n. potentially offensive a
white person (bk, jg): 2000 Global
Threat: Bastards dragged a black
man with a truck, and his body
smashed. Those two racist maggots
should get ropes around their necks;
2009 Spank Mag: Vote for me, mother-
fucking maggots!; 2013 Facebook:
Dem maggots ain’t loving us!
main adj. favorite or beloved (bk): 2011
Twitter: I’m chillin with my main
nigga; 2011 Yahoo Music: I made it in
memory of my main homie who passed
away; 2011 Run4Life: I was walking
down the street with my main nigger
main man n. a close friend (bk, cm, gs,
jg, rk): 2006 Dreamgirls, film: Come
on, you know you’re my main man!;
2008 Ebony: I hate to quibble with my
main man, Eric Easter, but I’m not
quite sure this bailout is necessary;
2008 Snoop Dogg: I’d like to dedicate
this record right here to my main man
maintain v. [1] to be calm, even in the
most adverse circumstances: 2002 Paid
in Full, film: Y’know what I’m sayin’?
Live and maintain!; 2002 Wire, HBO-
TV series: We just need to maintain!;
2013 Dizzy Wright: Don’t run away
from your problems or your partner,
maintain! [2] to stay in touch (rk):
2006 Randy Kearse: Yo dawg maintain
and I’ll holler at you later; 2010 Actio-
next: Kill that game, but still, main-
tain!; 2011 Black Planet: Brothas,
maintain!
major figures n. a lot of money (rk):
2003 Don Juan: They blind to the fact
we countin major figures; 2009 You-
Tube: Who would ever figure that this
little weasel nigga would be stackin
major figures?; 2009 Wu-Tang Clan:
We make major figures
make bank phr. to make a lot of money
(gs, jg): 2009 Democratic Under-
ground: I like this song a lot! I can
see he’s going to make bank on it
too!; 2010 Nashville Scene: As he got
older, he found other ways to make
bank; 2010 XXL Magazine: If that
nigga is trying to make bank, good
for him
make no never mind phr. to make no
difference or be insignificant (bk):
1997 Con Air, film: As long as I make
it home on time, it makes no never
mind; 2003 Miami Herald: The Cubs
had a god named Sammy Sosa on their
side, but that didn’t make no never
mind; 2005 New York Daily News:
The idea is to catch the ball, and it
makes no never mind how it’s caught
mama (or mamma) n. [1] a woman,
especially sexually attractive (cm,
 Glossary
jg): 2000 Snoop Dogg: Little mama,
don’t you start!; 1999 3rd Rock from
the Sun, NBC-TV series: Every hot
mama here was checking him out;
2006 Rebecca Buckley: Ain’t ya goin’
to introduce me to this good-looking
mama? [2] a girlfriend, wife or female
lover (cm, jg): 1999 Silk: Got little
something for my sexy mama; 2004
Ray, film: Come to bed! Mama ain’t
finished yet; 2010 Black Planet: You
have a young sexy nigga who is
looking for a sexy mama
mama-jama (or mamma-jamma) n. [1]
a sexually attractive woman: 1981 Carl
Carlton: She’s a bad mama jama, just
as fine as she can be; 1994 Da Brat:
Y’all know I’m the real mama-jama;
1996 Snoop Dogg: She had a hoe with
her named Bama, a big bad mamma-
jamma; [2] an excellent or admirable
thing: 2009 Yahoo Voices: The price is
nothing compared to the picture qual-
ity you get when you buy this mamma-
jamma; 2011 Hub Pages: I played three
racing games when taking this mama-
jama for a test drive; 2011 Blogspot:
You can view it online, but really,
you’re going to want to download this
mama-jama for your iPhone or iPad
mamma see mama
mamma-jamma see mama-jama
man n. [1] any man, especially a stranger
(gs): 1999 Late Show with Conan
O’Brien, NBC-TV program: Chicks
dig it, man!; 2004 Ray, film: We’re in
L.A., man, the place where the Negro
comes to spread his wings; 2010 XXL
Magazine: I’m tired of niggas lying,
man. Quit faking! [2] a close friend
(rk): 2000 Bamboozled, film: I’m just
tired of waitin’, man; 2002 Paid in
Full, film: I saw your man, man!;
2010 Urban Dictionary: Look, man, it
means like we brothas you know
what I’m sayin’? [3] an excellent
or admirable man, especially a man of
221
distinction (gs): 1993 Simpsons, Fox-
TV series: You’re the man, Homer!;
1996 Barb Wire, film: “Nice work,
Mr. Big Fatso!” “I’m the man!”;
1996 Broken Arrow, film: “You’re the
man!” “I’m the man!”
Man n. a white person, especially a
person in power, such as a police offi-
cer (bk, cm, gs, jg): 2005 Aaron Peck-
ham: It’s just the Man trying to hold
me down!; 2009 Stephen Calt: I’d
rather be sloppy drunk, sitting in the
can, than to be out in the streets, run-
nin’ from the Man; 2013 Parenthood,
NBC-TV series: You don’t wanna
work for the Man!
Mandingo n. a strong and big-built Afri-
can American man (gs, jg): 2010
Public Agenda News: I am proud to
say that I am a Mandingo; 2010 Adult
DVD Empire: My wife is banging a
mandingo; 2012 Django Unchained,
film: Them motherfuckers ain’t here
to buy no Mandingos. They’s here for
the girl
mannish adj. acting overly tough or
aggressive (cm, gs): 1999 Dr. Dre:
I got this bitch speakin Spanish, I’m
mannish; 2008 Ebony: The Tops were
no second banana, all driven by the
expressive, totally mannish voice of
Levi Stubbs; 2009 Queer ID: I was
going to try see if they’d wax me if
I acted mannish, but I’m too much of
a wimp
man with a paper ass n. potentially
offensive an insignificant man (bk,
jg): 2009 Zim Dog: He described the
irresponsible speaker as talking like a
man with a paper ass; 2009 Glock
Talk: You talk like a man with a paper
ass!; 2009 Boston University Daily
Free Press: He’s talking like a man
with a paper ass
marinate v. [1] to relax and have a good
time (gs, rk): 1997 Lost Boyz: I’m
lovin’ you, you lovin’ me, we be
222 Glossary
marinatin’!; 2005 Aaron Peckham: I
was gonna go to class but I got high
and decided to marinate instead; 2010
My Space: I like to marinate with my
family and friends [2] to think deeply
before responding (gs): 2005 Honey-
mooners, film: Just give me some time
to marinate on it; 2005 Hitch, film: Just
let me marinate for a second!; 2009
Ebony: On this Independence Day, let’s
marinate on what we call freedom, and
what it looks like, feels like now [3] to
wait for something to happen (gs, rk):
2000 Zoe Valdes: She’s been marinat-
ing for fifteen days; 2006 Blogspot:
They’ve been marinating for years;
2011 Black Voices: They are out there
marinating for a man like myself
marshmallow n. potentially offen-
sive a white person, especially fat
(bk, jg): 2003 50 Cent: So you know
you’re not dealing with some fuckin’
marshmallow; 2009 Urban Dictionary:
That bitch is a marshmallow; 2013
Steam Community: I’m white, so
someone called me a marshmallow
max (or max and relax) v. to relax and
have a good time (gs, jg): 2006 Boys
and Girls Guide to Getting Down,
film: All I do all day is max and relax,
and smoke pot; 2012 Hype Beast: I’ve
been maxin in the sun, eating pizza,
pasta, spaghetti, all those; 2013 A.J.
Crew: I be chilling out and maxing
with these chicks
max and relax see above
may like v. to pretend (gs): 2000 Geneva
Smitherman: She may like she was
sick, but she wasn’t; 2013 Roleplay
Gateway: Around guys she may like
she becomes a bit clumsy and not as
confident as she usually is; 2013 City
Data: She may like she never saw my
email
M.C., MC see emcee1, emcee2
McGangsta n. an average or typical
member of a criminal gang: 2009
Blogspot: The bitches enjoy the thin
veneer of danger that comes with a
McGangsta; 2007 Minneapolis Star
Tribune: “Alpha Dog” has a jagged,
bewildering take on McGangstas; 2009
Urban Dictionary: When presented
with a situation such as this, the
McGangsta will react with anger and
hostility
McNasty n. a sexually promiscuous
woman (rk): 1995 E-40: Filthy
McNasties at the bus stop are hitchhi-
kin’ it; 2009 Smart Pakquine: She is
now a McNasty; 2013 Twitter: If she
ain’t down with rubbers, then she is a
McNasty
mean adj. excellent or admirable (bk,
cm, gs, jg, rk): 2005 Aaron Peckham:
That Cadillas Escalade is one bad-ass
ride. I love the rims, they make that shit
look mean; 2006 Dreamgirls, film: I’m
gonna take a mean ride; 2010 Skate-
land, film: It’s gonna be a mean bike,
maybe the baddest we ever built
mean-ass see above
mean green n. money (bk): 2006 Walker
Payne, film: All right, boys, time to pay
the rent. Let’s see that mean green;
2009 Da Original: Earn mean green!;
2011 Facebook: I wish you the best of
luck! Hope you raise a lot of mean
green
Mecca n. Harlem, New York (gs): 1996
Get on the Bus, film: You was with
Malcolm in Mecca; 2009 Ebony: The
restaurant is located in Mecca; 2010
Uptown Chronicle: I am speaking to
my people from the heart, from
Mecca – we call it Mecca in Harlem
Medina n. Brooklyn, New York (jg, rk):
2002 J-Live: I landed in Medina as a
teacher; 2007 Wu-Tang Clan: They are
hungry hyenas from Medina; 2009
Atlantis School: I have lived in Medina
(Brooklyn)
mellow1 (or mellow-back) adj. calm and
relaxed (cm, jg): 1991 Jungle Fever,
 Glossary
film: I’m a cool type of fellow, cool,
calm, and mellow; 1992 Malcolm X,
film: I am about as mellow as I can
be; 2007 Ebony: Harry was all at once
mellow, happy, carefree, and sad
mellow2 n. a close friend (cm, gs, jg):
1998 Tribe Called Quest: Some of my
mellows lost their mothers and their
brothers, for them I feel empathy;
2009 Prison Talk: He told me one of
his mellows let him borrow them; 2009
Moon Battery: Their mellows will con-
tinue to be harshed
mellow back v. to be calm and relaxed:
2007 Los Angeles Times: He’ll mellow
back and understand the organization
is trying to make the right moves; 2009
Blogspot: Y’all need to mellow back
and come together; 2010 Rap Music:
Before then I was replying to every-
thing, I mellowed back out now
mellow-back see mellow1
melon n. the head (rk): 2008 House,
M.D., Fox-TV series: It means some
poor sap’s getting his melon sliced at
the VA for no reason, and he’s gonna
be dead by the end of the week; 2008
Bolt, film: “You got hour head stuck
pretty good, huh?” “Hey guys, check
this out! He’s got his melon stuck!”;
2013 Criminal Minds, CBS-TV series:
“Concussion? How’s your melon?”
“It’s all right”
member n. a fellow African American
(bk, cm, gs, jg): 2000 Geneva
Smitherman: Member [is] any African
American; 2010 McGruff: Right now it
ain’t nothin lavish for my members;
2013 Twitter: “Where my fellow
members at?” “Right here, nigga”
MF (or MF’er) n. potentially
offensive [1] a contemptible or
despicable man (bk, cm, gs): 2009
Mobile Salon: That MF was ready to
kill his own son because he heard
voices in his head; 2010 Ebony:
I remember calling someone an MF;
223
2011 Black Voices: I’m so tired of
hearing about this MF’er [2] some-
thing irritating, especially if problem-
atic or difficult (cm): 2008 Free
Republic: Memory is a real MF’er;
2013 Jalopy Journal: How do you
remove the brake booster on a 1956
Buick? I recall there is a nut on the
inside of the firewall that is a real MF
to get to; 2013 Facebook: Jealousy is a
real MF [3] an excellent or admirable
man or thing (cm, gs): 2008 Ebony:
For me, my stepfather was the coolest
MF I have ever known; 2009 Body
Building: Even if I weren’t a handsome
MF’er, my confidence would still score
me some chicks; 2013 YouTube: I love
this MF and wouldn’t want to trade his
Spanish ass for anything
MF’er see above
MF’ing1 adj. very offensive [1] con-
temptible or irritating (bk, gs): 2010
Bossip: I know it’s a MF’ing recession;
2012 Yahoo Sports: Scott yells at
Thomas for breaking the boycott,
calling him a MF-ing sellout; 2013
Twitter: Unless someone is a MF’ing
doctor, I don’t want to hear a word
about my weight; [2] excellent or
admirable: 2011 Kentucky Sports
Radio: I am the MF’ing winner!; 2011
Atlanta Journal-Constitution: Of all the
colossal idiots I have seen commenting
on these blogs, you are the MF’ing
champion, hands down; 2013 Game
Faqs: MGS4 is a MF’ing masterpiece
MF’ing2 adv. very offensive
extremely or totally: 2012 Corvette
Forum: I have no idea on the price,
but that’s a MF’ing cool car; 2013
Washington Monthly: It’s time for
Dems everywhere to remind voters that
the GOP is MF’ing crazy; 2013 Twit-
ter: Lenny Kravitz is too MF’ing sexy
MIA (or M.I.A., Mia) n. Miami, Florida
(rk): 2011 City Data: Where to live in
Mia?; 2012 Twicsy: He was born in
224 Glossary
MIA; 2013 Yahoo Answers: Does
anyone know anything about living in
MIA?
Mickey D’s (or Mickey D) n. a McDo-
nald’s restaurant (gs, jg): 2002 8 Mile,
film: I got him out of flipping burgers
at Mickey D’s; 2004 Super Size Me,
film: There are more Mickey D’s in
Manhattan than anywhere else in the
world; 2011 Los Angeles Times:
Mickey D’s is going high-tech by
replacing cashiers with touch screens
mic master n. a performer of a rap song:
1993 Us3: Come flow with the sounds
of the mighty mic master, rhymin’ on
the mic I’ll bring the suckers to disas-
ter; 2009 Zazzle: Not only are you a
mic master, but a funky fresh one at
that!; 2013 Grim: I be the militant mic-
master makin’ moves
Miss Ann (or Miss Anne) n. poten-
tially offensive a white woman
(cm, gs, jg): 2007 Ebony: “Miss
Anne” and “Mister Charlie” date back
to the late 19th century when they
became generic versions of the formal
address even the most lowly white
person warranted; 2009 Yale-New
Heaven Teachers Institute: Reverend
Abernathy’s humorous depictions of
“Miss Ann” and “Mr. Charlie,” Afri-
can American folk designations of
white women and white men, energized
many; 2011 Black Voices: Ever since
we’ve been in America, from slavery
onward, we have been taking care of
the needs of Miss Ann
Miss Thang see below
Miss Thing (or Miss Thang) n. a self-
important or arrogant woman (cm, gs,
jg, rk): 1999 Dr. Dre: Miss Thing tried
to scream on my brethren; 2004 Hair
Show, film: Hi, Miss Thing! I like your
hair!; 2005 Aaron Peckham: My sister,
Miss Thang, is getting on my nerves
Mista Charlie see Mister Charlie
Mista Hawkins see Mister Hawkins
Mista Wind see Mister Wind
Mister Charlie (or Mista Charlie, Mr.
Charlie) n. potentially offen-
sive a white person, especially
regarded as an oppressor of African
Americans (bk, cm, gs, jg): 2008
Postmodern Negro: Mista Charlie is
on the rise and he is as a roaring lion;
2004 New York Beacon: They were
willing to do whatever Mister Charlie
told them to do; 2007 Ebony: “Miss
Anne” and “Mister Charlie” date back
to the late 19th century when they
became generic
Mister Hawkins (or Mista Hawkins,
Mr. Hawkins) n. the cold winter wind
(cm, jg): 1990 Alan Dundes: I’m out
here with Mister Hawkins, wringling
and twisting, ducking and dodging,
and skulking close to the buildings;
1994 Clarence Major: Mister
Hawkins [is] a cold winter’s wind;
2009 Ultra Lingua: Mister Hawkins is
cold wind
Mister Wind (or Mista Wind, Mr.
Wind) n. the cold winter wind (gs,
jg): 1987 Philadelphia Daily News:
The Hawk, you know him sometimes
as Mister Wind; 2006 Fiction Inter-
national: Time to leave Mista Wind,
Hawk, behind; 2009 Yahoo Answers:
Mister Wind was blowing
Mo see Moe
modulate v. to relax and have a good
time: 2008 Blogspot: I’ve been modu-
latin’. Everything’s cool; 2010 My
Space: I’m modulatin’ with my niggas,
hoopin, and playing Playstation;
2010 Bebo: I hate niggas who ain’t
modulatin’
Moe n. [1] Moet champagne (rk): 2006
Nah Right: We be drinkin’ Moe, doin’
dances on that hoe; 2009 Royal Flush:
First you drinkin Snapple, now you
drinkin Moe; 2010 Twitter: That’s why
I drink Moe, for I can think more
[2] (or Mo, ’Mo) the Fillmore area in
 Glossary
San Francisco (jg): 1992 JT the Bigga
Figga: Bitches in the Moe ain’t good;
2007 Socket Site: The ’Mo is the Fill-
more area, which is not exactly the
same but overlaps with it; 2009 Murder
Dog Magazine: I’m not from the Fill-
more, I’m from the Mission District.
But I’m really linked down with my
boys from ’Mo
mo-fo (or mofo) n. potentially
offensive [1] a contemptible or
despicable man (bk): 2009 News,
CBS-TV program: This mo-fo over-
simplified highly complex issues with
the typical sprinkling of bad rhetoric;
2007 Rolling Stone: R is one ugly mo-
fo; 2008 Johnstown Tribune Democrat:
Yo mo-fo, what you doing makin us
Dems look so bad, yo! [2] something
irritating, especially if problematic or
difficult: 2005 Blogspot: Smiling is dif-
ficult, talking just looks weird, and
chewing is a difficult mo-fo; 2009 Yelp:
This one mo-fo cost me the game and
I lost $20; 2009 Cheapass Gamer: The
downside being that I lost my rental
car key, and that mo-fo cost me $150
to get a copy of it! [3] an excellent or
admirable man or thing: 2009 Sixth
Axis: Just think of the amount of
pranks you can play with that mo’fo!;
2009 Stick Am: Who’s that sexy mo-
fo?; 2011 Pocket Lint: The Panasonic
FT3 is a seriously tough mo-fo
mojo n. [1] a charm or amulet worn
against evil (bk, cm, gs): 1998 He
Got Game, film: This mojo works! It
worked on your ass!; 2009 Stephen Calt:
Mojo is one of the few locutions with
apparent African pedigree; 2013 My
Space: I used to wear a mojo around
my neck [2] influence, power or cha-
risma (bk, gs, jg): 2005 Aaron Peck-
ham: I can get any girl if I just use a bit
of the old mojo; 2007 Two and a Half
Men, CBS-TV series: The girl digs my
mojo; 2009 Ebony: Prince lost the mojo
225
[3] sex appeal or sex drive (bk): 1995
Pinky and the Brain, WB-TV series:
That man gets my mojo workin’!; 2004
Stephanie Rose Bird: The glazed look,
sophomoric grin, and gleam in his eye
when he mentions his mojo is insulting;
2008 Ebony: It has negatively influ-
enced much of the industry, despite
the success of those models of color
who were allowed to work their mojo
over the last thirty years
moma (or momma) n. [1] a woman,
especially sexually attractive (cm, gs,
jg): 1988 Lou Aronica: I got there just
as he was walking out with a good-
looking momma on his arm and a
dreamy smile on his lips; 2007 Jay-Z:
Stay out of trouble, momma!; 2008
Ebony: That’s who Gloria is: she’s a
loveable, hefty momma [2] a girlfriend,
wife or female lover (jg): 2012 Google
Plus: This is for my sexy momma; 2012
Twitter: Tell’m I’ll be his new mama;
2013 Blogs: They broke up but she still
thinks she’s his momma [3] an excel-
lent or admirable thing (bk): 2007
Camcorder Info: I wasn’t expecting
much even though paying nearly
$2000 for this momma. What I got
was a bunch of professional features
that make film making a pleasure; 2008
Gigaom: I am more impressed with the
high power G55 laptop and its quad-
core processor. Now that’s a fast
momma; 2011 Auto Trader: This
momma has other options
momma see above
mo-mo n. a motel (gs, rk): 2006 Randy
Kearse: We stopped at the nearest mo-
mo; 2007 Bizzy Bone: Don’t take my
photo in a mo-mo lookin’ out the
window!; 2009 Arcade Museum: Sure
you would have to find a cheap mo-mo,
but its still way less than driving from
a far distance
money (or money grip) n. a close friend
(cm, jg, rk): 1991 Del the Funky
226 Glossary
Homosapien: First he was my money
grip, then he stole my honey dip. Mis-
tadobalina is a serpent; 1993 Poison
Clan: Hoes ain’t worth it, money grip!;
2001 Fat Joe: My money lookin happy
with his wife
money grip see above
mos def (or mos deaf) adv. definitely (jg,
rk): 2000 Bamboozled, film: Let me
get the whole Hilfiger hookup, huh?
Definitely, mos def; 2002 Wire, HBO-
TV series: “You’re gonna make this
right?” “Mos def!”; 2009 TL Planet:
Mos def man I’m gonna try and get it
done
moss n. hair, especially unstraightened
African American hair (bk, cm): 1994
Clarence Major: Moss [is] kinky hair;
African hair; 2009 Urban Dictionary:
Dennis had some serious moss in the
80’s; 2009 Fan Fiction: Trista used her
delicate fingers to comb them out of
her long moss
mostest adv. most (bk, cm): 2011 Polit-
ico: It’s our job to follow her lead
because she is the mostest realest
American of all; 2011 Scuba Toys:
You are like the mostest coolest person
on this forum; 2011 YouTube: I am
probably not the mostest stupidest
person in the world
motha see mother
mothafuck see motherfuck1, motherfuck2
mothafucka see motherfucker
mothafucking see motherfucking1,
motherfucking2
mother (or motha, mutha) n. poten-
tially offensive [1] a contempt-
ible or despicable man (bk, cm, gs,
jg): 1994 Public Enemy: My man X is
a bad mother; 1995 GoldenEye, film:
“Who is the competition?” “An
ex-KGB guy. Tough mother”; 2009
Facebook: Vincent, he’s a real mother!
He puts me on the hitlist every time he
plays [2] something irritating, espe-
cially if problematic or difficult (cm):
1996 Rock, film: This mother’s gonna
blow big!; 2009 Maclean: This thing is
a mother to take apart by yourself;
2013 Yahoo Answers: The struggles
of life can be a real mother [3] an
excellent or admirable man or thing
(bk, cm, gs, jg): 2003 Elf, film: Time
for me to get on the mike, and make
this mother of a party hype!; 2004
Starsky and Hutch, film: He’s old but
he’s one tough mother!; 2011 Face-
book: He’s one strong mother
motherfuck1 (or mothafuck, mutha-
fuck) excl. very offensive [1] I
am irritated (jg): 1998 Lisa Scottoline:
Motherfuck! Everything was fucked
up! It was all that bitch’s fault; 2003
Virgin, film: They’re gonna lock me
up. Motherfuck!; 2007 Jay Pinkerton:
Oh motherfuck, you want to fuck his
fucking mother, motherfucker! I bet
you motherfucking like that! [2] I am
surprised (jg): 1996 Sleepers, film:
“Take a good look!” “Motherfuck!
That’s him!”; 2004 Rude Pundit: Oh,
motherfuck, that’s funny! Goddamn,
the Rude Pundit is just doubled over
in laughter; 2007 Brothers Solomon,
film: Motherfuck! We finished the
procedure
motherfuck2 (or mothafuck, mutha-
fuck) v. very offensive [1] to curse
someone of something, especially in
anger (jg): 1989 Do the Right Thing,
film: Motherfuck him and John
Wayne!; 1989 Willie Dee: Motherfuck
the KKK!; 1995 Vampire in Brooklyn,
film: “Rita belongs to me!” “Mother-
fuck you, man!” [2] to not care about:
1997 Blackout, film: Motherfuck it, I’ll
get straight to the point; 1999 Summer
of Sam, film: “Motherfuck the Mick!
Willie Mays was the man!” “Get outta
here! Mick was the guy!”; 2004 Chris
Rock: Never Scared, film: Fuck you,
I don’t need you, motherfuck you! [3]
to harm, especially as punishment or
 Glossary
revenge: 2005 Metal Sludge: He also
didn’t motherfuck me which was nice,
I have tried not to motherfuck him;
2009 Urban Dictionary: If you don’t
stop hitting on my girl, I’m going to
motherfuck you; 2011 Facebook: Was
that before or after you tried to
motherfuck me?
motherfucker (or mothafucka, mutha-
fucka) n. very offensive [1] a con-
temptible or despicable man (bk, cm,
jg): 2002 Wire, HBO-TV series: The
motherfucker beat my boy!; 2008
Dexter, Showtime-TV series: I wanna
get this motherfucker who did this;
2010 Lil Wayne: The money we spend
on sending a mothafucka to jail [2]
something irritating, especially if prob-
lematic or difficult (bk, cm, gs): 2009
Black Voices: Greed is a muthafucka;
2010 Artist Direct: We’re building a
house and the second story’s looking
pretty good. We’ve got to put the roof
on this motherfucker; 2010 Miss Bicks:
I got up extremely early but traffic is a
muthafucka! [3] an excellent or admir-
able man or thing (bk, gs, jg): 1994
Pulp Fiction, film: Check out the
brainy Brett! You’re a smart mother-
fucker!; 2000 Bamboozled, film: That
motherfucker is a fuckin’ millionaire!;
2002 8 Mile, film: I vouch for this
motherfucker, he’s a motherfucking
genius
motherfucking1 (or mothafucking,
muthafucking) adj. very offen-
sive [1] contemptible or irritating
(bk, gs): 1997 Tupac Shakur: It’s like
a motherfucking trap; 1999 Bringing
Out the Dead, film: Take this stinking
motherfucking skell out of my face;
2006 Public Enemy: What will it take
to break the motherfuckin cycle? [2]
excellent or admirable: 1994 Pulp Fic-
tion, film: We’d have to be talking
about one charming motherfucking
pig!; 2003 8 Mile, film: He’s a
227
motherfucking genius; 2009 Demo-
cratic Underground: I’m a mothafuckin
lyrical wordsmith, mothafuckin genius
motherfucking2 (or mothafucking,
muthafucking) adv. very offen-
sive extremely or totally: 1998 Snoop
Dogg: I don’t know why you treat me
so motherfuckin’ bad; 2007 Glass Jaw:
It’s mothafucking cold today!; 2013
Google Groups: You are too mother-
fucking stupid to be in this discussion
mothering1 (or motherin’) adj. poten-
tially offensive [1] contemptible
or irritating (bk): 2004 Fan Fiction:
You mothering bastard!; 2009 Trance
Addict: These things are a mothering
bitch to organize; 2012 Facebook: I’ll
kick your goddamn ass you mothering
bitch! [2] excellent or admirable: 2011
Facebook: I did whatever I pleased
cause I was the mothering champion;
2011 Game Faqs: We have a mothering
winner; 2013 Facebook: I’m a word
wizard and a mothering genius
mothering2 (or motherin’) adv. poten-
tially offensive extremely or
totally: 2004 Blogspot: Winona Ryder
looks like she’s thirteen, and it’s so
mothering boring; 2009 Screen Hub:
He was never bothered by the wretch-
edness of mothering stupid children;
2012 Xanga: It hurts like mothering
crazy
mother wit n. common sense (cm, gs):
2001 Marcia Nelson: They don’t have
mother wit. Norma emphasizes the
homespun word for wisdom as she tells
this story; 2007 Frost Illustrated: Let’s
remember the value of a mother’s wit!;
2013 Gilbert Times: It embodies Ameri-
can grit and mother wit by addressing
all of the arguments
Motor City n. Detroit, Michigan (cm,
gs): 2008 Ebony: It launched several
revitalization projects, including
hosting the 2006 Super Bowl to bring
attention to improvements in the Motor
228 Glossary
City; 2010 American Spectator: It may
be just as likely that the Motor City will
follow the same path as New Orleans;
2010 Los Angeles Times Magazine:
You can take the boy out of the Motor
City, but you can’t take the Motor City
out of the boy. Sykes is an inveterate
gearhead
Motown n. [1] Detroit, Michigan (cm,
gs): 2002 Washington Post: Dianne
Reeves was born in Motown; 2004
New York Post: Their three sons and
newborn daughter stayed in Portland
and haven’t lived in Motown; 2011
Black Voices: Diana Ross grew up in
Motown? [2] the sound or style of
music that originated in Detroit in the
1960s (gs): 2004 Boston Herald:
Schoenfeld grew up in housing pro-
jects in Brooklyn listening to Motown
and early rap; 2009 Ebony: What about
Motown’s Greatest Hits?; 2009 Seattle
Times: My dad owned a hardware
store and I used to go with him to work
when I wasn’t going to school and
we’d listen to Motown
Mr. Charlie see Mister Charlie
Mr. Hawkins see Mister Hawkins
Mr. Wind see Mister Wind
mugly adj. potentially offensive
very unattractive (rk): 2006 Randy
Kearse: She’s cute, but her two friends
are mugly; 2008 Media Takeout: She
could never change that mugly face of
hers; 2010 Snitch: This mugly nigga
should go to jail, then he can morph
into blade and fight them other niggas
off his booty
muh-fuh n. potentially offensive
[1] a contemptible or despicable man
(bk, gs, jg): 1999 LA Weekly: Claude,
you silly old muh-fuh, you haven’t been
a hippie for at least six years; 2010
Twitter: I despise this little muh-fuh;
2013 Reverb Nation: You thought John
Gotti was a bad muh-fuh. I guess you
haven’t met me [2] something irritating,
especially if problematic or difficult
(gs): 2010 Blogspot: Fear is a muh-
fuh; 2012 City University of New York
student: Karma is a real muh-fuh!; 2013
Facebook: Stage fright can be a real
muh-fuh [3] an excellent or admirable
man or thing (gs, jg): 2009 Media
Takeout: Stop it. You are the muh-fuh’s
with the power; 2010 All Hip Hop: Did
I mention what a sexy muh-fuh Brook
is?; 2011 Flickr: I love that muh-fuh
mumbo-jumbo (or mumbo jumbo) n.
meaningless or deceptive talk, espe-
cially jargon (cm): 1991 Barton Fink,
film: I don’t know technical mumbo-
jumbo; 2010 Annapolis Capital: They
invoked an obscure piece of legal
mumbo jumbo that stated that the cov-
enant could be changed with 85%
approval from our residents; 2010
Washington Post: What kind of meta-
physical mumbo-jumbo is that?
mutha see mother
muthafuck see motherfuck1, motherfuck2
muthafucka see motherfucker
muthafucking see motherfucking1,
2
motherfucking
my bad excl. I am sorry (gs, rk): 1996
Martin, Fox-TV series: “You broke
it!” “Oh, damn! My bad, Gina!”;
1996 Get on the Bus, film: “Hey, we’re
in the middle of a prayer here!” “Oh,
my bad!”; 2007 30 Rock, NBC-TV
series: My bad! I’m sorry! Those cards
are a little confusing
my man n. a close friend (bk): 1999 Ice-
T: This song is dedicated to my man
Tupac Shakur; 2004 Starsky and
Hutch, film: What you got my man
waitin’ outside for?; 2004 Ray, film:
This is my man, Ray
N
naps n. extremely tight curls of natural,
unstraightened African American hair
(cm, gs, jg): 1995 Bad Boys, film: The
 Glossary
red one? With the naps?; 2004 Yahoo
Groups: We’ve been taught to not like
anything associated with our black-
ness, especially naps; 2009 All Experts:
I want to soften her naps into curls
Nation n. a religious group known as the
Nation of Islam (gs): 1998 Nah Dove:
He joined the Nation and so did she.
This decision helped her abandon
street life; 2003 New York Times: He
often repeated the view of some
members of the Nation that the white
man is the devil; 2013 Tumblr: Clay
joined the Nation and received the
name Muhammad Ali
natural n. African American hair that is
not chemically processed (bk, cm, gs,
jg): 2009 Essence: You are not more
black if you wear a natural; 2009 Face-
book: “Good hair. Is this why black
men favor white women?” “I wear a
natural, and I love it. So none of this
applies to me”; 2009 Black Voices:
I wish I could wear a natural or braids
natural-born adj. extreme or total (bk,
cm): 1994 Clarence Major: I laughed
till I cried, that boy is a natural-born
comedian; 2009 Huffington Post: Being
married to a natural-born meditator
has its drawbacks; 2009 Root:
According to the mainstream media,
black folks apparently acted like
natural-born fools
Negro n. very offensive unless
used by african americans a
fellow African American (cm, gs):
1994 Pulp Fiction, film: You’re send-
ing Wolf? Great! Hey, Negro, that’s all
you had to say!; 2000 Bamboozled,
film: There are millions of Negroes in
this country with that same mentality;
2004 Ray, film: We’re in L.A., man, the
place where the Negro comes to
spread his wings
new school n. newer style of rap and hip-
hop, beginning in the end of 1980s
(cm): 1993 Ice-T: I got much respect
229
for the new and the old school; 2002 8
Mile, film: I lead the new school,
you’re a buster without the rhymes;
2009 Wikipedia: The new school was
initially characterized in form by drum
machine led minimalism
N.I.C. see Nigger In Charge
nice adj. [1] drunk (gs, jg): 2008 VW
Vortex: You were nice and passed out
in the car, so we kept drinking; 2011
Heroes Mush: He’s a little nice right
now from delicious drinks; 2011
Forums: Nigga got nice and damaged
[2] under the influence of a drug (gs,
jg, rk): 1994 Notorious B.I.G.: You
smoked the blunts and got nice; 2006
Randy Kearse: These kinds of chicks
don’t get nice; 2010 Drug 3K: So I get
nice and I just pass directly out
nig see nigger
nigg see nigger
nigga see nigger
Nigga In Charge see Nigger In Charge
niggalicious adj. very offensive
unless used by african ameri-
cans [1] (of an African American)
sexually attractive (jg): 2004 Urban
Dictionary: Yo, that bitch look so damn
niggalicious I’d do her out back!; 2009
Foolz: She’s niggalicious; 2013 Black
Planet: Make sure to stop by and show
me some luv. You’re so niggalicious
[2] excellent or admirable, especially
if connected with African Americans:
2010 YouTube: I hope you have a
Niggalicious Christmas; 2013 Facebook:
How’d you get to be so niggalicious?;
2013 Tumblr: It looks so niggalicious!
nigga please see nigger please
niggarette (or niggerette) n. very
offensive unless used by afri-
can americans a fellow African
American woman: 1997 Wu-Tang
Clan: The niggarette gave me gonor-
rhea; 2009 Get Big: I don’t think that
niggarette is so damn sexy; 2013 Face-
book: Every nigga needs a niggarette
230 Glossary
nigga rich see nigger rich
niggaz n. very offensive unless
used by african americans
fellow African Americans: 1998 Belly,
film: I hated to see the niggaz that
made it; 2006 Public Enemy: These
stupid niggaz wanna be American
Idols; 2007 Wired News: We also got
niggaz, pimps and ho’s
nigger (or nigga, nigg, nig) n. very
offensive unless used by afri-
can americans [1] a fellow African
American (bk, cm, gs, jg): 1994 Pulp
Fiction, film: They threw him over the
balcony; the nigger fell four storeys;
2002 Paid in Full, film: What’s up,
nig? Everything’s good?; 2005 New
York Times: Black kids call each other
“a real nigger” or “my nigger” [2] an
African American friend (cm, gs, jg):
2000 Bamboozled, film: I love all of
y’all niggas, man; 2004 Ray, film:
Come on, it’s not that complicated.
Yeah, nigga, that’s it!; 2006 Tampa
Tribune: I am always referring to my
closest friends, as my nigger
niggerette see niggarette
Nigger In Charge (or Nigga in Charge,
N.I.C.) n. very offensive unless
used by african americans
(often sarcastic) an African American
person in charge (cm, jg): 2000 Rolling
Stone: I told the niggas in charge that
if couldn’t smoke, I wasn’t steppin’ on
stage; 2000 Prodigy: It’s very brutal
how the N.I.C. will do you, you get
KO’ed and pissed on for being rude;
2007 Half Past Dead 2, film: I’m the
Nigger In Charge, I got what you call
arrangements
nigger please (or nigga please) excl.
very offensive unless used by
african americans I am irritated
and exasperated (gs, jg): 2004 Wire,
HBO, TV series: “You don’t value
my time!” “Nigger please!”; 2008
Soul Men, film: “Do the math,
motherfucker!” “Math? Nigga,
please!”; 2008 A Good Day to Be
Black and Sexy, film: That’s not new
energy? Nigga, please!
nigger rich (or nigga rich) adj. very
offensive unless used by afri-
can americans poor but maintain-
ing flashy symbols of wealth (cm, gs,
jg): 2000 Boiler Room, film: They may
have a Porsche, but they don’t have
ten bucks to put in the gas tank. It’s
nigger rich; 2002 New York Times: He
jokingly admonishes his wife that they
are not “old-money rich” but “nigga
rich”; 2010 Glimmer News: He is like
90% of people living in southern Cali-
fornia, living the nigger rich lifestyle
nine1 (or 9) n. a nine-millimeter handgun
(cm, gs, rk): 1993 Tupac Shakur:
They’re quick to pull a nine when it’s
time; 1998 Snoop Dogg: I pack a nine
all the time; 2002 Wire, HBO-TV
series: He empties his nine, he gets
one in the eye
nine2 (or 9) v. to shoot with a gun, espe-
cially with a nine-millimeter handgun:
1991 Spice 1: Jack and Juice nined
them all; 2009 Twitter: I can’t believe
you got nined on your arm!; 2010
Smash Boards: I got nined but didn’t
die
ninety eleven (or ninety leven) adv. very
many: 2009 Contra Costa Times: She
has driven through that intersection
ninety-leven times; 2009 Blogspot:
I’ve got ninety-eleven things to do
today; 2013 City Data: Tim tried to call
me about ninety eleven times yester-
day, but I refused to answer
ninety leven see above
ninja n. a tough person: 2002 8 Mile, film:
“Don’t be saying shit about my mom
or my fucking car, man!” “He a ninja
now!”; 2010 Insider: Overall, he is
one tough ninja; 2012 Facebook:
Ninja don’t sweat. Bullets can’t kill a
ninja!
 Glossary
nitty-gritty n. the most crucial and basic
aspects or elements (bk, cm, gs, jg):
1998 Alice Walker: That would sound
fine in a philosophy course, but what
is, as you say here, the nitty-gritty?;
2008 Ebony: When you get down to
the nitty-gritty, his score with the just-
ice system is one win, one loss; 2010
New York Times: In delving into the
nitty-gritty of health care negotiations,
Obama risks alienating members of the
labor movement
nizzle n. a fellow African American: 2004
State: Snoopafly is working on an
album with his nizzles; 2007 Provi-
dence Journal: Manny is my nizzle!;
2007 News, CBS-TV program: In the
process, they gave white men a viable
and edgy alternative to the N-word, my
nizzle?
N.O. n. New Orleans, Louisiana (cm, gs):
1998 Snoop Dogg: Much love from the
N.O.!; 2009 Amazon: I was born in
N.O., live in South Louisiana, and
lived in N.O. for five years; 2009 City
Data: I lived in N.O. before the storm
No Coast, No’ Coast see North Coast
noise n. music, especially instrumental
music rather than vocals (gs): 1999
Public Enemy: Bring the noise!; 2004
Hair Show, film: Ladies and gentle-
men, make some noise!; 2009 Ebony:
They still bring the noise
N.O.L.A. (or NOLA) n. New Orleans,
Louisiana: 2011 Philadelphia City
Paper: We really only treated our-
selves to one upmarket dinner in
NOLA; 2011 Yahoo News: While it
might be some time before I’m able to
get back to N.O.L.A., I look forward to
stepping up to the oyster bar at Felix’s;
2011 Slashfood: I’m having my bach-
elor party in NOLA during Jazzfest
North Coast (or No Coast, No’ Coast) n.
Midwestern USA: 2009 Bebo: If you’re
from the North Coast and you’re
proud, put this on; 2009 Slumz
231
Boxden: What part of No Coast you
from?; 2009 Urban Dictionary: Port-
land is OK, but it’s great to be in No
Coast again
not give a motherfuck (or not give a
mothafuck, not give a muthafuck)
phr. very offensive to be indiffer-
ent or not care: 2008 Prodigy: Tell
the Feds I don’t give a mothafuck,
you niggas; 2008 Lil Wayne: I might
go crazy on these niggas, I don’t give
a motherfuck; 2010 Facebook: Ink
my whole body, I don’t give a
muthafuck
not give a shizzle phr. to be indifferent or
not care: 2006 CNET: Big Brother
doesn’t give a shizzle what you are
looking at; 2007 Body Building:
I cheated like mad earlier but I don’t
give a shizzle; 2013 Facebook: I don’t
give a shizzle about politics
nut v. to have an orgasm (gs, jg, rk):
2006 Randy Kearse: Soon as I started
to nut, I called out another chick’s
name; 2001 D12: Trepare to suck, even
if the nigga don’t care to nut; 2012
Tumblr: Oh shit, I’m bout to nut!
N-word (or N word) n. an African
American: 1997 Toni Morrison: Once
the jurors heard the tapes it was clear
that he had indeed used the N-word;
2007 30 Rock, NBC-TV series: He
called me the N-word!; 2011 Aurora
Sentinel: The N-word is perhaps the
most powerful word in the English lan-
guage. It carries 400 years of brutal
American history
O
Oaktown n. Oakland, California (cm, gs,
jg, rk): 1993 CB4, film: They come not
out of Oaktown, but out of a small
town called Locash; 1999 Ice-T: You
might see me in Oaktown; 2009 Fran-
kenhood, film: I just moved down here
from Oakland. Oakland? Oaktown!
232 Glossary
O.C. (or o.c.) adj. out of control (jg, rk):
2006 Fan Fiction: This story started out
as a good one, but it just got so O.C.,
and things just don’t make sense any-
more; 2006 Randy Kearse: Shortie
been o.c. since he was about twelve;
2008 Rap Music: This nigga was O.C.
O.E. (or O.E. 800) n. Olde English
800 malt liquor (gs, jg): 2003 Brotha
Lynch Hung: I’m upstairs, starin’ out
the window, drinkin’ O.E.; 2004 Viktor
Vaughn: I’m drinkin O.E., hopin pigs
don’t see; 2012 Twitter: I’m drinking
OE and listening to Outkast
ofay n. very offensive a white person
(bk, cm, gs): 1988 Elmore Leonard: It
is a nice integrated neighborhood,
ofays, Arabs, a few colored folks;
1992 Malcolm X, film: I wish your
mother and father could see you now.
And that ofay you’re gonna marry;
2005 Washington Post: The ofays
[whites] were not used to seeing
colored boys
off v. [1] to kill (bk, cm, gs, jg): 1992
Trespass, film: I don’t know nothin’
about nobody gettin’ offed; 2003 Basic,
film: And now I should feel bad about
someone who offed him?; 2007 Zodiac,
film: He offed a few citizens [2] to have
sex with (bk): 2013 Tumblr: I wanted
to off that bitch Brooke so damn bad;
2013 University of California student:
He says he offed that sexy bitch; 2013
Facebook: She’s offing her imaginary
friends
off the chain phr. [1] excellent or admir-
able (jg, rk): 1998 Lil Rob: My chick
is off the chain, enough to drive a
grown man insane. 36 24 36, she’s
got the perfect frame; 2013 Word
Press: This concert must be off the
press; 2013 Twitter: The band was off
the chain last night. So glad
I discovered this place! [2] crazy,
irrational or out of control (jg, rk):
2006 T-Pop: I’m a gangsta nigga, off
the chain; 2006 Randy Kearse: I hate to
tell you but ya shortie is off the chain;
2007 Black Planet: That nigga is off the
chain!
off the hook adj. excellent or admirable
(gs, jg): 1997 Snoop Dogg: Cuties
walkin’ in the door, come shakin’ ass
all across the floor. It’s off the hook!;
2008 LL Cool J: Met this little girl, she
was off the hook, I got cold chills when
her body shook; 2013 Twitter: These
hoes off the hook!
O.G. see original gangsta
oil n. liquor (cm, gs, jg): 2007 Urban
Dictionary: I’m tryin’ to get on dat
oil; 2009 Gaia Online: They like to
drink oil and smoke pipes; 2013 Flickr:
Nigga can’t drink oil all day
Olde E n. Olde English 800 malt liquor:
1993 Poetic Justice, film: “They don’t
have no eightball? Y’all ain’t got Olde
E?” “They don’t sell that outside the
black neighborhoods”; 1994 Alkaho-
liks: Too much Olde E will make you
pee; 1997 Blackout, film: I toke weed
sippin’ on my Olde E
old head n. an older person (gs, rk): 1987
New York Times: It’s time for the old
heads to step down; 2005 Prison Break,
Fox-TV series: Stretch your legs, old
head; 2010 Root: Some old head,
experienced in the ways of civil rights
challenges, should have told him that
old school n. older style of rap and hip-
hop, beginning in the 1970s (gs, jg,
rk): 1993 Ice-T: I got much respect for
the new and the old school; 2007 30
Rock, NBC-TV series: “I’m Tracy
Jordan, I’m old school!” “Yeah, I’m
familiar with this”; 2009 YouTube:
That’s why I only listen to old school
on E phr. lacking something, especially
money (gs, rk): 2006 Randy Kearse:
You have to look out this time, I’m on
E ’til next Friday; 2006 Rap Music:
I swear half the niggaz on this board
create post like they been on E half
 Glossary
their life; 2010 Time: That’s annoying
because I’ve been on E for over two
and a half years
one-eighty-seven1 (or 187) n. a murder
(gs): 1991 Boyz in the Hood, film:
“Look out, nigga! What’s up, punk?”
“Possible one-eighty-seven at corner
of Crenshaw and Century”; 1992 Fort-
ress, film: “Do you know what one-
eighty-seven means?” “Murder”;
2010 This Is 50: He did a one-eighty-
seven on a muthafuckin cop
one-eighty-seven2 (or 187) v. to murder
(gs, jg): 1996 Get on the Bus, film:
Your daddy got one-eighty-seven’d by
a brother and you Five-O in South
Central?; 2010 Twitter: I wonder how
many niggas got one-eighty-seven’d?;
2013 YouTube: Those that disliked this
are about to get one-eighty-seven’d!
one love excl. greetings (rk): 1996 Tupac
Shakur: To the truest shit I ever spoke,
one love to my true thug niggas!; 2003
One Love, film: “Call me!” “All right.
One love, people!”; 2010 Vox Commu-
nications: One love to my people in the
hood!
on full phr. having a lot of something,
especially money (gs, jg): 2000
Geneva Smitherman: On full [is]
having plenty of something; 2013
J. Cole: I got my pockets on full, stom-
ach on full, I got full coverage; 2013
Nino Brown: I’m doin my thang,
pockets on full
on GP (or on G.P.) phr. for no reason or
just because (jg): 1998 MC Ren:
Compton niggas be takin pussy on
GP from CPT all day; 2005 Gucci
Mane: I’m a bust his muthafuckin head
on GP; 2013 Lil B: They suck my dick
on GP, it’s all good
on point phr. exactly or precisely (gs,
rk): 1994 Above the Rim, film: Bobby,
you’re on point!; 2004 Wu-Tang Clan:
Each line be on point when I speak
mine; 2010 Ebony: He was on point
233
on someone’s case phr. irritating or nag-
ging (bk): 2005 Coach Carter, film:
She was always on my case about
every little thing; 2005 USA Today:
Maury’s been on my case to get out
of the house and get back to work; 2006
Seattle Times: This is quite a hassle,
and my wife has been on my case to do
something about it
on T see on time
on the DL see below
on the down low (or on the DL) phr.
secret, covert or clandestine (gs, jg):
1999 Blue Streak, film: I was under-
cover, on the down low; 2007 Illegal
Tender, film: You know how much the
government is willing to spend to
relocate us and keep us on the DL?;
2008 Pineapple Express, film: Keep it
on the down low. Don’t tell anybody
where you got it
on the real phr. truthfully or seriously
(jg, rk): 2005 Coach Carter, film:
Yo, on the real, Hercules is weak, B,
and y’all barely beat them; 2007 Bring
It On: In It to Win It, film: So, on the
real, what happens if we don’t?; 2008
Wackness, film: I got mad love for you,
shorty. That’s on the real
on the strength phr. truthfully or ser-
iously (gs, jg, rk): 1993 Mobb Deep:
On the strength that I had to hurt
something, I’m a cool nigga but don’t
let me start buggin; 2010 DMX: On the
strength that they don’t know what
they holdin; 2010 Wu-Tang Clan: On
the strength, we giants!
on time (or on T) phr. at the right time
(gs, jg, rk): 2001 Ja Rule: Baby, I’m
not always there when you call, but
I’m always on time; 2006 Randy
Kearse: That was on time dawg; 2011
Webbie: Just hit me up when it’s on
time
oofus n. a stupid or silly person (bk, cm,
jg): 2009 Urban Dictionary: John
thinks his jokes are funny, he’s such
234 Glossary
an oofus; 2009 VC Entertainment:
O’Reily is an oofus, but he is correct
on some issues; 2012 Uni Watch: I
wouldn’t want to look like an oofus
out there
Oprah v. to dredge intimate facts from a
person (cm, gs): 2005 Urban Diction-
ary: I didn’t want to tell her, but she
Oprah’d it out of me; 2008 Cooking
Light: I’d focus on that and leave the
Oprah-ing to Oprah; 2009 Wall Street
Journal: Kanye Gets Oprah’d by Leno
Oreo (or Oreo cookie) n. potentially
offensive an African American who
is subservient to whites or adopts their
values and attitudes (bk, cm, gs, jg):
1998 Sarasota Herald-Tribune: Most
black folks I know call him an Oreo;
2003 Salon: Because he has black skin
and now practices law, that makes him
an Oreo?; 2008 Ebony: She is a used
Oreo cookie. The white community
used her and spit her out
Oreo cookie see above
original gangsta (or O.G.) n. an older
and established member of a criminal
gang (gs, jg, rk): 1999 Sopranos,
HBO-TV series: That guy’s a gangsta?
I’m a gangsta! I’m an O.G., original
gangsta. Not him, fucking lawn jockey;
2008 Ebony: An original gangsta, he
remains recognized and revered; 2013
Celebrity Cafe: He knows the originals
gangstas, but not the young ones who
would “kill their own mother”
O-Town (or O Town) n. Oakland, Cali-
fornia: 1992 Ocala Star-Banner: In
1991, Clarke was picked as the top
sportscaster in O-Town; 2001 Long
Beach Press Telegram: The guy wants
to stay in O-Town; 2012 SOHH: Katt
Williams was so furious that he
threatened to cancel his show in O-
Town today
outtie 5000 v. to leave (gs, jg): 2006
Wire, HBO-TV series: The answer
is B-5 and I’m outtie 5000!; 2008
Grass City: I’m outtie 5000, my nig-
gas!; 2012 Nicki Minaj: I told them
outtie 5000!
overstand v. to understand completely or
have a profound knowledge (gs): 1999
Black and White, film: I understand.
I overstand what I gotta do; 2009 Huf-
fington Post: It’s impossible to over-
stand Iran’s attitude without looking
at a map and comparing that with
U.S. troop movements over the last 20
years; 2010 Manuuh: To overstand the
history you don’t need to have a
degree
P
pack v. to carry a firearm (cm, gs): 2005
South Florida Sun: Now, gun owners
would say this incident proves the
wisdom of packing a gun; 2006 Two
and a Half Men, CBS-TV series:
“She was packing heat!” “Relax, she’s
a cop”; 2010 Thomas Sergent: He was
packing a Uzi sub machine gun
packing (or packin’) adj. having a large
penis (gs, jg, rk): 2006 Randy Kearse:
She didn’t believe I was packin’ ’til
I got with her; 2010 OK Cupid:
I heard the nigga was packin’ but Dirk
has the most beautiful dick I have ever
seen; 2010 BlackMen4Now: I could
only get half of his dick in my mouth.
It was too big! This nigga was packin’!
paddie see below
paddy (or paddie) n. potentially
offensive a white person (bk, cm,
gs, jg): 1994 Prince: You see that rich
motherfucker again, you know who I’m
talkin’ about, that slicked paddy with
all the gold in his mouth; 2002 Neil
Henry: White people were so many
things to Sonny – ofays, honkies, peck-
erwoods, paddies, depending on his
mood and circumstance; 2010 Gaming:
I’ve had it with these motherfucking
paddies on this plane!
 Glossary
pail n. the stomach (bk, cm, jg): 2006
Brawl Hall: I think you should give
him a shot in the pail; 2009 Tom Dal-
zell: Pail [is] the stomach; 2009
Scribed: His blood on his pail made it
real somehow
paper n. money (gs, rk): 1997 Orlando
Sentinel: I penciled a note stating that
he owed me paper; 2005 Coach Carter,
film: “I got some paper for you!” “Now
we’re talking!”; 2006 Crossover, film:
That’s a lot of paper, dawg
paper bag test n. a criterion for admis-
sion to a club or organization, based on
skin color (bk): 2009 Austin American-
Statesman: Obama is light enough to
pass the paper bag test, while brown-
skinned first lady would flunk it; 2010
Fredericksburg Free Lance Star: For
the federal government to ask school
officials to make a visual judgment
smacks of the Jim Crow-era paper
bag test; 2010 Washington Post:
I hope the old paper-bag test is a thing
of the past
paper chase n. the pursuit of money (gs):
1998 Scarface: Me and the homie’s all
on paper chase; 2004 Lil Wayne: I’m
on a paper chase until my toes bleed;
2009 Urban Dictionary: That nigga is
on the paper chase fo’ sho, he got bills
to pay
parlay v. [1] to have a good time (gs, jg,
rk): 1999 Snoop Dogg: We parlay,
parlay everyday; 1995 Tupac Shakur:
Come on to keep my temper low.
I parlay with my friends. There’s really
nowhere else to go; 2000 Mr. Dalvin:
I gotta take you underground, parlay
all day with the niggas from the Bass-
ment sound [2] to wait patiently (gs,
rk): 1995 Friday, film: So y’all just
parlaying in here, huh?; 2004 Jamie
Lowe: Pookie was parlaying in
Durham now that I was home; 2010
Huffington Post: Juan has been
parlaying too long
235
pay dues phr. to have a hard life or
experience hardships and difficulties
(cm, gs): 2008 YouTube: I got shit to
lose, I’m a nigga out here payin’ my
dues; 2010 Burbler: I got nothin’ to
lose, payin’ dues; 2010 Terror Squad:
Who them niggas that be breakin
rules? Now who them niggas that be
payin dues?
pay no mind phr. to be indifferent to or
consider insignificant (cm): 2004 Super
Size Me, film: I never pay no mind to
what calories are; 2009 Wonderful
World, film: Pay no mind to what he
says; 2010 My Space: I pay no mind
’cause they’re not worthy my time
peace excl. [1] hello (rk): 1993 Us3: The
“peace dude shit ain’t sayin’ nothin”;
1998 He Got Game, film: “Peace,
bro!” “What’s up, man?”; 2000 If
These Walls Could Talk 2, film: “Good
morning!” “Peace, man!” [2] (or
peace out) goodbye (gs, jg, rk):
2008 Big Bang Theory, CBS-TV series:
“It’s always nice talking to you, Shel-
don!” “Peace out!”; 2009 Brooklyn’s
Finest, film: “I’m going home to see
my lady.” “Peace, man!”; 2009 Never
Surrender, film: “Call us if you need
anything.” “All right, guys. Peace,
bro!”
peace out see above
peck see peckerwood
peckawood see below
peckerwood (or peckawood, peck) n.
potentially offensive [1] a poor
southern white, especially a farmer
(bk, gs): 2002 New York Times: He
has flicked away critics, calling them
a bunch of peckerwoods; 2001 Char-
lotte Observer: You won’t get a fair
shake from those peckerwoods; 2007
Ebony: “Peckerwood” was applied to
poor whites and eventually became
associated with whites in general [2]
any white person, especially from the
southern USA (bk, cm, gs, jg): 1999
236 Glossary
Held Up, film: All you other pecker-
woods, don’t fire unless you’re fired
upon!; 2003 Cincinnati Enquirer:
Those peckerwoods don’t know what
they’re doing; 2011 Black Voices:
Who helped those peckerwoods load
us onto the ships?
peep v. [1] (or peep out) to observe,
examine or notice (gs, jg, rk): 2002
Men in Black II, film: Did you peep
that drop-top thing out front?; 2002
Barbershop, film: Yo, peep this out.
You got a reward if you turn this in;
2004 You Got Served, film: Are you
peeping this, man? They’re taking all
our moves [2] to discover or uncover,
especially something meant to be
secret (gs, jg, rk): 1998 Jay-Z:
I peeped those and my mind is so
advanced; 2006 Randy Kearse:
I already peeped that about you; 2009
Atlanta Housewives: I peeped that
about Lisa last season and I’m so sure
that she is going to rise again [3] to
pay attention and listen carefully (jg,
rk): 1998 Can’t Hardly Wait, film:
I mean, peep this: they say in here
92% of honeys at UCLA are sexually
active; 2000 Bamboozled, film: Peep
this. I’ll give you a thousand dollars
if you can name who the fuck number
twenty-four is right there; 2005 Apoc-
alipps: Well, peep this, I ain’t even
have to use the nine, I just picked up
them briefcases like they was mine
peeps n. [1] friends: 2000 Bamboozled,
film: I know all about my peeps, my
niggas in the ghetto; 2005 Beauty Shop,
film: Now, since y’all my peeps, I’ma
let you ladies pick Helen’s topic for the
day; 2010 Examiner: Do you really
know who your peeps are? [2] family
(gs, jg): 1998 He Got Game, film:
“These are my peeps right here.”
“Yo, man, it’s your pops”; 2006 Air
Buddies, film: I got mad love for my
peeps right here; 2009 Big Bang
Theory, CBS-TV series: I got some
chicken for my peeps
peep things out phr. to observe, examine
or notice what is happening (gs, jg):
1993 Philadelphia Daily News: I peep
things out more when I’m blunting;
2008 Omar Tyree: I already peeped
things out; 2009 Silverados: I peeped
things out and here is what I found
people (or peoples) n. friends (cm, rk):
2002 Wire, HBO-TV series: Call one
of his peoples!; 2003 Bad Boys II,
film: Two bags? You embarrassed me
in front of my people; 2007 Public
Enemy: Way back, my peoples gave
me pride
people of color phr. non-white people
(gs): 1994 Public Enemy: We runnin
outta time, people of color!; 2009
Ebony: For many years the bad guys
were people of color; 2009 New York
Times: It’s not hard to find gifts
created for and by people of color this
holiday season
peoples see people
perpetrate v. to pretend to be something
one is not (gs, jg, rk): 2001 Supafly:
I see niggaz perpetratin’ like they
lovin’ L.A.; 2009 Gucci Mane: You
fuckin player hater, bird-brain-ass
nigga perpetratin the boss; 2013 Jon
Connor: A lot of these rap niggas
perpetrate
phat adj. excellent or admirable (bk, gs,
jg, rk): 2000 Colorado Springs Gaz-
ette: Hernandez said the incident
began over the boys’ desire to steal a
phat car; 2000 Bamboozled, film: I’m
trying to live in a phat crib; 2002 8
Mile, film: We need fine bitches and
phat rides
piano n. spareribs, especially a single
section of boiled or barbecued sparer-
ibs (bk, cm, jg): 1994 Clarence
Major: Piano [is] spareribs; 2003
New York Times: It includes a glossary
of Harlem slang, in which piano on
 Glossary
a platter [is] spare ribs; 2009 E-
Subjects: Piano means spareribs
pimp1 n. [1] a man who exploits or is
supported by a woman (cm, gs): 2005
Be Cool, film: The way you’re dressed,
you’re either a pimp or a limo driver;
2010 Minneapolis Star Tribune: At the
time, it wasn’t too clear that he was a
pimp; 2013 Newark Star-Ledger: Gan-
dolfini was cast as a pimp [2] a seducer
or womanizer, especially if very skill-
ful (gs, rk): 1991 Ricochet, film:
I punch hos and I smack up niggers,
because I’m a pimp and a player; 2009
Bridge to Nowhere, film: I remember
back in the day, I was a pimp; 2010
Twitter: Bitch, you lookin’ at a real
pimp!
pimp2 v. to exploit or take advantage of
(cm, gs, rk): 1992 Arrested Develop-
ment: They do dirty work and get
pimped by mobsters; 2009 Field Negro:
Some are pimping ideology, some are
pimping fear, and some are even
pimping religion; 2009 Ebony: Pimping
technology in the 21st century has
made many things more convenient
pimpalicious adj. excellent or admirable:
2005 Young Buck: You gettin’ tempted
cuz I’m pimpalicious; 2006 New York
Times: The show ends with the owner’s
first glimpse at the pimpalicious ride;
2009 Urban Dictionary: Man, that new
car you bought is pimpalicious
pimped out adj. elegant, stylish or well-
dressed (jg): 2004 My Baby’s Daddy,
film: You look different, all pimped
out; 2006 Snoop Dogg: Which one of
y’all was checkin out this pimped out
playa?; 2010 Bright Side: I don’t actu-
ally know what Pau was wearing but
I am very confident that he was pimped
out
pimp juice n. [1] anything exciting and
attractive to the opposite sex, espe-
cially money or status: 2003 Love Don’t
Cost a Thing, film: Gotta have the
237
pimp juice!; 2005 Aaron Peckham: see
that shorty? She wants my pimp juice;
2010 Astraweb: She wanna get me for
my pimp juice [2] champagne, espe-
cially Crystal (rk): 2006 Snoop Dogg:
It’s a ninety percent chance she gon’
get pimp juice; 2006 Chicago Tribune:
Anyone find around 500 cases of pimp
juice under their Christmas tree?; 2008
Little Britain USA, HBO-TV series:
We would chill for a bit, have a glass
or two of pimp juice
pimp ride n. an expensive luxury auto-
mobile, especially if additionally
accessorized (cm, jg): 2007 VW
Vortex: I will never drive his pimp
ride; 2009 Dorrough: Ask around, bet
they tell you that I been fly, I had a
pimp ride; 2007 Baltimore Sun: He
should not be driving a pimp ride in
the hood
pimp-slap v. to slap someone with the
back of one’s hand across the face
(cm, gs, jg, rk): 2006 Scary Movie 4,
film: No one pimp-slaps Brenda!; 2009
Democratic Underground: I’m going to
pimp-slap the next person who says
that; 2009 I Can Do Bad All By Myself,
film: Say one more thing, and I will
pimp-slap you
pimptastic adj. excellent or admirable
(jg): 2005 Off Road: I got some new
pimptastic wheels; 2006 Super Cars:
Seattle is a pimptastic place; 2011
Urban Dictionary: That dress is
pimptastic
pimp walk n. a male style of walking or
strutting with a slight dip in the stride,
especially characteristic of pimps (cm,
jg): 2009 Yada Yada Bible: Well, that’s
where he got his pimp walk; 2009 Lib-
erty News Forum: I don’t like his pimp
walk. It’s unprofessional; 2010 Funny
Junk: You call that a pimp walk? It
looks like you need to take a dump
pink (or pinkie, pinky) n. potentially
offensive a white person, especially
238 Glossary
a woman (bk, cm, jg): 1996 Outkast:
The pinks moved in; 2013 AntiRacist
Workshop: The term was created by
pinks to deny responsibility for sys-
temic racism; 2013 Dead State: You
just proved your racism by pigeon-
holing all whites (you say pinks) and
Republicans
pinkie, pinky see above
pink toe (or pink toes) n. potentially
offensive a white person, especially
a woman (cm, gs, jg): 2010 Urban
Dictionary: Brother, I met this fine pink
toe last night; 2010 All Hip Hop:
Everybody in here is saying they don’t
find pink toes attractive. You fools is
gay! If one nigga can be honest so can
I: I love them!; 2011 Black Voices: The
last thing I will do is to teach a pink toe
how to satisfy my black kings
pink toes see above
pitch a bitch phr. potentially
offensive to complain (cm, gs, jg,
rk): 2002 New York Post: That way
nobody can pitch a bitch about a
late starting time; 2007 Gothamist:
A New Yorker would be the first to
pitch a bitch; 2009 Talk: My kids wer-
en’t allowed to pitch a bitch for any
reason
PJ’s n. housing projects for the poor (bk,
jg, rk): 2002 Wire, HBO-TV series:
What you doin’ down in the PJ’s?
You lost?; 2004 Everyday People, film:
The people from the PJ’s ain’t gonna
be spending their benjamins at Banana
Republic, right?; 2010 My Space:
Wyclef’s ‘PJ’s’ video was filmed in
Marlboro projects in Brooklyn
play v. [1] to womanize and take advan-
tage of women (gs): 1988 Too Short:
What is life? It is too short. I play
bitches like it’s a sport; 2003 Three 6
Mafia: You play bitches and I mack
hoes; 2012 New York University stu-
dent: Playing is not for me. I’m not a
playa [2] to deceive or outsmart (gs,
rk): 2000 Jay-Z: He’ll try to play you
twice; 2003 Wire, HBO-TV series: You
think brother played me? Can’t read
lying eyes after all these years’; 2011
Mechanic, film: They played you so
easily, that’s what bothers you
playa see player
playa hata see player hater
player (or playa) n. a womanizer who
takes advantage of women (cm, gs,
jg, rk): 2004 Two and a Half Men,
CBS-TV series: I’m a bad man, I’m a
player; 2005 Aaron Peckham: Lamar is
such a playa, I seen him with Nikki last
night but I know he’s with Amber, and
Latasha thinks she’s his girl. He’s
playin’ them all; 2009 Topix: Do you
continue with a guy knowing he’s a
player?
player hater (or playa hata) n. an envi-
ous person who is trying to prevent
someone from doing something suc-
cessful or funny (gs, rk): 2006 Phila-
delphia Inquirer: In his former
teammates’ eyes he’s essentially a
player hater; 2009 News, CBS-TV
program: Shame on you Mr. Lee and
any one else who is a player hater on
creative people; 2010 Washington
Post: Don’t be such a player hater
and give credit where it’s due
play out v. to lose value, meaning or
interest (gs, jg): 1995 Jayo Felony:
Will I ever play out? Nigga, you know,
never would; 2011 Atlanta Journal-
Constitution: The whole “keeping it
real” got played out after the first epi-
sode; 2013 Amazon: I thought it played
out fast
play past phr. to circumvent obstacles or
difficulties (cm, gs, jg): 1994 Clarence
Major: The bitch is stubborn, but I can
play past her bullshit; 2010 University
of Alabama student: You gotta play
past this stuff; 2012 Natural Freedom:
Most of the books tell you how to play
past that shit
 Glossary
play pussy and get fucked phr. very
offensive to act weakly and suffer
the consequences (gs, jg): 2008 Word
of South: They played her, she played
pussy and got fucked; 2009 YouTube:
Play pussy and get fucked. That’s
life; 2011 Facebook: For those who
don’t know me, play pussy and get
fucked!
play the Dozens phr. to tease, especially
by provocative rhyming comments in a
gamelike manner (gs, jg): 2006 Bobby,
film: You Mexican boys can’t play the
Dozens; 2010 Bleacher Report: After
all, who in their right mind wants to
hear Cornette and Russo play the
dozens?; 2011 Entertainment Weekly:
It meant to boost Fat Neil’s self-esteem
and dishing out more nasty comments
than Don playing the dozens
pluck n. wine, especially cheap white
(cm, gs, jg): 1995 U.N.L.V.: I didn’t
give a fuck, I was drinkin’ pluck; 2006
Afrocentric: They see them standing on
the corner drinking pluck; 2009 Wil-
liam Flores: These older hustlers
would grandstand on the Boulevard
while drinking pluck in plain view
po-lice (or PO-lice) n. police (gs): 1994
Tupac Shakur: Hoes snitched to the
PO-lice; 2009 Democratic Under-
ground: You’re wanted by the po-lice,
and my wife thinks you’re dead; 2010
Chappelle’s Show, WGN-TV pro-
gram: A black man would never dream
of talkin’ to the po-lice high, that’s a
waste of weed!
poor white trash (or po’ white trash,
P.W.T.) n. potentially offen-
sive a poor white person or poor white
people, especially from the southern
USA (cm, gs, jg): 2010 Atlanta
Journal-Constitution: It was just those
people, uneducated hillbillies, red-
necks, crackers, poor white trash;
2011 Entertainment Weekly: They both
are poor white trash; 2013 Straight
239
Dope: The P.W.T. were not on the
bottom, the blacks were
poot1 n. potentially offensive [1]
expulsion of intestinal gas through
anus (bk, cm): 2009 Blogspot: Does
his poot smell like mine?; 2009 Otaku
Booty: I didn’t necessarily hear a
poot, but I feel like someone might
have pooted; 2012 Imperfect Enjoy-
ment: He muffled his poot by pulling
his ass cheeks apart [2] excrement
(bk): 1986 Village Voice: Did she think
I usually walked around festooned in
pigeon poot?; 2009 Green Daily: I’ll
have to ignore you like a pile of dog
poot and ask you to mind your own
business; 2009 Yahoo Answers: Why
does my dog step on its own poop
when he goes outsie? [3] a contempt-
ible or despicable person (bk): 2009
Net Cees: This site doesn’t revolve
around you, you stupid poot!; 2011
Renn List: Previous owner has been a
real poot. Didn’t tell me about some of
the things that were wrong with the
car, until today; 2013 Date Hookup:
Aw come on, don’t be such a poot
poot2 v. potentially offensive to
expel intestinal gas through the anus
(bk, cm, gs): 2006 ATL, film: Which
one of y’all pooted?; 2009 Twitter:
I picked up my cat and he pooted on
me!; 2009 Fark: The real question is,
does your dog poot then turn and look
at its butt in surprise?
poot around v. potentially offen-
sive to waste time doing nothing (bk):
2004 Newsarama: Heck, I’d like to poot
around all the time too but you go to
work to do a job; 2009 YouTube: I’ve
got some great locations for you to
poot around!; 2009 Blogspot: It was
the first time in a very long time that
he and I went off like this for a whole
day just pooting around
poot-butt n. potentially offensive
a lazy, unmotivated or stupid person
240 Glossary
(bk, cm, gs, jg): 1998 King Tee:
You’ll look like a poot-butt!; 2001 Mal-
colm Kelly: “Some dudes just ain’t cut
out for this type of lifestyle.” “Are you
saying I’m a poot-butt?”; 2005 Afro-
centric: People are such poot butts
po-po n. police (jg, rk): 2002 CSI:
Miami, CBS-TV series: I don’t need
no po-po telling me what to do; 2008
Snoop Dogg: The po-po know, that’s
why they on my dick; 2009 Southland,
NBC-TV series: “Where’s the girl?
Where’s she at now?” “Po-po came
and got her”
posse n. a group of young people (cm, gs,
jk, rk): 1991 New York Magazine:
Children call their circle of friends
“crews” or “posses,” just like the
dealers do; 2006 American Dreamz,
film: Omer likes to hang out at the
mall, where his posse all know him;
2013 Los Angeles Times: Evan and his
posse stop at the Harley-Davidson
museum
pound v. to drink alcohol in large
amounts, especially beer (gs, jg):
1994 Los Angeles Times: He doesn’t
drink much of the hard stuff, but he
sure can pound beer; 2012 Atlanta
Journal-Constitution: Did Clay have
to pound beer the entire time?; 2013
Blogspot: Smokin’ pot, pounding
vodka and hangin’ with hookers –
and he’s still a better mayor than
Olivia Chow would be
po’ white trash see poor white trash
profile phr. to boast or act in a showy way
(bk, cm, gs, jg, rk): 1995 Mobb
Deep: Real niggas don’t try to profile;
1998 Mean Green: You out there profi-
lin’ for them bitches; 2009 Topix: Quit
your profiling, you really are a jerk
projects n. housing projects for the poor
(cm): 1998 Wu-Tang Clan: He’s an
ordinary cat from outta projects; 2004
Dave Chapelle: For What It’s Worth,
film: Cosby is a nigger from the
projects, and he might say some real
shit from time to time; 2009 30 Rock,
NBC-TV series: I was a kid living in
the projects
propers see below
props (or propers) n. proper respect (bk,
cm, gs, jg, rk): 1993 Ice-T: I get much
props because I roll with the hardcore
Gs; 1993 Us3: You’ve got to give me
props, I’m on the way to the top; 2009
Ebony: I give you props for your jour-
nalizing style
pump up v. to enliven or make more
exciting and stimulating (gs, jg):
1999 Bowfinger, film: If I had more
scenes with Kit, then that would really
pumped up our scenes; 2012 Mac Daily
News: I hear that Vince is available if
Apple needs to pump up the presenta-
tion a bit; 2013 Los Angeles Times:
They have wonderful source material,
yet there is some need to pump it up
pump up the volume phr. to play loud
music (gs): 2010 News, CMT-TV pro-
gram: Lynyrd Skynyrd pumped up the
volume with the lascivious “What’s
Your Name”; 2010 Olympian: It was a
small audience, but they pumped up
the volume, ending with a standing
ovation; 2011 Daily Maverick: I won’t
complain if you start to pump up the
volume
punk-ass adj. weak, timid or cowardly
(jg, rk): 2002 8 Mile, film: Fight me,
you punk-ass bitch! I could end your
shit now and nobody would even miss
your ass; 2005 Hustle and Flow,
film: There you go, running off to your
boys. Because you ain’t nothing but
a punk-ass bitch!; 2012 YouTube:
Punk-ass nigga runnin away, callin
for backup
put someone on front street phr. to
expose someone’s secrets in public
(gs, jg, rk): 2006 Randy Kearse:
I won’t let you put me on front street
like that; 2008 Black Planet: They know
 Glossary
how to take care of they man and don’t
put him on front street; 2009 Hip Hop
DX: He tried to use her as a joke, and
she put him on front street
P.W.T. see poor white trash
Q woman, she addresses the complexities
quick, fast and in a hurry see below
quick, fast, in a hurry (or quick, fast
and in a hurry) adv. very quickly or
fast (gs, rk): 1995 Major Payne, film:
I’m gonna fix that up quick, fast and
in a hurry; 1998 Los Angeles Times:
Quick fast in a hurry, I was makin’
crazy dollars; 2006 Big Momma’s
House 2, film: I don’t care when it
is, day or night, you just call me,
okay? And I’ll come runnin’ quick,
fast, and in a hurry
quiet as kept, quiet as it’s kept
see below
quiet is kept (or quiet as kept, quiet as
it’s kept) excl. let us keep it secret or
confidential (gs, jg, rk): 2003 E-40:
Quiet as it’s kept, I wanna retire but
I can’t; 2006 Randy Kearse: Quiet is
kept, I did hit dude’s girl over the
summer; 2013 Twitter: Quiet as it’s
kept, Steebie just paid off his debt!
R Boys: Think about it quick, and raise
race man n. a male African American
activist (gs, jg): 1998 New York Times:
What a race man signifies for the white
segments of our society is not neces-
sarily how a race man is defined for
various black constituencies; 2008
News, CBC-TV program: In America,
a race man is a black man who is
fiercely proud of his race and deeply
committed to the political and social
advancement of blacks; 2009 Ebony:
Despite his nerdy, oddball personality,
he is a race man, caught up in all
matters racial
241
race woman n. a female African Ameri-
can activist (gs, jg): 1992 Los Angeles
Times: Billie Holiday referred to her-
self as a race woman; 2002 New York
Newsday: I am a race woman, too, but
of a different sort; 2008 Ebony: A race
of miscegenation, inter-racial identity,
and bi-racial identity
Rada see below
Rado (or Rada) n. a Cadillac Eldorado
automobile (cm, gs, jg): 2004 Ultim-
ate Car Page: I’d have a big grin if
I got to drive a ’Rado everyday; 2008
Car Lounge: Should I chill out cause
I drive a rado?; 2012 Tumblr: Howzzit
you drive a Rado? I’mma get one soon
rain v. to complain (bk, cm): 2006 Public
Enemy: We rain on Babylon; 2010
New Schoolers: He rained on your
stupid thread sweep; 2010 Papers Past:
Shells began to rain about it
raise (or raise up) v. [1] to leave (bk, cm,
gs, rk): 1993 Menace II Society, film:
Nigger, hurry up! Come on, man! Let’s
raise up!; 2000 Paul Beatty: You four
motherfuckers need to raise. You all
ain’t none of my social support net-
work; 2012 Obie Trice: Nigga raise
up, you can get bucked [2] to leave
someone alone (jg, rk): 1993 Geto
up, bitch!; 2006 Randy Kearse: Raise
up dawg, can’t you see I’m busy; 2010
New York University student: Raise
up motherfucker!
raise up see above
rap1 n. [1] a style of African American
music where songs are rapidly spoken
rather than actually sung, rooted in
African American verbal tradition
(cm, gs): 2003 Los Angeles Times:
Whether you like rap or not, Eminem
has about as much claim to the top
Grammy as the winners of best spoken
word or liner notes; 2005 Village
Voice: It’s a good thing that white
242 Glossary
hipster kids listen to rap; 2008 Milwau-
kee Journal Sentinel: I listen to con-
temporary rap [2] a song that is rapidly
spoken rather than actually sung,
rooted in African American verbal
tradition (bk, cm): 1993 Us3: Yo, if
you’re proud and black, you’ll listen
to the rap; 2006 Public Enemy: We
back with the rap that packs the room;
2009 Rolling Stone: He did a rap on
one of Kool Moe D’s first albums [3] a
talk or conversation, especially with a
member of the opposite sex (cm, gs,
rk): 1991 Chicago Tribune: I thought
his rap was garbage; 2006 Randy
Kearse: Ya man’s rap is some trash;
2008 Philadelphia Inquirer: It was an
interesting rap about how the fastidi-
ous USA Network detective started a
resurgence in TV shows
rap2 v. [1] to peform a rap song (bk, cm):
1995 Tampa Tribune: A week later,
they were rapping original songs like
“Ain’t It A Shame”; 2000 Bamboozled,
film: We rap better than most niggers;
2004 Snoop Dogg: I know you dig
my rappin [2] to talk or converse, espe-
cially with a member of the opposite
sex (cm, gs, jg, rk): 1995 Melrose
Place, Fox-TV series: “Am I interrupt-
ing you?” “No, we were just rapping”;
2010 Huffington Post: Meetings often
involved women going around the
room and rapping about issues in their
own lives; 2013 Two and a Half Men,
CBS-TV series: “I had a tought morn-
ing!” “You wanna talk about it? Let’s
rap!”
rap battle n. teasing, especially by pro-
vocative rhyming comments in a
gamelike manner: 2010 Prefix Mag:
According to Busta, he lost a serious
rap battle to Jay-Z in high school; 2010
Hip Hop DX: One day, it was like at
the end of the school year, and we had
a rap battle in the middle of the school;
2010 Minnesota Daily: Minutes later,
they’re in a huddle just outside the
front entrance, surrounding two
among them in the heat of a freestyle
rap battle
rapper n. a performer of a rap song (bk,
cm): 1996 Get on the Bus, film: He’s a
rapper, not an actor; 1996 USA Today:
I think a lot of rappers will pay
homage to Tupac on their records;
2008 Ebony: I’ll say that 90 percent of
rappers grew up without fathers
rap song n. a song that is rapidly spoken
rather than actually sung (bk): 2006
Jay-Z: I’m singin’ dirty rap songs;
2008 Ebony: In numerous rap songs
rappers boast about their harems;
2009 Dallas Morning News: In the
video, Bennett performed a rap song
that included profanity
Rasta n. a Rastafarian, member of a cul-
tural and religious Jamaican movement
originating in Ethiopia, associated with
reggae music (gs): 1984 Bob Marley
and the Wailers: The Bob Marley
Story, film: Do you think any of the
Rastas have been involved in the kill-
ings?; 1998 Half Baked, film: If you
desperate, you can get it from the Ras-
tas at Washington Square Park; 2010
News, ABC-TV program: Among Bib-
lical verses Rastas quote as justifying
the use of cannabis is Genesis 1:11
raw1 adv. potentially offensive
without a condom (gs, rk): 2005 Real-
est Niggas: There’s a chick that I mess
with that has her tubes tied, so I’ll go
raw with her; 2006 Randy Kearse: You
mean you tell me you went raw with
Shortie?; 2010 New York Daily News:
Tiger is a fool to go raw with her but
I guess Tigers don’t get AIDS!
raw2 n. cocaine (gs, rk): 1997 Jay-Z:
I got that uncut raw; 2004 Master P:
You snort raw, I got Peruvian pure;
2009 Comeup BMX: We used to sniff
raw at his house every night cuz he
lived next to my dealer
 Glossary
raw dog1 (or raw dawg) n. poten-
tially offensive sex without a
condom (gs, jg): 2006 Perry Halkitis:
I just always called it raw dog, I didn’t
know barebacking. Different people
have different slang; 2009 Twitterific:
Him and Tila are having raw dog; 2010
Actionext: Straight up the ass, raw dog
with the rash and I don’t fuck wit the
condoms
raw dog2 (or raw dawg) adv. poten-
tially offensive without a
condom (gs, rk): 1997 Wu-Tang Clan:
She wanted niggaz to fuck her raw
dog; 2007 Where God Left His Shoes,
film: You’re gonna have to bag it,
because you can’t go raw dog these
days; 2009 Omar Tyree: She lets me
fuck her raw dog now, and cum all
up in her until her ears pop
realest adj. very real and authentic: 2008
Realest Niggas: That makes him the
realest rapper alive; 2010 All Aca-
demic: This is the realest ghetto shit
ever filmed; 2011 LA Weekly: This is
one of the realest reality shows on TV
real nigga see below
real nigger (or real nigga) n. very
offensive unless used by afri-
can americans an African Ameri-
can who is righteous, honest and
trustworthy: 2007 Urban Dictionary:
You don’t have to be a real nigga,
but it helps; 2012 Hopsin: A real nigga
stays out of jail, handles shit, and he
keeps focused; 2013 Twitter: I respect
real niggas, not these niggas that shoot
at people
rec n. a good time (rk): 2001 Lox: Some
niggas live for peace and some niggas
live for rec; 2006 Randy Kearse: This is
how I do my rec; 2010 Hoops Hype:
I’m not playing for rec. I’m playing to
win and I’ll do whatever it takes
recognize v. to show due respect and
recognition (gs, rk): 1993 Snoop
Dogg: Y’alls, niggaz, better recognize
243
and see where I’m comin from; 1994
Above the Rim, film: Recognize,
motherfucker!; 2008 Big Bang
Theory, CBS-TV series: “So in your
world, you are cool guys?” “Yep.
Recognize!”
Red, Black and Green n. a color com-
bination suggesting strong identifica-
tion with African Americans and their
experience (cm, gs): 1999 Black World
Today: I dream of the day when the
Red, Black and Green will be on proud
display by countless millions of Afri-
can people in this country; 2006 Hip
Hop Project, film: I see this brother
with a kufi on, red, black, and green;
2011 Press of Atlantic City: They
gathered to raise the Pan-African flag,
with its bold colors of red, black and
green, and to celebrate the successes
of African Americans
red bone n. potentially offensive a
light-skinned African American (cm,
jg): 1994 Nathan McCall: Liz thought
I preferred red-bones; 2004 Johnson
Family Vacation, film: “You is a hot-
buttered red bone! Look at you, girl!”
“Uncle Earl! Come man, that’s my
wife!”; 2009 Bernard Satterwhite: The
pretty red bone squinted her eyes at
Calvin
red eye n. a long and aggressive stare (gs,
jg): 2007 Blogspot: My cat is giving
me the red eye; 2009 Flickr: I feel a
little bit scared of his red eye; 2010
University of Mississippi student:
What’s with the red eye? What did
I do?
Remy n. Rémy Martin cognac: 1996 Jay-
Z: My function is to make much and
lay back sippin Remy on the rocks;
1999 Ice-T: Pop the Remy and kick
back; 2001 Mac Dre: We drinkin’
Remy, doin’ heavy drugs
rent party n. a party held to raise money
to pay rent by charging guests for
attendance (bk, cm): 1992 Wayne’s
244 Glossary
World, film: You got five bucks, you
can come to the rent party; 1993 Irving
Lewis Allen: One important aspect of
Harlem’s indigenous nightlife grew
from the custom of rent parties; 2001
New York Times: It was actually a rent
party to help the organist
rep see below
represent (or rep) v. to represent, support
and defend the reputation, especially of
where one lives (gs, rk): 2004 Wu-
Tang Clan: I rep Brooklyn, home of
the gangsta; 2003 Beaumont Enter-
prise: Though I rep my hood and
rep my city, my music was for every-
body from California to Cleveland
to Chicago to Washington DC to
New York; 2012 Los Angeles Times:
I think this generation of youth wants
to be able to “rep the hood,” as they
say
ride n. an automobile (cm, gs): 1991 Boyz
in the Hood, film: Is this your ride?
I want to drive it; 2000 Car and Driver:
Many of us regard BMW as the world’s
finest ride; 2005 Underclassman, film:
Vintage ’65 Stingray! Whose ride is
this?
righteous adj. excellent or admirable
(cm, gs): 1998 Wu-Tang Clan: Who is
these righteous motherfuckers with
their flags out?; 2005 Aaron Peckham:
Man, that lasagna was righteous!;
2009 Two and a Half Men, CBS-TV
series: This is some righteous chronic
righteous moss n. non-kinky hair, espe-
cially hair of a Caucasian sort (bk, cm,
gs, jg): 2000 That ’70s Show, Fox-TV
series: This righteous moss is a gift
from God; 2007 Demopedia: You mean
“righteous moss,” white peoples’
hair?; 2009 Democratic Underground:
Righteous moss is white people’s hair
right on excl. I approve or agree (bk, cm,
gs, jg): 2000 Bamboozled, film: “A
small victory, is it?” “Right on,
man!”; 2006 Two and a Half Men,
CBS-TV series: “We’re the bros and
this is our hood!” “Right on!”; 2007
Black August, film: “Let’s give it up
for Angela Davis!” “Right on!”
rilla (or ’rilla) n. a street tough guy or
thug (rk): 2008 Axe Murder Boyz:
Y’all know me, I keep it real for the
rillas, bustin’ off bullets in you sinners,
we the God’s killas; 2009 Highlifter:
You betta get you some rillas; 2010
Black Planet: You sayin’ you a rilla
when you knowin’ you not
rinctum n. the rectum (bk, jg): 2007
Thumblogger: To let his massive organ
dig deeper into mama’s rinctum, fella
holds her thighs tight; 2007 Blogspot:
Don’t badmouth me, you mother-
fucker. I’ll skin your rinctum; 2009
Wikipedia: Rinctum is apparently
slang for the rectum
rip it phr. [1] to have a good time (gs):
2009 My Space: You guys ripped it.
I had an awesome time, nice meeting
you all; 2010 Kool G. Rap: Look at my
life baby, I’m a eighties man rippin’ it,
legendary cat play the path for y’all to
get with it; 2013 Facebook: Last night
we was rippin’ it at the Fifth with
Guest DJ EFX! [2] to perform in an
excellent or admirable way (gs, rk):
2008 XXL Magazine: Kanye ripped it
last night; 2010 Rhymefest: We was
rippin’ it every night, givin’ fans their
fill; 2011 Black Voices: I saw them last
month and they ripped it
rip off v. [1] to swindle or cheat, espe-
cially by over-pricing (bk, cm, gs):
1991 My Own Private Idaho, film:
Who ripped me off?; 2007 Two and a
Half Men, CBS-TV series: You’re just
trying to rip me off; 2009 Ebony:
Jewish, Arab and Korean shop owners
had ripped off urban communities for
years, selling us stale bread, and bad
meat and wilted vegetables [2] to make
a copy of or imitate something, espe-
cially if done illegally (cm, gs): 1998
 Glossary
Philadelphia Inquirer: Did Joseph
Heller originate Catch-22 or did he
rip it off from another writer?; 2008
Washington Post: Why buy mobile
content when you can just rip it off
from the Web?; 2011 House M.D.,
Fox-TV series: I’ve seen “Pulp Fic-
tion,” you’re totally ripping off
ripoff (or rip-off) n. [1] a swindle, espe-
cially by over-pricing (bk): 1991 Simp-
sons, Fox-TV series: Eighteen bucks
for this? What a rip-off!; 2007 Gaines-
ville Sun: Another gigantic ripoff
happened years ago when oil com-
panies lobbied politicians to fund the
interstate highway system; 2010 Atlan-
tic Monthly: It seems like a ripoff to
pay around $100 [2] a copy or imita-
tion, especially if illegal: 1997 South
Park, Comedy Central TV series:
Dude, these dolls are cheap rip-offs;
2007 Free Republic: They seem to have
done a good job combating the Chi-
nese ripoffs (one of which I’m now
wearing); 2009 Ebony: The movie was
a rip-off of the more expensive 1967
“The Dirty Dozen,” costarring the
ultimate definition of black masculinity
Jim Brown [3] (or ripoff artist, rip-off
artist) a swindler, specially the one
who over-prices (bk): 2007 State: This
guy was saying I was a ripoff; 2008
New York Daily News: Prosecutors
say Warshak is a ripoff artist, while
defense lawyers suggest he was a
victim of his own success; 2009
Sacramento Bee: She fears she’ll fall
in with a ripoff artist who will take
advantage
ripoff artist, rip-off artist see above
rip on v. to criticize and disrespect (jg):
2008 ESPN: He’d rip on me for being
short and I’d fire back after he said
something stupid; 2011 Mesquite Local
News: In fact, during Xmas time I
had a hater rip on me for using the
term “Xmas”; 2011 Los Angeles Times:
245
Here I was, all ready with the bile,
ready to rip on the Grammys for giving
the trophy to Lady Gaga
roach (or ’roach) n. potentially
offensive a police officer (bk):
1991 Naked Lunch, film: The roaches
will shit themselves to death; 2008
Snoop Dogg: I done seen a lotta
roaches; 2010 YouTube: I guess the
roach wanted his chance at stardom
road dog (or road dawg) n. a close
friend, especially one who spends
much time with you (bk, gs, jg, rk):
2007 People Magazine: Usher was my
road dawg. I’d seen him love, and I’d
watched him date women who were
not worthy of him; 2007 Philadelphia
Daily News: I’m Lisa and I have the
pleasure of introducing my best friend,
my boo, my road dawg, did I leave
anything out?; 2010 Style List: I have
my childhood friends and Hollywood
friends and my homeboys and my road
dogs and my office staff
rock the house phr. to perform in an
excellent or admirable way (gs, rk):
2008 Ebony: Barack Obama was fash-
ionably late to Denver but promptly
rocked the house; 2010 Montgomery
County Courier: He rocked the house
playing a lot of his most popular songs
mixed in with some of his new mater-
ial; 2010 Boston Globe: Live bands
rock the house every weekend
Rokee (or ’Rokee) n. a Jeep Cherokee
automobile (gs): 2005 Monkey Cage:
He drives a Rokee; 2009 Wow 4X4:
It’s less work and cheaper to go buy
a new Rokee; 2009 Jeep Forum: This is
an old Rokee I used to have
roll (or roll out) v. to leave (gs, rk): 1999
Blue Streak, film: Let’s roll! Let’s get
out of here; 2003 Love Don’t Cost a
Thing, film: I really wanna roll out
with you guys; 2006 Monk, NBC-TV
series: Are you ready to roll?
roll out see above
246 Glossary
roughneck n. a street tough guy or
thug (rk): 1997 Charlotte Observer:
Recently he felt it had attracted some
roughnecks; 2010 Saturday Night Live,
NBC-TV program: He’s a roughneck,
but he looks like a young Denzel; 2013
Los Angeles Times: She knew he had a
criminal past. This chick liked
roughnecks
rusty-dusty n. the buttocks (bk, cm):
1999 B.B. King: Get up off your big,
fat rusty-dusty, don’t you hear me
woman?; 2009 Bossip: No one forced
him to get up off his rusty-dusty and
file that; 2010 Dolemite Ebonics: Get
off your ole’ rusty-dusty and bring me
back some cognac, biyatch!
S scaggy see skaggy
saddity see seddity
salt-and-pepper adj. interracial, espe-
cially occupied or patronized by
both African Americans and whites
(cm, jg): 1996 Tuscaloosa News:
Whites and black live together harmo-
niously. I like living in a salt and
pepper neighborhood; 2002 Dark Blue,
film: It was a salt-and-pepper team.
A safecracking spook and a blue-eyed
peckerwood; 2011 AZ Central: She
loves her salt-and-pepper neighbor-
hood, even though some buyers would
shy away from the Palomino area
where she lives
salty adj. irritated, angry or hostile (bk,
cm, gs, rk): 1996 Set It Off, film:
“Fuck all y’all!” “Cleo, don’t get
salty!”; 2009 Police World: You
shouldn’t get salty toward me from
talking down on these particular offi-
cers just because you yourself are a
cop; 2013 Bitch Magazine: People are
salty because she has the nerve to
show her real-woman boobs on TV
Sapphire n. a contemptible or despicable
woman, especially if aggressive (cm,
gs, jg): 2008 Word Press: Sapphires
are blamed for the weak position of
their men in society; 2012 Beyond
Black and White: That’s because
you’re an angry black woman, a Sap-
phire to be exact; 2013 Answers: One
of the most pervasive stereotypes of
African American women, Sapphire is
an overly aggressive, domineering
female
say what excl. give me more information
(bk, cm, gs): 1995 Heat, film: Say
what? You said his name was Slick?;
2001 Baby Boy, film: “I want to get
saved!” “Say what, bruh?”; 2009
Ebony: Whoopi says it wasn’t rape-
rape. Say what?
scag see skag
scandalous adj. untrustworthy and
deceitful, especially if ruthless (gs,
jg, rk): 2002 8 Mile, film: I heard that
bullshit. Wink is scandalous, dawg;
2006 Randy Kearse: Thanks to your
sister and her scandalous friends, my
girl found out; 2009 Ebony: She’s a
scandalous beauty
scank see skank
scanky see skanky
scratch n. money (cm, gs, rk): 2009
