Songs often use 

slang and colloquial English that you should understand, but never use in formal
situations!

Here you will find the translation into normal standard English of the most common colloquial
words used in songs (and also on television and movies).

ain't: the verb to be or the verb to have in all the forms in the negative, i.e. am not, is not, are
not, have not, has not.

'bout: about.

c'mon: come on.

cos, 'cos, coz, 'cause: because.

coulda: could have. 

dontcha, don't cha: don't you.

dunno: don't know, doesn't know.

'em: them.

ev'ry: every.

gerroff: get off.

Gimme: give me.

Gonna: going to.

Getcha: get you.

Gotcha: got you.

Gotta: (have) got to.

hafta: have to.

innit (GB): isn't it.

kinda: kind of.

lemme: let me.

lil, li'l: little.

luv: love.

musta: must have.

'n', 'n: and.

o': of.

ol': old.

outta (US): out of.

Sez: says

shoulda: should have.

tho': though.

Wanna: want to, want a.

Watcha: what are you (Watcha talking about?), what you (Do whatcha got to do).

woulda: would have.

yeah: yes.

 A
Top
ACE Best friend, main man, a person who has someone's back, or protection or who will go
down for there friend or crew.
(exam. "Fabel and Crazy Legs are my aces")
AIGHT Short for "all right", everything is cool, (exam. "every thing is aight".)
 or, a way of saying something is not great, and not  bad, but in the middle like (exam.
"his moves are aight".)
AK AK 47 gas-operated assault rifle.
AR- 15 AR-15 is a lightweight,magazine -fed, air-cooled, autoloading centerfire rifle.

ALL THAT You think you hot, or the hottest, or the coolest.
(exam."he thinks he's all that" or "his beats are all that")
ASSED OUT Lost out, lost out on something. or your fucked, meaning you blew it, or your doomed.
(exam. "That kid got caught at the wrong place and the wrong time, he's assed out").

 B
Top
B An east coast term short  for brother, or bro. (exam. "wasup B")
BABY MAMA A person you had a child with.
BABY DADDY
BACK/ BACK UP 1- Booty, but, nice looking round but. Remember the song "Baby got back".
2- Crew, people that will defend you and back you up in a situation.

BAIL To Leave, or go. Short for out on bail. (eaxm. "We had fun at the party but now i gotta
bail out")
BANGIN/ BANG 1- Short gang term  for "Gang Bangin"
2- Girl with a ghetto body, big booty, slim waist (exam. "girly over there is bangin, im'a
talk to her".
3- Term for sexing a girl. (exam. " I wanna bang her")
BANGER Knife or a sharp weapon.
BANK Money, cash (exam. "that kid got bank")
BALLER Ghetto term for money makers in the hood, be it by legal or illegal activities.
also a term for a street basketball player.

BEEF  Serious trouble with an individual, or group, or gang. To have beef with someone is to
have arguments or war. (exam. "I can't stand that dude me and him got beef over a
girl")
 BENJAMINS  $100 bills , that has Benjamin Franklins face on it.
BENZ Short for Mercedes Benz.
BISCUIT BUN
BLEW IT UP/ BLEW UP When a Hip Hop crew (MC's, BBOYS, WRITERS, DJ) gives a great performance that
THE SPOT leaves the crowd or observers screaming.
BLUNTED High Off of marijuana rolled in a Philly blunt (cigar).
BOLO/ BOLOS Term used to describe a wild punch that was invented by famous boxer Kid Chocolate
and used by Sugar Ray Leonard. (exam. "if me and that kid fight I'm throwin bolos")

BOMB 1- A graffiti rampage on trains and walls, where you try and flood as many tags and
throw ups as possible.
2- When fighting to throw as many big punches as to end the fight quick.

BOOGIE DOWN / Slang for the BRONX. BOOGIE DOWN BRONX.

SOUTH BOOGIE
BOOYA 1- sound of a shot gun blast
2- Used as an exclamation point
3- Name of a west coast Samoan Gangsta rap group
BREAK 1-The percussive part of an  70's James Brown style record, where the drums play a
funky beat. This we called the break, and is one of the key roots to Hip Hop music.
2- original NYC  gang term for getting violent on someone, or a situation. Stems from
the word Breaking Point.

BREAK IT DOWN 1- To dissect a knowledge situation or concept, and explain it in a simple format
2- to get down in  any aspect of culture, especially dance. (exam. "at the zulu jam DJ
AFRICA BAMBATTA played F 4000 and FABEL started breakin it down on the floor")

BUGGIN Acting silly.

BUST / BUS To take action or fight/hit/punch/shoot gun (exam.'I'm gonna bust that kid in the
mouth" or "I'm gonna bus a cap in that foo")
Also can mean to dance, or get down (exam. "let me see you bus")
note: saying "bust a move" is incredibly corny and old now.
BUSTA a person who is fake, phony, or a punk who can't fight, or snitches.
BUTTER When someone, something, or someone's Hip Hop skills are great and smooth like
butter.
BUCK/ BUCK WILD 1- To shoot someone, or at someone. short for Buck shots.
2- To get crazy one someone, or violent on someone. (SUNDANCE got buck wild on
some punk at the last Zulu jam")
3- To get crazy with ones Hip Hop skills. (exam. KOOL MOE DEE was gettin buck wild on
the mic at the negril club last night")
BUM RUSH 1- When a crew or group of people rush the door or gates of a party without paying.
Bum meaning person with no cash, rush meaning forcing there way in.
2- A person getting jumped/ beat up by a group of people.

BUT/ BOOTY 1- When someone, someone's skills or something is not good or is lacking. (exam. "I
liked the kids rhymes but his beast were booty")
2- Someone's ass (I think yall know that though)
 C
Top
CHEESE/ Money, cash
CHEDDAR
CHILL Relax, stay cool.
CHIN CHECK Punch someone in the chin/ face, To test someone's chin with a punch to see if they can
take it.
CHIPS Referring to casino chips, money, cash.
CHROME 1- GUNS
2- CHROME CAR RIMS
CHUCKS Short for Chuck Taylor Converse all stars sneakers, made popular in the 1970's and
were heavily popular in East coast Hip Hop and West coast Gangs.
 CIPHER 1- refers to a circle of people where Mc's battle, and freestyle, or BBoys battles and get
down. The cipher is where BBOYS and MC's get there real training and work on there
skills.
2- in 5% religion (an NYC based religion made popular by rap artists like Brand Nubian
and Wu Tang) cipher and non cipher refers to the chosen and the non chosen,  5% and
non 5%, and angels and devils..so forth.

CLOCK, CLOCKIN 1- Killin time

2- Punch someone in the head.
CLOWN WALKIN New young Hip Hop dance style. Uses allot of footwork
COLD 1- Short for cold hearted. Not nice, that's not cool, what you did was cold.
2-  Great, nice, good. Young people now use it to mean when something is great.
3- a word that expresses an attribute of something. Cold chillin, cold knock you out,
Cold gettin down.

