Hip-Hop has been a staple of music all around the world for over half a decade. With the arrival of the new genre back in the 1970s, a new way of speaking and composing lyrics was introduced.
This new way of speaking is unofficially yet widely known as the ‘Hip-Hop Slang’. This can be quite daunting for any non-native English speaker to get a hang of.
Hence, we have composed this article to familiarize our readers with basic Hip-Hop terminology from both the traditional times and modern eras.
Contents
Hip-Hop Slang History And Origin
We have previously discussed that hip-hop music originated in the 1970s, but we didn’t discuss why it originated in the first place.
During the early 1970s, neither the legal system in the USA nor the Human Rights Organisations were powerful. Racism, drugs, and criminal offenses ran rampant. With all the discrepancies, the societal and financial imbalance of the colored people is what originated Hip-Hop music.
Contribution of Rap Towards Modern Hip-Hop
The other name of Hip-Hop is “Rap”. The genre of Hip-Hop consists of 4 basic ingredients:
- MCing (otherwise known as rapping)
- Djing (Partying with disco at a club or gathering)
- Graffiti (Composition of lyrics for a song or rap)
- Encompasses (otherwise also known as breakdancing)
Of all the 4 ingredients, rapping not only contributed to the immense growth of Hip-Hop but rather redefined it.
Hip-hop in the early 70s was more of a clubbing or partying genre of songs. However, when rap was introduced, Hip-hop became more of a rhythmic storytelling.
The main attraction of any song comprises 3 main elements:
- Background Music (Surrounding The Main Song)
- Rhythm
- Lyrics
With all the different elements of a song, the lyrics are often overshadowed or rather overlooked. People mostly tend to enjoy the rhythm paired with the background music and mumble the lyrics.
However, “Rap” in the early 80s introduced a way of expression through a song like none of the genres that came before or after.
With very subtle background music, the main focus of Rap music was rather on the lyrics and beat created by the artist. The entire idea was that Rap, or rather Hip-hop, style of music needs to be carried by its lyrics rather than any rhythm created through background music.
Hence, through these revolutions, came the golden era of Hip-hop music, the 90s! Where artists took inspiration from their personal lives and struggles. In an age, where crimes and poverty wreaked havoc, Hip-hop is what gave people relief and a sign of a better future up ahead.
The Golden Era Of Hip-Hop (The 90s)
The 90s is considered to be the “Golden Era” for Hip-hop music. Started with the unwavering talent and popularity of DJ Kool Herc (Clive Campbell). Just an 18 yr old prodigy, who overtook the streets of America with his native Jamaican Jazz music, which later translated to Hip-hop.
His success mainly came from carefully engineering his song with modern trends and classical rhythm to captivate the hearts of millions.
DJ Kool Herc was considered to be the father of pop music. Therefore, brought about the age of Hip-hop.
There were many other honorable names who contributed to the rise of Hip-hop such as Jacko Henderson, Amiri Baraka, and Gil Scott-Heron.
And from there, we have our classical Hip-Hop Terminology. These are some of the traditional yet Common hip-hop phrases.
Traditional Hip-Hop Phrases
There are 2 types of Hip-Hop Terminologies, Traditional Hip-Hop Slang and Modern Hip-Hop Slang.
Below we are listing some of the Traditional Hip-Hop Slangs and their meanings. These Urban Dictionary hip-hop terms originated from the artists in the 90s such as Kool Herc, Jacko Henderson, etc.
- Who am is: Who am I
- What it does: What’s up
- Biscuit: Firearms (specifically a pistol)
- Bent: Drunk
- Cheese: Wealth
- Cap: Firearm ammo (Bullet)
- Ghost (verb): to ignore / to leave in haste
- Fly: charismatic
- Dog (dawg): friend (usually a very close friend)
- Hood: Neighborhood
- Pig: Police
- Marinate: To chill out and take it easy
- Popes: Police (a synonym of the slang “Pig”)
- Tight: High quality, charming
- Ice: a piece of jewelry (usually diamonds)
- Big face: a 100-dollar bill
- Kicks: Shoes or Sneakers
- Wifey: wife or girlfriend
- Diss (verb): to be disrespectful to someone
- Chillax: A combination of the words “Chill” and “Relax”
- Baller: Someone who recently made a fortune
- Hella: Hell of a……
- Scrilla: Cash (money)
- MoFo: Motherfucker
- Beef: Enmity
- Flex: To announce something you are very proud of
- Wack: Underwhelming
- Cream: Smooth
The Modern Era Of Hip-Hop
Just like how DJ Kool carried the Hip-Hop genre in the 90s, we have Snoop Dogg, Tupac Shakur, Run-D.M.C, and Eminem to carry ours.
