Page 1

List of slang used in hip-hop music

Hip-hop music uses a variety of slang terms that have changed as hip-hop itself has evolved and
changed. Much of its lexicon is drawn from African American Vernacular English. Hip-hop slang
makes use of alternative pronunciations, mostly drawn from AAVE; ordinary words given new
meanings; new coinages and portmanteau words; and vernacular phrases. The slang used in a hip-
hop record can often date it to a certain era and/or school of hip-hop. As the hip-hop culture has
expanded worldwide, non-Americans and even non-English speakers have increasingly borrowed
from and contributed to the slang of hip-hop, often modifying the meanings of words to their own
uses.

Contents

Slang Words
 1.1 Slang Directly from Music
 1.1.1 Lamont Coleman
 1.1.2 Frankie Smith and Snoop Dogg
 1.2 English Words with Changed Meanings
 1.3 Invented Terms & Portmanteaux
 1.4 Hip-hop Slang for Brand Names and Trademarks
 1.5 Hip-hop Slang for Drugs, Gangs, and Guns
 1.5.1 Gang Slang Terms
 1.5.2 Drug-Related Slang Terms
 1.5.3 Gun-Related Slang Terms
 1.6 Numbers in Hip-hop Slang
 1.7 Hip-hop Slang Phrases

Slang Words
Slang Directly from Music

Lamont Coleman

Harlem rapper Lamont Coleman (stage name Big L) released a song on his posthumous album "The
Big Picture" entitled "Ebonics". In this song, Big L goes through various hip hop slang terms and
gives their "proper" meanings.
 Page 2

Yo, yo

A burglary is a jook, a wolf's a crook

Mobb Deep already explained the meanin' of shook

If you caught a felony, you caught a F

If you got killed, you got left

If you got the dragon, you got bad breath

If you 7:30, that mean you crazy

Hit me on the hip means page me

Angel dust is sherm, if you got AIDS, you got the germ

If a chick gave you a disease, then you got burned

bezzie - meaning bitch mostly used in oakland

breezy - a fine girl

-excerpt from Big L's "Ebonics"

Frankie Smith and Snoop Dogg

This particular style of hip-hop slang was created specifically by certain hip-hop artists. Originated
by funk musician Frankie Smith with his 1982 nonsense single "The Double-Dutch Bus", this style
was popularized by rapper Snoop Dogg when he used it on Dr. Dre's The Chronic album in 1992.
Usually the ending of a word is removed, and replaced with the -izzle suffix. In other cases, -izz- is
added in the middle of a word, for example, the word "house" becomes "hizzouse".

bizzle - bitch

fizzle - can be female, fuck, flatulate or any number of words starting with the letter F

hizzouse - house

hizzle - hook, as in the phrase "off the hook"

nizzle - nigga

rizzle - real

shiznit - shit (usually in a general positive sense); used especially in the phrase "Thats tha
Shiznit!"

fo'shizzle - for sure

skizzle- a drip of any sort of intoxicating liquid.

tizzle - tizzy, a state of agitation or nervousness.

wizzle - wigga

English Words with Changed Meanings

These words can be found with the same spelling in any English dictionary, but they are used as
slang words and given an alternate meaning in hip-hop music.

Wat it do - Hello (Houston)

Who am is - Who am i (South)

bail - v.- leave, common slang meaning the same as in the phrase "Let's bail out". (EX: "Let's
bail." = "Let's leave.")
 Page 3

bent - adj.- intoxicated

bird - n.- girl

biscuit - n.- gun, pistol

bitch - n.- besides the usual meanings, the phrase "my bitch" can simply mean "my girl."
When applied to males, it is an insult meaning coward, sissy, punk, etc. (EX: "You's a bitch.")

blunt - n.- a cigar used as a joint, filled with marijuana instead of tobacco.

blunted - adj.- same meaning as 'stoned', but specifically the intoxication from smoking a blunt
or blunts of marijuana.

boo -n.- affectionate term for one's significant other

bounce - v.- leave, go (EX: "Let's bounce." = "Let's leave.")