COP To buy, originally a term for buying drugs. (exam. "I'm going down to the spot and cop
me a dime bag").
CRAB/ CRAB BITCH 1-A ghetto girl with nothing happening and too much additude. A slutty girl.
2- A person who has nothing to sho for him or herself, and still like s to talk sh&t.

CRACKIN/ WHATS Whats happening.

CRACKIN/
CRACKALACKIN
CREW A group of people who work together for a common cause. Originally a slang used by
the Mob for a crew of men who work to rob, steel and extort money.
In Hip Hop a crew can also be a group of MC's (rappers), BBOYS, WRITERS (graffiti
artists).

CRIB A persons home.

CROOKLYN Slang for Brooklyn.
CUT UP/ CUTTIN THE Refers to gettin down, dancing, (exam. Poppin Pete was cuttin up last night)
RUG
 D
Top
DEAD PRESIDENTS paper money.

DEEP 1- A  wise person, a person who speaks with great knowledge.

2- A serious situation (exam. "that kid got shot in the head, shit was deep")
3- A large group of people traveling together to a party, or how a person rolls up to a
club, or spot. (exam. "when we go to jams we roll 30 deep")

DEF Old school term for something great.

DEUCE Ghetto way of saying the number 2
22 caliber gun = deuce deuce
42nd street = forty deuce
DILLY/ DEALY/ Whats the deal?, whats going on?.
WHAT THE DEALY?
DIP 1- Time to go, to leave. "gotta dip".
2- Original Hip Hop rhyme started by members of the Furious 5.
Dip dive socialize
trying to make yall realize
that we are qualified
to rectify
to satisfy
to burn in desire, set them on fire
to boogie

DIGITS Phone number

DIME 1- bag of weed
2- A snitch, a dime was the amount for a phone call in the 60's and 70's and that's what
 it took for a snitch to make a call.
3- a way to tell a female or male to call you. (exam. "wasup girl, drop a dime when you
got the time")
4- referring to Bo Derrick's move TEN, a perfect woman with pretty face, and ghetto
body (big but, slim waist).
DIS Short for disrespect.
DOG/ DAWG 1- friend that you can count on in times of trouble. A person who watches your back.
2- Old school NYC word for beating someone up. "im's dog that kid", or "me and that kid
had a fight and i i dogged him".

DOME / DOME PIECE A persons head. Usually referring to fighting and punching someone in the head, or
shooting someone in the head.
DON Spanish and Italian word for God father, or person of great respect.
They will put the word Don before there real name.
DOPE/ DOPENES 1- Another word for someone or something great
2- Drugs, heroin
DO OR DIE Slang for Bedstuy Brooklyn. Do or Die Bedstuy.
D.L./ DOWN LOW To keep something quiet, to protect a secret, shhh don't tell anyone, or to lay low and
not be seen for a while because of a situation.
DOWN BY LAW An old school term for a person who is certified, or who has great credentials, great
repoir in the streets.
DOZENS A back and forth game of making fun of each others mothers, family, disabilities. This is
no holds bar jokes where people get there feelings hurt, but you have suck it up.  Mama
jokes seem to be the most common and popular.

-Your girlfriend is so stupid, the first time she used a vibrator she cracked her two front
teeth.

-Your sister is so stupid, she went to the baker for a yeast infection.

-Your mother is so dumb, she couldn't pass a blood test.

Your mother is so ugly, when he sits in the sand the cat tries to bury her.

DROP SCIENCE To teach street knowledge to other people, knowledge of self (meaning of ethnic groups
and people of color).
 E
Top
EASY, BE EASY be smooth, take it easy.
ENDS short for make ends meet, to have or keep money.
 F
Top
FADE / FADED 1- refers to the Philly fade haircut where they fade the sides and the back to your skin
2- to be FADED is to be high on drugs or liquor
3- "We can't be faded" means "can't be messed with" or "f^cked with".

FAKIN JACKS To be phony or acting phony.

A person telling lies.
FASHO For sure.
FIEND To be desperate for something, a crack fiend.
(exam. "Dude was fiendin for some booty from that girl")
FIFTH A fifth of bacardi.
FLAVA To have style, pizzazz (exam. "bgirl Renegade got mad flava")
FLEX Referring to flexing muscle. To try and intimidate someone, or to prepare to fight
someone
(exam. "I can't believe that kid tried to flex on me")
FLY/ FLY GIRL/ FLY A person who looks, dresses, and smells good. Always got there hair done, spends allot
GUY of time and money to make themselves look good.
 FLOW 1- to have plenty of money/ income flowing in due to legal or illegal activities.
2- An MC or Dancer who can move or rhyme nonstop smoothly without breaking there
flow.

FORTY Referring to a forty ounce of beer.

FREESTYLE 1- Original term for a style of dance that came before house dance.
2- Off the top of the head, when an MC (rapper) rhymes with no pre written rhymes.
3- term for a form of Hip Hop dance that borrows from many styles of dance in and
outside of Hip Hop and then freestyle's it off the top of the head with no routines.

FRESH To be great, or brand new. To dance or rhyme, or do a great wild style graffiti piece. To
dress nice and look good.
FRONT To fake something your not. Pretending to be tuff. To not show up for a situation or a
fight. (exam. "me and Juan was supposed to go to the train yards and do some pieces,
but he fronted so I went by myself")
FUNK/ FUNKY 1- Funk refers to a music style that originated with drummers in New Orleans like earl
Palmer describing the type of sound they want to play. So they said Funky like bad
breath
2- Funk was a term also coined by James Brown referring to the music making people
move and dance so much that  at the end of the night the club would be/ smell funky
from all the sweating and perspiration. so James Brown would say "it's gettin kinda
funky in here".
3- refers to a style of music originated by the African American community. heavy bass,
syncopated drums, and funky grooves.
JAMES BROWN, PARLIAMENT FUNCADELIC, SLY STONE.
4- FAKIN THE FUNK means to be fake in music or Hip Hop or on the streets. Or not
really funky.

FOREALLY, FOREALS, Slang for "FOREAL"

FORILLA, FOREALDO

 G
Top
G 1- short for gangsta
2- short for grand, $1,000
GAME 1- To have rap or the words to talk to a fly girl. Or to have words to get out of trouble or
a situation. (exam. "them police tried to grab me but talked them out of it, I got too
much game for them")
2- To be down to do something, or ready to forward in a situation.
3- To be good at basketball, to always have a good game.
GEESE To rob a house. And fly like geese.
GET DOWN, GET they all mean to dance, jam, rock turntables, rock a graffiti piece.
LOOSE, GET BUZY
GHETTO BIRD Police helicopter.
GHOST To disappear, to leave inconspicuously, without know one seeing you.
(exam. "At the party I felt like I was gonna get robed, so I was ghost")
GO OFF 1- To let off physical energy like a bomb. To let loose and fight or get violent on
someone.
2- To get down and dance with massive energy.
GRILL/ GRILLIN 1- another word for face.
2- To be stared at by another person with a mean face (exam. "yo I'm gonna hit that
kid if he keeps grillin me")
GRIND/ GRINDING When a drug dealer is on the streets selling drugs, he's on the grind or grinding.
A person who is constantly hittin the streets to find ways to make money to survive in
the hood legally or illegally.

