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From: info@rapdict.org (Patrick Atoon)
Newsgroups: rec.music.hip-hop,alt.rap,rec.answers,alt.answers,news.answers
Subject: Rap Dictionary (part 1 of 4)
Followup-To: poster
Summary: This bi-weekly posting contains the Rap Dictionary which translates
hip-hop slang to english and contains an artist list. It is
extracted from the WWW version accessible at http://www.rapdict.org/
Date: 03 Aug 2000 08:59:12 GMT
X-Trace: dreaderd 965293152 9436 18.181.0.29
Archive-name: music/hip-hop/dictionary/part1
Posting-Frequency: Bi-weekly, posted on the 3rd and 18th of each month
Last-modified: 2000/08/01
URL: http://www.rapdict.org/
Copyright: (c) 1992-2000 Patrick Atoon
Maintainer: Patrick Atoon <info@rapdict.org>
This is the first part of the bi-weekly posting of the Rap Dictionary
to rec.music.hip-hop. It is extracted from the WWW version accessible at:
http://www.rapdict.org/
This Rap Dictionary is not intended to show the only correct spelling of words;
slang is mostly a spoken language an noone exactly knows how to spell things. A
word might mean something other to you than displayed here; that is because all
words and corresponding meanings have been put in the list on a "goes until
challenged by someone" basis.
I have followed the English rules, writing out words fully. Most verbs are
usually written differently, though. Take for example cruising, which will
usually be spelled like cruisin', or brother which is often seen as brotha. Some
starting with an `f' are often written with `ph', like phat or phunky. And what
to think of a thing like Doowutchalike?
Where possible I have added a source to show in what context the word is being
used. Take a look at the definition below.
dap
1) (n) Sort of high-five type of handshake. "Gimme a dap, I'll give you
one back" -- Ice T. (Ziplock [1991])
2) (n) Dignity and Pride, old slang (think 70's here).
Note the "a source" as in "just any source", I don't mean "the source", since
that would take ages of debating.
Note that in slang or dialects the grammar is not strongly typed, so nouns can
be verbs etcetera. Slang for gun and penis is almost always interchangable.
Wherever you encounter (?) I am not sure about whatever I am saying there.
"???" means that I don't have that particular piece of information. If you know
more than me, please let me know.
Please help making this list more complete. If it wasn't for the help of
the UseNet alt.rap community, this list wouldn't be one percent of its
current size.
'lac
(n) Short for Cadillac. "Macks drive 'lacs" -- Big Mello [1993].
1 and 2
(n) Turntables. "DJ behind the 1 and 2".
1-2 checker
1) (n) Checking the MIC.
2) (n) Checking the scene.
10
(n) See Mac 10. "Had my ten in my hand" -- Coolio (Gangsta's paradise [1995]).
10%
(n) See 5%. "Ten percent took a loss" -- Boots of The Coup.
107.5
(n) The big "urban format" station in Chicago, Illinois. 107.5 WGCI, home of the
nationally-syndicated "Tom
Joyner Morning Show," a focal point for activism and unity in the black
community.
1200
1) (n) The Technics SL 1200 is regarded as the best turntable for DJ'ing. The reason
for this is its very, very high torque. If you hit the start/stop button, the
platter will reach top speed within a 1/4th revolution. Not many turntables can match
that. "My DJ you know 1200's he's using, I don't!" -- Schoolly D. (I don't like rock 'n
roll [??])
2) (n) SP-1200 sampler, a top of the line product.
1555
(n) The year the first slaveships arrived in America. "Sayin' 1555 how I'm livin'"
-- Public Enemy (Can't truss it [??]).
186
(n) Police term for a murder or homicide. To be on the lookout for someone who is
trying to kill you.
187
(n) Californian penal code number for homicide. The police in California uses the
penal code numbers as shorthand on the radio. Eg. in Oregon the code for homicide is
"163.005", different from California. "Try to set me up for a 211, fuck around and get
caught up in a 187" -- Dr. Dre (Let me ride [1992]).
2 to 4
(n) The duration of a imprisonement sentence, two to four years in jail. "Hit with a
2 to 4 is difficult" -- Mobb Deep (Survival of the fittest [1995]).
20
(n) See twenty sack. "I'm an addict for sneakers, 20's of buddah and bitches with
beepers" -- NAS (New York state of mind [1994]).
21 & Lewis
(n) Streetcorner in Long Beach, California. "I hung a left at two-one and Lewis" --
Warren G. (Regulate [1994]).
21 Cerritos
(n) Long Beach crip set. The Dogg Pound and Warren G have rumored association with
them. "But you don't really know about, you know, the Cerritos silly ho" -- Daz (Who
gotz some gangsta shit [1994]).
211
(n) Police code for armed robbery. "Try to set me up for a 211, fuck around and get
caught up in a 187" -- Dr. Dre (Let me ride [1992]).
212
(n) A New York area code.
213
1) (n) The name of a group with Snoop, Nate Dogg and Warren G. This group was separated
when they all got big. "Way back then 213 was the clique" -- Warren G (Do you see
[1994]).
2) (n) Also, 213 was the area code for Long Beach before it got 310, which now is the area
code for a large portion of southern California, including Compton. Inglewood is
213 nowadays.
3) (n) 213 was named after a car (not a motor vehicle but an alliance of inmates in a
prison). See Ice-T's book "Who gives a Fuck?" for reference. There are other cars as
well but most West coast and/or Death Row rappers claim to be affiliated with the
213 car (not to be confused with the set somebody claims)
22
(n) 22 caliber gun. "Twentytwo automatic on my person" -- Beastie Boys (Posse in
Effect [1986])
226
(n) Police code for drugs.