bugged out - adj.- Acting weird, unorthodox, or upset, etc. (EX: "He's bugged out.")

buggin'- v.- acting weird, unorthodox, or upset, etc. (EX: "Why you buggin'?")

bumpin'- adj.- cool, pleasurable, to one's liking. EX: "That shit is bumpin'." Also as a verb, as
in the phrase "It's bumpin'.", which usually refers to music.

burner-n.- gun

bust -v.- perform, do. (EX: "Bust a rhyme" = "Rapping a rhyme", while "Bust a move" =
"Make a move/perform a move")

busted -adj.- ugly, caught doing a crime. {EX: "Yo' girl is BUSTED!")

cap - n.- bullet (EX: "I'ma bust a cap in yo' ass." = "I will shoot you.")

capped -v.- shot.

cheese - n.- money

chill - v.- relax, keep cool

chill - adj.- relaxed, alright. (EX: "He's chill." = "He's alright." or "He's relaxed.")

chillin' - v.- relaxing

cold - adj.- tight, good, nice, and sometimes mean, as in the phrase "cold-hearted". If a guy
cheats on his girl, a response might be "That's cold." If one is looking at a really nice suit, the
response might be "Man, that suit is COLD!"

coolin' - v.- relaxing, being comfortable

crab -n.- A derogatory term used by factions of the Blood gang to refer to Crip gang members.
A play on the word "Crip".

crib -n.- place of residence (One of MTV's shows is called MTV's Cribs, in reference to the
homes of celebrities.)

dime - n.- a very attractive woman; a "ten" on a scale of one-to-ten. See also Drug-Related
Slang Terms.

dip - v.- leave. (EX: "Let's dip." = "Let's go.")

dog (also "dogg" and "dawg") -n.- a close and trusted friend.

doggy (also "dawgy") -n.- close friend

dope - adj.- cool, appealing, etc.

down - adj.- with it, or willing to take part. (EX: "I'm down to do it." = "I'm up for it." "That
fool thinks he's down." = "That guy thinks he's hardcore.")

fat - adj.- cool, appealing. When written, it is almost always intentionally spelled "phat".

fire - adj.-tight, nice, cool. may also refers to marijuana.

flow - v.- rap with beat, can also be used as a noun. (EX: "He was flowing." or "Listen to my
flow.")

fly - adj.- cool, appealing, etc.

folk - n.- friends, acquaintances, or at least temporary partners.

front - v.- pretending to be that which you are not, acting tough. also short for confronting
someone.

game - n.- knowledge, skill, expertise, knack, "mack-skills", techniques, etc. (EX: "He got
game with those girls." = "He has good technique with the ladies.")

ghost -v.- to leave, leave quietly, quickly. (EX: "He got ghost." = "He left quickly." or "It's
time to get ghost." = "It's time to evacuate from the scene.")

gully - adj.- from the hood or ghetto.

gurp - adj.- very drunk

hate - v.- aside from its usual meaning, has different shades of meaning such as "criticizing",
or "disrupting" someone's game. (EX: "Why you gotta hate on me?" = "Why do you have to
insult me?")
 Page 4

hating (hatin') - v.- same meaning as 'hate' (see above). (EX: Don't be hatin'!)

heat or heater - n.- any type of firearm

heat - n.- police, FBI, law enforcement in general (used especially in the film, Heat).

herb - n.- especially marijuana but can be any sort of drug.

hood - n.- neighborhood, usually, or the turf of certain gangs

ice -n.- diamonds, usually refers to the plural. (EX: "That nigga got shit loads'a ice on his
wrist." = "That guy is wearing a bracelet with a lot of diamonds.")

ill -adj.- 1. cool, appealing, far-out (EX: "That's ill!") 2. crazy, rowdy, mean ("Why are you
acting ill to that guy?")