GRITTY Street, dirty, "get down to the nitty gritty", diggin deep.
GULLY Ghetto tuff, gutter, raw, gangsta "keep it gully"
 H
Top
 HARD CORE 1- Real street raw. A person into street raw style Hip Hop music about street life, guns,
murder, drugs. Hardcore Hip Hop, Not the party stuff.
2- when a person is into something, or an activity more than others, they are into it
hardcore.
HARD ROCK An old school term for a New York  thug or gangsta.
HAWK To stare at or be stared at hard.
Originally this was from people of color who were stared at by store or shop owners/
workers who thought that you were gonna steel something. So the shop owner/ worker
will follow you around the store and hawk you.
referring to a bird of prey with great vision.

HEART To have courage, to be brave

HOLLA to call someone out, or contact someone. (exam. "wasup girl, here's my number holla at
me")
HERB 1- A punk, or someone who is soft. (exam. " thats kid's a herb, he ain't got no heart").
2- Marijuana, weed.

HOME SKILLET/ 1- Close friend from around the way.

HOME BOY/ HOMEY 2- HOME BOY used to be a dis, when calling someone homely meant like a mamas boy,
who never goes out.
HOOD Short for neighborhood, but refers to ghetto neighborhood.
HOOD RAT Refers to a girl from around the way (your block, hood) who has sex with every guy on
your block/ hood.
HOT 110 And old school original graffiti term. When a writer (graffiti) writer or crosses out his
enemies name, or a toy (week graffiti writer). He or she will write "hot 110" over there
name.
HOTTIE Mid eighties term for a fine young lady. meaning she's hot, She's a hottie.

HUMMIN 1- Rhymes with bummin so was used to call someone a bum.

2- Person with bad breath, meaning there breath was hummin.
HUSTLER Person who is always on the grind trying to make money.
A person who never sits on his or her riches, but stays hustlin to make more money.
A person who does what ever it takes to make money legal or illegal.

HYPE/ HYPE MAN 1- To perform (Hip Hop)or play ball with great energy. To get hype with a burst of
energy.
2- A hype man is an MC who backs up a main rapper (in a rap group) to keep the
crowd/ audience hyper during the performance.
 I
Top
I AIN'T THE ONE Short for "I ain't the one to be messed with".
ICE Jewelry covered with diamonds
ILL Way of saying something is so great it is sickening.
IRON HORSE Subway train.
 J
Top
JACK 1- Term for robbing a person, or car jacking, steeling someone's car.
2- Also a word similar to dude. (exam. "wasup jack")
JAKE A cop, police officer.
JAM 1- Name of an old school original Hip Hop party in the parks, school yards, small night
clubs, youth centers, and so forth.
2- A term for a cool funky record that someone really likes. They will say "don't change
the station, that's  my jam".
JAMMY 1- term for ones penus.
2- also a term for a gun.
JET To leave in a hurry.
JIMMY  and JENNY Terms for the male and female sex organs
The male organ is also known as "Jimbrowski". and a "Jimmy hat" is a condom.

JUICE A persons street credibility. To have juice in the streets means to have what we called
Pull. Meaning we can make something happen.
  K
Top
KICKS Sneakers, tennis shoes.
KICKIN Good, appealing, great. (exam. "That girl's body is kickin").
KNOW THE LEDGE To have knowledge or self and everything around you, to have street knowledge.

KRUMP/ KRUMPIN New Hip Hop dance that just came out of the streets of LA, made popular by the movie
"RISE". Affiliated with dances styles like clown walkin, the stripper dance.

KRUNK 1- To have a good time, and party hard

2- new style of Hip Hop music made popular in the Dirty South (Southern States) by
artists like Lil John.
 L
Top
L 1- Short for elevated train platforms. Outside train stations.
2- joint
LIFTED a person who is high off drugs or liquor.
LEAKY LEAK A NYC street term for Angel Dust, PCP.
 M
Top
MC Master of ceremonies. In Hip Hop an MC was the original term for Rapper. Mic
Controller.
MACK Ladies man, a guy who can get any girl he wants. Made popular by the blaxploitation
movie "The Mack" in the 70's.
MAD  A term used to explain when something is extra huge, or great. (exam. "Tony Touch
got mad skills on the turntables")
MATH Phone number
MISSION 1- Originally a graffiti term for bombing trains (tagging trains), or racking paint (steeling
paint)
2- A crack head or drug fiend on a mission trying to get money to cop drugs.

MAMI Spanish word pronounced MOMMY. A beautiful girl.

MONEY Term used like a person, dude, brotha (exam. "wasup money")
MONEY MAKIN Slang for Manhattan. MONEY MAKIN MANHATTAN.
MURK 1- To kill.
2- To leave.
MY BAD My mistake.
 N
Top
NATHAN A term meaning nothing, or nobody. (exam. "cops tried to grab me, but they didn't
have nathan on me")
NEWJACK A person wet behind the ears, who has no street experience, a rookie.
NON STOP Term takin from subway train terminology. Used to describe a party or situation or
activity that won't end for a long time. made popular in early Hip Hop rhymes.
(exam. "we rock the mic nonstop")

 O
Top
OFF Shoot, Kill.
OLD SCHOOL/ OLD  a way of saying Back in the days in the streets, school of hard knocks. A person who
SCHOOLER was representing the streets back in the days. Early days of the streets.

ONE/ ONE LOVE Street way of saying good bye. Bidding someone peace.
Latino people will say Uno.
ONION A round booty. Round but, Round ass
OX  A box cutter or razor blade
 P
Top
PARLAYIN Chillin, relaxing
 P.C. Punk City, a term for a special protective jail cell for inmates who are in danger within
prison population. Usually meant for inmates who can't fight or have no pull in the
prison (they don't know any one).
PAPER Money
PEACE Respectful way of saying goodbye in the streets. Inspired from the Islamic religion
Asalamu Alaikum.
PEEPS  short for peoples. used to describe a persons best friends, crew, or gang.

PHAT, FAT When something is extra cool , we used the concept of how we like our laces, or girls
booty, our bass sounds coming from our sound system. we like everything looking and
sounding phat, thick, massive.
PEACE OUT Short for "Peace i'm out". Good bye, I'm leaving.
PIECE 1- A gun
2- An outlined graffiti artwork with color  fill ins, and decorated on a train, wall, or black
book (hardcover graffiti book)
PLAYED/ 1- To be discovered that your pretending your something your not, or to get caught in a
PLAY YOURSELF lie.
2- when someone takes you for a fool. You usually get played by a so called friend or
boyfriend/ girlfriend cheating on you.
PLAYA/ 1- a guy who has tons of girls and manages to play them all at the same time.
PLAYA HATER 2- A person who can play the streets and system to get what he wants.
3- A player hater is a person who down plays another playas game.

PLAYED OUT When a fad is over and old, and no one is doing it no more. It's played out.