Babylon: If we sell these bottles, we’ll
have enough scratch to buy cigarettes;
2009 New York Times: We owe every
bookmaker at the track, and now we
are out trying to raise some scratch to
pay off; 2010 PC World: He didn’t even
have enough scratch to afford a ticket
scream on v. to criticize and disrespect
(gs, jg, rk): 1999 Dr. Dre: Then Miss
Thing tried to scream on my brethren;
2001 News, MTV-TV program: They
heard the album, now they want to
scream on me; 2009 World Star Hip
Hop: Niggaz should scream on him
for that
seddity (or saddity) adj. self-important
or arrogant (cm, jg): 1994 Atlanta
 Glossary
Journal-Constitution: His seddity col-
leagues in academia are faking the
funk by pursuing more arcane sub-
jects; 1998 Philadelphia Inquirer: Just
’cuz we got the mayor and the bishops
here, don’t get all saddity; 2007 Nah
Right: Bryant has the attitude of a
saddity white bitch
sell a wolf ticket (or sell a woof ticket)
phr. to threaten by using strong and
boastful language (cm, gs, jg, rk):
1986 Philadelphia Daily News: Selling
a wolf ticket means the act of intimida-
tion; 2006 Blogspot: Israel is selling
woof tickets about striking Russian
arms shipments; 2006 Wire, HBO-TV
series: Lester Freamon is not in the
habit of selling wolf tickets
sell a woof ticket see above
sell-out n. an African American who is
subservient to whites or adopts their
values and attitudes (gs, rk): 1994
Arrested Development: To me you’re
a sell-out and Uncle Tom; 2000 Bam-
boozled, film: You have been called a
traitor, a sell-out; 2009 Realest Niggas:
They’re sell-outs who got out the hood
and forgot where they came from
send v. to excite or arouse keen admir-
ation (cm, gs): 2008 Live Journal:
Quotes like this really send me and
turn me on; 2009 Well Sphere: There
were some recipes for scones in V-
Con, but no flavor combinations that
really sent me, and I didn’t have any of
the needed ingredients; 2010 Blogspot:
I’ve book-marked dozens of pages, so
as to more easily return to the poems
that really send me
serious adj. excellent or admirable (bk,
gs, jg): 2000 Geneva Smitherman: That
was a serious cake; 2008 Chicago Trib-
une: This is a very serious apartment;
2008 TMZ: They spent two years fixing
it, and turned it into a serious crib
serious as a heart attack phr. very ser-
ious (gs): 2000 Jealous Fellas: We
247
ain’t gonna play, nigga. We serious
as a heart attack; 2011 Bleacher
Report: Let me start off by saying that
this is strictly a rumor, so don’t take
this as serious as a heart attack; 2011
Youngstown Vindicator: They’ve gotta
know we’re as serious as a heart
attack
serve v. [1] potentially offensive
to provide sexual favors to (gs): 2000
Geneva Smitherman: I just want to be
the one to serve you; 2009 Literotica:
He telling me how he liked how his
latest bitch served him; 2010 Kanye
West: I used to serve that bitch [2] to
beat, strike or hit (gs, rk): 2009 You-
Tube: He stood up to the little faggot
and he got served; 2010 Dion Perkins:
That motherfucker got served; 2010
Gaia Online: I’m glad she got served
for what she did [3] to outdo one’s
opponent or competitor (gs, rk): 1999
Ice-T: I’ve served so many rappers;
2004 You Got Served, film: You’re
just mad ’cause tonight you suckas
got served!; 2006 Randy Kearse: She
served Shortie in the last set
set n. [1] a group of people (cm, gs): 2001
Snoop Dogg: I disrespect the set; 2008
Wire, HBO-TV series: We’ll do with
you and your set but no one else; 2009
Authorama: They did not belong to our
set. We had never been thrown
together before [2] a party or a social
gathering (bk, cm, gs, jg): 1990 Mo’
Better Blues, film: Nice set! You see
them girls out in front?; 2000 Paul
Beatty: Where the set at tonight?
I need to get loose; 2009 Blaster News-
letter: Gene pounding down beers all
through the set [3] a neighborhood
(gs, jg, rk): 1996 Don’t Be a Menace
to South Central While Drinking Your
Juice in the Hood, film: He’s the most
dangerous O.G. on the set; 1998 MC
Ren: We from the same set, but that
don’t mean shit no mo’; 2006 Psych,
248 Glossary
film: A murderer is wandering around
loose on my set
seven digits (or 7 digits) n. a telephone
number (jg): 1999 Washington Post:
You didn’t just go up to a girl and
ask her for her seven digits; 2002 8
Mile, film: Wink got more than seven
digits from your bitch; 2007 Sartorial-
ist: I need his seven digits cause this
guy is fly
seven-thirty (or 730, 7:30) adj. insane or
mentally unstable, especially if danger-
ous (jg, rk): 1998 DMX: I got an army
of 730 niggas that come through and
worry niggas; 1999 Kelis: Word is he’s
seven-thirty, all I know this so-called
psycho never hurt me; 2011 Pure Graf-
fiti: What 730 bitch came up with that
shit!
sex v. [1] to have sex (rk): 2004 Dirty
Shame, film: Let’s go sexing!; 2009
Yahoo Answers: If you have been
sexing for a while, then she probably
feels like a slut; 2010 Facebook: He
had a really interesting tattoo on his
penis and then oooppps! We were
sexing! [2] to have sex with: 1997
Jay-Z: I know what they want, they
want to sex me; 2007 Voice: The inci-
dent occurred in October, when she
discovered her husband had sexed
her niece; 2009 Squidge: He has been
careful and has been using condoms
every time he has been sexing her
sexcellent adj. attractive, especially sexu-
ally (rk): 2004 OC Weekly: That’s not
what we all want to learn about the
sexcellent Tawny K!; 2005 Aaron Peck-
ham: That was some sexcellent paral-
lel parking; 2009 Wordnik: Wow, that
is a really sexcellent unit
SFC (or S.F.C.) n. San Francisco, Cali-
fornia (jg): 2009 Bay Undaground:
How did you hook up with San Quinn
and Sky Balla from SFC?; 2010 City
Data: I am interested in purchasing a
home in SFC; 2010 Rap Music: The
most original soundz comin out from
SFC
shiznit n. [1] excrement (rk): 2005 Kid
Robot: I woulda taken a shiznit on the
floor right there; 2009 Us Magazine:
Obesity is a way bigger problem than
anorexia or bulimia and yet who gets
more shiznit?; 2013 University of Cali-
fornia student: The place reeked of
shiznit [2] nonsense (rk): 2007 Zach-
ary Scribe: I was confounded by all
this Mormon shiznit; 2010 Us Maga-
zine: You haters that believe that shiz-
nit are just as bad as the tabloids;
2010 Palm Beach Post: When I said
it, I wasn’t talking shiznit [3] some-
thing inferior or worthless (jg, rk):
2008 Body Building: Who in the effing
hell would buy this shiznit?; 2010
Yahoo Answers: Throw that shiznit
away before you hurt yourself; 2014
Twitter: This Shiznit is just too much
[4] something irritating (rk): 2005 PB
Nation: I need to get rid of this shiz-
nit; 2009 Facebook: I’m sick and tired
of this shiznit; 2013 My Space: Keep
that shiznit away from me [5] an
excellent or admirable person or thing
(jg, rk): 2005 Aaron Peckham:
Damn! Your new ride is the shiznit!
Lemme borrow it to drive by Mya’s;
2009 CNET: If you are a gamer
looking for a laptop that is under
$800 then this thing is the shiznit;
2010 My Space: She is the shiznit
and she is super sexy!
shizzle1 n. [1] excrement: 2006 Wake
Skating: I didn’t quite make it to the
bathroom on time and now I gotta
clean the shizzle off the back of my
calves; 2010 HF Boards: Hey, man,
we’re stopping for a shizzle; 2010 Uni-
versity of Alabama student: Dude, you
got shizzle on your shoe [2] nonsense:
2007 Muckracker: They are so full of
shizzle: every week it’s this and that
based on top secret evidence; 2009
 Glossary
Wake Skating: How did I ever listen to
this shizzle?; 2009 Big Bang Theory,
CBS-TV series: Bernadette, say some
shizzle about the dizzle! [3] something
inferior or worthless: 2002 Esato: Let
the piece of shizzle drain itself; 2007
My Space: I would also like to meet
girls who are fun to hang around with
not sluts or hoes or any of that type of
shizzle; 2008 Blogspot: I take full
responsibility for this shizzle [4] some-
thing irritating: 2000 University of Ten-
nessee student: Get rid of this shizzle,
it’s useless; 2006 Kentucky Krawlers:
I’m trying to get rid of this shizzle;
2006 Denver Broncos: Karma is a shiz-
zle [5] an excellent or admirable person
or thing: 2007 I Could Never Be Your
Woman, film: It’s called the “shizzle.”
It means the new cool stuff; 2009 My
Space: Dude that place is the shizzle!;
2010 CNET: Steve Jobs may try to say
that the iPad is the shizzle, but let’s all
admit that he gets an A for creativity
shizzle2 adj. certain: 2005 Pearl Drum-
mers Forum: Give us an honest
answer. Are you shizzle?; 2008 Fargo
Hardcore: I’m not shizzle if you
noticed, but it’s May 10th; 2010 Bebo:
Everything is shizzle
shoot the gift phr. [1] to rap very well
(cm, jg): 1988 Big Daddy Kane: As
I shoot the gift, MC’s stand stiff, while
my rhymes stick to you like Skippy and
Jif; 1992 Das EFX: Crazy Drayzie shot
the sheriff, and I shot the gift; 2005
Shad: Maybe he could tell me if I got
the talent. All I wanna do is shoot the
gift [2] to talk or chitchat, especially in
a graceful or convincing way (cm, gs,
jg, rk): 2006 Randy Kearse: Yo go
over there and shoot the gift to them
cuties; 2008 Google Groups: It would
be great to shoot the gift with you; 2009
Notorious B.I.G.: I ain’t got the time to
shoot the gift to hoes, I’m tryin to take
bankroll
249
shoot the shit phr. potentially
offensive to talk or chitchat (gs):
2005 Coach Carter, film: Yo! I’d love
to shoot the shit with you bitches all
night, but I gotta go; 2007 Time Out
New York: We shoot the shit, I make
dinner, and we watch TV; 2010 Village
Voice: He’s shooting the shit with guys
on the corner
short n. an automobile (cm, gs): 2003
Tom McArthur: Homeboy be steady
drivin dat short!; 1994 Clarence Major:
Short [is] an automobile; 2006 Tom
Arnold: “Cool short?” I asked. “Yeah,
cool short. You know, nice car”
shortie see below
shorty (or shortie) n. [1] a young person
(jg, rk): 1998 Wu-Tang Clan: The
shorties are watchin’; 2000 Jay-Z:
What’s the problem, shorty?; 2004
Wire, HBO-TV series: Can you see
that shorty sitting tight there? [2] a
young woman, especially one’s girl-
friend (gs, jg, rk): 2006 ATL, film:
We knew everybody from the security
guards to the hottest shorties; 2009
Dancehall Reggae: You know my ex
shortie. I think your new girl looks
bettah; 2009 Ebony: You can be my
shorty [3] a child (jg, rk): 2000 Paul
Beatty: Look at y’all niggers, niggers
I’ve known since back in the day when
we was shorter than shorties; 2006
Randy Kearse: I’m expecting a lil
shortie in November; 2012 Twitter:
This was my nigga when I was a
shortie
shout-out n. an acknowledgment given to
someone via the media, especially on
the radio or television show (gs, rk):
1993 CB4, film: Give ’em a shout-out!;
2006 Snoop Dogg: I gotta send this
shout-out to the Brownside too; 2009
Ebony: I have to say, getting a shout-
out from the Vice President is definitely
one way to end your trip on a positive
note
250 Glossary
show and prove phr. to provide hard and
concrete proof (gs, jg, rk): 1993 Ice-
T: You got black skin, still you gotta
show and prove, friend!; 2000 Jay-Z:
Y’all always pull that shit, but its time
to show and prove; 2011 Hip Hop
Press: He is an Asian American rapper
who stands to show and prove that
race is irrelevant as long as you have
will and talent
show someone some love n. to show
someone one’s respect or appreciation
(gs, rk): 2002 Wire, HBO-TV series:
Show me some fucking love, McNulty!;
2002 Paid in Full, film: You know, the
nigga definitely showed me some love;
2003 Black Planet: Show me some love,
don’t be a baller-blocker
shuck1 n. [1] deception or misleading
(bk, jg): 1996 Heaven’s Prisoners,
film: He was trying to give me some
sort of shuck about one of the people
on the plane; 2009 Democratic Under-
ground: Sounds more like he wants to
do a shuck; 2010 White Negro: Elec-
tions are rigged and the whole polit-
ical game is a shuck [2] someone who
deceives or misleads: 1998 My Giant,
film: I may sell Cadillacs, but I’m not a
shuck; 2008 Hot Rodders: It isn’t that
I feel something about the owner like
he is a shuck or something; 2010 Kites,
film: “How much do you want?” “I’ll
give you twenty thousand dollars.”
“You sick shuck!” “I’ll give you one
million dollars”
shuck2 (shuck and jive) v. [1] to deceive
or mislead (bk, cm, jg): 2008 Wire,
HBO-TV series: No shucking, no
jiving, just honest police work, how
about that, Jimmy?; 2008 Washington
Times: Several Obama folks cried that
“shuck and jive” is racial code for
deceit and cheating; 2011 Norman
Spinrad: Sophia was right about you.
Don’t try to shuck me any more [2] to
joke or tease (bk, cm, gs, jg): 1991
USA Today: Having just completed
his set, Mark Murphy is shucking and
jiving in the dressing room; 2000 Bam-
boozled, film: You’ll go singing and
dancing, shucking and jiving, good
fun home entertainment; 2008 Atlantic
Free Press: You can’t shuck and jive at
a press conference
shuck and jive see above
sick adj. excellent or admirable (rk):
2002 Big Fat Liar, film: He bought like
the sickest pad in the 90210. We’re
talking mondo bucks; 2003 Old School,
film: Everybody loves those guys. They
throw the sickest parties; 2009 Team
Ninja: The new Bugatti is one sick car!
sick dick phr. potentially offen-
sive a sexually transmitted disease
(rk): 1993 Onyx: He got too slick,
now he got a sick dick; 2007 Perez
Hilton: You would never look at a hot
piece of ass like her and think you
could get a sick dick but you can;
2009 Media Takeout: He got cursed
with the sick dick
sig (or sigg) v. to tease, especially by
provocative rhyming comments in a
gamelike manner (cm, gs, jg): 1989
Henry Louis Gates: He defines sigging
as “language behavior that makes
implications of baiting or boasting, the
essense of which is making fun of
another’s appearance, relatives”; 1994
Chicago Tribune: It’s sometimes called
“capping” or “sigging,” which is short
for signifying. The universal term is
playing the dozens; 2003 Urban Diction-
ary: This nigga be siggin cuz!
signify v. to tease, especially by provoca-
tive rhyming comments in a gamelike
manner (bk, cm, gs, jg): 2000 James
Haskins: There are many different
terms for playing the dozens, including
dissing, joning, ribbing, signifying
and sounding; 2009 Old Cop: He said
he’d been drinking in Rabbit’s and
someone started signifyin’ on him;
 Glossary
2010 Nathaniel Turner: We are the
masters of the dozens and signifying
silk n. potentially offensive a
white person, especially a woman
(bk, cm, gs, jg): 1987 Carsten Stroud:
Did the silks on the Knapp Commis-
sion ever ask about the rate of drug
busts?; 1994 Clarence Major: Silk [is]
a white girl or woman; 2010 Gaia
Online: Who’s a silk who keep doin
that?
silly-ass adj. very silly (cm, gs, jg): 1996
Ice-T: The silly-ass bitch is runnin
around with a gold chain; 2007 Black
August, film: Dress me up in that silly-
ass uniform and string metals around
my neck!; 2009 News, MTV-TV pro-
gram: They are the main people you
need in your life right now, not some
silly-ass boyfriend
since day one phr. from the very begin-
ning (gs): 1993 Us3: My main man and
me, we’ve been cool since day one;
2011 Muncie Star Press: They’ve been
there since day one; 2011 Computer-
world: I’ve had an iPad since day one
sis see sister
sista see below
sister (or sista, sis) n. an African Ameri-
can woman (bk, cm, gs, jg): 2002 8
Mile, film: If we don’t respect our
sisters, who will?; 2004 Snoop Dogg:
The cute lil sista with the fever blista
said that I dissed her; 2009 Urban
Daily: There’s nothing like a sexy
sister. I’m no racist, but I must admit
I don’t even look at white women in a
sexual matter
skag (or scag) n. an unattractive woman,
especially if also sexually promiscuous
(bk, cm, jg): 2000 Lawrence Journal-
World: You looked like a real skag;
2010 My Space: We all know she’s a
skag except for her ass; 2011 Chimp
Out: I’ve had women a lot better
looking than either of these scags,
and I’m ugly like ten mofos
251
skaggy (or scaggy) adj. unattractive, and
often sexually promiscuous (jg): 2009
Gamespite: Basically, she’s portrayed
as a skaggy middle-aged lady that every-
one tolerates because they need to meet
in her bar; 2009 USA Sex Guide: There
was this very scaggy, skinny ho hanging
out the door; 2009 Holy Lemon: She’s a
skaggy whore
skank (or scank) n. [1] an unattractive
woman, especially if also sexually pro-
miscuous (bk, gs, jg): 1994 Reality
Bites, film: That pales in comparison
to the tweaked-out little skanks you
date; 2001 John Moore: Man, she was
a real skank in high school; 2006 Joey
Hendrix: She’s a scank, I wouldn’t of
even touched her after you left [2] a
prostitute (bk): 2007 Shield, FX-TV
series: All the scanks you hired are
light-skinned with fine bodies; 2008
Cook, film: Those scanks will probably
end up gang-raped; 2009 Detroit Free
Press: My fiancée, who is very beauti-
ful with a vivacious personality, has
begun dressing like a total skank
skanky (or scanky) adj. unattractive, and
often sexually promiscuous (bk, jg):
2006 Dennis Rodman: I’m just not
gonna go through that anymore over
some skanky chick; 2010 Us Magazine:
I’m sick of having this truly beautiful
woman compared to scanky Jolie; 2011
Hollywood Life: If you asked me to
describe Brooke, words like “skanky”
and “insecure” would quickly come to
mind
skate v. [1] to leave: 1980 Blues Brothers,
film: Everything’s gonna be all right.
Let’s skate; 2000 Jay-Z: It wasn’t fair
to tell you to wait, so I told you to
skate; 2000 Snoop Dogg: I appreciate
the way y’all skate when the clock hit
eight [2] to get away with something,
especially to avoid paying a debt
(bk, cm, jg): 1991 David Simon: They
could both skate any controversy by
252 Glossary
scarificing Worden; 2009 Southland,
NBC-TV series: You know how many
times we tried to take her away? She
skates every time; 2009 Michigan
Credit Lawyer: Consumers beware!
You may have skated past the creditor,
but you may not be as lucky with the
I.R.S.
skeeze1 n. a sexually promiscuous woman
(jg): 1985 Krush Grove, film: I heard
you was with some skeezes last night;
2002 Crossroads, film: Everyone thinks
you’re a trailer-trash skeeze; 2008
Tenth Circle, film: Man, what do you
care? She’s just some skeeze you
dumped
skeeze2 v. to have sex with (gs, jg, rk):
2006 Randy Kearse: All he’s tryin’ to
do is skeeze you; 2009 Baller Alert:
I don’t know whether he married her,
or just skeezed her; 2009 Film Bug:
I wish I could skeeze her
skeezer n. a sexually promiscuous
woman (bk, cm, gs, jg, rk): 1992
Dr. Dre: The bus is full of skeezers;
1993 CB4, film: I am not a girlie, a
skeezer, a hoochie or a stunt. And most
certainly, not a ho; 2002 25th Hour,
film: She ain’t nothing but a spic
skeezer
skeezy adj. sexually promiscuous: 1990
Grand Daddy I.U.: My man Easy Rick
picks a skeezy chick; 1999 10 Things
I Hate About You, film: I’m a crack
whore who should have made my
skeezy boyfriend wear a condom?;
2008 Word Press: His skeezy girlfriend
is a sexual magnet for everyone except
him
skillz n. [1] ability to rap very well (gs):
1994 Michigan Daily: However, Da
Brat’s rapping skillz aren’t all that;
2005 Louisville Courier-Journal:
Shaq’s rapping skillz are indeed ques-
tionable; 2010 Rap Weekly: He is an
inspiring and talented emcee who is
constantly improving his rap skillz [2]
high ability in any area (gs, jg): 2011
ZDNet: It took some very clever
hacking skillz to crack that terrible
Windows security shell; 2011 Chicago
Tribune: Po is a sixth member of the
Furious Five, meting out justice with
his mad kung fu skillz; 2013 Facebook:
Wow, sista had skillz!
skin and grin phr. to act in an overly
friendly and happy manner (gs, jg):
2005 Blogspot: They’ll skin and grin
while they are getting what they want
from you; 2007 Berkeley Daily Planet:
I’ve always been about doing my job,
never about skinning and grinning in
front of the camera; 2011 Atlanta
Journal-Constitution: I’m pleasant but
I don’t skin and grin
skins n. [1] sex or the sex act (gs, rk):
1999 Ice-T: We hit skins all weekend.
We didn’t even eat, we just hit em
again; 2006 Randy Kearse: How was
the skins?; 2009 Notorious, film: Give
me the skins without askin’ [2] women
as sex objects or partners (gs): 1993
Us3: I don’t give a damn anyway,
hey, skins are skins!; 1998 Belly, film:
Make them skins cry!; 2013 Twitter: We
ain’t lookin for skins, we lookin for
beautiful women with their head on
skrill (or skrilla) n. money (jg): 2005
Aaron Peckham: Shit, even with this
job, I need more skrilla; 2006 Blue
Light: The mothafucking G’s making
plenty of skrill; 2008 XXL Magazine:
It’s good that he’s lookin’ for alternate
routes to obtain some skrilla
skunk n. very strong marijuana (jg, rk):
2000 Snoop Dogg: I got fat bags of
skunk; 2007 Washington Post: He
had been suffering from paranoid
schizophrenia and regularly smoked
skunk; 2009 Notorious, film: I’m far
from cheap, I smoke skunk with my
peeps all day
slam v. potentially offensive to
have sex with (gs, jg, rk): 1997 Liar
 Glossary
Liar, film: You had sex with her? You
slammed her?; 2009 Word Press: You
want to slam her butt; 2013 Literotica:
Davey continued to slam her from
behind
slam dunk n. something or someone cer-
tain to win, especially with ease (cm,
gs): 2011 Cherry Hill Courier Post:
Emerson was confident his pick was a
slam dunk; 2011 Pittsburgh Post-
Gazette: It was a slam dunk a couple
of weeks ago that Pitt would win the
Conference; 2011 News, KGBT-TV
program: I thought it was a slam dunk.
I really thought I had the job
slam-dunk v. to win or defeat someone
easily: 2011 Indianapolis Star: We’ve
been given a closer look at the Repub-
lican agenda that would have been
slam-dunked, with only a minimum of
debate; 2011 Motley Fool: Its deal
could lure in new customers while
slam-dunking some of Starbucks’ plans
for a better foothold in the market;
2011 NOLA: Yes, we can do it, we
want to slam-dunk the test
slamming (or slammin’) adj. excellent or
admirable (cm, gs, rk): 1992 Juice,
film: “Was the last party serious?”
“It was slammin’”; 2009 Scrubs,
ABC-TV series: Elliot has a slammin’
tushie; 2009 Spring Breakdown, film:
“Gayle, what are you wearing?” “My
boo loaned it to me. Slammin’, huh?”
slang v. to sell drugs (gs, jg): 2004 T.I.:
Niggas slanging blow, pimping hoes;
2007 Urban Justice, film: That way
I can get a bird’s-eye view of my terri-
tory. I can watch the little soldiers
slanging and banging; 2012 Currensy:
My young niggas slanging where them
users is
slap skins (or slap the skins) phr. to
have sex (jg): 2009 Urban Dictionary:
I wanna slap skins with Tanya real
bad; 2009 Vagrant Cafe: I also
dreamed that Beth Jackson and
253
I were slapping skins; 2009 My Space:
Ruksie went to The Game concert last
night, fucking slapped skins with him!
slap someone five phr. to shake hands
with someone or slap someone’s hand
in greeting or congratulation (bk, cm):
1999 New York Post: He would always
give me a hug or slap me five or what-
ever; 1999 Kansas City Star: He
slapped me five and we went on; 2010
DMX: You don’t gotta slap me five or
give me a hug
slap someone some skin phr. to shake
hands with someone or slap someone’s
hand in greeting or congratulation (jg):
2007 Yahoo Answers: Your boss tries
to dentify with you by saying “slap me
some skin, bro”; 2009 Atlanta Metro-
mix: Slap me some skin, buddy!; 2010
Huffington Post: Slap me some skin,
baby!
slap the skins see slap skins
slave n. a job (bk, cm, gs, jg): 1986 New
York Magazine: You got a job, man.
You got a slave; 1990 Scott Newhall:
He couldn’t get a slave, he apparently
drank all the travel money up; 2009
Experience Project: Are you looking
for a new slave?
slide v. to leave (cm, gs, rk): 1992 Dr.
Dre: Don’t think I forgot and I’ll let
you slide; 1998 He Got Game, film:
Let’s slide off to A.C., J-man!; 1999
Lil Keke: Let’s slide and ride, hit a
mall or two!
smart-ass adj. annoyingly knowledge-
able and arrogant (cm): 1986 Young-
blood, film: He’s just a smart-ass kid;
1996 Black Sheep, film: Donnelly had a
smart-ass comment to make after
everything I said; 2013 Huffington
Post: You’ll find somebody making a
cynical, hateful, or smartass remark
smash1 v. potentially offensive to
have sex with (gs, rk): 2004 Snoop
Dogg: I come to smash yo’ ass; 2006
Randy Kearse: How long did it take
254 Glossary
you to smash shortie?; 2010 Campus
Gossip: She was a virgin, my nigga
smashed her
smash2 n. wine (bk, cm, jg): 1994 Clar-
ence Major: Sam can’t get along with-
out his smash first thing in the
morning; 2009 Art Primo: I’m gonna
do a vid of me drinking smash; 2010
Orbiter Forum: He may have had too
much smash at that point
smoking (or smokin’) adj. excellent or
admirable (rk): 2000 Ice Cube:
I can’t exactly blame him: she’s one
smokin’ ho’; 2008 Wrestler, film:
Damn, look at you! You are really
smokin’, baby!; 2008 Chattanoogan:
How about that smokin car in the
commercial?
snake1 n. a traitor, especially an inform-
ant (cm, gs, rk): 2006 Dreamgirls,
film: Boy, you’re a real snake!; 2007
Wu-Tang Clan: Keep niggaz outta ya
face who are snakes; 2009 Jay-Z: He’s
a fuckin’ snake, you niggaz are fuckin
blind to facts!
snake2 v. to betray, especially by being an
informant (rk): 1986 Delta Force,
film: Those bastards snaked us, boss!
I’m gonna go get ’em!; 2006 Sherry
Baby, film: You snaked me with that
bitch, Bobby. I can’t trust you; 2010
Runways, film: I’ve got some bad
news. He snaked us
snap1 v. to tease, especially by provoca-
tive rhyming comments in a gamelike
manner (bk, cm, gs, jg, rk): 1994
Philadelphia Inquirer: Snapping is
closely related to other forms of verbal
expression common among black folk;
2000 Outkast: We be readily rappin’
and snappin’; 2009 Twitter: I’m a
person who loves to snap
snap2 n. a retort or provocative rhyming
comment made in a gamelike manner,
especially in order to tease (cm, gs, jg,
jk): 2006 John Ridley: He used to
crack wise. Call it snaps, call it the
dozens. Call it a sense of humor; 2008
Frontlines: It’s the little bitter snap you
made before you took the time to post
your honest opinion that got the
intended reaction; 2011 Kent Harmon:
He seemed to ignore his snap and
continued
snow1 n. potentially offensive a
white person, especially a woman
(cm, gs, jg): 1994 Clarence Major:
Snow [is] a white female; 2007 Trik
Forum: I hate those fuckin’ snows,
especially that fuckin fag; 2005 Urban
Dictionary: Let’s go pick up some
snows to bang
snow2 adj. potentially offensive
(of a person) white (jg): 2012 Brown
Pride: Do I need to state the obvious?
She’s a snow girl. I’m not into white
chicks; 2012 SOHH: Z-RO has more
talent than Ti but Ti sells more records
because the snow girls like Ti and if
the snow girls like you, you’re going to
sell records; 2013 YouTube: It leads to
an affair with a sexy snow vixen
snowball n. potentially offensive
[1] a white person: 2007 Forum Site:
I’m white but if someone called me a
snowball, I would laugh; 2010 All
Recipes: If the woman was here, you
wouldn’t call her a snowball, would
you? Of course not, we don’t know her
ethnicity; 2011 Tumblr: Niggas always
tryin to start shit wit dem snowballs [2]
an African American man with white
hair (cm): 1994 Clarence Major: Snow-
ball [is] a “Negro” male with white
hair; 2012 Columbia University stu-
dent: They called him a snowball
because his hair was white; 2012
Django Unchained, film: Who the hell
are you calling a “snowball”?
snow bunny n. potentially offen-
sive a white woman, especially young
(gs): 2003 Shredder, film: Look at the
snow bunny! Hey, hottie! Over here!;
2005 Hustle and Flow, film: I got a
 Glossary
snow bunny and a black girl too. You
pay the right price and they’ll both do
you; 2009 YouTube: I got these two
snow bunnies in Venice Beach
snowflake n. potentially offensive
a white person (jg): 1986 Vamp, film:
I thought that snowflake had killed
you; 2005 Prison Break, Fox-TV
series: You think you can play me,
snowflake?; 2009 All Hip Hop: It don’t
matter if I marry Suzie, the fuckin’
snowflake
some n. sex or the sex act (cm, gs): 2000
Geneva Smitherman: She was actin all
evil, girl musta need some; 2002 For da
Love of Money, film: There’s three
future baby mamas up in here tonight.
If you had some rhythm, maybe you’d
be gettin’ some; 2004 Snoop Dogg:
I just gotta know before you let me
get some
sorry-ass adj. pathetic or contemptible
(jg): 1995 Strange Days, film: Pussy-
whipped, sorry-ass motherfucker!;
2008 Rocky Mountains News: He is
not going to win this election, the
Republicans are a sorry-ass party,
but the Dems are even worse; 2010
Pro Football Talk: Sean Jensen is a
sorry-ass replacement for Brad Biggs
on the Chicago Sun-Times Bears beat
soul n. the essence of blackness, espe-
cially instinctive and emotional qual-
ities (bk, cm, gs, jg): 2001 Busta
Rhymes: Feel the soul up in my raps;
2004 Rochester City Paper: The boy
proved he’s got soul when he threw
out a little Sam Cooke; 2013 University
of California student: The kid’s got
soul when he dances
soul brotha see below
soul brother (or soul brotha, soul
brutha) n. a fellow African American
man (bk, cm, gs, jg): 1987 Full Metal
Jacket, film: She says no boom-boom
with the soul brother; 1998 Fat Boy
Slim: Check it out now, funk soul
255
brother!; 2006 Los Angeles Times: This
was right after the riots, so it was scary
for a soul brother like me on the streets
soul brutha see above
Soul City n. Harlem, New York (bk, cm,
jg): 1998 Boston Herald: Guests got to
hear some great live music from Soul
City; 2006 Black Issues book review:
Welcome to Soul City!; 2010 Book
Reporter: We’re paying tribute to Afri-
can American history and pop culture
in Soul City
soul food n. food characteristic of and
preferred by African Americans (bk,
cm, gs, jg): 2006 New York Daily
News: An eclectic spread of soul food
and a house full of family and friends
await Lil’ Kim when she arrives home;
2009 Buffalo News: If Obama has a
craving for soul food, the smothered
pork chops at Gigi’s will give him the
strength to go on; 2009 Ebony: Gullah
spices make meals taste differently
than traditional soul food
soul language n. African American Ver-
nacular English or, broadly, African
American speech (cm, jg): 1982 Sports
Illustrated: He was very hip black
fellow who spoke soul language; 1987
Pittsburgh Press: They’ve got soul lan-
guage. I envy the black person who
can do soul; 2008 News, BBC-TV pro-
gram: He could talk the soul language
of a black man
soul patch n. a small patch of facial hair
just below the lower lip, popular espe-
cially among African American musi-
cians (jg): 2001 Josie and the
Pussycats, film: Everybody knows
I shaved into a soul patch for the
video; 2002 Tuxedo, film: “If I were
you, I’d get rid of the mildew on the
chin.” “My soul patch?”; 2011 Just Go
with It, film: “His name is Brian.”
“The guy with the grey soul patch?”
soul shake n. an intricate handshake to
demonstrate solidarity, popular among
256 Glossary
African Americans (cm, gs, jg): 2007
Schenectady Daily Gazette: Foster is
not sure if the soul shake is completely
out of fashion; 2010 Sports Illustrated:
Scott Levy Mark exchanges a soul
shake with Ryan McCarthy; 2010
Esquire: He gives the guy a strong soul
shake followed by a hug
soul sista see below
soul sister (or soul sista) n. a fellow
African American woman (bk, cm,
gs, jg): 2000 St. Louis Post-Dispatch:
Beck is armed with a pair of singing
soul sisters; 2000 Rat Race, film: It’s a
sizzling, three-way, backdoor action
featuring two sexy soul sisters; 2011
Black Planet Universe: That requires
a real soul sister who can embody the
role
soul sound n. a moving form of popular
music rooted in African American
tradition, especially rhythm and blues
(cm, gs): 2011 Boston Standard: The
group guarantee to fill the dance floor
and create a great party atmosphere
providing a big soul sound; 2011 USA
Today: Lauren Turner goes for a retro
soul sound with Etta James; 2011
Boston Globe: It gave birth to an espe-
cially rhythmic soul sound in the 1960s
Soulville n. [1] Harlem, New York (cm):
2006 James Short and Lorine Hughes:
They were less prone to appropriate
the symbolism of African American
gangs in Los Angeles than their Afri-
can American peers in Soulville; 2009
Yahoo Groups: I was born in Soulville,
so I guess I appreciated the change;
2010 Soul Source: Bless everyone out
there in Soulville! [2] any African
American neighborhood (cm): 2010
Donna Murch: The AAA organized
marches from one library to another
to popularize themes of education in
Oakland’s black neighborhoods,
which Warden affectionately referred
to as “Soulville”; 2010 Mike Spector:
It took place in North Philly, in a place
they called Soulville; 2013 University
of California student: This part of town
was called Soulville
sound v. to tease, especially by provoca-
tive rhyming comments in a gamelike
manner (cm): 2000 James Haskins:
There are many different terms for
playing the dozens, including dissing,
joning, ribbing, signifying and
sounding; 2010 Black Voices: The
game, always always played by teen-
age males of inner cities, is known as
“sounding” (hurling a direct insult at
the opponent); 2010 Miss Info: Shyne
shouldn’t be provoking anymore
sounding
spike v. to shoot (bk): 1990 Death War-
rant, film: He was my friend who got
spiked in the head. Maybe you know
who did it; 2009 Sox Blog: I think what
scared us is we thought he got spiked;
2010 Shroomery: You should spike the
motherfucker who did it, that’ll show
’em what’s what!
splib n. a liberal African American who
opposes racial discrimination but will
not challenge the status quo (bk, cm,
gs, jg): 1995 Ricardo Cortez Cruz: He
called me a splib, then grabbed his
dick and gave me the finger; 2009
Topix: One time, this whitey called
me a splib; 2009 Slate: Throughout
the Marine Corps blacks were known
as “splibs”
split (or split the scene) v. to leave (bk,
cm): 1996 Get on the Bus, film:
I figured that if I just split, then the
problem would go away; 2003 Human
Stain, film: He tried to fuck me, that’s
why I split; 2006 New York Newsday:
Angel keeps goading him to split the
scene with her
split the scene see above
square bidness, square biz see below
square business (or square bidness,
square biz) phr. seriously, sincerely
 Glossary
and without doubt (gs, jg, rk): 1999
Summer of Sam, film: “We gotta be
straight to each other. Man to man,
square business, OK?” “I’m serious”;
2007 Urban Dictionary: “I just fucked
Monique!” “No, you didn’t!” “Square
business”; 2009 Real Talk NY: Yo,
square business, this song is tough
stank (or stanky) adj. [1] stinking (cm,
jg): 1994 Above the Rim, film: Can he
wash his stanky ass?; 2001 Down Time,
film: You’re the only garlic-eating
motherfucker around here. You are
one stanky motherfucker!; 2002 25th
Hour, film: Most women won’t stick
with a guy with stank breath [2] con-
temptible or irritating (gs): 2010 Pro
Football Talk: Philly is a stank city
with a stank team; 2011 Topix: Please
inform him of what a nasty lying stank
whore his wife is!; 2013 Twitter: You
nasty skank mofo, I will fucking cut you
[3] (of a woman) sexually promiscu-
ous: 2000 Cypress Hill: That’s right,
you’re a stank hoe!; 2006 Wire, HBO-
TV series: “Stanky ho!” “Fuck yo!”;
2008 Prince Online Fan Community:
The reason why I call her a stank bitch
is because she had the nerve to date my
buddy while she was married!
stanky see above
step v. to dance (cm, jg): 2009 Jay Elec-
tronica: Niggas wanna step but their
legs too short to salsa; 2011 Hood
Up: I had no idea you know how to
step; 2011 Blogspot: Hearing this song
makes me want to get out on the dance
floor and step!
steel n. a firearm (cm, jg, rk): 1995
Clockers, film: I’m gonna bring my
steel and pump bullets in your ass;
2004 Snoop Dogg: I know killers in
the street with the steel; 2010 My
Space: Situations like this, packing a
steel is a must
stone1 adj. extreme or total (bk, cm):
2008 Word Press: He’s also a stone
257
psycho, shooting men dead for no
reason at all beyond his own amuse-
ment; 2009 Urban Dictionary: Elton
John is a stone faggot!; 2010 Seattle
Times: He’s a stone bigot with little
education
stone2 adv. extremely or totally (bk, cm,
gs): 1995 Just Cause, film: He did a lot
of damage to her after she was dead.
It’s like he just went stone crazy; 1998
Hope Floats, film: You mean you’re
stone sober? You just look awful;
2002 Los Angeles Times: Are they all
stone stupid?
straight adj. all right, satisfied (gs, jg,
rk): 2006 Randy Kearse: We straight
after this; 2012 New York Times:
Obama declined to accept the change
from a black cashier with the statement
“Nah, we straight”; 2013 Twitter: I’m
trynna do this maybe like December
15, you straight with that?
street nigga see below
street nigger (or street nigga) n. very
offensive unless used by afri-
can americans a lower-class Afri-
can American, especially involved in
some illicit activity: 2001 Mr. Marcelo:
I’m a street nigga, from the top of my
head to the bottom of my feet nigga;
2005 Hustle and Flow, film: You ain’t
know you fuckin’ with a street nigga;
2009 Real Good Rap: The beat sucks,
the lyrics suck, the song isn’t about
anything except being a street nigger,
which sounds to me like a made up
profession
streetwear n. casual clothes that reflect
hip-hop and skateboarding styles of
dressing (gs): 2011 New York Times:
They are two variations on streetwear;
2013 Chicago Magazine: The store
specializes in fashion streetwear and
accessories; 2013 Twitter: Streetwear
has gone too mainstream
strung out adj. in love (bk, cm, gs): 1995
Clockers, film: Listen to me, he’s all
258 Glossary
strung out; 2009 He’s Just Not That
Into You, film: “There’s no girl!”
“You can’t hide it, man. I know strung
out, and you are strung out!”; 2009
Goodreads: I admit, I’m really strung
out on her
strut one’s stuff phr. to display one’s
virtuosity, especially in a provocative
or uninhibited way (bk, cm, gs, jg):
2009 Cheating Ways: So, slip into that
sexy little costume and strut your stuff!;
2010 Big Bang Theory, CBS-TV series:
Please, Sheldon, let’s go out! I need to
strut my stuff!; 2011 New York Daily
News: Perry looked ready to strut her
stuff
studio gangsta n. a rapper who poses as a
gangster (jg): 1996 Boston Herald:
Tupac is an example of someone who
started out as a studio gangsta but
ended up real gangsta; 2001 Village
Voice: With all of his tough talk, a
skeptic might wonder if Shyne isn’t just
a studio gangsta; 2003 San Francisco
Chronicle: He was no studio gangsta
stupid fresh adj. excellent or admirable
(bk): 1998 Fayetteville Observer: That
was a stupid fresh jam last night; 2009
Julz Design: Tune in to get a supid
fresh taste of the audible elements of
Hip Hop: Emceeing, Beat Boxing, and
DJ’ing; 2012 Twitter: Shoutout to my
nigga Hamid for the cut, it’s stupid
fresh
style (or style and profile) v. to boast or
act in a showy way (cm, gs, jg, rk):
2001 Black Knight, film: Homie, may
I make a suggestion? Ikea! Get some
end tables, some of them $5 lamps, and
a futon. Then you’ll be stylin’; 2002
Chicago Tribune: It was time to quit
styling and focus on the pursuit of their
state championship; 2010 Charlotte
Observer: Yes, this year as our guests
arrive, they can style and profile for
the paparazzi on the green carpet
during the reception
style and profile see above
styling (or stylin’) adj. fashionable or
popular (jg): 2001 What’s the Worst
that Could Happen?, film: Just like
them glasses you got on. You got in
the mirror, you thought you were sty-
lin’; 2004 Veronica Mars, UPN-TV
series: “Check out the LeBaron!”
“Stylin’!”; 2010 King of Paper
Chasin’, film: I was gonna hit the
streets in some stylin’ shit, in some
“oh shit” type shit
suck-ass adj. [1] contemptible or despic-
able, especially if servile (cm, jg):
1980 Elmore Leonard: [He was] refer-
ring to Robinson as suck-ass Uncle
Tom; 1999 Mystery Alaska, film: “Read
him his rights.” “Fucking suck-ass
fucker!”; 2009 Men’s Health: They
were just suck-ass employees and no
one missed them [2] useless or point-
less (jg): 2004 Dodgeball: A True
Underdog Story, film: I’ve got three
weeks to whip you suck-ass failure
junkies into shape; 2006 Democratic
Underground: She’s a suck-ass whiney
little bitch; 2007 Blogspot: It’s been a
suck-ass week in shitsville
sugar daddy n. a male lover who sup-
ports a younger mistress (cm, rk):
1990 Wild Side, film: He wants to be
my sugar daddy; 2005 Two and a Half
Men, CBS-TV series: Horman here is
her sugar daddy; 2010 Atlanta
Journal-Constitution: Women are out
looking for a sugar daddy to take
care of them, so they can remain little
girls
sugar mama (or sugar moma) n. a
female lover who supports a younger
lover: 1999 Big Daddy, film: Don’t
worry about money. I am in love with
a beautiful girl who makes plenty of it.
She’ll be my sugar mama; 2010 Us
Magazine: How could he afford that
ring? I guess she’s the sugar mama;
2010 San Jose Mercury News: First of
 Glossary
all I’m not looking for a sugar mama,
I have my own money
sugar moma see above
superfly adj. [1] elegant, stylish or well-
dressed (gs): 1998 Alice Walker: The
superfly image spread throughout the
community; 2006 Hannah Montana,
ABC-TV series: All you superfly guys
and you foxy ladies, it gives me great
pleasure to introduce the King of Fun-
kytown; 2007 Gangland, film: He had
his superfly clothes on, he always had
a bunch of good-looking women
around [2] excellent or admirable
(bk, gs, jg): 2002 I Spy, film: “You
wanna see something cool?” “Man,
this is some superfly, superspy shit!”;
2009 Susan Boyd: Although he dresses
cool and has a superfly car, he’s not
shown wearing a lot of bling; 2010
Bebo: Can a superfly Harlem dude
beat the system?
sweat v. to give someone too much atten-
tion (jg, rk): 1998 He Got Game, film:
She was sweating you; 2002 Jay-Z: No
need for you to ever sweat the next
bitch; 2003 Love Don’t Cost a Thing,
film: Damn, man. These shorties is
really sweating you!
sweet daddy n. a male lover, especially
the one who supports a younger mis-
tress (jg): 1989 Harlem Nights, film:
I really missed you, sweet daddy; 2012
Boardwalk Empire, HBO-TV series:
I’m sad and lonely. Won’t some sweet
daddy take a chance with me?; 2013
Twitter: Clara Ross and her sweet
daddy! Looks like she’s already got this
one wrapped around her little finger
sweet mama (or sweet moma) n. a
female lover or mistress (bk, cm, jg):
1999 Dr. Dre: You looking good to me,
sweet mama. Want your body; 2004
News, CMT-TV program: His sweet
mama wept like a baby; 2008 Calhoun
Times: I looked at my sweet mama who
was standing there beside me
259
sweet man n. a male lover (bk, jg): 1984
Palm Beach Post: From the day
I found out I was pregnant, my sweet
man would rub baby oil on my stom-
ach and back; 2008 National Public
Radio: I’d rather be bit by a rattle-
snake than to let my sweet man go;
2012 Word Press: No one can take her
sweet man away
sweet moma see sweet mama
sweet papa n. a male lover, especially
older (bk, cm, jg): 2002 State: Will
she ever escape and see her sweet
papa again?; 2004 Ray, film: I went
to see my sweetheart last night around
ten. She said, move, sweet papa,
squeeze me every now and then; 2010
Wolf Records: Luella’s Blues are
largely about her “sweet papa” and
his break with her
sweet talk n. insincere flattery, especially
to persuade or soften someone (cm,
gs): 1999 Simon Sez, film: I’m immune
to the sweet talk!; 2000 New York
Times: Under no circumstances should
we be fooled by his sweet talk; 2005
Racing Stripes, film: Save the sweet
talk for later
sweet-talk v. to flatter insincerely, espe-
cially to persuade or soften someone
(gs, jg): 1991 Homicide, film: We need
the mouthpiece to sweet-talk his ass;
2001 Curse of the Jade Scorpion, film:
I can’t believe it. You’re actually
trying to sweet-talk me?; 2011 New
York Times: Instead of sweet-talking
recruits, college coaches will instead
offer athletes real contracts
swing v. to have a good time (bk, cm):
1986 True Stories, film: Most of them
just want to swing or aren’t really
serious; 1998 Jay-Z: I write the songs
that the whole world sing, I don’t know
bout y’all but every night I swing; 2010
My Space: The whole barn was
shaking, people were swingin’ and
the bartenders were rockin’
260 Glossary
T
take a chill pill v. to be calm (gs, rk):
1992 Poison Clan: To all you hoes, take
a chill pill!; 1998 I Still Know What
You Did Last Summer, film: You need
to take a chill pill; 2012 New York
Times: I wish we could all just take a
chill pill and work things out with
kindness
take care of business (or T.C.B., TCB)
phr. to perform in an excellent or
admirable way (bk, cm, gs, jg): 1994
Chicago Sun-Times: Seals will be
TCB’ing tonight at “Blues Etc”; 1998
He Got Game, film: Boy, I know you’ll
take care of business; 2003 Intermis-
sion, film: I will TCB, as they say in
the States
take low phr. to adopt a humble attitude
in order to achieve one’s objectives
(gs, jg): 2007 Twin Cities Daily
Planet: When racist Whites seem to
have enough facts to justify it, they
became an excuse to take low; 2012
Fan Fiction: You may have to take
low for while, but I’m sure she’ll let
you back in; 2013 Cool Cleveland:
Society had taught them that it was
safer to “take low,” as the old folks
used to say
take off v. to kill (bk, cm, jg): 1992
Robert Newman: The bureau wanted
to take him off and he became officially
“dangerous” on June 17, 1955; 2000
George Pelecanos: Y’all lookin’ to take
us off?; 2009 Twitter: He’s about to
take off niggaz
talk and testify phr. to celebrate through
verbal acknowledgement: 2007 Blog-
spot: They and members across the
earth will love and listen and talk and
testify out of changed hearts; 2010
Questia: Bloods who can talk and test-
ify, preach and prophesy, lie and
signify; 2010 Hearing Voices: He is
accompanied by music and poetics:
singing, talking and testifying about
peace, family, and art
talk that talk (or talk the talk) phr. to
talk creatively, intensely and convin-
cingly (cm, gs, jg): 2006 Crossover,
film: You know how to talk the talk;
2009 Kansas City Star: Guys are trying
to out-tough us, trying to talk that talk,
just trying to scare us; 2010 Atlanta
Journal-Constitution: Any candidate
can talk the talk
talk the talk see above
tall money n. a lot of money (cm, jg):
1997 San Francisco Weekly: I paid tall
money for this one; 2012 Wiz Khalifa:
I got tall money; 2013 Facebook: He
paid tall money to get it
tall paper n. a lot of money (gs, jg): 2009
Urban Dictionary: Tall paper means
when you have a stack of thirty or
more bills of $20’s, $50’s and $100’s
unfolded held together by a rubber-
band; 2010 Facebook: Ya boy about
cash, I’m getting tall paper!; 2012
Sunny De: Cut all that small talk
unless we talkin’ tall paper
tap v. potentially offensive to
have sex with (gs, rk): 1993 Snoop
Dogg: Hoes be comin to my flat so
I can tap that ass; 2009 Big Bang
Theory, CBS-TV series: Why didn’t
you tell me you were tapping my own
homegirl?; 2010 USA Sex Guide: My
friend tapped her in the ass
taste n. liquor or a drink (cm, gs): 1984
Joseph Wambaugh: A guy needed a
taste or two when he’d been stumbling
around for hours out there in the black
of night; 2002 Wire, HBO-TV series:
Hey, lieutenant, come have a taste!;
2010 Gang of Pour: After a taste or
two, you don’t care for what you’ve
been poured
TB (or T.B.) n. a Taco Bell restaurant:
2010 Straight Dope: I don’t eat at TB
very often, and when I do, I remember
why I don’t; 2011 Plainview Daily
 Glossary
Herald: I’ve been eating at TB for as
long as I can remember; 2011 Color-
ado Springs Independent: This
prompted the fast food chain to issue
a full-page ad in several national
newspapers. See TB’s ad, and the bill-
board below
T.C.B., TCB see take care of business
tea n. marijuana (cm): 2000 Buffalo News:
Santa Claus is smoking tea!; 2008
Metro News: Younger guys get
together to smoke some tea instead of
swilling Scotch; 2010 Game Battles:
Hey, this is my Asian homeboy right
here, don’t hate, we smoke tea
everyday!
tell it like it is phr. to talk frankly and
candidly (bk, cm, jg): 2000 Jay-Z:
I stay real, stay sharp, and tell it like
it is. I never fake the funk, niggas know
I ain’t no punk; 2006 Chicago Sun-
Times: It’s time for Bush to tell it like
it is on events in Iraq; 2010 Citizens
Voice: Marino affixed himself with the
“straight shooter” label and said he
would “tell it like it is”
tender see below
tenderoni (or tender) n. a young sexually
attractive woman (gs, jg, rk): 1998
Snoop Dogg: You can ask all my
homies, all got tenderonis; 2008 Wash-
ington Post: I was a tenderoni just a
few years shy from wiping Similac
from behind my teeth; 2010 Black
Planet: All the sexy tenders who wanna
holla send me a message! But if you
butt-ugly or don’t have pics, don’t hit
me up, okay?
testify v. to celebrate through verbal
acknowledgement (cm, gs): 2010
Make My Day: It’s time to join and
testify!; 2010 Walking Ministry:
A place for every believer and non
believer of Jesus Christ to come and
join and testify, praise God, and just
fellowship; 2010 Yahoo Music: I am
moved by the spirit. I’m here to testify!
261
thang see thing
that’s mighty white of you phr. poten-
tially offensive you are being
patronizing or putting on airs (gs):
1992 Poison Ivy, film: “I teach reading
a couple of nights a week to inner city
kids.” “That’s mighty white of you!”;
2010 Urban Dictionary: Well God
damn, that’s mighty white of you!
How could I ever repay you for
such a selfless act?; 2011 Big Bang
Theory, CBS-TV series: “I’ll make
you a list!” “That’s mighty white of
you!”
that’s my nigger (or that’s my nigga)
excl. very offensive unless used
by african americans that is my
real friend: 2004 Soul Plane, film: “We
was in this from the beginning, we
gonna ride this out to the end!”
“That’s my nigga!”; 2009 Hip Hop
DX: That’s my nigga! I don’t feel no
ways different as I felt from when he
signed to us back in ’99. I feel the same
way today; 2010 My Space: The only
hero I have is my mom. That’s my
nigga. I feel like if she can handle all
the bullshit that’s going on, I can too
the blacker the berry, the sweeter the
juice phr. a belief that darker skin is
better (gs): 1995 Tupac Shakur: Some
say the blacker the berry, the sweeter
the juce. I say the darker the flesh then
the deeper the roots; 1995 Friday, film:
“Man, it’s the blacker the berry, the
sweeter the juce!” “Yeah, well, she
blacker than a motherfucker, too”;
2009 Barry Popik: The blacker the
berry, the sweeter the juice has been
used by American blacks since at least
1929
the bomb (or da bomb) n. an excellent or
admirable person or thing (gs, jg, rk):
2002 8 Mile, film: As far as beats and
lyrics go, Biggie is da bomb; 2007
Richmond Times: I love this kid.
I love what he stands for. I think he’s
262 Glossary
the bomb; 2010 Columbus Dispatch:
This dude is the bomb, everybody likes
him, everybody respects him
the darker the chocolate, the richer the
taste phr. a belief that darker skin is
better: 2007 Hairspray, film: If the
truth be told, the blacker the berry,
the sweeter the juice. I could say it
ain’t so but, darlin’, what’s the use?
The darker the chocolate, the richer
the taste; 2011 Wholehearted Men:
The darker the chocolate, the richer
the taste, that’s where it’s at; 2013
Tumblr: The darker the chocolate, the
richer the taste. I’m just another
obsessed with Michael Jackson
thick adj. [1] (of a woman) curvaceous
(gs, jg, rk): 2006 Snoop Dogg:
Brandi was a cute little thick bitch;
2009 YouTube: I love this big-ass
stripper! Thick bitches are the best!;
2009 Toronto: I like thick chicks
equipped with C-cups [2] (of a man)
muscular (gs): 2002 Wire, HBO-TV
series: “The kid’s everything I told
you.” “Yeah, he’s thick”; 2012 Twitter:
Girls do love a thick nigga; 2013
Starting Strength: He’s a thick
motherfucker
thing (or thang) n. one’s preferences or
style (cm, jg): 1997 B.G.: Money
makin’ is my thing; 2008 XXL Maga-
zine: It’s obvious that rapping is not
your thing; 2011 New York Times: If
you still think that African art is not
your thing, there’s an exhibition at
the Metropolitan Museum that may
change your mind
Third Coast n. southern USA, especially
touching the Gulf of Mexico (rk):
2009 Urban Dictionary: Montgomery,
New Orleans, Houston, and Miami
are all on the Third Coast; 2010 C-
Note: As you see, I’m from the Third
Coast, nigga!; 2010 Hip Hop DX: I’m
a cat from Meridian, Mississippi, rep-
resenting for the Third Coast
three sixty-five (or 365) adj. continu-
ously or non-stop (gs): 1992 Geto
Boys: Gangsta-ass niggas think deep
up three-sixty-five, cause real gangsta-
ass niggas don’t sleep; 2009 My Space:
I sat on my ass all day, the government
helps me do that three sixty-five; 2010
Burbler: I’m a real nigga three sixty-
five until I’m done
throw down v. [1] to do something vig-
orously and enthusiastically, especially
have a good time (gs, jg): 2011 Twit-
ter: Nigga about to throw down on the
grill today with the guys!; 2013 Urban
Dictionary: He can really throw down
a beat; 2013 Facebook: We about to
throw down in Colorado Springs
tonight! [2] to fight (cm, gs, jg, rk):
1991 Tupac Shakur: What? You wanna
throw down? Better bring your gun,
pal; 2000 Girlfight, film: You threw
down and you showed me respect;
2007 Heartbreak Kid, film: You wanna
throw down, tough guy? I will mess
your shit up! Come on!
throw the D phr. (of a man) to have sex
(gs, jg): 2009 Lipstick Alley: You can’t
just be throwin’ the D to every woman
who wants it from you; 2010 This Is 50:
Damn, she’s fine, and I’d throw the
D at her any day; 2013 Barstool
Sports: He should instead just send
her pics of him throwing the D at other
chicks
throw the P phr. (of a woman) to have
sex (gs, jg): 2012 Yahoo Answers:
You’re looking for some easy girl to
throw the P at you; 2012 Clutch Maga-
zine: Y’all are throwing the P at these
men like that will keep them; 2013
Flickr: Mickey’s throwing the P for
Pedro
thugged out adj. looking typical of the
inner-city ghetto gangsters (jg, rk):
2003 Honey, film: Trying to be thugged
out, and wanting to fit in; 2004 New
York Times: It has been equipped with
 Glossary
26-inch rims, hydraulic suspension
and other thugged out features; 2013
Los Angeles Times: She’s kinda
thugged out
thump v. (especially of a gang) to fight
(cm, gs, jg, rk): 1993 E-40: Niggas
don’t want to thump; 2002 Ying Yang
Twins: This shit is real from jump, so if
you wanna thump, we can get it
started; 2010 Hood Up: He was in
Richmond, a fight broke out, and nig-
gas thumped
Timbos (or Timbs) n. Timberland boots
or shoes (gs, rk): 1993 Wu-Tang Clan:
When I struck I had on Timbs and a
black mask; 2009 Notorious, film: I like
black Timbs and black hoodies; 2009
Access Hip Hop: I lived in the ghetto
and wore Timbos and army jackets
Timbs see above
to def adv. [1] in an excellent or admir-
able way (gs, jg): 2008 Prodigy: How
we gone do it, we gone do it to def!;
2010 This Is 50: I’m not saying he’s the
only rapper out there to do it, because
there are many other talented emcees
that have done it to def; 2012 Twitter:
Yes, you did it to def. Ain’t nothin’
better [2] extremely or totally (jg):
2009 Urban Dictionary: That car is
fresh to def; 2013 Black Planet: I’m
nice, cool to def; 2013 iPhoneogram:
This beauty is sexy to def to me
Tom1 n. potentially offensive an
African American man who is subser-
vient to whites or adopts their values
and attitudes (bk, cm, gs, jg): 2000
Bamboozled, film: Mantan is a Tom,
Mantan is a disgrace; 2004 Assassin-
ation of Richard Nixon, film: “I ain’t
some Uncle Tom, if that’s what you’re
trying to say!” “I didn’t mean you
were a Tom”; 2009 Wikipedia: Tom is
a pejorative term for a black person
who is perceived as behaving in a sub-
servient manner to white authority
figures
263
Tom2 (or tom, Tom it, tom it) v. poten-
tially offensive (of an African
American) to be subservient to whites
or adopt their values and attitudes (bk,
jg): 2006 Todd Wooten: Most Blacks
probaby feel that O.J. was Tommin it
back then; 2009 Blogspot: No matter
how much he Tommed, they still saw
nothing but a nigga; 2010 Topix: Juan
Williams was way too busy making
money and “Tomming it” on Fox
News
Tom it, tom it see above
to the bone adv. extremely or totally (jg):
1993 Oprah Winfrey Show, ABC-TV
program: Men will lie to the bone!;
2002 Adaptation, film: What you said
this morning shook me to the bone;
2008 Blonde and Blonder, film:
They’re bad to the bone, boss
tough adj. excellent or admirable (bk,
cm, jg, rk): 1983 Outsiders, film: That
was a tough car; 2009 Twitpic: He’s
one tough dog; 2010 Metal Sucks: He
the most balls-out tough motherfucker!
tough shit excl. potentially offen-
sive that is too bad (bk, cm): 1994
Swimming with Sharks, film: Your girl-
friend doesn’t love you? Tough shit!;
2004 Vicki Thornberry: So we’re out of
money. Tough shit!; 2005 Be Cool,
film: Tough shit! That’s the cost of
doing business
tough titty excl. potentially offen-
sive that is too bad (bk, cm, rk): 2009
Men Who Stare at Goats, film: Anne
wants to be a high school teacher.
Tough titty, Anne! That’s not your des-
tiny; 2009 Rabid Republican: Tough
titty! His mother died at age fifty-three
from uterine cancer; 2010 Population
Statistic: Now listen, I just received an
offer and I’m considering it, and if you
can’t live with that – tough titty!
trickeration n. manipulation or deception
(gs, jg): 1991 Los Angeles Times: He
routinely accuses his opponents of
264 Glossary
trickeration; 1995 New York Times: He
is now the one accused of trickeration;
2011 Blogspot: Don’t be fooled by the
trickeration that hoes put by
trim n. potentially offensive [1] a
woman as a sex object or partner (cm,
gs, jg): 2004 Harold & Kumar Go to
White Castle, film: Come on, dudes,
let’s pick up some trim at a strip club!;
2010 Nah Right: Speaking of which
I need to find some good trim this week;
2011 Drake: Niggas that are married
don’t wanna go home, they want some
new trim [2] sex or the sex act (cm, gs,
rk): 1983 48 Hrs., film: If I don’t get
some trim tonight, I’m going to bust.
You know, sex; 2006 Randy Kearse:
She ain’t given up no trim; 2010 Words
Domination: All of them need a good
trim every once in a while
trip v. to lose control and behave in an
irrational way (gs, jg, rk): 2006
Randy Kearse: Before you start trip-
pin’ let me tell you what happened;
2009 Slumz Boxden: Before you start
trippin’, let me explain; 2013 Ke Juan:
Since I got a little fame, these niggas
started trippin’
tude (or ’tude) n. an arrogant, condes-
cending or confrontational attitude
(bk, cm, gs): 2002 San Jose Mercury
News: What’s with that ‘tude, dude?;
2007 Chicago Tribune: Veronica,
what’s with the tude, girl?; 2010 Grad
Cafe: They don’t like that ’tude much
turn out v. to introduce someone to
something new and different, espe-
cially in sex (cm, gs, jg): 1990 Too
Short: Bitch turned me out, took my
dick out the pussy, let me cum in her
mouth; 1992 Hard Knocks: I turned her
out, now forever she’s a nigger lover;
2013 Wattpad: When I say she turned
me out, I ain’t exaggerating
twenty-four seven (or 24/7) adv. continu-
ously or non-stop (cm, gs, rk): 2000
Miss Congeniality, film: I work twenty-
four seven; 2002 People I Know, film:
I gotta train you twenty-four seven;
2002 Showtime, film: We’re gonna be
watching you twenty-four seven
two-eleven (or 211) n. an armed robbery
(jg): 1992 Dr. Dre: Niggaz try to set me
up for a two-eleven; 1996 MC Ren:
Don’t come around playin’ 007 cause
your ass might get caught in a 211;
2013 Joey Fatts: Got a chrome MAC-
11, down for a two-eleven
U
ugly-ass adj. very ugly (cm, gs, jg): 1998
Enemy of the State, film: “Have you
looked at the tape? What’s on it?”
“Your ugly-ass face is on it”; 2000
Next Friday, film: He’s just an ugly-
ass black dude; 2009 Sorority Row,
film: It’s Mickey. I would know those
ugly-ass shoes anywhere
ug-mug n. an unattractive person (rk):
2005 Roll Bounce, film: He just doesn’t
wanna run into that ug-mug he took to
the movies last time; 2009 Los Angeles
Times: I mean, look at all those ug
mugs in the league; 2009 All Hip
Hop: I shoulda been in this pic since
its clearly for ug-mugs
Uncle Tom1 n. potentially offen-
sive an African American man who
is subservient to whites or adopts their
values and attitudes (bk, cm, gs, jg):
2000 Bamboozled, film: You have been
called a traitor, an Uncle Tom; 2010
New York Daily News: A small group
of his supporters shouted “sell-out”
and “Uncle Tom”; 2013 Lee Daniels’
The Butler, film: Poitier is nothing but
a rich Uncle Tom
Uncle Tom2 (or Uncle Tom it) phr.
potentially offensive (of an
African American) to be subservient
to whites or adopt their values and
attitudes (bk, jg): 2002 New York
Times: Gloria Steinem accused her of
 Glossary
having Uncle Tommed it; 2004 Los
Angeles Times: The popularity of hip-
hop and its particular brand of black-
ness has made Uncle Tomming no
longer necessary; 2012 Atlanta
Journal-Constitution: Black folks call
that Uncle Tomming
Uncle Tom it see above
uncool adj. [1] not calm (bk, cm): 2008
United Press International: It would
make them feel uncool; 2010 Globe
and Mail: I can’t believe this makes
me feel uncool; 2011 Twitter: I feel a
little uncool when I see my mom wear-
ing it [2] not excellent or admirable,
especially if oldfashioned or outdated
(bk, cm): 2004 New York Times: The
Beastie Boys serve a symbolic role for
young Jews looking to connect to one
another and their religion without feel-
ing uncool; 2009 Ebony: Was he melo-
dramatic and sometimes a little uncool
in his overt coolness?; 2011 Automo-
bile Magazine: They fail to recognize it
because they’re so uncool [3] unpleas-
ant, rude or unfair (bk, jg): 1989
Lethal Weapon 2, film: I’m sorry, that
was very uncool; 2002 Ali
G Indahouse, film: I’m sorry we
invaded you. It was really uncool;
2005 Just Like Heaven, film: You freak!
That is uncool, man!
underdig v. to understand completely
(jg, rk): 2004 Lil Wayne: You under-
dig, shorty, its all about one thing;
2008 Black Planet: After me there will
be no more like me, you underdig what
I’m sayin?; 2010 Dolemite Ebonics:
You betta watch yourself, you underdig
me, fool?
uppity adj. self-important or arrogant
(bk, cm): 1989 John Grisham: Lester
was always an uppity nigger; 2004
Toni Morrison: All those colleges
hadn’t made her uppity; 2005 Coach
Carter, film: Can you believe this
uppity Negro?
265
up South adv. in or toward the northern
USA (bk, cm, gs): 2009 Uppity Negro
Network: As a black man who has
lived up South all my life and attended
Rutgers University, I get it; 2010 Quan-
tum Apocalypse, film: We worked our
way up South; 2010 Root: It can still be
up South
uptight adj. [1] inhibited (cm, gs): 1998
Alice Walker: She’s an uptight little
bitch; 1999 American Beauty, film:
You’re too uptight about sex; 2011
Screen Junkies: They are superb in this
romantic comedy about an uptight
woman who goes to visit her fiancé in
Paris [2] overly conservative or ortho-
dox: 2007 I Now Pronounce You Chuck
and Larry, film: Canada has always
been very pro-gay, unlike that uptight
country to the south; 2010 American
Thinker: It is easy to see why the
Germans, themselves so uptight
and over-scheduled, use it; 2010 Wash-
ington Post: I’m not an uptight Repub-
lican who wants to tell everyone else
how to live
V
V n. an automobile (rk): 2006 Nah Right:
When you pull me over drivin’ my V,
tell me why I shouldn’t spit in ya face
when you ask for ID; 2006 Randy
Kearse: Where you park the V, kid?;
2010 Honda Owners Club: I want to
still be drivin’ my V for a long time
vanilla n. potentially offensive a
white person, especially a woman (bk,
jg): 1997 Patricia Nell Warren: A car
full of blacks was stopped by several
white guys. They tried to turn the car
over. The blacks got out and scattered
the vanillas pretty good; 2009
Blowjob Blogs: Attractive sexy van-
illas play with big ebony cocks!; 2009
Bossip: You niggas can have these
vanillas!
266 Glossary
vic n. a victim (cm, rk): 2007 Sarasota
Herald Tribune: The vic was identified
as Zaher Abdel Mohsin; 2010 Dexter,
Showtime-TV series: Who’s the vic?;
2012 Criminal Minds, CBS-TV series:
Some of the vics were shot in the leg
vicious adj. excellent or admirable (gs,
jg, rk): 2006 Snoop Dogg: She was
so vicious, lips so luscious, suck a
nigga dick and have it shinin like some
dishes; 2008 Ebony: He did it in such
vicious style, too. Smiling, talking to
the audience and his opponents; 2009
Black Planet: I’m twenty, cute as fuck,
have bangin body and a vicious dress
vine see below
vines (or vine) n. a suit (cm, gs, jg): 1992
Malcolm X, film: Where’d you get
them goddamn vines you got on? And
them shoes?; 2003 Mathematics: I’m a
get myself some fine-looking vines and
a great-looking ride; 2013 Twitter:
Brandon Jennings be wearin vines like
that too?
W wannabe n. someone who is trying to be
wack (or wack-ass) adj. inferior or unsat-
isfactory (jg): 2002 8 Mile, film: They
don’t laugh ’cause you wack. It’s
’cause you white with a mic; 2006 Puff
Puff Pass, film: I voted for her wack-
ass dad. The way I see it, she owes me;
2013 LL Cool J: Y’all niggas is so
wack, your crew is such, y’all lack
the hard impact
wack-ass see above
wailing (or wailin’) adj. excellent or
admirable (bk, jg): 2007 Telemark
Talk: The white carpet is already
rolled out for him and I’m thinking a
wailin’ party is in order!; 2009 Porn
Blocker: Josh is a wailin’ mother-
fucker!; 2009 Santa Paula Times: The
members of Big Bad Voodoo Daddy
love to throw one heck of a wailing
party
walk heavy phr. to behave in a self-
important and self-assured manner
(bk, cm, jg): 1997 New York Times:
I was walking heavy. I felt strong; 2007
YouTube: I walk heavy, always
staying with my Glock; 2013 Twitter:
I talk heavy cuz I walk heavy
walk soft phr. to behave modestly and
quietly (bk, jg): 2000 Ice Cube: This
nigga is walkin’ soft; 2003 Gilbert
Morris: Well, boy, it’s better to walk
soft around your ma for a time after
you’ve made a plumb fool of yourself;
2009 Free Dictionary: I try to walk soft
and not rock the boat
wangsta see below
wanksta (or wangsta) n. potentially
offensive a rapper who poses as a
gangster (rk): 2002 50 Cent: We say
you a wanksta and you need to stop
frontin; 2010 Los Angeles Times: He
was not even a gangster, he was a
wanksta; 2010 Ebonics Translator: Shut
up, wanksta! You ain’t gon’ pop a
damn thing
like another person or to belong to a
particular group (bk, cm, gs, jg, rk):
2011 Atlantic Monthly: We increas-
ingly see affiliates, wannabes, and
those who are inspired by al-Qaeda
coming to the fore; 2011 Tampa Bay:
It’s popular among young Hollywood
stars and wannabes; 2011 News, Fox-
TV program: It is the American people
who are asked to pass judgment upon
a presidential wannabe
waste v. to kill (cm, gs): 1986 Beastie
Boys: He wasted two kids that ran
for the door; 1987 Full Metal Jacket,
film: If you wanna waste her, go on,
waste her!; 1998 Enemy of the State,
film: Hammersly was professionally
wasted
wax v. to record a music album (gs):
1996 Snoop Dogg: We wax tracks and
smack up MCs who compose the
 Glossary
violence; 2009 Indiana Public Media:
In the last year of his life he waxed
an album for Blue Note that many con-
sider to be his masterpiece; 2009
Brunswick Records: They continued
to experiment, waxing an album
inspired by Curtis Mayfield’s Superfly
soundtrack
way-way n. a highway: 2005 Rice Place:
Don’t swing your car on the way-way;
2009 Blogger: We’re on the way-way to
Vegas; 2010 Trip Advisor: It’s on the
way-way from Chichi through Santa
Cruz del Quiche. The drive took us
about five hours
Westside n. West Coast, especially Cali-
fornia (gs): 2005 Aaron Peckham: I’m
just bangin’ on the westside right now,
I’ll hit ya back; 2006 Los Angeles
Times: There were so many homies
from the Westside; 2013 Sound Click:
Shout out to my niggas in the Westside!
whaddup see below
what up (or whaddup) excl. [1] hello
(gs): 1996 Get on the Bus, film: What
up, Black?; 2002 8 Mile, film: What up,
dawg!; 2009 Time Out New York: What
up, home slices!; 2005 G-Unit: What up
blood! What up cuz! What up wank-
stas! [2] what is going on (gs): 1996
MC Ren: What up nigga? What’s hap-
penin?; 1999 Snoop Dogg: Nigga what
up now? You act like a bitch; 2002
Paid in Full, film: “What up?” “Calm
down!”
whip n. an automobile (jg, rk): 2012
Meek Mill: I roll around through my
old hood in my new whip; 2012 Wiz
Khalifa: I’m in a hella fast whip going
top speed; 2013 Horseshoe G.A.N.G.:
Shoot a nigga while he sittin’ in his
whip
white ass n. potentially offensive
self, when referring to a white person:
1994 Forrest Gump, film: Get your
white ass away from that window!;
1996 Get on the Bus, film: No way am
267
I getting my white ass back in that bus;
2010 Lil Wayne: They were here before
your white asses were
white-ass adj. potentially offen-
sive white: 1999 Cut Run Deep, film:
You’re dead! You fucking white-ass
motherfucker! Say your prayers!; 2005
Blogspot: What can I say about the
white-ass mentality? I don’t like it;
2013 Twitter: These white-ass mother-
fuckers sure do hate having a black
president
white boy n. potentially offensive
a white man, especially young: 1997
Con Air, film: We need another white
boy to volunteer; 1998 He Got Game,
film: He’s a cool white boy; 2013 Lee
Daniels’ The Butler, film: They say this
new white boy is smooth
white girl n. potentially offensive
a white woman, especially young: 1992
Malcolm X, film: I was sleeping with
white girls; 2009 Ebony: Who is more
like the 17-year old white girl audience
of MTV than a 17 year old white girl?;
2010 Washington Post: You talk like a
white girl
white meat n. potentially offen-
sive a sexual partner, especially a
woman (cm, jg): 2005 Urban Diction-
ary: Them niggas is lustin for the white
meat; 2013 Literotica: You will never
desire white meat again; 2013 Twicsy:
Niggas get their hands on some white
meat
white nigga see below
white nigger (or white nigga) n. very
offensive unless used by afri-
can americans a white person who
assumes the behavior and values of the
African American culture, especially
hip-hop (gs, cm, jg): 2007 SOHH:
I was born a white nigga!; 2008 Mix
Tape Torrent: He called that dude a
white nigga; 2009 XXL Magazine:
Anyone who refers to himself as a
white nigga is extra stupid
268 Glossary
white trash (or W.T.) n. potentially
offensive a poor white person or
poor white people, especially from the
southern USA (bk, cm, jg): 1989 Do
the Right Thing, film: You fucking
white trash! I’ll fuck you up!; 1991
Jungle Fever, film: She ain’t nothin’
but a low-class white trash; 1991 Cape
Fear, film: I ain’t no white trash
whitey (or whitie) n. potentially
offensive a white person (bk, cm,
gs, jg): 2004 Starsky and Hutch, film:
“What can you tell me about them?”
“Not much. Couple of whiteys”; 2005
Coach Carter, film: Get the hell out my
face, whitey!; 2008 Ebony: There is a
lot of mentioning black performers,
musicians, politicians, but no real
mention of whitey?
whitie see above
who’s your daddy excl. who is your
friend, caregiver or sponsor (gs, jg):
2001 Baby Boy, film: “Who’s your
daddy?” “You’re my daddy!”
“Louder, nigga!”; 2008 Time: It was
as if Cheney had walked onto the stage,
looked straight in the camera and
asked, “Who’s your daddy?”; 2009
Not Easily Broken, film: Who’s your
daddy now, sucker?
wife v. to make someone one’s steady
girlfriend (gs, rk): 2002 Jay-Z: I
think I might wife her; 2008 Snoop
Dogg: If you like her, wife her and if
you love her, smother her; 2009 Ray
Nitti: I like her, I want to wife her,
I want to take her home and pull an
all-nighter
wifey (or wifie) n. a steady girlfriend (gs,
rk): 1997 Us3: I gotta make dough,
send home to wifey and mom; 2000
Next: All I ever need is my wifey; 2008
Snoop Dogg: I told my young wifey, “I
love ya honey, but you gotta hit the
streets”
wifie see above
wigga see below
wigger (or wigga) n. potentially
offensive a white person who
assumes the behavior and values of
the African American culture, espe-
cially hip-hop (bk, cm, gs, jg): 2002
8 Mile, film: You a wigga who invented
rhyme for money; 2008 Los Angeles
Times: He’s a wigger. That’s the hip-
hop term for white kids who want to be
black; 2010 Us Magazine: I think he
was trying to talk like a wigger
wild (or wild out) v. to get furious and go
on a damaging rampage (bk, jg, rk):
2007 Wu-Tang Clan: We like rebel nig-
gaz powdered up wilding in the streets
of Liberia; 2009 Forum: Packs of
mostly Black and Latino kids were
wilding; 2009 Notorious, film: Your
boy’s been wilding out, man
wild out see above
wise-ass adj. annoyingly knowledgeable
and arrogant: 2000 Sopranos, HBO-TV
series: You’re a wise-ass motherfucker,
huh?; 2009 Los Angeles Times: Every-
thing Jim wrote was laced with a wise-
ass sense of humor; 2013 Twitter: His
wise-ass remarks didn’t belong on the
news
with it phr. [1] fashionable or popular
(bk, cm, gs): 1989 Boca Raton News:
She looks fabulous and she is totally
with it; 1995 New York Times: He
affects clothes that carefully cultivate
the “with it” image; 2007 New York
Newsday: He’s hip, he’s with it, he’s
today [2] aware, knowing or under-
standing (bk, cm): 2004 Buffalo News:
He’s very with it and alert; 2005 New
York Daily News: He’s with it, smart,
tough; 2012 Democratic Underground:
Bill Clinton seemed pretty much with it
wolf (or woof) v. [1] to threaten by using
strong and boastful language (bk, cm,
gs, rk): 2006 Brown Pride: They are
the same as any other gang, all wolfing
and shit; 2009 George Middleton:
Nigga, you ain’t whip no ass yet. Stop
 Glossary
wolfin’; 2010 Tech N9ne: These niggas
funny, nigga battle rapin’ and steady
wolfin’ [2] to talk idly (bk, cm, gs):
1987 Untouchables, film: Let’s cut the
woofing, pal. You tell me or you’re
going to the fuckin’ morgue; 1994
Friends, NBC-TV series: What are
you guys woofing about?; 2008 Dayton
Daily News: She was always wolfing
about this and that
wolf ticket (or woof ticket) n. threatening
by using strong and boastful language
(cm, gs, jg): 1992 Atlanta Journal-
Constitution: Wolf ticket refers to an
outrageous boast meant to intimidate
or impress the listener; 1995 The Click:
Wolf tickets is some silly tricks tryin to
be the shit comin’ with that sicky sing-
sing stupid-ass shit; 2002 Jimmy Ler-
ner: Following another fifteen-minute
flurry of wolf tickets, young deputy
Camel does the handcuff routine again
Wood (or ’Wood) n. Inglewood, Califor-
nia: 2009 Jacks Music News: Mr. De
La Cruz was born in the Wood (Ingle-
wood), California, and was raised in
Lawndale, in the South Bay; 2010
Hood Up: So you’re from the Wood?;
2010 Nah Right: He’s from the Wood
woof see wolf
woof ticket see wolf ticket
word (or word up) excl. [1] I approve or
agree (bk, cm, gs, jg, rk): 1993 Fear
of a Black Hat, film: “Calm down
before somebody gets hurt!” “Word,
man. Marty’s right!”; 2002 8 Mile,
film: “It’s always easier for whites to
succeed in a black man’s medium,
right?” “Word up, it’s true”; 2007 30
Rock, NBC-TV series: “Be home
tonight, I need to talk to you about
something!” “Word!” [2] listen or
pay attention (bk, cm, rk): 1995 LL
Cool J: Make a brother feel good,
word up!; 2000 Wu-Tang Clan: Word
up, look out for the cops!; 2009 Ebony:
Word up! Vanessa is also an actress!
269
word is bond excl. I approve or agree
(gs, jg, rk): 1995 Clockers, film:
Word is bond! Now get your mother-
fuckin’ ass outa my car; 1998 He Got
Game, film: “We ain’t for the fame, we
for the change!” “Word is bond”; 2011
Lil B: Word is bond, nigga!
word to the mother (or word to your
mother) excl. I approve or agree (gs,
jg): 1991 House Party 2, film: “Mal-
colm embraced the brotherhood of all
men!” “Yo, word to the mother!”; 1995
Higher Learning, film: “Do I make
myself clear?” “Yeah man, I under-
stand. Word to the mother”; 2010 South
Florida Sun-Sentinel: “A happy rock
star is hard to find.” “Word to your
mother”
word to your mother see above
word up see word
work the body phr. to dance: 1997 Us3:
Work the body, baby, it’s a party!; 2000
Edmonds Kevon: Now move it to the
right, work the body, baby, shake it like
you mean it!; 2011 Red Orbit: They all
work the body in a front-to-back motion
W.T. see white trash
X
x’ed out (or X’ed out) adj. no longer
important or relevant (cm, jg): 2003
Don Juan: Shoulda been down from
day one, now you X’ed out; 2013 Twit-
ter: You used to be cool until you got
x’ed out; 2013 YouTube: You got x’ed
out. Everything you say is irrelevant
Y
yack n. cognac (gs, rk): 2008 Snoop
Dogg: We got that chronic, we got that
yack for you!; 2009 YouTube: We be
drinkin yack and banging da bitches;
2010 TQ: My niggas be drinkin yack
tonight. And wouldn’t mind a little bit
of ass tonight
270 Glossary
yard nigga see below
yard nigger (or yard nigga) n. very
offensive unless used by afri-
can americans a subservient lower-
class African American, especially
working on a farm (jg): 1985 Todd
Houser: Do your own shit, I ain’t no
yard nigger; 2006 New California
Media: For four hundred years we’ve
had the house niggas, you got the field
nigga, and you got the yard nigga;
2009 Right Health: The house nigga
and yard nigga lived diametrically dif-
ferent lives
yella, yeller see below
yellow (or yella, yeller) n. potentially
offensive a light-skinned African
American, especially a sexually attract-
ive young woman (bk, cm, gs): 1998
Alice Walker: Blacks think of her as a
yellow; 2009 Blogspot: She’s a stuck-
up Creole bitch, stuck up yellow; 2009
Washington Post: Hi, my name is Leah
and I am a yeller
yo1 excl. [1] hello or hey (bk, cm, gs, jg,
rk): 2002 8 Mile, film: Yo, Rabbit!
Wait up!; 2005 Waiting, film: Yo, bitch,
what makes you think I won’t cut you?;
2005 Coach Carter, film: “Yo, what’s
up?” “Nice to see you again, Mr.
Carter” [2] yes (cm, gs, jg): 2001
How High, film: I gotta fix it. Yo!
That’s right!; 2001 Exit Wounds, film:
“You like it?” “Yo, dog, this shit is
hot, man”; 2004 Torque, film: “You’re
gonna help me out of it!” “Yo, dog!”
yo2 n. a fellow African American, espe-
cially a friend (cm, jg, rk): 2002
Wu-Tang Clan: Listen, yo, we got into
a fight in the bar, shit was just crazy;
2006 Wire, HBO-TV series: I’m not
your “yo,” show me your work!; 2006
George Pelecanos: Maybe, Wilkins
imagined, the victim had been hitting
some other yo’s girlfriend
yo boy n. [1] potentially offensive
a white person who assumes the
behavior and values of the African
American culture, especially hip-hop
(bk, cm, jg): 2002 Wire, HBO-TV
series: What’s the deal with the yo
boy? What did he do?; 2006 Penn Live:
The other group consisted of yo boys;
2009 Baltimore City Paper: There were
yo boys, punk rockers, new wavers,
and anybody that might be considered
a social misfit [2] a friend (gs): 2009
My Space: Hello world, it’s yo boy, Icy
D!; 2010 Washington Post: It’s really
hard to control a black man, even if
he’s yo boy; 2012 Yahoo Groups: This
club is owned by my yo boy Lil Trent
yo mama see your mama
youngsta n. a young member of a crim-
inal gang: 2010 Facebook: Fuck these
youngstas, weak-ass niggas, bitches
and hoes. I’m sick of this shit; 2010
Actionext: That’s how it is where
youngstas livin’; 2010 All Hip Hop:
What the fuck’s wrong with you
youngstas?
your mama (or yo mama) excl. poten-
tially offensive [1] I hold you in
contempt (cm, gs, jg): 1989 Tom
Clancy: “Give me my fuckin’ soap
back, motherfucker!” “Yo mama!”;
2003 Guy Thing, film: “Yo mama!”
“What did you just say?”; 2005 Royce
Da 5’9”: Fuck that nigga, you diss me,
you gon’ be dissed back, nigga! Yo
mama, motherfucker! [2] so you say
(bk): 1990 USA Today: He looked me
right in the eyes and said, “Yo mama!”
I didn’t know what to do; 1990 Pre-
sumed Innocent, film: He would have
said: yo’ mama!; 1998 Sports Illus-
trated: She ran up to me and said,
“Your mama”
Z
zooted adj. [1] drunk (jg, rk): 2006
Randy Kearse: They came home from
Roxy’s zooted; 2007 Talib Kweli: You
 Glossary
see us guzzling forties, menthols, wine,
and wee. Sitting on the back porch,
getting zooted, feeling fine indeed;
2009 Urban Dictionary: That girl was
zooted at that party yesterday [2]
under the influence of a drug (jg,
rk): 1991 New Jack City, film:
I copped me a bag of that red devil
angel dust, I got zooted; 2009 Life on
Mars, ABC-TV series: This guy’s
zooted; 2013 Grantland: Kenny was
zooted on ecstasy
271
zoot suit n. a man’s suit with a loose
jacket and high-waisted tapering pants,
popular in 1940s and 1950s (bk, cm,
jg): 1996 Snoop Dogg: I came through
in a zoot suit, lookin’ too cute; 1999
Memphis Commercial Appeal: The
groomsmen will sport white zoot suits,
hats and canes, and the bridesmaids
will dance down the aisle to a rhythm
and blues number; 2010 Big Bang
Theory, CBS-TV series: Put on your
best zoot suit!
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(2010); Die Hard 3: With a Vengeance (1995); Die Hard 4.0 (2005); Dirty (2005);
Dirty Shame (2004); Django Unchained (2012); Dodgeball: A True Underdog Story
(2004); Dog Pound (2010); Don’t Be a Menace to South Central While Drinking Your
Juice in the Hood (1996); Do the Right Thing (1989); Down Time (2001); Dreamgirls
(2006); Eddie Murphy Delirious (1983); Enemy of the State (1998); Everyday People
(2004); Excess Baggage (1997); Exit Wounds (2001); Extreme Movie (2008); Face/Off
(1997); Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas (1998); Fear of a Black Hat (1993); Fifty First
Dates (2004); Fifty Pills (2006); Final Destination 2 (2003); First Sunday (2008); Five
Heartbeats (1991); Flywheel (2003); For da Love of Money (2002); Forrest Gump
(1994); Fortress (1992); Four Little Girls (1997); Four Rooms (1995); Frankenhood
(2009); Fresh (1994); Friday (1995); Full Metal Jacket (1987); Funny People (2009);
Gangland (2007); George Carlin: Doin’ It Again (1990); Get on the Bus (1996); Ghost
Dog: The Way of the Samurai (1999); Ghost of Girlfriends Past (2009); Girlfight
(2000); Girl Next Door (2004); GoldenEye (1995); Gone in Sixty Seconds (2000); Gotti
(1996); Gran Torino (2008); Graveyard Shift (1990); Grumpy Old Men (1993); Guy
Thing (2003); Hair Show (2004); Hairspray (2007); Half Baked (1998); Half Past Dead
2 (2007); Hard Luck (2006); Harlem Nights (1989); Harold & Kumar Go to White
Castle (2004); Haunted Mansion (2003); Heartbreak Kid (2007); Heat (1995); Heaven
and Earth (1993); Heavenly Kid (1985); Heaven’s Prisoners (1996); He Got Game
(1998); Held Up (1999); Hellbent (2004); Higher Learning (1995); High School
Musical (2006); Hip Hop Project (2006); Hitch (2005); Hobo with a Shotgun (2011);
Hole in One (2010); Hollywood Homicide (2003); Homicide (1991); Honeymooners
(2005); Hoop Dreams (1994); Hop (2011); Hope Floats (1998); Hot Chick (2002);
House of Games (1987); House Party (1990); House Party 2 (1991); How High (2001);
How to Get the Man’s Foot Outta Your Ass (2003); Human Stain (2003); Hurlyburly
(2000); Hustle and Flow (2005); I Can Do Bad All By Myself (2009); I Could Never Be
Your Woman (2007); If These Walls Could Talk 2 (2000); Illegal Tender (2007); I Love
You Man (2009); Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull (2008); I Now
Pronounce You Chuck and Larry (2007); Intermission (2003); In the Cut (2003);
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Invincible (2006); Iron Man 2 (2010); I Spy (2002); I Still Know What You Did Last
Summer (1998); It Could Happen to You (1994); Jackie Brown (1997); Jackass 2.5
(2007); Joe Dirt (2001); John Q (2002); Johnson Family Vacation (2004); Josie and the
Pussycats (2001); Juice (1992); Jumping the Broom (2011); Jungle Fever (1991); Juno
(2007); Just Cause (1995); Just Go with It (2011); Just My Luck (2006); Kids (1995);
Kids Are All Right (2010); King of Paper Chasin’ (2010) Kites (2010); Krush Grove
(1985); Ladykillers (2004); Lean On Me (1989); Lee Daniel’s The Butler (2013); Lethal
Weapon 2 (1989); Liar Liar (1997); License to Wed (2007); Longest Yard (2005); Long
Kiss Goodnight (1996); Love Don’t Cost a Thing (2003); Love Hurts (2009); Love
Jones (1997); Love, Peace and Beatbox (2008); Madagascar (2005); Mad Dog and
Glory (1993); Magnolia (1999); Malcolm X (1992); Malibu’s Most Wanted (2003);
Man of the House (2005); Marci X (2003); Martin Lawrence: You So Crazy (1994);
Material Girls (2006); Matter of Size (2009); Major Payne (1995); Mechanic (2011);
Meet the Browns (2008); Meet the Feebles (1989); Me, Myself and Irene (2000);
Menace II Society (1993); Men in Black II (2002); Men Who Stare at Goats (2009);
Miami Trail (2003); Michael Jackson Commemorated (2010); Mickey Mouse in Living
Color (2001); Miracle at St. Anna (2008); Miss Congeniality (2000); Mo’ Better Blues
(1990); Money Talks (1997); My Baby’s Daddy (2004); My Giant (1998); My Normal
(2009); My Own Private Idaho (1991); Mystery Alaska (1999); Naked Lunch (1991);
Never Surrender (2009); New Jack City (1991); Next Friday (2000); Not Easily Broken
(2009); Notorious (2009); Notting Hill (1999); Ocean’s Eleven (2001); Office (2005);
Old School (2003); One Eight Seven (1997); One Love (2003); Osmosis Jones (2001);
Out of Sight (1998); Outsiders (1983); Quantum Apocalypse (2010); Paid in Full
(2002); Passing Strange (2009); Passion Play (2010); People I Know (2002); Perfect
Man (2007); Pi (1998); Pigs (2007); Pineapple Express (2008); Pitch Black (2000);
Platoon (1986); Poetic Justice (1993); Poison Ivy (1992); Posse (1993); Post Mortem
America 2021 (2011); Precious (2009); Presumed Innocent (1990); Pride (2007); Prom
Wars (2008); Psych (2006); Puff Puff Pass (2006); Pulp Fiction (1994); Racing Stripes
(2005); Rat Race (2000); Ray (2004); Reality Bites (1994); Remember the Titans
(2000); Reservoir Dogs (1992); Return of the Living Dead (1985); Ricochet (1991);
Rock (1996); Rocky V (1990); Roll Bounce (2005); Rookie (1990); Roxanne (1987);
Royal Tenenbaums (2001); Runways (2010); Santa Buddies (2009); Saturday Night
Live: The Best of Eddie Murphy (1998); Save the Last Dance (2001); Scary Movie 3
(2003); Scary Movie 4 (2006); See No Evil, Hear No Evil (1989); Semi-Pro (2008); Set
It Off (1996); Shawshank Redemption (1994); Sherry Baby (2006); Shield (2002); Shoot
or Be Shot (2002); Showtime (2002); Shredder (2003); Sideways (2004); Simon Sez
(1999); Sister Act (1992); Skateland (2010); Slam (1998); Slash Film (2010); Sleepers
(1996); Something New (2006); Sorority Row (2009); Soul Men (2008); Soul Plane
(2004); Soul Surfer (2011); South Park (1995); Spider-Man 2 (2004); Spring Break-
down (2009); Starsky and Hutch (2004); State Property 2 (2005); Stomp the Yard
(2007); Strange Days (1995); Streamers (1983); Strictly Sexual (2008); Stuck On You
(2003); Sugar Mama (1999); Super Size Me (2004); Swimming with Sharks (1994);
Swing Kids (1993); Swordfish (2001); Taking of Pelham 123 (2009); Talk to Me (2007);
Tenth Circle (2008); Terminator 2: Judgment Day (1991); Things to Do in Denver
When You’re Dead (1995); This Christmas (2007); Time to Kill (2005); Toronto Stories
(2008); Torque (2004); Trailer Park Boys: Countdown to Liquor Day (2009); Trespass
(1992); Trojan War (1997); Tropic Thunder (2008); True Romance (1993); True
282 Sources