I'ma - a contraction of "I'm" and "gonna"

jet- to leave quickly (EX: "C'mon, let's jet.")

iron -n.- firearm

kickin'- adj.- appealing; (EX: "Those rims are kickin'.")

lamp- v.- chill, relax

marinate -v.- chill, relax

murk (Also mirk) -v.- 1. leave. "I'm finna murk." = "I'm about to leave.") 2. murder, kill. (EX:
"Pass me the strap, I'm 'bout to murk this foo." = "Give me a gun, I'm about to kill this guy.")

nigga (also "nigger") -n.- rarely refers to a racial slur, often simply a word for a man of color
and occasionally a white man. (EX: "Yo, nigga...")

oreo -n.- opposite of "wizzle" or "wigger", refers to the Nabisco cookie with the same name
which has a white, creamy filling surrounded by two brown, chocolate cookies (EX: "You
look black but you act white. You're an Oreo!" )

piece -n.- 1.firearm 2.pipe 3.a tagging (graffiti marking a certain gang or individual's turf)

piff 1. -n.- 1. cocaine (EX: "Pass the piff!") 2. -adj.- something cool (EX: "My style is straight
up piff!")

pig -n.- police officer

player (also playa) - n.- 1. Someone who knows how to manipulate women towards sex, etc. 2.
Someone who knows how to manipulate things in general. 3. Someone who cheats on his
girlfriend or wife (or if a woman: boyfriend, husband). 4. Less correctly applied to a
"baller" (see "baller").

popes - n. - the police, an abbreviation of po-po. (EX: "Look out for the popes!")

punk - n. - a coward, alternatively an asshole

punk - a coward or wimp. (EX: "Don't punk out on me." = "Don't get cowardly.")

punked - intimidated. (EX: "He got punked by that fool." = "He got intimidated or bullied by
that person.")

pussy - n. - a coward, a sissy. used as a put-down, usually against males. It also refers to the
female vagina or the female in general.

pussy - v. - Sex (EX: "I'm gettin' hella pussy back at my crib tonight" = "I will have sex
tonight at my house.")

scratch - n. - money

scrillah - n. - money

shorty - n.- a girl or woman if referring to a girlfriend, a child if referring to someone's son or
daughter.

spit - v.- rap (EX: "He can spit." = "He can rap.")

steel -n.- firearm

straight - adj.- fine, okay. not related to sexuality. (EX: A person asks "You want some
Henny?" The other person replies, "No thanks, I'm straight.")

strapped -adj.- bearing a firearm

stunting - showing your best or to act out of the ordinary

tight - adj.- cool, high-quality, appealing.

toaster -n.- firearm

trippin' -v.- high on drugs, kidding, or being crazy. (EX: "You must be trippin'.")

tweak -n.- to do crystal meth; Can also be altering something
 Page 5

tweaking -v.- under the influence of crystal meth

whip -n.- car, automobile or firearm

wigger (Also wigga) -n.- a white man who acts as if he is a man of color. (EX: "Yo wigga,
I'ma fuck you up.")

Invented Terms & Portmanteaux

These words and their meanings would not be found in an English dictionary, but are used in hip-hop
music slang. Though used and popularized by M.C.s, most of these words were not coined by any
M.C.; instead, they were taken from the local street slang of each M.C.'s area. Many of these words
have become mainstream nationally because of various popular hip-hop artists.

Wifey - Girlfriend

Okie - Friend (Philly)

Guts - The Interior of a car. e.g "The Red lambo got white guts up inside it" (Red Cafe) Or
"The Guts soft like my female breast is it a v12 yes" (CASSIDY)

Kicks - Sneakers

Big Face - 100 Dollar Bill

Jakes - Police

Whip - Car

Real Talk-Telling the truth or being serious

Chow Down- Eating food

baby mama -n.- the mother of an unmarried man's child, who himself is referred to as a "baby
daddy".

baller -n.- a high-roller, a money-maker. Hence the verb "ballin'" ('balling'), which refers to
someone who is doing very well for himself in terms of money.

bee-yotch (also biatch or biotch) -n.- see bitch

bling-bling -n.- See article for definition and origin of term.