24/7, 24/7/365
(n) All the time, from 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year.
25 with an L
(n) 25 years to life sentence. "25 with an izL" -- Snoop Doggy Dog (Murder was the
case [1993]).
30
(n) A firearm of .30 calibre.
310
(n) The area code for Long Beach.
357
(n) A .357 Magnum pistol. ".357 break it on down" -- LL Cool J. (.357 Break it on down
[1987]).
36 chambers
1) (n) The 36 chambers a warrior has to go through to become a Shaolin. Every chambers
has a special task the warrior has to complete in order to be able to continue to the
next chamber. The RZA said in an interview with Billboard Magazine that there are
nine members in the Clan, and each member has four chambers in his heart, which
makes 9x4 = 36 chambers.
2) (n) There are 36 'death-points' on the body, each seperated from the other at 10
degree intervals, where the trained Wu expert can cause death at a single blow.
38
1) (n) 38 caliber pistol.
2) (n) "38 hot" means very angry.
380
(n) A .380 calibre handgun. "Unpacked and I grabbed my three eighty cause where we
stayin', niggaz look shady" -- Ice Cube (Summer Vacation [1991]).
4 pound
(n) 45 caliber (1 caliber = 1/100th inch) gun.
4-5-6
(n) See celo. See the song "456" by Kool G Rap.
4-9-3-11
(n) The numbers represent letters of the alphabet; 4 is D, 9 is I, and so on. These
numbers spell "dick". I be comin' through like the 4-9-3-11 tearing up the power-U" --
Method Man (Meth vs Chef [1994]).
40
1) (n) A 40-ounce bottle of malt liquor. "Use to drink every day, straight 40's to the
head" -- Ice-T. (Ed [1991]).
2) (n) A 40 caliber gun "With my 40 and my 40 to the fucking dome".
411
(n) Information, from the US phone number for information.
4:20
(n) The time to smoke some marijuana.
5 0
1) (n) A police officer, from the series Hawaii Five-O. The word is used mainly in East
LA. "Five-O said 'freeze', and I got numb" -- Public Enemy (Bring the Noise).
2) (n) A 5.0 liter Ford Mustang, which is used as a police vehicle in some areas.
5 on it
(n) Five dollars on a sac of marijuana. "I got five on it" -- The Luniz (I got five on it
[1995]).
5% Nation
(n) A group which started as an offshoot of the NoI. They teach that any large group
of people, and more specifically, the African American nation, can be divided
into three groups, the 85% = basically the ignorant masses which need to be led, the
5% = the people with true knowledge of self whose job it is to lead the masses and
fight against the 10%, the 10% = people who have partial knowledge of self and use it
to gain power and wealth by exploiting the 85, also referred to as "bloodsuckers
of the poor". The chosen percentages are what they feel that the percentages are
within the black community. These numbers are neither universal (all though these
groups do exist within any large group) nor unchangeable. "That'll be the day the
five percent eat swine" -- Dred Scott (Breakin' combs [1994]).
5-plated
(adj) Nickel plated.
5000
(interj) A farewell bidding, from "I'm outta here", which evolved to "I'm Audi",
and to 5000" after the Audi 5000 car, which got recalled and is a rare sight
nowadays. "Yo, we outta here, 5000, G!" -- Ice Cube and Flavor Flav (I'm only out for one
thang [1990]).
502
(n) 25 years ago, California had a vehicle code 502 for drunk driving. The current
code is 23152(a) vc. "Fuck the police and a 502" -- N.W.A. (8-ball [??]).
504
(n) New Orleans area code.
5150
(n) 5150 is the section of the California Welfare and Institutions Code dealing
with involuntary confinement of a mentally disordered person. (I.e. California
law consists of 29 codes, of which the Welfare and Institutions Code is one, and
5150 is a section number in that code.) Also the name of an old Van Halen album. It is
also a track on Da Luniz' album "Operation Stackola".
64
1) (n) A 64-ounce bottle of malt liquor. "40's are no more because now I'm drinkin'
64s" -- Grand Puba (Three Men at Chung King)
2) (n) A 1964 Chevrolet Impala. "Jumped in the 64 with the diamond in the back, sunroof
top" -- N.W.A. (Gangsta, gangsta [1988]).
7-11
1) (n) All-night convenience store, which was originally open from 7am to 11pm when
other stores were closed. "He always has me open like a 7-11" -- Salt 'n Pepa (What a
man [??]).
2) (n) From the dice game called craps, rolling a 7 and then 11 wins. "Shake em up, shake
em, rollin with a couple of homies and watch me break em with a seven,
seven-eleven" -- Ice Cube (Today was a good day [1993]).
8-ball
1) (n) Old English 800, a popular beer in the hood.
2) (n) An eightball is literally, in drug terms, an eight of an ounce. There are
twenty-eight grams in an ounce, and hence, three and one half grams in an eightball. In
places where an eightball is less than three and a half grams, the laws of supply and
demand have constricted the quantity in favor of a popular price.
3) (n) On to it. Ie: "on the 8-ball", up with the play.
4) (n) The 8-ball is the last ball to pot in the billiards game of pool. If you
accidentally pot it before the end of the game, you lose. So, the 8-ball also represents
chance.
808
1) (n) The bassdrum from a Roland TR-808 drum machine, which is now a popular sample.
2) (n) The penal code for disturbing the peace. Refers to the sound of bass from
stereos.
85%
(n) See 5%. "Why? That's most asked by 85" -- Ladybug of Digable Planets (???).