Stories (1986); Tupac: Resurrection (2003); Tuxedo (2002); Twelve (2010); Two Can
Play That Game (2001); Underclassman (2005); Untouchables (1987); Up Close and
Personal (1996); Urban Justice (2007); Vagina Monologues (2002); Vamp (1986);
Vampire in Brooklyn (1995); Wackness (2008); Wag the Dog (1997); Waist Deep
(2006); Waiting (2005); Walker Payne (2006); Walk to Remember (2002); Wayne’s
World (1992); Weapons (2007); Weather Man (2005); Welcome Home Roscoe Jenkins
(2008); Welcome to the Dollhouse (1995); What About Bob? (1991); What’s Love Got
to Do with It (1993); What’s the Worst Thing that Could Happen? (2001); Where God
Left His Shoes (2007); White Chicks (2004); Wild Side (1990); With a Vengeance
(1995); Wonderful World (2009); Wrestler (2008); X’s & O’s (2007); You Don’t Mess
with the Zohan (2008); You Got Served (2004); Youngblood (1986); Zapped (1982);
Zodiac (2007).

Music
2 Chainz, T.R.U. REALigion (2011); 2nd II None, Classic 220 (1999); 50 Cent, Get
Rich or Die Tryin (2003); Afroman, Because I Got High (2000); Afroman, The Good
Times (2001); Afu-Ra, Body of the Life Force (2000); A.J. Crew, The Reality of It All
(2013); Alkaholiks, Likwit (1994); Andre 3000, The Love Below (2003); Ant Banks,
Sittin’ on Somethin’ Phat (1993); Ant Banks, Derty Werk (1999); Anybody Killa,
Hatchet Warrior (2003); Aphex Twin, Window Licker (2009); Apocalipps, Smokefest
(2005); Arrested Development, Three Years, Five Months and Two Days (1992);
Arrested Development, Zingalamaduni (1994); ASAP Ferg, Trap Lord (2013); Axe
Murder Boyz, Gods Hand (2008); AZ, S.O.S.A. (2000); Baby Bash, Cyclone (2007);
Beanie Sigel, The B. Coming (2005); Beastie Boys, Licensed to III (1986); B.B. King,
Let the Good Times Roll (1999); Bekay, Where Brooklyn At? (2006); Benzino, The
Benzino Project (2001); B.G., It’s All on U, Vol. 1 (1997); Big Daddy Kane, Long Live
the Kane (1988); Big Daddy Kane, Looks Like a Job (1993); Big K.R.I.T., K.R.I.T. Wuz
Here (2010); Big L, The Big Picture (2000); Big Mack, A Better Way (1995); Big Sean,
Finally Famous (2011); Bizarre, Attack of the Weirdos (1998); Bizzy Bone, Midwest
Cowboy (2006); Bizzy Bone, The Best of Bizzy Bone (2007); Blackalicious, Melodica
(1994); Blackalicious, Nia (1999); Black Eyed Peas, The Beginning (2010); Black
Moon, Enta Da Stage (1993); Bloods and Crips, Bangin’ on Wax (1993); Brotha Lynch
Hung, Lynch by Inch (2003); Busta Rhymes, Genesis (2001); Canibus, Hip-Hop for
Sale (2005); Carl Carlton, She’s a Bad Mama Jama (1981); C-Bo, Til My Casket Drops
(1998); Chevy Woods, Gangland (2012); Chiddy Bang, Breakfast (2012); Chief Keef,
Finally Rich (2012); Chris Brown, Fortune (2012); Common, Can I Borrow a Dollar?
(1992); Coolio, Gangsta’s Paradise (1995); Crips, Nationwide Rip Ridaz (1995);
Currensy, Verde Terrace (2011); Currensy, The Stoned Immaculate (2012); Cypress
Hill, Skull and Bones (2000); D12, What What (2001); D12, Devils Night (2001); D4L,
Butterhead (2005); D4L, Down for Life (2005); Da Brat, Funkdafied (1994); Das EFX,
Dead Serious (1992); Daz Dillinger and JT the Bigga Figga, Long Beach 2 Fillmoe
(2001); Del the Funky Homosapien, I Wish My Brother George Was Here (1991);
Destiny’s Child, Destiny Fulfilled (2004); Diamond, Lotta Money (2010); DJ BoBo,
Fantasy (2010); DJ Clue, The Professional (1998); DJ Quik, Balance and Options
(2010); DMX, It’s Dark and Hell is Not (1998); DMX, And Then There Was X (1999);
DMX, Ryde or Die Vol. 2 (2000); DMX, The Best of DMX (2010); Don Juan,
 Sources 283