POP/ POPED 1- To shoot someone

2- To get busted by the police and sent to jail.
POPO Police
PROPS/ PROPERS Short for proper respect.
 Q
Top
QUEEN Term from original Hip Hop organization ZULU NATION used to describe female Zulu's.
Now adopted by many other gangs.
QUARTY/ QUART A quart of Ol English malt liquor

 R
Top
RACK Original graffiti term for steeling.
RAP 1- How a street dude talks to a girl
2- How a person with street game talks his way in and out of situations.
3- Commercial term for the word MC (master of ceremony)

RECOGNIZE/ BETTER Letting someone know that they better be aware who they are messing with. Used for a
RECOGNIZE Hip Hop battle situation or a fight situation.

REPRESENT GO ALL OUT FOR YOUR SELF OR CREW, OR ANYTHING YOUR DOWN WITH OR STAND
FOR.
RIKERS ISLAND A prison
ROCK/ ROCK THE "Rock" is a word that has been a main description of being the best at something or a
HOUSE situation in Hip Hop.
ROCK THE HOUSE
ROCK THE MIC
ROCK A PHAT WILD STYLE
ROCK THE FLOOR
BODY ROCK
Rock was such a main word that it could be a second name to the culture Hip Hop.

ROLL UP To show up to a place/ event hard or with a crew.

 RUN IT/ RUN YO 1-What a stick up kid (robber) would say to a victim, if it's for a bike, or a wallet or a
SH*T/ RUN IT BACK chain, the stick up kid will say "run it".
2- Run It Back mean rewind, or try again, or bring it back.
 S
Top
SAGGIN Wearing you pants low and most of the time with no belt. This style of dress originated
in the prison system because they confiscated belts and shoe laces so an inmate can't
hang himself.
SAWED OFF Sawed off shot gun.
SAZON A type of Puerto Rican food seasoning that gives Spanish food it's flavor. The term is
used by Puerto Ricans to describe someone with style and flavor.

SCHOOL/ SCHOOLEM To teach someone in a lesson in  knowledge, a fight, a battle.  Mostly pertaining to
street knowledge.
SCOOBY DOO FAB 5 FREEDY used this slang in the movie "Wild Style" as an act of being surprised or
flabbergasted. He just learned something that surprised him and he belted out "well
scooby doo".
SCRATCH DJ's scratching the records to the beat. Placing the turntable needle to the groove of a
record, and the DJ moves the record back and forth to create a scratch sound, and
manipulates it to make music.
SCRILLA Money
SCRUB 1- Originally a sports term for a person who sucks at a particular sport.
2- A term used by material girls/ gold diggers to describe A dude with no money, no
car, no class, but he fronts and tries to get material girls.

An artists or personality who compromises his or her craft  and artistic views for the
sake of money or fame.
SERVE To beat someone in a Hip Hop Battle. MC battle, BBOY battle, Graffiti battle, DJ battle.
(exam. "I served that kid with flava at last nights jam")

SHANK A home made knife made in prison out of any object that can be sharpened.

SHORTY 1- Originally a gang term for a young kid from the neighborhood.
2- A cute/ fly ghetto girl/ honey.
SHOUT OUT Originally a shout were done in  early Hip Hop jams, where an MC (rapper) would shout
out  people in the crowd on the microphone. Allot of shout outs were done for local
gangs and thugs to give them respect so as not to have the gangs give trouble. By
shouting them out, the gangstas or thugs would feel respected and cause no trouble.

SIKE/ SIKEY  when a person trick or fool someone into believing something and the says "sike".
(exam. Juan says to pepe "yo they just robed your mother down the block"  pepe says
"foreals?", then Juan says "sike!". Then Juan laughs as pepe chases Juan to beat the
sh&t out of him..... LOL (laughing out loud)

SKEEZER 80's term for slut.

SKEELY, SKELZY A game played in the middle of the streets in the ghetto with tops, made by painting a
box with specific little boxes throughout the game board numbered from 1-13. And tops
are made several ways
1- fill up any bottle top with either wax, tar, or gum
2- gliders are made by scraping soda bottle over a manhole till the glass top pops off
( not the screw off tops, but the pop off type)
3- the best kind are metal school chair leg bottoms. You have to pop them off the chair
leg, then yank out all the rubber, and fill in the metal top with wax.

SLAMMIN  When something is great (like a car) or a fine girl with a great body walks by. "damn
that mami's body is slammin!".
SNAP/ SNAPIN To make fun of someone with clever jokes. originally called dozens.
SNUFF/ SNEAK/ To sneak a punch or an attack on someone when there not lookin.
SNUCK
SPITTIN 1- When an MC (rapper) starts rhyming.
 2- Spit game is when  a person is flirting with a female.
STAY UP/ STAY PEACE Take care.

STICK UP KID Robber, thief, a person who shows up to a jam/ party to hang out and scope out who
they want to rob, and then wait for them to leave, and stick them up.

SURE SHOT Term used to describe a record, or a party being a sure hit. Made popular in early Hip
Hop rhymes.
SQUASH BEEF To end a dispute peacefully or through a fare fight.
STACK CHIPS To make money and save it, or put it away, then go out and make more money. A term
for hustlers.
STRAIGHT Everything is OK.
An individual is OK. (exam. " I just got jumped but I'm straight, they couldn't  hurt
me").
STRAPPED Packing a gun.
 T
Top
TAG Writing your nick name on a wall or train.
TAX Forcibly take your money like the government. To rob.
THOROUGH When something is cool, good , or safe it's thorough.
THROUGH 1- When someone is beat down, or dead.
2- When someone is high out of there mind and passed out.
THROW UP A quick bubble style or simple style 2 color (outline and filling) graffiti piece,  that can
be done fast as to get more of them up in a short period of time, and be able to bomb
more walls and trains.
THROW BACK 1- And old sports jersey that's hard to find or retired.
2- anything old school.
THUG A tough dude, gangsta, bully, aggressive street fighter, stick up kid.
TIGHT nice, like nicely fitted, good. When something is just right it's tight.
TIME/ YOU KNOW 1-Time is a present event, or situation that is happening. "What time is it?, party time!")
THE TIME, YOU KNOW 2- You know what time it is, means "You know wasup". Used in terms of a fight, or two
WHAT TIME IT IS people agreeing on something, like "we're gonna grab them two honey, takem to the
crib and then you know what time it is".

TIMS/ TIMBS Short for Timberland boots.

TOY A week or beginner writer (graffiti writer).
TOY COP Security guards who act like there real cops.
TRUE DAT Means true that, or that is true.
TURN IT OUT Original Hip Hop saying that means "turn the party out", which means to give a great
performance at the party.
also can mean the same thing to a girl in a sexual manor.
TWISTED/ Don't get it wrong, or don't get me wrong. Don't mess around.
DON'T GET IT
TWISTED
 U
Top
UNSIGNED HYPE A source magazine slang for a Rapper who is good but has not gotten a record deal yet.

UP NORTH A prison North of NYC. Clinton Correctional Facility.

UPTOWN The upper parts of Manhattan. Anything above 100st. Harlem, Spanish Harlem and
upwards.
UP/ GET UP A writers (graffiti) main goal is to gain fame. To get up, is to gain fame by bombing the
system (trains, walls, busses) with as many tags and throw ups.