86
(v) To kill a plan or action. In the restaurant lingo it means that you want to cancel
an order already placed with the kitchen or on the bill. "86 that spinach
salad!".
9 to 5
(n) A job where you work from 9:00 am till 5:00 pm. "While your were at your job
working nine to five, the Beastie Boys were at the garden cold kickin' it live!" --
Beastie Boys (No sleep till Brooklyn [1986]).
9, 9mm
(n) 9 mm gun. "My nine is easy to load" -- L.L. Cool J. (Mama said knock you out [1990])
911
(n) The US phone number for emergencies. "Now I dialed 911 a long time ago" -- Public
Enemy (911 is a joke).
917
(n) New York City area code where all the cellular phones and pagers are on.
950
(n) The Akai S-950, a widely used rackmount sampler. A nice piece of equipment that
allowed the producer to "stretch" the sound wave so that the sample could be sped up or
slowed down without changing the pitch. It was made popular by the Bomb Squad who used
them to stack samples thus giving their tracks the dope sound. From the Alkaholiks
(The next level [1994]).
97.1
(n) HOT 97, A CHR-turned-hip hop station in New York.
98 Oldsmobile
(n) A make of Oldsmobile, usually considered to be their best make of car, year
after year. A real status symbol. "My 98 is tough to chase" -- Public Enemy (You gonna
get yours [1987]).
98.7
(n) WRKS KISS FM, a NYC radio station that helped bring hip-hop to the radio.
a
(v) Going to. "I'm a do it like this"
A&R
(n) Refers to Artist and Repetoir execs in record companies they are hooked up with
an artist to help to find new artists and put out an image for them. artists
albums. "First of all, who's your A&R, a mountain climber who plays an electric
guitar?" -- Wu Tang Clan (Protect ya neck [1994]).
A-Town
(n) Atlanta
Ac
(n) The Acura Legend, a brand car. "With the Mac in the Ac door panelin'" --
Notorious BIG (Unbelievable [1994]).
afro
1) (n) Hairstyle like the Jackson Five had, much hair and round like a ball.
2) (n) Person with an afro. "Don't laugh hoes, I'm down with The Afro's" -- Ice Cube (I
gotta say what up!!! [1990]) (note that Cube refers to a rap group).
AK/AK-47
(n) Assault rifle of Russian origin, nowadays produced in China. The letters
stand for "avtomat Kalashnikova", an automatic assault rifle invented by Mikhail
Kalashnikov, who invented the gun in 1947. "My AK-47 is the tool" -- Da Lench Mob (Freedom got
an AK [1993]) (originally from NWA (Straight out of Compton)).
Al B Square Mall
(n) Albee Square Mall in Brooklyn - Bizmarkie
Alizé
(n) French beverage made from passion fruit and cognac.
all that
(adj) in possession of all good qualities.
Alpine
(n) Make of car stereo from a Japanese-based company. From the name of the
manufacturers of the top in-car speaker systems. "Sit back and let the Alpine blast" -- Jazzy
Jeff & The Fresh Prince (Summertime [1991]).
am
(n) The morning, as in A.M. "Steppin' to the am" -- 3rd Bass (The cactus album
[1989]).
Amarredos
(n) Italian bit-size cookies that often come with meals. "eatin' better
amarrettos" -- Raekwon (Investigative Reports [??]).
around the way
(n) From the neighbourhood. "From around the way" -- Beastie Boys (No sleep till
Brooklyn [1986]).
axe
(v) Ask. "Gave her ten dollars, then she axed me for some more" -- Schoolly D.
(P.S.K. (what does it mean?) [??]).
ay yo trip
(interj) Phrase to seek attention, compare "Check this out".
b-boy
(n) From "break boy"; one who breakdances. B-boys in the front, back, side and
middle, check out my b-boy rhyme and riddle" -- Schoolly D. (B-boy rhyme [??]).
B-Town
(n) Berkeley, California.
bag up
1) (v) To laugh real hard at something.
2) (v) To be caught or arrested by the police.
3) (v) To have sexual intercourse with. "Bag up bitches from John Jay" -- Nas (One Love
[1994]).
bail out
(v) Run away for someone.
baller
1) (n) Ballplayer, someone who is good at playing basketball, and has moved up to
earning a lot of money and getting a lot of girls from that. "I wish I was a little bit
taller, I wish I was a baller" -- Skee Low (I wish [??]).
2) (n) Someone who has established himself in the hood, who is making much money (beit
illegitimate or not), and who is good with the ladies; it is a Blood term. The Crip version of
this word is "highroller".
ballin'
(v) Having it all.
bama
1) (n) Person who cannot dress, a loser. Short for Alabama, meaning a person from the
country, backwards unsophisticated. "Me and the rest of the bama's" -- Question Mark
Asylum (Deriving from the D.C. area [??]).
2) (n) Shake, a type of marijuana from the leaves rather than the buds of the hemp
plant.
bang
(v) To fight to kill
banger
1) (n) someone associated with gangs and murder.
2) (n) Rocker, from headbanging.
bank
(n) Money. "That's cool cause I whipped out bank" -- Sir Mix-a-lot (I got game
[??]).
Bankhead Hwy
(n) Highway in Atlanta where all the players go.
battle
(v) To compete, usually freestyle rapping, sometimes breakdancing or graffiti.
"You want to rap and you got no battle, it's like havin' a boat and you got no paddle"
-- Public Enemy (??? [1987]).