Midwestside For Triple Life (2003); Do or Die, Headz or Tailz (1998); Dorrough,
Dorrough Music (2009); Drake, Take Care (2011); Dr. Dre, The Chronic (1992); Dr.
Dre, Keep Their Headz Ringin (1995); Dr. Dre, Dr. Dre Presents the Aftermath (1996);
Dr. Dre, Still D.R.E. (1999); Dr. Dre, 2001 (1999); E-40, Federal (1993); E-40, In a
Major Way (1995); E-40, Loyalty and Betrayal (2000); E-40, Breakin’ News (2003);
Elzhi, Elmatic (2011); Eminem, The Marshall Mathers LP (2000); EPMD, Business
Never Personal (1992); Erick Sermon, Music (2001); Esham, Repentance (2003); Fat
Boy Slim, You’ve Come a Long Way, Baby (1998); Fat Joe, Don Cartagena (1998); Fat
Joe, Jealous Ones (2001); Freddie Gibbs, Str8 Killa (2010); Gangsta Nip, Psychotic
Genius (1996); Gang Starr, Moment of Truth (1998); Gang Starr, Full Clip: A Decade of
Gang Starr (1999); Gang Starr, The Ownerz (2003); Geto Boys, Uncut Dope (1992);
Geto Boys, Till Death Do Us Part (1993); Ghostface Killa, Ironman (1996); Global
Threat, Until We Die (2000); Goodie Mob, World Party (1999); Grand Daddy I.U.,
Smooth Assassin (1990); Grim, My Last Request (1999); Gucci Mane, Stay Strapped
(2005); Gucci Mane, The State vs. Radric Davis (2009); Gucci Mane, Murder Was the
Case (2009); Hard Knocks, School of Hard Knocks (1992); H.A.W.K., Hawk (2005);
Hopsin, Ill Mind of Hopsin 5 (2012); Horseshoe G.A.N.G., Mixtape Monthly Vol. 2:
Rewritin’ History (2013); Ice Cube, AmeriKKKa’s Most Wanted (1990); Ice Cube, The
Predator (1992); Ice Cube, War and Peace Vol. 1 (1998); Ice Cube, War and Peace
(2000); Ice-T, O.G. Original Gangster (1991); Ice-T, Home Invasion (1993); Ice-T,
Return of the Real (1996); Ice-T, The Seveth Deadly Sin (1999); Insane Clown Posse,
Hell’s Pit (2004); Jadakiss, Kiss tha Game Goodbye (2001); Jamiroquai, Rock Dust
Light Star (2010); Ja Rule, Pain Is Love (2001); Jay Electronica, What The F*ck Is
A Jay Electronica (2009); Jayo Felony, Take a Ride (1995); Jay-Z, Reasonable Doubt
(1996); Jay-Z, In My Life (1997); Jay-Z, Hard Knock Life (1998); Jay-Z, The Dynasty:
Roc La Familia (2000); Jay-Z, The Bluprint: The Gift and the Curse (2002); Jay-Z,
Kingdom Come (2006); Jay-Z, American Gangster (2007); Jay-Z, The Blueprint Three
(2009); Jay-Z and Kanye West, Watch the Throne (2011); J. Cole, The Come Up
(2007); J. Cole, Cole World: The Sideline Story (2011); J. Cole, Truly Yours 2
(2013); Jim Jones, On My Way to Church (2004); Joey Badass, Summer Knights
(2013); Joey Fatts, Chipper Jones EP (2013); Jon Connor, Triumph (2013); JT the
Bigga Figga, Don’t Stop til We Major (1992); J. Unit, G-Magz’s Freestyle (2013);
Kanye West, My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy (2010); Ke Juan, Wonder Why
(2013); Kelis, Kaleidoscope (1999); King Tee, Act a Fool (1998); King Tee, The
Kingdom Come (2002); Kool G. Rap, The Best of Cold Chillin’ (2000); Kool G. Rap,
Kool G. Rap and Twin Loco (2010); Krayzie Bone, Thug Mentality (1999); Lil B, Red
Flame (2010); Lil B, Angels Exodus Mixtape (2011); Lil B, BaseGod 50 (2013); Lil
Flip, U Gotta Feel Me (2004); Lil Jon, Crunk Juice (2004); Lil Keke, It Was All a
Dream (1999); Lil Rob, 1218 Part II Mixtape (1998); Lil Troy, Sittin’ Fat Down South
(1998); Lil Wayne, Tha Carter (2004); Lil Wayne, Da Drought 3 (2007); Lil Wayne,
Tha Carter III (2008); Lil Wayne, Rebirth (2010); Lil Wayne, Sorry 4 the Wait (2011);
Lil Wayne, I Am Not a Human Being II (2013); Lil Wyte, The One and Only (2007); LL
Cool J, Mr. Smith (1995); LL Cool J, Exit 13 (2008); LL Cool J, Soundtrack Exclusives
and Rarities (2013); Los Boyz, Love, Peace and Nappiness (1997); Mac Dre, It’s Not
What You Say. It’s How You Say It (2001); Mack 10, Mack 10 (1995); Mack 10, The
Paper Route (2000); Mack 10, Ghetto, Gutter and Gangster (2003); Master P, Get
Away Clean (1991); Master P, The Ghettos Tryin to Kill Me (1994); Master P, Good
284 Sources