 V
Top
VIC Short for victim. A stick up kid (robber) term for a potential victim.
 W
 Top
WACK Not good, terrible. Referring to someone's skills, clothes, situations.
a wack graffiti piece, a wack rhyme, a wack move, a wack situation.
WANGSTA/ WANKSTA 1- A fake gangsta, a wanna be gangsta. (exam. "most rappers that say they are
gangstas are some fake ass wankstas!, If they committed half the crimes they claim
they do on there records, they would be in jail by now".)
2- A rapper who tries to live the life that they rap about , even though before they were
rappers they never were gangstas, did any crimes, or went to jail.

WAX 1- An LP or record. A DJ term for records.

2- A term for both sex and fighting. (exam. "when I get my hands on her I'm gonna
wax that ass")
WET Bleeding. To wet someone is to leave them in
WHEELS OF STEEL Two turntables used by Hip Hop DJ's.
WHIP/ WHIPPED 1- a nice looking expensive car.
2- to be p%ssy whipped by a girl. Meaning a girl is controlling the guy with sex.

WHITE CASTLE A popular after jam (hip hop party) burger spot. Famous because the burgers were so
small but only cost liked 35 cents each, so you can buy like a dozen.  And them shits
was goooooood.... lol
WILDING/ WHYLIN/ To get wild in any situation. To act violent at any given moment. To whyle out on
WHYLE OUT/ BUCK someone for no reason. To act wild in fun without violence.
WILD This word was new and still underground until a rape in central park where young black
and Hispanic teens were found guilty for brutally beating and raping a white woman.
And the press got a hold of the word and used it as the catch phrase for the criminal
act.

WORD/ WORD UP/ A phrase of approval, or agreement. word is bond is the same but used only for serious
WORD IS BOND agreements in a discussion or situation. (exam. "knowledge, and wisdom of self is
empowerment for our community, and we need  to teach young black and Hispanics
about themselves and build self esteem in these young warriors so they can be better
prepared for the new world around them". "word is bond".

WRECK/ To accomplish or destroy.

WRECK SHOP (exam. 1 " yo we wrecked our show last night, the crowd went crazy".)
(exam. 2 "and after the show we caught dude that slapped my sista and wrecked him").

WRITER original term for a Hip Hop graffiti artist.

 X
Top
XEROX A biter , a person who is not original and copies from others. In Hip Hop it's a person
who copies another persons style, move, scratch, rhyme.

 Y
Top
YES YES YALL An original Hip Hop rhyme/ phrase made popular by MC's (rappers) used to let the
crowd no that  "yes. we rockin the spot". A phrase that an MC says before he goes into
a written rhyme. Like a prep phrase common with every MC (rapper).

YOUNGIN  a young person.

YOU KNOW IT/ YOU A popular phrase that many MC's (rappers) say on the mic, Showing an MC's confidence
KNOW THAT in his or her abilities, or self.
 Z
Top
ZOOTED/ ZOOTIE/ High on angel dust, PCP.
ZOOTIE BANG
ZULU/ ZULU NATION A name borrowed by Hip Hop DJ and leader Africa Bambatta from a tribe in Africa and
used as the name of the biggest and most important Hip Hop organization in the Bronx
and through out New York in promotion Hip Hop culture and Peace , Unity, Love, and
having fun. Originally a Bboy crew with members like Beaver, Rob, Sundance, Pow
 Wow, Islam.

  BREAKIN/ BBOYING
Top
BBOY/ BGIRL COINED BY KOOL HERC TO DESCRIBE THE ELITE DANCERS AT HIS PARTY'S....HERC
ORIGINALLY MEANT "BREAK BOY" BUT DEPENDING ON WHAT AREA YOU WERE FROM
IN THE BRONX . THE DEFINITION COULD HAVE BEEN "BEAT BOY", OR BRONX BOY".

BREAK DANCE A TERM THAT  THE MEDIA CREATED BACK IN THE EARLY 80'S THAT IS HATED BY
BBOYS EVERY WHERE. ALSO A WORD USED BY BBOYS TO DESCRIBE A COMMERCIAL
WANNA BE BBOY, OR A BREAKER WITH NO FOUNDATION THAT ONLY DOES
GYMNASTIC MOVES .
BREAKIN IS ALSO A TERM ADOPTED AS THE NAME OF THE DANCE (EX: A BBOY BREAKS OR IS
BREAKING)
BOYOING A WORD USED IN THE BRONX RIVER AREA OF THE BRONX TO DESCRIBE THE BOUNCY
STYLE OF BREAKING THAT THE BBOYS DID, IT WAS ALSO USED TO DESCRIBE THE
BALL ON THERE SKI HATS THAT WENT BOYOING WHEN THEY DANCED.

GO OFF WAS A PHRASE THAT DESCRIBED THE ACTION OF A BBOY ...NOT A NAME OF A DANCE.
YOU ALSO COULD HAVE BEEN GOING OFF ON THE MIC OR THE TURNTABLES, OR IN A
FIGHT.
FOOTWORK THE ACTION A BBOY DOES WHEN HE HITS THE FLOOR, WHEN YOUR WORKING YOUR
LEGS AROUND THE CENTER OF YOUR GRAVITY ON ALL FOURS. ALSO A MAIN
COMPONENT OF BBOY FOUNDATION THAT WAS SET IN THE MID 70'S.( the 6 step, 4
step, are just a couple of basic footwork patterns, there are dozens more)

TOP ROCK THE ORIGIN OF BREAKING WAS IN ITS VERTICAL DANCE..BEFORE BBOYS HIT THE
FLOORS THEY WERE ESSENTIALLY TOP ROCKERS (MEANING THEY ROCKED TO THE
BEAT ON TOP)...IT IS ALSO A BASIC FOUNDATION ..BEFORE YOU HIT THE FLOOR YOU
MUST TOP ROCK.

FREEZE THE ENDING POSE...THE PERIOD TO EVERY BBOYS COMBO IS THE FREEZE. IT IS ALSO
USED AS THE CLIMAX AND DISS MOVE THAT GETS THE CROWD REACTIONS. ALSO A
BASIC FOUNDATION EVERY BBOY MUST END  THERE DANCE IN A POSE AND SHOULD
HAVE A VAST CATALOG OF FREEZES.

STYLE HOW A BBOY/ BGIRL FINESSES THERE MOVES, PAUSES, DELAYS AND HESITATIONS
ADD TO A STYLE...LIKE A JAZZ MUSICIAN...
FLAVA IS SIMILAR TO STYLE BUT IS MORE OF AN ACCENT TO EACH MOVES THAT GIVES IT A
PERSONALIZED TASTE...
CHARACTER MANY DANCERS EITHER BORROW A PERSONALITY FROM A CARTOON OR MOVIE, OR
THEY HAVE A NATURAL CHARACTER THAT COMES OUT IN THERE DANCE, FROM KEN
SWIFT'S MUGSEY, TO IVAN'S ULTIMATE TASMANIAN DEVIL LIKE IMAGE...IT ADDS
ANOTHER LEVEL TO THERE PERFORMANCE THAT MAKES THERE DANCE EVEN MORE
MEMORABLE.