Bay Plaza
(n) Movie theatre in the Bronx - Nice and Smooth.
be geese
(interj) To leave. "Yo we be geese"
beam me up, Scotty
(interj) Give me crack.
beamer
(n) Expensive European car: BMW, status symbol. Used by Tribe Called Quest on Low
End Theory. References to 325i's are to BMW 3-series models with a 2.5 litre
engine. References to 735i's, 740i's, 750i's are to models in the 7-series range of
BMW models. The 750iL is the flagship model made by BMW. A reference to the a seven
series model is found in Ice Cube's "Ghetto Bird". 850i's (mentioned in Wu-Tang's
"Can It All Be...") is to the BMW 850i Coupé.
bean
(n) Head or brain.
Bed Stuy
(n) Bedford Stuyvesant section of Brooklyn. Also called The Stuy. Radio Raheem
wears a Bed Stuy T-shirt in the movie "Do the right thing" by Spike Lee.
beef
1) (n) And argument or discrepancy with another individual or group of individuals.
The following citation is from the book Juba to Jive: the dictionary of
African-American slang, by Clarence Major. Beef n. (1930s-1940s; 1960s-1970s) an "old" word
dating back to general criminal use in the thirties. For young black in the sixties
and later it meant roughly the same as it had earlier: a complaint or argument; a
disagreement in progress.
2) (n) Sexual meat, like a penis. "No service of beef ... meaning to have sex" -- NWA
(Parental Discretion Iz Advised [??])
being [down] with something
(v) Favouring something, thinking the same way. "Howie Tee, are you with me?" --
The Real Roxanne and Howie Tee ((Bang zoom) let's gogo).
bend
(n) A prostitute. "She was more than just a bend" -- Grand Puba
bent
1) (v) Drunk. "It doesn't matter if I'm dead sober or I'm bent" -- Heltah Skeltah
(Therapy [??]).
2) (v) Sad. "You got me bent like elbows, amongst other things" -- Outkast (Aliens
[???]).
Benz
1) (n) Expensive brand of European car: Mercedes Benz, status symbol. "I used to get
no play, now she stays behind me, 'cause I said I had a Benz 190" -- N.W.A. (I ain't
the one [1988]).
2) (interj) Used to acknowledge "Audi", meaning goodbye.
Benzi-box
1) (n) A pull out radio. "Here come the cops... put the Benzi-box under the seat" --
Naughty by Nature (Strike a nerve [1991]).
2) (n) A box full of Mercedes Benz emblems that were stolen off the cars.
berry
(n) A police car. The red lights on old cop cars looked like a berry on top of an ice
cream. "Berry flashing those high beams" refers to a cop behind your car signalling
for you to pull over. "Didn't even see a berry flashing those high beams" -- Ice
Cube (Today was a good day [1993]).
BG
1) (n) Baby gangster, as opposed to OG. An OG has shot somebody, a BG has not shot anyone
yet. "I quit school cuz of recess, you fuckin BG" -- Snoop Doggy Dogg (Pump Pump
[1993]).
2) (n) Black gangster.
bill
(n) A one hundred dollar banknote.
bima
(n) See beamer. "Lex, coupe, bimaz, benz" -- Lost Boyz (??? [1996]).
bird
(n) Kilo. "A bird in the hand" -- Ice Cube (A bird in the hand [1991]).
biscuit
1) (n) Gun.
2) (n) Behinds. "Gals, if you see a man you like, just grab him in the biscuits... and
doowutchalike" -- Digital Underground (Doowutchalike [????]).
bitch
1) (n) Prostitute, literally meaning "female dog"; girls call each other "What's
up, bitch?" Doesn't necessarily have to be negative. Doesn't have to mean
females either. "Cause some of y'all niggas is bitches too" -- Ice T (Bitches 2
[1991]).
2) (v) To curse or nag about something.
bite
1) (v) To copy lyrics from other people. "I know you down south are biting my lines, and
if I catch you boy, your ass is mine" -- Schoolly D. (Gucci time)
2) (v) To steal
bizzo
1) (n) A girl. "My seven bizzos" -- 2 Live crew (My seven bizzos [1989]).
2) (n) Someone who is bizarre.
black book
1) (n) A small book carried by graffiti artists for others to do work in.
2) (n) A book to carry phone numbers in.
3) (n) The Bible.
Black Panther movement
(n) This movement was founded in Oakland, California by Huey P. Newton, H.R. Brown
and Bobby Seale. Fought for the rights of black to bear arms like white people in
the late 1960's and the early 1970's.
blast
1) (v) To smoke crack.
2) (v) To play music loud.
blend
(n) See marijuana.
blindside
(v) To creep up on someone.
blood
1) (n) Blood brother
2) (n) Member of the Bloods gang.
blunt
(n) See marijuana. Marijuana cigarette, herb stuffed cigar, generally
phillies.
blunted
(v) Under influence of a blunt. "Made a little record for the blunted to chill with"
-- Cypress Hill (Hand on the pump [1993])
BM
(n) See beamer. "Drop top BM's, I'm the man, girlfriend" -- Notorious BIG (Big
Poppa [??]).
BMX
(n) Refers to now-defunct Chicago radio station WBMX, which used to
play
hip-hop and house music mixes through the 1980s. "I tuned into BMX, and taped Farley on
the Tonemaster." -- Common Sense ("This is Me" [????])
boat
(n) Marijuana laced with embalming fluid.
bolos
(n) South American throwing weapon, a number of balls on cords. "I'm throwin'
bolos you'll find out who's the number one solo" -- Lady of Rage (?? [????]).
bomb
1) (n) Marijuana laced with heroin.