Side, Bad Side (2004); Master P, Ghetto Bill (2005); Master P, TRU (2005); Mathemat-
ics, Love, Hell or Right (2003); Mean Green, Mean Green (1998); Meek Mill, Dream-
chasers (2011); Meek Mill, Dreams and Nightmares (2012); Melo-X, Rapity Rap
Remix (2010); Mercedes, Rear End (1999); Method Man, Tical 0: The Prequel
(2004); MC Ren, The Villain in Black (1996); MC Ren, Ruthless for Life (1998);
Mike-D, Greatest Flows (2003); Missy Elliott, Under Construction (2002); MNMsta,
Foefathers (2002); Mobb Deep, Juvenile Hell (1993); Mobb Deep, The Infamous
(1995); Mr. Dalvin, MetAMorPhic (2000); Mr. Marcelo, Streetz Got Luv 4 Me
(2001); Mr. Shadow, Born Without a Konscience (1999); Nas, It Was Written (1996);
Nas, I Am (1999); Nate Dogg, Nate Dogg (2003); Nefarious, Speak of Da Devil (2000);
Nicki Minaj, Pink Friday: Roman Reloaded (2012); Nino Brown, Starvation 2 (2013);
Notorious B.I.G., Ready to Die (1994); Notorious B.I.G., Life After Death (1997);
Notorious B.I.G., Notorious (2009); Obie Trice, Bottoms Up (2012); Onyx, Bacdafucup
(1993); Onyx, All We Got Iz Us (1995); Outkast, ATLiens (1996); Outkast, Stankonia
(2000); Pack FM, I Fucking Hate Rappers (2010); Phear, I’m Deaf Y’all (2013); Poison
Clan, 2 Low Life Muthas (1990); Poison Clan, Poisonous Mentality (1992); Poison
Clan, Rufftown Behavior (1993); Prince, Purple Rain (1984); Prince, Black Album
(1994); Prince, Lotus Flow (2009); Prodigy, H.N.I.C. (2000); Prodigy, H.N.I.C. Pt. 2
(2008); Prodigy, Product of the 80’s (2008); Public Enemy, Yo! Bum Rush the Show
(1987); Public Enemy, Fear of a Black Planet (1990); Public Enemy, Apocalypse 91:
The Enemy Strikes Black (1991); Public Enemy, Greatest Misses (1992); Public Enemy,
Muse Sick-n-Hour Mess Age (1994); Public Enemy, He Got Game (1998); Public
Enemy, There’s a Poison Goin’ on (1999); Public Enemy, Rebirth of a Nation
(2006); Public Enemy, How You Sell Soul to a Soulless People Who Sold Their Soul?
(2007); Puff Daddy, No Way Out (1997); Raekwon, Only Built 4 Cuban Linx (1995);
Rakim, The Seventh Seal (2009); Ray Nitti, Bow (2009); Redman, Muddy Waters
(1996); Redman, Malpractice (2001); Remy Ma, There’s Something about Remy
(2006); Rhymefest, Dangerous: 5–18 (2010); Rick Ross, Oil Money Gang (2013);
R. Kelly, TP-2.com (2000); R. Kelly, Chapter 15 (2007); R. Kelly, Untitled (2009);
R.O.W.D.Y., Bloodline (2010); RoxXxan, Too Fucking Facety (2012); Royce Da 5’9”,
Build and Destroy (2003); Royce Da 5’9”, Independent’s Day (2005); Run-D.M.C.,
Back from Hell (1990); Run-D.M.C., Down with the King (1993); Ruste Juxx, Brook-
lyn’s Finest (2013); Ryder Tee, Lyrical Preacher Ama Boss (2012); RZA, The RZA Hits
(1993); Saigon, The Return of the Yardfather (2006); Saigon, All in a Day’s Work
(2009); Sam Sneed, U Better Recognize (1994); Scarface, My Homies (1998); Schoolly
D, Funk’n’ Pussy (2000); Shad, When This Is Over (2005); Shyne, Godfather Buried
Alive (2004); Silk, Tonight (1999); Sir Mix-a-Lot, Swass (1988); Skull Duggery, These
Wicked Streets (1998); Slim Thug, Boss of All Bosses (2009); Snoop Dogg, Doggystyle
(1993); Snoop Dogg, Tha Doggfather (1996); Snoop Dogg, Off the Hook (1997);
Snoop Dogg, Tha Game is to Be Sold, Not to Be Told (1998); Snoop Dogg, No Limit
Top Dogg (1999); Snoop Dogg, Tha Last Meal (2000); Snoop Dogg, Rhythm and
Gangsta: The Masterpiece (2004); Snoop Dogg, Tha Blue Carpet Treatment (2006);
Snoop Dogg, Ego Trippin’ (2008); Snoop Dogg and Tha Eastsidaz, Duces’n Trayz: The
Old Fashioned Way (2001); South Central Cartel, Concrete Jungle Vol. 1 (1999); South
Park Mexican, Never Change (2001); Spice 1, Let It Be Known (1991); Sunny De, The
Team (2012); Supafly, Dat Whoopty Woop (2001); Talib Kweli, Eardrum (2007); Tech
N9ne, Seepage (2010); Tha Dogg Pound, 2002 (2002); Tha Dogg Pound, 100 Ways
 Sources 285