POWER MOVES IT USED TO BE THAT A POWER MOVE WAS ALL TYPES OF SPINS THAT LOOKED
POWERFUL..BUT AS IT HAS BEEN ESTABLISHED..ANYTHING THAT TAKES STRENGTH IS
POWER...(LOOK AT CRUMBS)
BATTLE THE ACT OF COMPETING WITH OTHER BBOYS
BURN TO BEAT A BBOY IN A BATTLE, OR SCORE A POINT IN THE MIDDLE OF A BATTLE WITH
A MOVE. (EX:I BURNED HIM WITH MY FOOTWORK)
WACK NOT GOOD, WEEK, SOME ONE, OR A MOVE THAT IS CONSIDERED BAD.

CREW A GROUP OF DANCERS FORMED AS A CLICK  OR ORGANIZATION TO COMPETE AS A

WHOLE.
BREAK BEATS THE ORIGINAL FORM OF HIP HOP MUSIC THAT SET OFF THE BBOY SUB CULTURE.

BITING THE ULTIMATE SINFUL NONO....IT MEANS TO COPY OR STEAL ANOTHER BBOYS
MOVES, STYLE, CHARACTER AND ALL THE ABOVE CRITERIA'S THAT MAKE A BBOY
ORIGINAL...NEVER BITE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

  POPPING
 Top
BOOGALOO  STYLE ROLLIN OF THE HIPS AND DIFFERENT BODY PARTS/ A PARTICULAR STYLE THAT GOES
WITH THE ROLLS.
TWISTO FLEX A RUBIX CUBE STYLE OF POPPIN/ SEPARATING AND DISSECTING YOUR BODY IN
TWIST LIKE MOTIONS.
TICKIN STOP MOTION STYLE OF POPPIN
STROBIN GIVING THE EFFECT OF A STROBE LIGHT WHILE DOING NORMAL THING YOU WOULD
DO IN A CLUB TYPE ATMOSPHERE (DRINKING, COMBING HAIR, LOOKING AT YOUR
WATCH) NOT NECESSARILY A DANCE

ANIMATION IMITATING CARTOON OR CLAY ANIMATION

SACIN A SHUFFLING OF THE FEET WHILE MOVING YOUR ARMS TO THE BEAT IN DIFFERENT
DIRECTIONS. ORIGINATED IN SACRAMENTO
STRUTTIN A STYLE BASED ON THE 70'S TERM "TO STRUT YOUR STUFF"/ MOVEMENTS TAKEN
FROM ACTUAL STRUTS OR PIMP WALKS
FILLMORE STYLE THAT ORIGINATED IN FILLMORE CAL. LOOKS LIKE A SIDE TO SIDE MOVEMENT
THAT INVOLVES STRAIGHTENING OUT THE ARMS IN DIFFERENT DIRECTIONS WHILE
STEPPING WITH THERE FEET IN DIFFERENT DIRECTIONS

WAVING CREATING THE ILLUSION THAT YOUR BODY HAS ELECTRICAL CURRENTS FLOWING
SMOOTHLY THROUGH IT. ALSO MAKING ONES BODY LOOSE AND FLUID LIKE WATER

TUTTIN A KING TUT OR HIEROGLYPHIC STYLE OF POPPIN

STICKIN A STYLE THAT INVOLVES STICKING OUT THE ARMS IN SYNCOPATED RHYTHMS AND
STRAIGHT ARM SHAPES, AND SNAPPING THE ELBOWS WHILE DOING IT.

  WRITING (GRAFFITI)
Top
WRITER THE ORIGINAL NAME OF WHAT PEOPLE REFER TO AS "GRAFFITI ARTIST"

MASTER PIECE/ A  NAME , WORD OR PHRASE DONE IN A STYLE THAT IS FILLED IN WITH COLORS AND
PIECE HAS AN OUTLINE AND OTHER DECORATIVE FILLINGS

THROW UP A QUICK AND EASY VERSION OF A PIECE, DONE IN A WAY TO GET AS MANY UP AS
POSSIBLE IN A SHORT TIME
TAG WRITING YOUR NAME IN A GHETTO STYLIZED WAY
WILD STYLE A PIECE THAT IS DONE WITH ALLOT OF DETAILED CONNECTIONS AND ARROWS AND
OTHER INTRICATE DECORATIONS THAT MAKE IT HARD TO READ.

BOMB/ BOMBING A MISSION THAT WRITERS GO ON, WRITING YOUR NAME ANY WHERE AND EVERY
WITH AN ABUNDANT AMOUNT OF TAGS OR THROW UPS/ SMOTHERING AN AREA WITH
ONES TAG OR THROW UP.
BURNER A full out wild style piece with colors.
MARRIED COUPLE A PIECE ACROSS TWO TRAIN CARS
ALL CITY WHEN A WRITER BOMBS THE ENTIRE CITY IN AN ATTEMPT TO BE THE KING

GETTING UP GETTING FAME THROUGH TAGGING EVERY WHERE OR ON A PARTICULAR TRAIN LINE,
OR AREA
TOY/ HOT 1 TEN A WRITER THAT IS NOT GOOD AT TAGGING OR PIECING, SOMETIMES ANYTHING THAT
ISN'T GOOD.
AEROSOL ART ARTISTS THAT USE SPRAY PAINT AS A MEDIUM, NOT NECESSARILY A WRITER

CREW A GROUP OF WRITERS UNITED

BITING TO COPY, OR STEAL SOMEONE'S STYLE OR EXACT LETTERS
BUFF TO PAINT OVER, ERASE OR CLEAN OFF TAGS AND PIECES FROM A TRAIN OR WALL

PILOT, MAGNUM, SPECIAL WIDE AND SQUARE TIP MARKERS THAT ARE REFILLABLE AND USED FOR
TAGGING
UNI WIDE, MINI WIDE AND NARROW TIP REFILLABLE MARKERS
WIDE
MARSH, FLO MASTER, SPECIAL INKS PREFERRED BY WRITERS FOR THERE RESISTANCE AGAINST BUFFING,
SUPERMARKET INKS OR CLEANING.
ESPECIALLY THE OLD SUPERMARKET STAMP INK THAT IS HARD TO CLEAN OFF.