2) (adj) Very good. "Gimme that bomb beat from Dre" -- Tupac (California love
[1994]).
bone
1) (v) To have sexual intercourse. "Your aim is to bone" -- Tribe Called Quest
(Classic example of a date rape).
2) (n) Penis. "You can act like a doggy, and play with my bone" -- Schoolly D. (Another
poem [??]). 3) (n) One dollar.
3) (n) Core, soul. "I'm a rock hard trooper to the bone" -- Public Enemy (Louder Than A
Bomb)
4) (v) To bone out, as in leaving. "They all got in the car and boned out" -- Smokey
(Friday [1995]).
5) (n) A joint. "Smokin' bones in the staircase" -- Wu-Tang Clan (C.R.E.A.M.
[1993]).
bones
(n) Dominos.
boneyard
1) (n) Graveyard.
2) (n) Domino pile to draw from.
bong
(n) A waterpipe for smoking marijuana. The marijuana is filtered through the
water. When you suck it decreases the pressure in the chamber so the smoke get pulled
through the water so it looks like it boiling. It is good because it filters out some of
the bad stuff like tar. It also cools the smoke to make it less harsh.
boo
(n) A term of endearment, like baby. "I'll be in here, boo" -- Method Man (You're all
I need [1994]).
boo boo head
(n) Whore, deceitful woman. Used mostly around the Bay Area, especially East Bay
(check the whole song dedicated to this word by Del on his No Need For Alarm album).
boo-yaa
1) (n) Totally dope, incredibly fine. Probably orignated from the "Boo-yaa Tribe".
That shit was straight-up boo-yaa" -- ??.
2) (n) Impression of the sound of a shotgun, also "boo-yaaka". "Shotgun goes boo-ya"
-- Cypress Hill (Hand on the pump [1993]).
3) (n) Marijuana, probably derived from Buddha. 4) (n) Crack, probably related from
the fact that smoking crack is sort of equivalent to putting a shotgun to your head
and pulling the trigger.
booster
(n) A shoplifter.
booty
1) (adj) Not good, lacking. "And them rhymes you were kickin were quite
bootylicious" -- Snoop Doggy Dogg (Dre Day [??]).
2) (n) Bottom, ass. Or getting a piece of ass.
3) (n) Biblical, as in pirates booty or treasure. Since booty is stolen treasure, it
could be good or bad. Often used in the negative today.
bounce
1) (v) To leave, to get up, to break. "You mean bounce... I'm with you, bounce right
outta NYC" -- Raekwon the Chef (??? [1995]).
2) (n) Form of music from New Orleans. Check Mystikal's album for a song called "Neva
gonna bounce".
3) (n) A reference to the Banhead Bounce, a dance made famous in Atlanta rap music.
bout it
(n) Real, not fake, true to the game. "I'm bout it, bout it" -- Master P (Bout it, bout
it [1995]).
box
(n) Video Music Box, a NYC hip-hop video music show.
boy
1) (n) Friend, possibly short for homeboy. "That's my boy".
2) (n) Racist term used by white masters to address a slave. "Boy is a racist white
word" -- Dr. Dre (movie: Who's the man)
boys in blue
(n) Police. "As I ran there were the boys in blue, pointing their guns at my four man
crew" -- Boogie Down Productions (Love's gonna getcha [1990]).
bozack, 'zack
(n) Scrotum.
Brass Monkey
(n) an alcoholic concoction available in liquor stores. "Drinking Brass Monkey"
-- Beastie Boys (Brass Monkey [1986]).
break off
(v) Marijuana is sometimes sold as little blocks. So, breaking off some means to
share the good stuff with others. "Break ya off something" -- Cypress Hill (Insane
in the brain [1993]).
break to
1) (n) Comes from the Biblical term "selah". Comes from music, "on the break", but for
hip-hop refers to the break in the record that is created by the DJ. "Beats and breaks".
2) (v) transport onesself to, often quickly.
bremelo
(n) Derogative term for fat ugly women from Bremerton, WA, a working-class town
with a Naval Base. The joke is that these women hang around and "chasin' fellas in
the Navy".
brick
1) (adj) Very cold.
2) (v) To punch.
3) (n) A quantity of cocaine.
broady
(v) To take or steal something.
broccoli
(n) See marijuana. "With a handful of broccoli" -- Spice 1 (??? [??]).
Bronx
(n) New York City borough where hip-hop was born and raised. Home of Boogie Down
Productions. "My posse from the Bronx is thick" -- Boogie Down Productions (My
philosophy).
Brooklyn
(n) New York City borough. "No sleep till Brooklyn!" -- Beastie Boys (No sleep till
Brooklyn [1987]). Home of Fugees and DAS EFX.
brother
(n) Man of the same group; friend. In the Bible you will read "brethern", which is
used in the same meaning.
bucket
(n) Old car in bad shape. "So I moved on an old car, it was a bucket, but fuck it, it had
to do" -- Ice-T. (Midnight [1991]).
Bucktown
(n) A neighborhood better known as the Brownsville section of Brooklyn used by
Smif & Wesson and Black Moon.
buckwilding
(v) To get buckwild means to have sex, see also wilding. A "buck" is a young,
unbroken horse that cowboys try to master at a rodeo. "Get buckwild with the white
freaks, show 'em how to really work the white sheets" -- Body Count (KKK Bitch [1992]).
buddah
(n) See marijuana. "I'm an addict for sneakers, 20's of buddah and bitches with
beepers" -- NAS (New York state of mind [1994]).
buddy
1) (n) At the start of De La soul's "Buddy" video, Prince Paul makes a statement to the
effect that "Buddy means body."