(2010); The Click, Game Related (1995); Threat, Sickinnahead (1993); Three 6 Mafia,
Da Unbreakables (2003); Three 6 Mafia, Last 2 Walk (2008); T.I., Trap Muzik (2004);
T.I., Paper Trail (2008); T.I., Ya Hear Me (2010); Tina Turner, The Edge (1980); Too
Short, Raw, Uncut, and X-Rated (1986); Too Short, Life Is Too Short (1988); Too
Short, Short Dog’s in the House (1990); Too Short, Get in Where You Fit in (1993);
Too Short, Chase the Cat (2001); Too Short, Blow the Whistle (2006); T-Pop, Wise Guy
(2006); Trends of Culture, Trendz (1993); Tribe Called Quest, The Love Movement
(1998); Trick Daddy, Fantasy (2009); Trinidad James, 10pc. Mild (2013); Trip Lee,
Between Two Worlds (2010); Tupac Shakur, 2Pacalypse Now (1991); Tupac Shakur,
Thug Life (1994); Tupac Shakur, Me Against the World (1995); Tupac Shakur, All Eyez
on Me (1996); Tupac Shakur, R U Still Down? (1997); Tupac Shakur, Until the End of
Time (2001); Turk, Raw and Uncut (2003); Twi-Lite, Swag (2012); Twista, Legit Ballin
Vol. 1 (1999); Two Live Crew, Hoochie Mama (1996); U.N.L.V., Straight out tha
Gutta (1994); U.N.L.V., Mac Melph Calio (1995); U.N.L.V., Greatest Hits Collection
(2012); Us3, Hand on the Torch (1993); Viktor Vaughn, Venomous Villain (2004);
Waka Flocka Flame, DuFlocka Rant 2 (2013); WC, Ghetto Heisman (2002); Webbie,
Savage Life 3 (2011); Whiz Khalifa, Show and Prove (2006); Willie Dee, Controversy
(1989); Wiz Khalifa, The Gangs Return (2012); Wiz Khalifa, O.N.I.F.C. (2012); Dizzy
Wright, The Golden Age (2013); Wu-Tang Clan, Enter the Wu-Tang (1993); Wu-Tang
Clan, Wu-Tang Forever (1997); Wu-Tang Clan, The W (2000); Wu-Tang Clan, Iron
Flag (2001); Wu-Tang Clan, The Sting (2002); Wu-Tang Clan, Legend of the Wu-Tang
Clan (2004); Wu-Tang Clan, Eight Diagrams (2007); Wu-Tang Clan, Wu-Tang Cham-
ber Music (2009); Xzibit, At the Speed of Life (1996); Xzibit, Man vs. Machine (2002);
Yelawolf, Trunk Muzik 0–60 (2010); Ying Yang Twins, Alley: The Return of the Ying
Yang Twins (2002); Ying Yang Twins, Legendary Status: Ying Yang Twins Greatest
Hits (2009); Young Buck, T.I.P. (2005); Young Jeezy, Let’s Get It: Thug Motivation
(2005); Young Jeezy, SupaFreak (2011); Young Money Entertainment, I Don’t Like
(2013); Z-Ro, The Life of Joseph W. McVey (2004); Z-Ro, I’m Still Lovin’ (2006); Z-Ro,
Meth (2011).