FLO PEN SPECIAL PEN WITH REPLACEABLE CHISEL POINT AND OTHER STYLE TIPS, ALSO
REFILLABLE
MOP TIP TO PIN OUT A REGULAR  PILOT (OR OTHER BRAND) WIDE TIP MARKER TILL IT
RESEMBLES A MOP, PREFERRED FOR IT SLOPPY LOOK

HOME MADE MOP TIP A MARKER MADE BY WRITERS OUT OF AN EMPTIED OUT ROLL ON DEODORANT
BOTTLE, AND STUFFED WITH FELT FROM A CHALK BOARD ERASER AND FILLED WITH
INK,
FAT CAPS/ THIN CAPS A SPECIAL SPRAY NOZZLE THAT MAKES THE CAPS DIFFERENT SIZES AND EFFECTS

BUBBLE LETTERS/ SOFT AND ROUNDED LETTER STYLE OF PIECING

SOFTY
WHOLE CAR A PIECE THAT TAKES UP THE LENGTH OF A TRAIN
WINDOWS DOWN A PIECE THAT COVERS FROM THE WINDOWS OF A TRAIN DOWN
TOP TO BOTTOM DOING A PIECE ON A TRAIN THAT COVERS FROM THE TOP TO THE BOTTOM OF THE
TRAIN
HOOK UPS SPECIAL COLOR DECORATIONS DONE INSIDE OF A PIECE.
FILL IN THE COLORING OF A PIECE OR THROW UP
OUTLINE AN UNCOLORED PIECE / THE BLUE PRINT OF A FULL COLOR PIECE
LAY UP AN AREA WHERE TRAINS ARE USUALLY PARKED, EITHER UNDERGROUND OR ELEVATED
WHERE WRITERS BOMB
YARDS TRAIN YARDS WHERE TRAINS ARE STORED AND PARKED AND WHERE WRITERS BOMB

BURNER AN EXTREMELY INTRICATE PIECE WITH INTRICATE COLORS

RACKING UP TO STEAL SPRAY PAINT AND OTHER SUPPLIES USED BY WRITERS
VICKED/ VAMPED TO ROB OR GET ROBBED FROM ANOTHER WRITER FOR SPRAY PAINT, OTHER SUPPLIES
AND MONEY AND JEWELRY AS WELL.
  NUMBERS
Top
187 Police code for Homocide
22 22 caliber gun
24/ 7 24 hours 7 days a week. Meaning your doing something all day and all night. (exam.
"I'm out hustling 24/7")
38 38 caliber gun
40 40 ounce of beer
44 44 caliber gun
411/ WHATS THE 411 Inofrmation, gossip, rummors. Stems from  telephone information servcice.

50 Police
730 Crazy person.
808 Roland 808 drum machin sounds. Refering to one particular bass beat sound made
popular in early 80's NYC Hip Hop, now used in most Dirty South music as well as Miami
Bass music.
  PHRASES/ SAYINGS
Top
I AIN'T MAD ATCHA I like what your doing, I'm glad that your doing well. ( exam. If someone is telling you
that they got a job, you reply "I ain't mad atcha").

SO WHAT YOU SAYIN Means, big deal, big shit. (exam. if someone says to you, my crew is bigger than yours
you reply "so what you saying")4
OFF THE CHAIN/ OFF Used to describe a great event, or situation. (exam. " That beat was off the chain")
THE METER/ OFF THE
MEAT RACK/ OFF THE
HOOK
 WATCH YOUR BACK 1- Beware, Be careful. S serious threat telling you that they will get you when you least
expect it. sleep with both eyes open. What some who you have a problem with will say
to you.
(exam. "Yo punk, I heard you was talking sh&t about me, You better watch your back").

I GOT YOUR BACK i will keep help protect you when your not lookin. I will defend you.
NA MEAN You know what i mean.
IZ YOU TRAZY Are you crazy.
NO HALF STEPPIN Don't half step, don't half fast. Put 100 % into your efforts not 50%.
  HIP HOP PRODUCER SLANG
Top
DIGGIN FOR BEATS/ Digging old record shops for records with dope drums, bass, guitar, keyboard sounds.
DIGIN IN THE Any thing to make a dope beat.
CRATES
FILTER

LOOP When a Hip Hop producer samples a 1 -4 bar beat/ groove , then makes it play over and
over again. He looped it.
SAMPLE/ SAMPLING When a Hip Hop producer uses a special machine called a "sampler" to record (copy) a
section  of an old song (break beat, groove, voice), and then uses it to create a Hip Hop
record.
example using  well known artists:
-He can sample a break beat (drum beat) from a James Brown record.
- Then he can loop it, or sequence it to play over and over.
-Then he can sample a groove from an old Blue Note album.
-Then layer it on top of the James Brown beat.
-He can then sample an Aretha Franklin voice bite, and add it into the sequence.
- Then he might add an 808 drum machine pattern under the beat with a heavy 808
kick drum.
and before you know it he created a beat with several different songs.
But a true Hip Hop producer will sample from songs and make it sound totally different
than the original.

SAMPLER A machine
QUANTIZE Quantize aligns notes to the nearest beat boundary. when a Hop Hop producer uses a
quantize button, he is trying to align his beats to make them tighter in the sequence,
more perfect, but sometimes to perfect with no feel. Allot of producers like to keep there
beats manual, meaning the way they hit it is the way it's stays.

 HOME
 ENGLISH GRAMMAR RULES & USAGE
 SLANG
 GHETTO SLANG DICTIONARY




Ghetto Slang Dictionary

Would you like to know where to find a ghetto slang dictionary? This article will explore
ghetto slang and cite resources where a dictionary may be found.
 Dictionary for Ghetto Slang
Ghetto slang can also be referred to as black slang or rap slang. There are several sources
online where you can find a ghetto slang dictionary with definitions of black, rap, and
ghetto slang words. 

Here are two of them:

 Ebonics-Translator
 BlackRefer - This site has links to different rap, ghetto, and black dictionaries.
Ghetto Slang
Here are some examples of ghetto slang from these dictionaries:

 Aight - short for alright

 Be easy - be calm
 Beef - serious trouble
 Bling - very shiny jewelry
 Buggin - acting silly
 Churrin - children
 Crew - a group of people working together
 Crib - your home
 Crunk - excited, enthusiastic
 Dis - harass
 Finna - about to do something
 Fitty - fifty
 Folks - people or acquaintances
 Fresh - brand new or great
 Grill - face or personal space
 Hood - your neighborhood
 Ice - diamonds, jewelry with lots of diamonds
 Jet - leave in a hurry
 Jocking my style - copycatting
 Kicks - shoes
 Mad - many
 Math - phone number
 Mo - more
 Off the hinges - outstanding
 paper - money
 Peep - friend; to look at something
 Po-po - the police
 Rollout - to leave
 Shoot the five - to fight
 Slammin - something really great
 Tight - cool or nice
 Vibe - how you feel
 Wack - terrible, not good
 Yayo - money
 Yo - a greeting; short for “your”
Other Slang Expressions
Now that you know where to find a ghetto slang dictionary and you are familiar with a few
words and expressions, maybe you would like to see more slang expressions.

The following words and sayings are from a site called alphaDictionary which allows you
to search by decade for slang words and expressions. You can also search by word or
meaning. Here are some words and expressions from the decade which started in the year
2000:

 Bouya! – expression of happiness or triumph

 Bromance - friendship between males
 Buzz - shave your head
 Chanky - disgusting or nasty
 Clean - alright
 Conversate - to talk or have a conversation
 Cougar - an older woman dating a younger man
 Cowboy up - get strong or tough
 Digits - telephone number
 Fall out - to sleep
 Flex - to show off
 Floss - show off your wealth
 Ghost – gone or disappeared
 Green - ecologically responsible
 Grip - a lot of money
 Hottie - an attractive female
 In your lunch - being nosy
 Ish - something very bad
 Jump the couch - to lose control, go crazy
 Mail - money
 Maul - to hug and kiss
 Nugget - your head
 Obese - outstanding, excellent
 Punk - to embarrass
 Shorty - girlfriend
 Spitball - estimate
 surreal - unusual
 tat - tattoo
 there – liking something
Slang Words and Expressions
Slang words are words that are understood by a certain group of people. The reason for
being in a group could be cultural, religious, linguistic, or country of origin. Slang words
are outside the language that is used by most people.
The creation of slang words and expressions is one of the ways that language changes over
time. A group will use a certain word and after time, it may become widely used.  Then it
can become a part of most people’s vocabulary.