2) (n) Sexual partner. A bit more than a friend.
3) (adj) Something that appears okay at first, but is actually a cheap imitation; a
knockoff, ripoff or fake. Said to be from "Buddies" which are shoes that look cool but
fall apart real quickly. "Get that buddy shit out of here" -- (???).
bug
(v) To act strange, crazy, weird. See ill. "You don't have to take us seriously,
we're only buggin'" -- Whistle (Only buggin' [1984]).
bump
(v) To make a car with hydraulics bump. "Why you gotta pull me over... cause I'm
bumpin'" -- Warren G (I shot the sheriff [????]).
bumrush
1) (n) Crash the gates of a show with a pack of people, in the hope to get in without
having to pay. "Yo! Bumrush the show" -- Public Enemy. (Yo! Bumrush the show) [1987].
2) (v) To get beaten up by a large, angry group of people. Literally to get rushed by
bums or lowlifes.
bunk
1) (adj) Unpleasant, bad.
2) (n) A load of bunk: a lot of nonsense.
burner
1) (n) A large piece of graffiti involving many colors, making it bright and
colorful. It usually refers to whole-car productions on subways.
2) (n) A gun.
bust a nut
(v) To ejaculate.
bust slugs
(v) To fire bullets. "And bust some slugs for South Africa" -- Heather B. with BDP
(Seven MC's)
bust this
(interj) Pay attention. "But bust this!" -- Ice-T (Bitches 2 [1991]).
busta
1) (n) Fake person, weak individual. "Busta ass nigga talkin' bullshit" -- Dr. Dre
(Rat-a-tat-tat [1992]).
2) (n) A snitch, a person who tattle-tales.
butt
1) (n) Bottom.
2) (adj) Not good, lacking. "Get yourself some toilet paper 'cause your lyrics is
butt" -- Tribe Called Quest (Low End Theory).
butter
(adj) Well liked, smoothed out. "Phife Dog is on the mic and I'm smooth like butter.
It's like butter, not no Parkay, not no margerine, strictly butter, baby" -- A
Tribe Called Quest (Butter [??]).
buyaka
(n) Jamaican, resembles the sound of gunshots. See boo-yaa.
C-Town
(n) Cleveland, Ohio.
C.B.
1) (n) See cock block.
2) (n) Cell block.
3) (n) Trucker radio.
C.R.E.A.M.
(n) Money. Acronym for Cash Rules Everything Around Me. From the Wu-Tang Clan (36
chambers [1993]).
Calliope
(n) Project in the New Orleans UPT (uptown New Orleans).
cap
1) (n) Bullet. "I'm a pop a cap in him" -- Jules in the movie "Pulp Fiction"
2) (n) Cranium, top of the skull. "Blood's on my gear, from caps I've peeled" -- Ice-T.
(Mic contract [1991]).
3) (n) Crack.
Casper
(interj) "I'm Casper", I'm out of here, I'm ghost. From the Casper the ghost
cartoon.
cat
1) (n) Vagina. "Sprung on the Cat" -- Sir Mixalot (Sprung on the cat [1992]). 2) (n)
Person. Used in the 70s. "You cant take the jungle out of the cat" -- Jeru Tha Damaja
(Frustrated Nigger [1995]).
2) (adv) When someone is being a pussy about something. "Why don't you ask the girl out
and stop being so cat?"
cateye
1) (v) To stare at a woman/man with sexual intentions.
2) (n) A stud with many women.
cave bitch
(n) Female version of "cave boy". Ice Cube (Cave bitch [1993]).
cave boy
(n) A white person. Derived from the theory that early white man lived in caves.
Celo
(n) A dice game also called "4-5-6", because you need to roll 4-5-6 to win in this
game. "Like shootin' Celo, and always hittin' head cracks" -- A Tribe Called Quest
(Low end theory [??]).
cha
(n) You. "I'm comin' to getcha" -- Ice Cube (I'm gonna wetcha [1993])
cheeba
1) (n) See marijuana. Company inscriptions on pharmaceutical drugs read "ciba",
pronounced "cheeba".
2) (n) Black, sticky, gooey Brazilian marijuana often sold in pounds. "Some call it
cheeba, some call it weed" -- Schoolly D. (Saturday night [??]).
cheese
(n) money; material wealth (from Bone: Thugs & Harmony).
chickenhead
1) (n) Any dumb person (usually refers to women unfortunately) who clucks (speaks)
alot, and walks around aimlessly or without purpose (like a chicken with its head
cut off). "Give me all the chickenheads from Pasadena to Medina, let B.I.G. get in
between ya" - Total featuring the B.I.G. (Can't you see [1995]).
2) (n) A derrogatory term used when referring to females who perform oral sex on
males, because of the motion of the woman's head: back and forth, like a chichenhead.
"Chickenheads be cluckin' in my bedroom" -- Notorious B.I.G. (Warning [??]).
3) (n) Crack addict, because many will perform oral sex to get free crack or money.
Repeatedly referred to in "Do or die", a book about the conflict between the Crips and the
Bloods in South Central.
chill
1) (n) Relax. "Why don't you just chill" -- L.L. Cool J. (Eat em up L chill [1990]).
2) (adj) Mellow.
Chilltown
(n) Jersey City, Double XX Posse.
ChiTown
(n) Chicago.
Chocolate City, Capital City
(n) Washington D.C.
chrome
1) (n) Gun. "Now I gotta follow him home with the chrome" -- Ice Cube (Robbin' hood
[1994]).