boy-boy -n.- a friend with benefits

chickenhead -n.- a bitch or a woman that gives oral sex (referred to the motion of giving a
blow job).

chillax -v.- relaxing. A combination of "chill" and "relax."

crunk -adj.- having a good time or "high and drunk at the same time". reportedly derives from
"crazy" and "drunk" being combined or from "crazy" and "funk" being combined. used by
Southern rappers specifically.

buttahead, alternatively, buttaface -n.- A girl with a nice body but with an ugly face. taken
from the phrase "Everything look good, buttahead [but her head]." (EX: "Jermaine's girl is a
buttahead." = "Jermaine's girl has a good body, but her face is ugly.")

def -adj.- cool, appealing, fly, ill. said to be abbreviated from "definitive". used by M.C.s in
the mid to late 1980's and not used anymore unless they are being intentionally "old school".

dimepiece -n.- same meaning as dime, i.e., a very attractive woman. a "ten" on a one-to-ten
scale.

diss -v.- to criticize or disrespect someone. (EX: "He dissed that bitch.")

gank -v.- steal

ganked -v.- robbed, swindled (EX: "He got ganked." = "He got robbed.")

gat -n.- a gun. less generally, an automatic firearm, especially a machine gun. an abbreviation
of Gatling gun.

ghettobird -n.- police helicopter

growns (also "grown men") -n.- 22" rims or bigger on an automobile

hella -adv.- very. formed from "hell" and "of". not used much by M.C.s anymore. common on
the West Coast.

homeboy -n.- someone from the same neighborhood or area

homie (or "homey") -n.- a good male friend

hoodrat -n.- neighborhood girl with loose morals, neighborhood slut
 Page 6

hooptie -n.- an old car, a beater.

hyphy -adj.- An exuberant and ecstatic free flowing sensation that occurs when an individual
is particularly passionate, beyond the ability to control themselves. Amped; feeling good. Used
particularly by Bay Area M.C.'s

jakes -pl.n.- police officers. used especially by New York City M.C.s.

jumped -v.- to get beaten up, (EX: "You jus' another punk in the club, aboutta get jumped!" =
"You are just another punk in this club, and you're about to get beaten up.")

Mo' Fo' -n.- motherfucker

Oil-n.- referring to liquor

one-time -n.- police.

peeps -n.- people, as in "my peeps"

player-hater (playa-hata) -n.- specifically, one who hates a player (see above). generally, one
who hates someone who is doing well. the term is usually abbreviated to "hater"

popo -n.- police. an abbreviation of the full word.

pork chopper -n.- police helicopter. "pork-" is from the term "pig", which is used to refer to
policemen

scrilla -n.- money. used especially by West Coast M.C.s. (Mack 10, E-40, etc.)

slab -n.- pre-1980 fullsize GM luxury vehicles, primarily Buick, Oldsmobile, and Cadillacs.
The term originated in the South Park section of Houston, Texas. It usually refers to old school
GM sedans.

slob -n.- an insulting name for Bloods, used by the Crips.

snitch-n.-someone who tells on you

swangas -n.- sought-after wire rims on 1983 and 1984 Cadillacs

tweaker -n.- a hoe, a chickenhead on methamphetamines.

wack -adj.- awful, cheap, stupid, weak, etc.

T -n.- police car

Hip-hop Slang for Brand Names and Trademarks

Ac - short for Acura.

Benz/Benzo - short for Mercedes-Benz, a brand known for luxury automobiles.

Beamer - any model of BMW vehicle.

Cad- a Cadillac.

Caddy - a Cadillac.

cut (also "cut dog") - an Oldsmobile Cutlass

Cristal - Roederer Cristal, a brand of champagne

Deuce and a Quarter - a Buick Electra

Dom P. - Dom Perignon, a brand of champagne

Henny, Hen - Hennessy, a brand of cognac

L dog- a Lincoln

'Lac- a Cadillac.

Lex - short for Lexus, a brand of luxury automobile. also short for 'Rolex' a brand of luxury
watches.