Press
Access Atlanta; Ad Week; Alamogordo Daily News; Allentown Morning Call; American
Conservative; American Spectator; American Thinker; Anchorage Daily News; Annap-
olis Capital; Appleton Post-Crescent; Argus Leader; Arizona Daily Wildcat; Ask Men;
Aspen Daily News; Atlanta Black Star; Atlanta Journal-Constitution; Atlantic Monthly;
Attleboro Sun Chronicle; Aurora Sentinel; Austin American-Statesman; Austin Chron-
icle; Austin News; Austin Weekly News; Auto Guide; Automobile Magazine; AVN
Magazine; Bahamas Press; Baltimore Afro-American; Baltimore City Paper; Baltimore
News-Tribune; Baltimore Sun; Bama Magazine; Bangor Daily News; Beacon Journal;
Beaumont Enterprise; Belleville News-Democrat; Berkeley Daily Planet; Billboard;
Birmingham News; Birmingham Post; Bismarck Tribune; Bitch Magazine; Black Ath-
lete; Black Book Magazine; Bluff Magazine; Bluffton Today; Boca Raton News; Body
Building; Book Reporter; Booman Tribune; Boston Globe; Boston Herald; Boston
Standard; Boston University Daily Free Press; Boulder Daily Camera; Bradenton
Herald; Brainerd Daily Dispatch; Broadway World; Brooklyn Papers; Brownsville
Herald; Brunswick Records; Buffalo News; Burlington Times News; BusinessWeek;
286 Sources