2) (n) Chrome wheel. "Sittin' on da chrome" -- Masta Ace Inc. [1995].
chronic
(n) See marijuana. Incredibly potent marijuana, it started out as weed laced with
coke. "The Chronic" -- Dr. Dre (The Chronic [1992]).
chronic flakes
(n) Ashes from a marijuana cigarette. "What up Ren? Still droppin' chronic flakes
on yo ass, bitch" -- Snoop Doggy Dog (The Chronic [1992]).
chubby
(n) Erection.
chulo
(n) The word in Spanish directly translates to "pimp". In Spain the word means
"cool". It is synonymous with bad ass" or "bad guy". Vatos, chulos, call us what you
will" -- Kid Frost (La Raza [1990]).
cipher
1) (n) A circle of brothers dropping science, showing and proving. A 5%-er term.
2) (n) A graffitti writer.
claim
1) (v) To say one allies oneself with a gang or set.
2) (v) To claim membership in a gang.
3) (v) To say something that is not necessarily true.
Clarks
(n) Clarks are an excellent English shoe brand.
clip
(n) Gun or holder of bullets to load a semi-automatic or fully automatic gun with.
"My AK-47 holdin' 50 clips" -- Da Lench Mob (Freedom got an AK [1992]).
clique
(n) the West Coast equivalent of "crew".
clock
1) (v) To stay aware of what happens around you. "You're the one that I'm clocking" --
Ol' Dirty Bastard (Raw hide [1994])
2) (v) To earn. "I clock ducats" -- Public Enemy (??? [??]).
3) (v) To always watch, always have or to always be into something. "clockin' a grip"
-- Dr. Dre and Snoop Doggy Dogg (Ain't nothing but a G-thang [1992]).
4) (v) To hit or knock someone out, as in "he clocked him".
Probably comes from "he
got his clock cleaned".
cluck (head)
(n) Crack user.
cock
1) (n) Penis.
2) (n) Vagina. "She was giving up the cock" -- Ice Cube (Gangsta's Fairytale [1991])
3) (v) To pull the hammer of a gun. "Cock the hammer, it's time for action" -- Cypress
Hill (Cock the hammer [1993])
cock block
(v) To prevent someone from getting sexual intercourse. See the Kool G Rap song
"Operation CB".
cock diesel
(adj) Very muscular.
coconut
(n) A hispanic person trying to be white. Compare with oreo.
cold
1) (adj) Intensely. "Stone cold rhymin'" -- Young MC (Stone cold rhymin').
2) (adj) Mean, not nice.
come correct
(v) To represent the real, to do something the way it should be done. "When I'm on the
mic, I come correct" -- Beastie Boys (Sure shot [1994])
Compton
(n) Los Angeles borough. This is from where the gangsta style was brought to a
greater height.
coochie
(n) Vagina.
cool
(adj) Okay as in "good" or "good idea".
coqui 900
1) (n) A type of malt liquor. "Coqui 900" -- Schoolly D. (Coqui 900 [??]).
2) (n) A kind of frog native to Puerto Rico.
county blues
(n) Prison-issue clothes.
CPT
1) (n) Compton in the phonebook. Call it CPT for ease of use. "Claimin' they are from
the CPT" -- N.W.A. (Compton's in the house [1990])
2) (n) Short for "Colored People Time"; being late.
3) (n) Phonebook abbreviation for Compton.
4) (n) Colored People's Time.
crab
(n) Derogatory name for a member of the Crips, an L.A. gang, used by members of the
Bloods, another L.A. gang. On the album "Damu ridas" there is a song called "Fucc
Crabz".
crack
(n) Synthetic drug, extremely addictive.
crack a brew
(v) Open a beer. "Crack another 40, smoke some kill" -- Schoolly D. (Smoke some
kill)
cracker
(n) Originally a term from Reconstruction time (1870) to mean southern men. Now it
means white bigot, from whip-cracker or slavedriver. "Got a little problem with
the redneck cracker" -- Ice Cube (The Predator).
crazy
1) (adj) Besides meaning insane or extremely daring, it is kind of synonymous with
mad.
2) (adj) Extremely or very. "Crazy fly bitches" -- Ice-T (???).
cream
(n) Money. From: Cash Rules Everything Around Me, by the Wu-Tang Clan.
creep
1) (v) To sneak up on someone.
2) (v) To be unfaithful in a relationship.
Crenshaw
(n) Los Angeles street. Know for it's sunday nights, where people go to floss phat
cars, get their mack on, chill, etc.
crew
(n) Group, band.
crib
(n) Home. "Black Ceasar at the crib" -- Public Enemy (Burn Hollywood Burn [1990])
crip
(n) Member of the Crips gang.
Cronkite
(n) News, after the newsreader Walter Cronkite. "Grand Puba and Studd Doogie
droppin' Cronkite" -- Grand Puba (A little of this).
Crooklyn
(n) See Brooklyn.
cross fader
(n) Fading switch to select the left or right turntable. Without it, scratching
wouldn't sound too good.
cruise
(v) Driving around, preferably showing off your car.
crump
(adj) Hype, phat.
crunk
(adj) Hype, phat. "Tonight is going to be crunk" -- ??.
cut
1) (n) A record, the latest hit
2) (n) A recently received haircut.
3) (v) Cutting wax: scratching a record. "Rip the cut!" -- Just Ice (Back to the old
school) [198?]
4) (n) Behind, or out of the way. "I glance in the cut and I see my homey Nate" -- Warren G
(Regulate [1994]).
cut up
(n) Vagina. "I gots to get me some cut up!" -- Kriss Kross (??? [??]).
cuz
1) (n) homeboy or homegirl.