Slang words can be abbreviations, taking a word and expanding its meaning, a word with a
different meaning, or a totally new word. Some things that slang words are not include:
dialect, colloquialism, advertising slogans, jargon, graffiti, catch phrases, or a special
language that a secret society makes up and uses.

We’ve been just a little bit obsessed with old timey and subcultural slang here at the Floss as of
late, and today we’re going to mine one of the richest sources for weird slang and code-talk:
criminals. Here are some choice bits of prison lingo we’ve gathered from slang dictionaries,
true crime stories, prisoners’ memoirs, and correctional officers.
1. All Day: A life sentence, as in “I’m doin' all day.”
2. All Day and a Night: Life without parole.
3. Back door parole: To die in prison.
4. Beef: 1. A criminal charge, as in “I caught a burglary beef in Philly.” 2. A problem with
another convict, as in “I have a beef with that guy in Block D.”
5. Brake fluid: Psychiatric meds.
6. Bug: A prison staff member considered untrustworthy or unreliable.
7. Bug juice: Intoxicants or depressant drugs.
8. Buck Rogers Time: (early to mid 20th century) A parole or release date so far away that it's
difficult to imagine.
9. Bum Beef: A false accusation/charge or wrongful conviction.
10. Cadillac: An inmate’s bunk. Also, Cadillac Job, an easy or enjoyable inmate work
assignment.
11. Catch a ride: A request to a friend to get you high.
12. Cell Warrior: An inmate that puts on a tough front or runs their mouth when locked in
their cell, but is submissive or cowardly when interacting with other prisoners in the open.
13. Chin Check: To punch another inmate in the jaw to see if he'll fight back.
14. Cowboy: A new correctional officer. Cowboy spelled backwards, is yobwoc, or a “young,
obnoxious, bastard we often con.”
15. Dance on the blacktop: To get stabbed.
16. Diesel Therapy: A lengthy bus trip or transfer to a far away facility, or even an incorrect
destination, used as punishment or to get rid of troublesome inmates.
17. Ding Wing: A prison’s psychiatric unit.
18. Dipping in the Kool Aid: Attempting to enter a conversation the person has no place in or
is not welcome in.
19. Doing the Dutch Or the “Dutch Act,” to commit suicide.
20. Dry Snitching: To inform on another inmate indirectly by talking loudly about their actions
or behaving suspiciously in front of correctional officers; supply general information to officers
without naming names.
21. Duck: A correctional officer who reveals information about other officers or prison staff to
inmates.
22. Fire on the Line: A warning—“correctional officer in the area.”
23. Ghetto Penthouse: The top tier of a cell block.
24. Four piece or four-piece suit: A full set of restraints, composed of handcuffs, leg irons and
waist chain, and security boxes to cover the restraints’ key holes.
25. Grandma’s: Or Grandma’s House, a prison gang’s headquarters or meeting place, or the
cell of the gang leader.
26. Heat Wave: The attention brought to a group of inmates by the action of one or a few, as in
“Joe and John got caught with contraband, and now the whole tier is going through a heat
wave.”
27. Hold your mud: To resist informing or snitching even under threat of punishment or
violence.
28. I got jigs: To keep look out or watch for officers, as in “I got jigs while you make that
shank.”
29. In the car: In on a deal or a plan.
30. Jacket: 1. An inmate’s information file or rap sheet. 2. An inmate’s reputation among other
prisoners.
31. Jack Mack: Canned mackerel or other fish available from the prison commissary. Can be
used as currency with other inmates or placed in a sock and used as a weapon.
32. Jackrabbit Parole: To escape from a facility.
33. Juice Card: An inmate’s influence with guards or other prisoners. “He should have gone to
the hole for that, but he’s got a juice card with one of the guards.”
34. Keister: To hide contraband in one’s rectum. Also known as “taking it to the hoop,”
“putting it in the safe”and “packing the rabbit.”
35. Kite: A contraband letter.
36. Monkey Mouth: A prisoner who goes on and on about nothing.
37. Monster: HIV. Also known as “the Ninja.”
38. Ninja Turtles: Guards dressed in full riot gear. Also known as “hats and bats.”
39. No Smoke: To follow staff’s orders without resisting or causing any problems, as in “He let
the guards search his cell, no smoke.”
40. On the Bumper: Trying to get “in the car.”
41. On the River: Time spent at the Louisiana State Penitentiary, which is surrounded on three
sides by the Mississippi River. As in, “He did 20 years on the river.”
42. Peels: The orange jumpsuit uniforms worn by prisoners in some facilities.
43. Prison Wolf: An inmate who is normally straight on “the outside,” but engages in sexual
activity with men while incarcerated.
44. Rabbit: An inmate who has a history of escape attempts or has plans to try to escape.
45. Ride with: To do favors for a fellow convict, often including sexual ones, in exchange for
protection, contraband, prison currency, or commissary items.
46. Ride Leg: To be friendly with or suck up to staff in order to get favors.
47. Road Kill: Cigarette butts picked up from roadsides by prison work crew. They’re brought
back to the facility and the collected tobacco is rerolled with toilet paper to smoke.
48. Stainless Steel Ride: Death by lethal injection.
49. Three Knee Deep: To stab someone so that they’re injured, but not killed, usually as a
warning.
50. Wolf Tickets: To talk tough or challenge others, without any intent to back it up with
action or violence, as in “He’s just selling wolf tickets.”
October 17, 2012 - 9:00am

Read the full text here: http://mentalfloss.com/article/12794/50-prison-slang-words-make-

you-sound-tough-guy#ixzz2mSjGGQbk 
--brought to you by mental_floss! 
Copied from "ghetto slang dictionary";

aight - short for alright

be easy - be calm
beef - serious trouble
bling - very shiny jewelry
buggin - acting silly
churrin - children
crew - a group of people working together
crib - your home
crunk - excited, enthusiastic
dis - harass
finna - about to do something
fitty - fifty
folks - people or acquaintances
fresh - brand new or great
grill - face or personal space
hood - your neighborhood
ice - diamonds, jewelry with lots of diamonds
jet - leave in a hurry
jocking my style - copycatting
kicks - shoes
mad - many
mo - more
off the hinges - outstanding
paper - money
peep - friend; to look at something
po-po - the police
rollout - to leave
slammin - something really great
tight - cool or nice
vibe - how you feel
wack - terrible, not good
yo - a greeting; short for “your”

"Yo I'm bouts to be out yo finna go gets dem churrin!"