They have continued the work and legacy of legends who came before them neatly. They also have renovated and kept the market of Hip-hop songs exciting with creativity and passion.
However, with new artists, many new words and slang were added to the dictionary and vocabulary of the Hip-hop genre.
Some modern urban slang and their meanings are listed below for your understanding:
- Fizzle: fuck with a woman
- Bizzle: bitch
- Rizzle: Actual or Real
- Nizzle: Negro
- Hizzle: off the hook
- Shiznit: Shit (an unpleasant expression)
- Skizzle: a sip of any intoxicating substance or drink
- Wizzle: wigga
- Tizzle: Nervy
- Suwitchboy: an insult to a gangster
- OG: Original
- Overhoe: Solder Gang Member (called in an insulting way)
- Cuzz: A usual way of addressing the Crip Gang Members amongst each other (as a safety precaution do not use this term as this can be deemed as offensive to certain gang members)
- BG: Baby Gangster
- Timbs: Timberland Boots
- Benzo: Abbreviation of Mercedes-Benz
- Beamer: BMV cars
- Wiggity-wack: Unpleasant or uncomfortable
Some Other Not So Popular Slangs
There are of course some other modern urban slang that are often not in use in any musical industry. Although, we have mentioned and explained them too down below for your information
- Bust a move: To perform a dance move on stage
- Da bomb: Popular product or person
- Open Up the Shop: to encourage you to step up a drug-selling post
- Off the hook: insane/wild (exaggerated reaction)
- Keep it trill: asking to keep it real
- What the dilly yo: What is up?
- Coolin’ it: Relaxation
- Word Up: That’s right
- Dope: Really good
- Bae: Pet name to your partner
- GOAT: Greatest Of All Time
- Thot: Prostitute
- Cake: Buttocks
Hip-Hop Slang Impact On Media
The African American vernacular has often been overlooked by the media corporations. Since their vocabulary is often informal and consists of profanity.
However, the Hip-hop trend has managed to shed some light on this African American dialect. People from the street to big established corporations managed to see the true form of such authentic dialect.
Difference In Vocabulary
Their vocabulary might be informal, but they express meanings and expressions beyond any other English vocabulary out there. Hence, this is one of the reasons why their words are constantly adapting and hard to keep track of.
They are inventing words based on the current world’s trends, struggles, and humor. Additionally, they manage to express, albeit informally, expressions and feelings beyond any other genre out there through hip-hop through such exotic dialect!
Hence, rap and hip-hop are often related to storytelling rather than rhythmic music.
Media Coverage
Current hip-hop jargon and vocabulary are not getting any traction in the corporate media. Neither will they shortly (in media outlets like news channels)
Although, popular hip-hop expressions have made their way into mainstream entertainment media. Through rappers and hip-hop stars like Kendrick Lamar, Eminem, Travis Scott, etc.
Additionally, Hip-hop slang and linguistics have been the staple of street language not only in the streets of America but all around the world!
Final Words
We have extensively discussed and explained most of the popular Hip-Hop Slang of both from the traditional times and modern eras. In order to express oneself truly in music and tell a story, it’s kind of mandatory to go sidetracked. To use a dialect better suited at expressions than a dialect that sounds more tamed.
Hence, it has become increasingly difficult to keep track of such modern urban slang. However, we have tried our best to help you with your pursuit and interest in the American African Vernacular.
Hopefully, we have been of help and all of our readers have found what they were looking for in this article about hip-hop slang.