2) (n) Cousin, apparently a Crip term.
D's, Dayton's
(n) An expensive brand of alloy wheels. "Rollin' in my fo' on D's, hittin' the
switches" Dr. Dre (Let me ride [1992]).
D-Town, The D
(n) Detroit, with its own sound, D-Funk.
D.O.A.
(n) Police term: "dead on arrival".
dank
(n) See marijuana. "Go on and hit the dank" -- Too Short.
dap
1) (n) Sort of high-five type of handshake. "Gimme a dap, I'll give you one back" -- Ice
T. (Ziplock [1991])
2) (n) Dignity and Pride, old slang (think 70's here).
dead presidents
(n) Money. Most American dollarbills have a former president of the United States
on them. "I'm out for dead presidents to represent me" -- NAS (The world is yours
[1994]).
deal with
(v) To take care of business.
deep
1) (n) A unit of measure. "It was a crew four deep" -- D-Nice (??).
2) (n) A hip hop clothing manufacturer (X-Large).
3) (adj) Heavy in the hippy sense of the word.
def
1) (adj) Really good, the bomb. The word has been officially buried by BET. "But you
still think our music is def, right?" -- De La Soul (Brain washed follower [??]).
2) (adj) the standard of excellence.
3) (adj) Some more info on def: comes from the expression "Death O.J." but I think
first used on record in "Rapper's Delight". As Nelson George defines it:"In
"Rapper's Delight" the term "Death OJ" is used. In current slang "death" means
something good, while "OJ" is a reference to a big car: Erstwhile football star and
all-around adman O.J. Simpson does Hertz commercials featuring Ford and Lincoln
Mercury cars. If we add "death" to Ford and Lincoln Mercury cars (leaving out any
disrespectful reference to Pintos), we come up with the "Rapper's Delight" character
driving off in a Lincoln Continental." From _Buppies, B-Boys, Baps & Bohos: Notes on
Post-Soul Black Culture_ by Nelson George.
Def Jam
1) (n) A great record.
2) (n) One of the first big labels for rap artists, founded by Rick Rubin, led by
Russels Simmons.
delf
(n) "Delf" was quoted for the first time by Parrish Smith when EPMD's last album was
released in 1992. It was in a Source interview and it's about the same as "self" like
going for delf (self). "Release yo delf" -- Da Method Man (Release yo delf [1994]).
deuce
1) (n) A "deuce deuce" is a .22 caliber handgun. "About to get loose with the deuce
deuce" -- Ice Cube (Gangsta fairytale II [1993]).
2) (n) 20 ounce of liquor.
devil
(n) an enemy, usually white people. "The devil made me do it" -- Paris (the devil
made me do it) [??].
dick
(n) penis. "Mister Big Dick, who do you think you are?" -- Schoolly D. (Mr. Big
Dick).
dig
1) (v) To understand; "can you dig it?"
2) (v) To like.
dig out
(v) To have sexual intercourse. "By 2 am. I was diggin' her out" -- Ice Cube (Ghetto
bird [1993]).
Dillon
(n) Pistol. "Made a move for my Dillon; and all I remember the Gangsta Lean was
killin'" -- ?? (??? [??]).
dime
1) (n) Ten dolar bag of marijuana. Due to price variations the price may actually be
higher for the same bag.
2) (n) "To drop a dime", to fink. The term has probably descended from the time when
phone calls were 10 cents, and is related to the notion of moving gossip quickly, as
one would drop a dime into the phone to make a call.
3) (n) Ten as in a rating on a woman's beauty. "Slaying dime honeys".
dip
1) (v) Dipping is what a car with a hydraulic suspension does. "Set trippin', fo'
dippin'" -- Ice Cube (Friday [1995]).
2) (v) To pay more attention to other people's business than to one's own.
3) (v) To leave, "Yo, let's dip to the mall".
4) (adj) Dressed in the latest fashion, "looking fresh dipped".
dis
(v) Insult or thwart in a social manner, short for disrespect. "Challenge BDP,
you'll get dissed, expect it" -- Boogie Down Productions (Part time sucker [1988]).
DJ
(n) Disc Jockey, means MC in Jamaica. "My DJ Derek B is best" -- Derek B. (Get down
[??]).
DL
(n) See down low.
do
1) (n) Hairdo.
2) (v) Having sex.
3) (v) Killing someone.
dog
1) (v) To tear something up like a dog would do.
2) (v) To insult someone in front of his friends.
3) (v) To have sex the doggy way. "You don't love me, you just love my doggy style" --
Snoop Doggy Dog (What's My Name [??]).
4) (n) a form of addressing: "Whatup dog?", not meant to be offensive
5) (n) a friend, "That's my Dog". Road ~: West Coast gangsta for friend.
doing a buck 50
(v) To speed or get out of a bad situation. Derived from a "buck", or dollar. A buck
fifty would then be 1.50, referring to doing 150 miles per hour.
dolo
(n) Like delf/self, dolo/solo. I go for dolo -- ??? (?? [??]).
dome
(n) A person's big head, skull, gun against your head.
dope
1) (n) Narcotics.
2) (adj) Great, addictive.
dopeman
(n) Seller of narcotics. "If you see somebody getting pussy for crack, he's the
dopeman, dopeman" -- N.W.A. (Tha Dopeman [1988])
Double 99
(n) The street East 99th and St. Clair in Cleveland. Home of the group Bone Thugs'n
Harmony.
double deuce juice
(n) 22 oz of cold 45 ml beer.
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Last Update August 17 2000 @ 03:36 AM