Calgary Sun; Calhoun Times; California Chronicle; California State University Daily
Titan; Cape Cod Times; Car and Driver; Centre Daily Times; Charleston Post Courier;
Charlotte Observer; Chattanoogan; Cherokee Leader; Cherry Hill Courier Post; Chi-
cago Daily Herald; Chicago Now; Chicago Sun-Times; Chicago Tribune; Chico
Enterprise Record; Chinook Observer; Christian Post; Christian Science Monitor;
Cincinnati Enquirer; Cincinnati Magazine; Cincinnati News; Citizens Voice; Cleveland
Jewish News; Cleveland Plain Dealer; Colorado Springs Gazette; Colorado Springs
Independent; Coloradoan; Columbus Dispatch; Computerworld; Concord Monitor;
Contra Costa Times; Corpus Christi Caller-Times; Cosmopolitan; Creston News
Advertiser; Daily Cardinal; Daily News of Los Angeles; Daily of the University of
Washington; Daily Ranger; Daily Reflector; Daily Sentinel; Dallas Morning News;
Dallas Observer; Dayton Daily News; Daytona Beach News-Journal; Denver Post;
Deseret News; Detroit Free Press; Detroit News; Diverse Issues in Higher Education;
DuBois Institute Newsletter; Dubuque Telegraph Herald; Duke Chronicle; Ebony; Elle;
Englewood Herald-Tribune; Entertainment Weekly; Erie Times-News; Esquire;
Essence; Evansville Courier Press; Everyday Christian; Examiner; Exclaim; Express;
Fashion; Fayetteville Observer; Fiction International; Fight Magazine; Film; Florida
Courier; Florida Sun Sentinel; Florida Today; Forbes; Fredericksburg Free Lance
Star; Free Lance Star; Free Press Houston; Fresno Bee; Gainesville Sun; Gilbert
Times; Glamour Edge; Globe and Mail; Greater Long Beach; Green Daily; Greensboro
News and Record; Guitar World Magazine; Hartford Courant; Harvard Crimson;
Harvard Magazine; Hawkins County Post; High Times; Hollywood Reporter; Home
Barista; Homer News; Honolulu Advertiser; Houston African American News; Houston
Chronicle; Huntsville Item; Hustler; Idaho Press-Tribune; Idaho Statesman; Indian-
apolis Monthly; Indianapolis Star; Inquirer; Insider; Japan Tube XXX; Jazz Times; Jet
Magazine; Jewish Chronicle; Jewish Journal of Greater Los Angeles; Johnstown
Tribune Democrat; Kansas City Star; Kingston Standard; Lakeland Ledger; Lansing
State Journal; Las Vegas Mercury; Las Vegas Review-Journal; Las Vegas Sun; Las
Vegas Weekly; LA Weekly; London Free Press; Long Beach Press Telegram; Los
Angeles Sentinel; Los Angeles Times; Louisiana Weekly; Louisville Courier-Journal;
Maclean; Macon Telegraph; Marie Claire; Martha’s Vineyard Gazette; Maximum PC;
Memphis Commercial Appeal; Memphis Flyer; Men’s Health; Mesquite Local News;
Metro News; Miami Herald; Miami New Times; Michigan Citizen; Michigan City News
Dispatch; Michigan Daily; Milwaukee Journal Sentinel; Milwaukee Sentinel; Minneap-
olis Star-Tribune; Minnesota Daily; Montgomery County Courier; Mother Jones;
Motorcycle; Muncie Star Press; Myrtle Beach Sun News; Nassau Guardian; National
Ledger; National Post; Newark Star-Ledger; New Hampshire Union Leader; New
Haven Independent; New Haven Register; New Music Monthly; New Republic; Newport
Daily Herald; Newport Daily Press; News Tribune; Newsweek; New York Amsterdam
News; New York Beacon; New York Daily News; New York Daily Post; New York
Magazine; New York Newsday; New York Observer; New York Post; New York Sun;
New York Times; North-Central Connecticut Journal Inquirer; Nursing Times; Oakland
Tribune; OC Weekly; Ocala Star-Banner; OK Magazine; Oklahoma Daily; Olympian;
Oregonian; Orlando Sentinel; Ottawa Citizen; Out Magazine; Palm Beach Post; Paste
Magazine; PC World; People; Pepperell Free Press; Philadelphia City Paper; Phila-
delphia Daily News; Philadelphia Inquirer; Philadelphia Weekly; Phoenix New Times;
Pitch Weekly; Pittsburgh Post Gazette; Pittsburgh Press; Plainview Daily Herald;
 Sources 287

Pontiac Daily Ledger; Popular Science; Portland Mercury; Portland Press Herald;
Poughkeepsie Journal; Press of Atlantic City; Progressor Times; Providence Journal;
Quincy Patriot Ledger; Rave; Richmond Times; Roanoke Times; Rochester City News-
paper; Rocky Mountain News; Rolling Stone; Rutgers Bulletin; Sacramento Bee; Salt
Lake City Weekly; Salt Lake Tribune; San Antonio Express-News; San Bernardino Sun;
San Diego Magazine; San Diego Reader; San Diego Union Tribune; San Francisco
Bay View; San Francisco Chronicle; San Francisco Weekly; San Jose Mercury News;
Santa Barbara Independent; Santa Paula Times; Santa Rosa Press Democrat; Sarasota
Herald Tribune; Savannah Morning News; Schenectady Daily Gazette; Screen Weekly;
Seattle Post Intelligencer; Seattle Times; Shakopee Valley News; Shape; Source; South
Florida Sun; South Florida Sun-Sentinel; Spin Magazine; Spokesman-Review; Sports
Illustrated; Statesman Journal; St. Louis Post-Dispatch; St. Paul Pioneer Press; St.
Petersburg Times; Stanford Daily; Statesman Journal; Sun Gazette; Sunday World;
Talk; Tampa Bay; Tampa Bay Newspaper; Tampa Tribune; Tennessean; Terre Haute
Tribune Star; Time; Time Out Chicago; Time Out New York; Today; Toledo Blade;
Topeka Capital Journal; Toronto; Toronto Star; Tricity Herald; Tuscaloosa News; TV
Guide; TV Magazine; University of Alabama Crimson White; University of Oregon
Babel; Uptown Chronicle; Us Magazine; US Weekly; USA Today; Vancouver Sun;
Vanderbilt Orbis; Vanity Fair; Variety; Ventura County Star; Vibe; Victoria Advocate;
Village Voice; Virginian Pilot; Voice; Wall Street Journal; Washington City Paper;
Washington Monthly; Washington Post; Washington Times; West Seattle Herald;
Western Gazette; Whittier Daily News; Wichita Eagle; Williams Record; Wilmington
News Journal; Windsor Peak; Wine Review; Winston-Salem Journal; Wired; Wired
News; Worcester Telegram Gazette; XXL Magazine; Yale Herald; Yale-New Heaven
Teachers Institute; Youngstown Vindicator; Yuma Sun.

Literature
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the Movement, Music, and Culture (2007); Larry Hill, Process of Elimination (2010);
John Holway, Red Tails, Black Wings: The Men of America’s Black Air Force (1997);
James David Horan, The Blue Messiah (1991); Todd Houser, Central Slang (1985);
Chelise James, Falling into the Game (2007); Joy James, Shadowboxing: Representa-
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Hip-Hop and Urban Slanguage (2006); Malcolm Kelly, Let There Be Life: The Journey
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Elmore Leonard, City Primeval (1980); Elmore Leonard, Freaky Dicky (1988); Elmore
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Michael Lydon, Boogie Lightning (1994); Richard T. Lynch, Pendulum (2003); Clar-
ence Major, Juba to Jive: A Dictionary of African American Slang (1994); Jessica
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Nathan McCall, Makes Me Wanna Holler: A Young Black Man in America (1994); Neil
McMillen, Dark Journey: Black Mississippians in the Age of Jim Crow (1990); Penny
Mickelburry, One Must Wait (1998); George Middleton, City of Drama (2009); Kirk
Mitchell, Colors (1988); Sydney Molare, Grandmama’s Mojo Still Working (2004);
Bradie Moore, Vanilla Mommy (2005); John Moore, Three of a Kind: A Novel (2001);
Judith Moore, The Left Coast of Paradise: California and the American Heart (1987);
Walker Moore, Rite of Passage Parenting (2007); Edward Morris, The Frank Principle
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Morrison, Birth of a Nation’hood (1997); Toni Morrison, Tar Baby (2004); Nekousa
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the City (2010); Rey Mysterio, Behind the Mask (2009); Patricia Nell Warren, Billy’s
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Pushkin and the Queen of Spades (2004); B. K. Ray, Cold Wing Dinner (2004);
Christopher Robert Reed, The Black Presence at White City (2002); David Adams
Richards, River of the Brokenhearted (2004); John Ridley, What Fire Cannot Burn
(2006); Dennis Rodman, I Should Be Dead by Now (2006); David Roadiger, The Wages
of Whiteness (1999); Ross Roeser, Speech-language Pathology Desk Reference (1998);
Tricia Rose, The Hip Hop Wars (2008); Rusty Rothman, How to Find Another
Husband – by Someone Who Did (1985); Shawn Stewart Ruff, Toss and Whirl and
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Stories (2009); Zoe Valdes, I Gave You All I Had (2000); Rick Van Dam, Days of
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Wrong Side of Murder Creek: A White Southerner in the Freedom Movement (2008).

Television
3rd Rock from the Sun (NBC-TV series); 30 Rock (NBC-TV series); American Dad
(Fox-TV series); American Idol (Fox-TV series); Battlestar Galactica (SciFi-TV
series); Beavis and Butthead (MTV-TV series); Big Bang Theory (CBS-TV series);
Boardwalk Empire (HBO-TV series); Boston Legal (ABC-TV series); Breaking Bad
(AMC-TV series); Buffy the Vampire Slayer (WB-TV series); Cane (CBS-TV series);
Chappelle’s Show (WGN-TV program); Cheers (NBC-TV series); Chris Rock Show
(HBO-TV program); Cleveland Show (Fox-TV series); Criminal Minds (CBS-TV
series); CSI: Miami (CBS-TV series); CSI: NY (CBS-TV series); Desperate Housewives
(NBC-TV series); Dexter (Showtime-TV series); Dollhouse (Fox-TV series); Friends
(NBC-TV series); Futurama (Fox-TV series); Generation Kill (HBO-TV series);
George Carlin: Life Is Worth Losing (HBO-TV program); Hannah Montana (ABC-
TV series); House M.D. (Fox-TV series); Jerry Springer Show (WBN-TV program);
 Sources 291

John from Cincinnati (HBO-TV series); Kath and Kim (NBC-TV series); King of the
Hill (Fox-TV); Las Vegas (NBC-TV series); Late Show with Conan O’Brien (NBC-TV
program); Life on Mars (ABC-TV series); Little Britain USA (HBO-TV series); Martin
(Fox-TV series); Max Monroe: Loose Cannon (CBS-TV series); Melrose Place (Fox-
TV series); Monk (NBC-TV series); News (ABC-TV program); News (BBC-TV pro-
gram); News (CBC-TV program); News (CBS-TV program); News (CMT-TV pro-
gram); News (CNN-TV program); News (Fox-TV program); News (KENS-TV
program); News (KGBT-TV program); News (KVAL-TV program); News (MSNBC-
TV program); News (MTV-TV program); News (WCTV-TV program); News (WDBJ-TV
program); News (WFAA-TV program); News (WIBW-TV program); News (WILX-TV
program); North And South (ABC-TV series); Nurse Jackie (HBO-TV series); Oprah
Winfrey Show (ABC-TV series); Parenthood (NBC-TV series); Pinky and the Brain (WB-
TV series); Prison Break (Fox-TV series); Saturday Night Live (NBC-TV program);
Scrubs (ABC-TV series); Scrubs (NBC-TV series); Seinfeld (NBC-TV series); Shield
(FX-TV series); Simpsons (Fox-TV series); Sons of Anarchy (FX-TV series); Sopranos
(HBO-TV series); Soul Food (Fox-TV series); Southland (NBC-TV series); Southland
(TNT-TV series); South Park (Comedy Central TV series); Stark Raving Mad (NBC-TV
series); Surface (NBC-TV series); That’70s Show (Fox-TV); Third Rock from the Sun
(NBC-TV series); Tonight Show with David Letterman (CBS-TV program); Trust Me
(TNT-TV series); Two and a Half Men (CBS-TV series); Veronica Mars (UPN-TV);
When I Was 17 (MTV-TV program); Wire (HBO-TV series).

Conversation
Columbia University students; City University of New York students; New York
University students; University of Alabama students (Birmingham and Tuscaloosa);
University of California students (Berkeley and Los Angeles); University of Mississippi
students; University of Tennessee students.
 Index

abbreviation, 44–50, 64, 115, 125 American English, 3, 11, 119, 121, 124, 127
accent, 6 American slang, 2, 13–14, 41, 43, 53, 59, 82,
Ackerman, Raquel, 118 84, 90, 95–97, 119, 123, 125–126
acronym, 44, 49–50, 64, 125 antiphrasis, 81
Adams, Michael, ix, x, 5, 33, 44, 102, 108, appropriation, 59, 113, 117, 119, 123, 126
117, 119 assimilation, 15, 58, 117, 119–123, 126
adverbial particle, 41–42, 64 assonance, 29–30, 39, 64, 117
affix, 23, 32 Australian slang, 11
affixation, 19, 32–36, 60, 64, 125 Ayto, John, 7
affix word, 23–29, 64
Africa, 3, 5–6, 56 back clipping, 36, 44–45
Africana, 90–92, 97, 125 back derivation, 45
African American culture, 17, 28, 60, 70, back formation, 45–46, 64, 125
82–84, 91, 95, 99, 117, 119, 125 back slang, 63
African American English (AAE), 3–4, 12, 62, 126 Baugh, John, x, 2–3
African American Language, 3, 5 Bertram, Anne, 40
African Americans, theme, 90–91, 97, 125 Biber, Douglas, 30, 37, 104
African American slang, definition, ix, 2, 8, 13, binomial, 30–31
124 Black Accent, 3, 6
African American speech, 3–6, 11 Black Dialect, 3, 5
African American Vernacular (AAV), 2, 5, 15 Black English, 4
African American Vernacular English Black English Vernacular (BEV), 3–4
(AAVE), 1–5, 7, 65 Black Language, 3, 5
African English, 5 Black Talk, 3, 5
African English Vernacular, 5 Black Vernacular, 5
Africanization, 59, 119 blend, 4, 53–54
African languages, 3, 55–56, 64 blending, 11, 17, 19, 46, 53–54, 64, 125
Afro-American English, 3 blend word, 53
Afro-American Language, 5 blues, 7, 95
Afro-American Vernacular, 5 body, 79, 83–85, 97, 125
Afro-American Vernacular English, 3 Bokamba, Eyamba, 5
alcohol, 83, 86–87, 97, 125 borrowing, 17, 19, 54–59, 64, 66, 119, 125
Algeo, John, 19–20, 32, 67, 109 brand name, 58–59, 64
Alim, Samy, x, 7, 103 Brasch, Walter, 61, 81
Allen, Irving Lewis, 111 brevity, 7, 43–44, 48, 50, 61, 114–116
alliteration, 31, 39, 64, 117 British English, 3
allusion, 67, 69–70, 82, 125 British slang, 11, 30, 64
alphabetism, 48 broadening, 77
alphanumeric compound, 21–22 Bucholtz, Mary, 113, 119
amalgam, 53
amalgamation, 53 calque, 56
amelioration, 79 Canadian slang, 11

292
 Index 293

categorization, 58, 83, 88–90, 97, 100, ellipsis, 47

106–108, 125 emotions, 7, 85, 88–89, 106–108, 123, 126
changeability, 14 entertainment, 90, 94–97, 125
Chapman, Robert, ix, xv, 7, 9, 16–17, 43, 70, ephemerality, 14, 24, 33–35, 54, 63
85–86, 101, 104, 106, 112 epithet, 14, 106, 110
citations, 13–17, 126 eponym, 57–58, 64
clipping, 44–49, 65, 125 ethnic dialect, 6
Cockney, 30 ethnic group, 6–8, 10, 12–14, 28, 90–91, 93,
coinage, 59–60, 65 99–100, 110, 113, 123–124, 126
Coleman, Julie, ix, x, 8, 13, 63, 67, 119 ethnolect, 6
collection, 12, 15–16 euphemism, 8, 10, 22, 33, 35, 46–47, 62
colloquialism, 2, 8–9, 61 Everett, Daniel, 15
combining, 11, 17, 19–43 examples, xii, 17–18, 126
common themes, 83–90, 97, 125 exclamation, 52, 61, 106
compound, 19, 43, 47, 58, 64 extension, 77
compounding, 19–32, 53, 60, 64, 125 eye-dialect, 61
compound patterns, 20–32
compound verb, 41 figuration, 11, 16–17, 19–20, 39–40, 42,
conciseness, 48, 111, 114–116, 123, 126 66–77, 82, 118, 125
conventions, 17–18 figuration themes, 73–77, 125
conversion, 17, 50–53, 64, 125 figure of speech, 66–67, 69, 71
corpus linguistics, 15 first name, 57–58, 64
corruption, 61 Flexner, Stuart Berg, 29, 43, 70, 85–86, 101,
creating, 17, 19, 59–64 112
crime, 26, 94, 97, 103, 125 forcefulness, 29, 39, 111, 116–117, 123, 126
cross-over expression, 15, 105, 113, 119–123, fore clipping, 46
126 formulaic expression, 41, 64, 104, 125
cryptic device, 22, 30, 35, 44, 47–48, 63, 65 front clipping, 44, 46
Crystal, David, 4, 55, 100, 104, 117 functional shift, 50
cultural allusion, 69 fusion, 53
cultural functions, 17, 99, 117–123, 125–126
currency, 14 generalization, 17, 58, 66, 77–78, 82, 125
general slang, 13, 15–17, 24, 65, 83, 86, 94,
Dalzell, Tom, ix, 13–14, 24, 63, 76, 81, 95, 103 102, 105, 113, 117, 119, 126
database, 1, 13–17, 124, 126 geography, 90, 96–98, 125
degeneration, 80 ghetto, 6, 26, 103
degradation, 66, 80 Ghetto Speech, 3, 6
derivation, 32 Ghetto Talk, 6
description levels, 11, 124 Glossary, xv, 14, 16–17, 24, 32–35, 54, 63,
descriptive linguistics, 1–2, 124 124, 126
descriptivism, 1–2, 12, 14 graffiti, 95
dialect, 4–6, 8, 11, 30 grammatical shifting, 50
Dickson, Paul, 10 Green, Jonathon, ix, xv, 17
dictionary, 9, 13–14, 16–17 Green, Lisa, x, 3, 14, 38, 83
Dillard, Joey, x, 13, 46, 83 group identification, 8, 55, 90, 99–102, 123,
distortion, 61 126
drugs, 83, 87–88, 97, 125
Dumas, Bethany, 8 Halliday, Michael, 88
head rhyme, 31
Eble, Connie, ix, x, x, 8, 20, 43–44, 59, 80, 86, hind clipping, 44
90, 99, 110, 112, 119 hip-hop, 7, 13, 16, 26, 29, 34–35, 54, 60–61,
Ebonics, 3–5, 12 63–64, 94–95, 103, 118
echoism, 60 Hip-Hop Nation Language (HHNL), 7
education, 4, 8, 126 Hip-Hop Speech, 6
elevation, 79 Hip-Hop Talk, 3, 6
294 Index

historical change, 66, 77, 82, 125 male talk, 70, 110
Holloway, Joseph, 95 Malinowski, Bronislaw, 104
humanization, 72 McArthur, Tom, 3, 5–6, 41–42, 45, 50, 117
humor, 7, 10, 24–25, 27, 29, 35–36, 40, 61, 63, McWhorter, John, 8
70–71, 106, 108–110, 123, 126 media, 94, 124
hybrid, 53 meiosis, 67, 71
hyperbole, 67, 70–71 melioration, 17, 66, 77, 79–82, 88, 101, 125
Mesthrie, Rajend, 2, 91, 118
identification, 99–102, 113 metaphor, 17, 66–69, 72, 76, 82, 125
idiom, 8, 10–11, 36, 40–42, 70 methodology, 1, 12–18
illiteracy, 8, 62 metonymy, 17, 66–69, 82, 125
imitation, 112–113, 119 monosyllabic word, 37, 43, 64
inclusion, 12–14 Morgan, Marcyliena, x, 113, 127
infix, 32–35, 63–64 morphological patterns, 19–65
informality, 7–9, 44, 61, 112, 123–124, 126 morphology, 17, 125
initialism, 44, 48–49, 64–65, 125 Mufwene, Salikoko, x, 113
interaction, 104 music, 6, 15, 28, 69, 79, 95, 97–98, 125
internal clipping, 46–47
inverse derivation, 45 narrowing, 78
irony, 25, 71, 76, 109–110 negative categorization, 89–90
neologism, 8, 11, 59–60
jargon, 6, 8–9, 48, 55 nominalization, 50–52
Jay, Timothy, 10 non-standard expression, 2–4, 8–9
jazz, 6–7, 95 noun phrase, 38
Jive Speech, 6 novelty, 8, 11, 19, 41, 59–60, 113, 117, 119,
Jive Talk, 3, 6 123–124
Johnson, Mark, 66
Johnson, Samuel, 15 objectification, 72
occupational group, 8–9, 13, 90, 113, 124
Kearse, Randy, xv, 16–17, 34 offensiveness, 9–10, 14, 27, 35, 79, 82, 101
Kipfer, Barbara, xv, 9, 15–17, 45, 48, 51, 79 onomatopoeia, 59–61, 65
Kowalczyk, Malgorzata, 8–9, 93, 96 origin, 2, 6, 9, 12–13, 55, 113, 119
overlexicalization, 88
Labov, William, x, 4 overstatement, 70
Lakoff, George, 66, 68
Lapp, Diane, x passive slang, 14
letter compound, 22–23 Pearce, Michael, 33
lexical borrowing, 54, 105, 119 Peckham, Aaron, 35
lexical field, 83 pejoration, 17, 77, 81–82, 125
lexical material, 12, 15–16, 18–19, 124, 126 perception, 5–12, 14, 113, 124, 126
lexicography, 7, 17, 62, 126 personification, 67, 72
lexicon, 2–3, 6, 8, 12–13, 50, 54, 59, 66, phatic function, 99, 104, 123
78–79, 82–83, 86, 95, 97, 106, 112–113, phoneticism, 61
116, 125 phonology, 3, 6, 12
Lieber, Rochelle, 59 phrasal noun, 42–43
Lighter, Jonathan, ix, 7–11, 14, 67, 99, 112–113 phrasal verb, 41–42, 64, 125
linguistic description, 1, 11, 17, 19, 66, 83, 99, phrase, 10, 36, 47–48, 58, 64, 67, 125
124 phraseology, 19, 36–43, 64, 125
litotes, 71 physiology, 83, 85, 97, 125
loan translation, 56–57, 64, 125 poetry, 29–31, 33, 53, 66–67, 82, 117
loanword, 54–56 Poplack, Shana, x
luxury, 90, 96–97, 125 portmanteau word, 53
positive categorization, 88–89
Major, Clarence, x, x, xv, 6, 16–17, 27, 39, 50, pragmatic patterns, 99–123
61, 79, 83, 101, 105, 114 pragmatics, 17, 125
 Index 295

prefix, 23, 32–33 social dialect, 6, 11

prefix word, 23, 25–26, 28 social functions, 14, 17, 99–105, 122,
preposition, 36, 38–39, 41 124–125
prescriptivism, 1–2, 14 social group, 6, 8, 13, 88, 90, 99–100, 104,
primary slang, 113 110, 113, 124
pronunciation, 6, 19, 26, 42, 48–49, 54, 61, 65 social interaction, 104, 123, 126
proverb, 40, 64, 125 social status, 2, 14, 26–27, 62, 92–96, 98–101,
psychological functions, 17, 99, 105–111, 122, 110
124–125 sociolect, 6, 11
Pyles, Thomas, 109 sociolinguistics, 1, 14, 99, 124, 126–127
solidarity, 22, 55, 100–101, 113, 123, 126
racism, 27, 79, 90, 92–93, 97, 125 Soukhanov, Anne, 29
rap battle, 118 sources, 13–15, 18, 124, 126
rap music, 26, 29, 34–35, 63, 94–95, 103, Spears, Richard, 10, 83, 85, 100, 110
117–118 specialization, 17, 66, 77–79, 82, 125
reappropriation, 10, 27 specific themes, 83–84, 90–97, 125
rebellion, 81, 99, 102–103, 123, 126 spelling, 19, 26, 42, 46–49, 54, 57–58,
reduplication, 29–31, 64 61–64
referential function, 99 standard, 2–4, 6–12, 17, 20, 61–62, 65, 68,
register, 112 77–78, 80, 83–85, 99, 108, 115–117, 122,
reification, 67, 72 124–125
representativeness, 13, 15, 17, 126 standard English, 8, 10–11, 17, 21–22, 29–30,
respelling, 45, 59, 61–65 32–34, 41–42, 44, 48, 50, 61, 64–68, 72,
rhetorical functions, 8, 17, 99, 111–117, 77, 81–83, 100, 122, 125
122–126 Steinmetz, Sol, 45, 48, 51, 79
rhyming, 29–30, 33, 35, 39–40, 63–64, style, 7, 10, 39, 44, 111–112, 118
118 stylization, 8, 111–114, 117, 119, 123, 126
rhythm, 36, 39, 44, 48–49 substandard, 4, 8
rhythm and blues, 95 suffix, 23, 32–33
Rickford, John, x, 3–4, 83, 119 suffix word, 23–25, 27
root creation, 59 swearword, 110
synecdoche, 67, 69
Safire, William, 31 syntax, 3, 6, 12
Sakel, Jeanette, 15
sarcasm, 109–110 taboo, 8–10, 14, 22, 46–47, 74, 79, 83–86,
Schilling-Estes, Nathalie, 3, 119 109–110
scope, 12–14 Taylor, R.L., 91
secondary slang, 59, 113, 123, 126 terminology, 1–12, 48, 91, 124
secrecy, 70, 88, 99, 104–105, 123, 126 thematic patterns, 83–98
semantic borrowing, 54, 56 Thorne, Tony, 7, 15
semantic change, 66, 78 Todd, Loreto, 5
semantic field, 83, 90, 125 toponym, 96
semantic inversion, 81 toughness, 94, 106, 110–111, 123, 126
semantic patterns, 66–82
semantics, 17, 125 understatement, 71
semantic shifting, 11, 17, 66, 77–82, 125 United States, 2–5, 10, 15, 55, 98, 112, 121,
sexuality, 83, 85–86, 97, 125 123
Sheidlower, Jesse, 62
shifting, 19, 66, 77–82 variety, 2–6, 11, 121
shortening, 11, 17, 19, 43–50, 53, 64 verbal battle, 118
simile, 67, 71–72 verbal dueling, 118
slang, definition, 7–8, 124 verbification, 50–52, 64, 125
slur, 27, 79, 82, 101 verb phrase, 36–38, 41
Smitherman, Geneva, x, x, xv, 3, 5–6, 14, vernacular, 2, 95
16–17, 55, 105, 113, 119 violence, 26, 90, 94, 97, 125
296 Index

vocabulary, 2, 8–9, 14, 19, 32, 55, 63, 83–85,
99–100, 105–106, 124
vulgarism, 8–10, 14, 110, 116
whites, 28, 55, 90, 93, 97, 113, 125
Widawski, Maciej, 8–9, 16, 47, 62, 83, 96, 99, 111
Williams, Robert, 4
Wolfram, Walt, x, x, 3, 5–6, 119
word battle, 117–119, 123, 126
wordbuilding patterns, 19–65
wordplay, 11, 60–61, 81, 85, 108, 117–118,
123, 126
zero derivation, 50