Moe - Moët et Chandon, a brand of champagne

Navi - Lincoln Navigator

Timbs - Timberland boots

Rolly (also Rolley) - a term for Rolex, as used in Snoop Dogg's 2004 hit "Drop It Like It's
Hot". also used as a synonym for a Rolls Royce automobile.

Hip-hop Slang for Drugs, Gangs, and Guns

Gang Slang Terms

 Page 7

BG -n.- Baby Gangsta: an adolescent gangster.

bluh -n.- a slurred pronunciation of Blood. generally means friend, homie, fellow Bloods
member. usually used in phrases such as "What up, bluh?", meaning "What's up, Blood?"
generally used to refer to a Blood gang member, but sometimes used by Bloods towards non-
Bloods gang members to provoke confrontation.

Cuzz/Cuzzo -n.- Crip. sometimes pronounced "cuh". a familiar term between members of the
Crip gang, it can also be used in a confrontational manner from a Crip gang member towards a
non-Crip.

G -n.- a gangsta. (I'm a G, I'm a G) in East Coast or "oldschool" hip-hop can mean simply a
guy or girl.

gangsta (gangster) -n.- member of a street gang. also refers to an attitude or style and can be
used towards objects, actions or ideas. (EX: "That Caddy is gangsta!" = "That Cadillac is
cool!")

OG -n.- Original Gangster. initially referred to the founder of a street gang, but now
commonly refers to any older gang member. usually common to gangbangers who live up to
their notoriety, reputation, and never "sold out". has been adopted outside of the gang culture
for general use in hip-hop to refer to any originator of something or older person.

loc -adj.- pronounced "loke". derived from the Spanish word "loco", meaning "crazy". can also
mean "cool" or be a slang term for dark sunglasses. Also interchangeable with "cuz" as applied
to members of the Crip gang.

slob -n.- derogatory term towards a Blood gangster, used by members of the Crip gang.

overhoe -n.- derogatory term towards a Ova Soldier gang member.

suwitchboy -n.- derogatory term towards a D.T.B ganster

crab a term used by bloods reffering to crips.

Drug-Related Slang Terms

Papi - The drug connect

White Lady - Cocaine

Slanging - Selling Drugs (New Orleans)

Girl - Cocaine

Dope boy - Drug Dealer

Trapping - Selling drugs (Atalanta)

The Trap - Place where people sell drugs (Atalanta)

boi - heroin

brown - heroin

bud - marijuana

buddha - marijuana

butter - crack cocaine

chewy - a cigar that has been emptied and refilled with marijuana and cocaine

chronic - marijuana

cookies - crack cocaine

dank - marijuana

dime (also "dimebag" or "dimesack") - ten dollar bag of illicit drugs

dodo - marijuana

doja - marijuana

drank - codeine (Houston)

'dro- marijuana grown using a hydroponic set-up

dub - a twenty dollar bag of marijuana. can also refer to twenty inch rims on a car.

fire - marijuana or meaning a sex term torwards oral sex

ganja- marijuana

gizz - crack cocaine

green - marijuana

hard - crack cocaine

hydro - marijuana grown using a hydroponic set-up

indo - marijuana from Indonesia or marijuana that has been grown indoors
 Page 8

limb - marijuana. a term popularized in Florida.

mota - marijuana

nick (also "nickel", "nickelbag", "nickelsack") - a five dollar bag of illicit drugs

Reggie Miller - "regular killer" commercial weed, usually from Mexico.

rocks - crack cocaine

sherm - a marijuana cigarette that has been dipped in embalming fluid

shwag - marijuana

soft - cocaine

smack - heroin

smoke - marijuana

sticky icky - marijuana

piff- cocaine

powder - cocaine

primo - a joint laced with angel dust or crack cocaine

purp - codeine (Houston)

thizz - ecstasy. Other forms of the word include thizzin', thizzed. Used primarily by Bay Area
M.C.'s

wet - a marijuana cigarette that has been dipped in embalming fluid (Texas slang)

white - cocaine

work - cocaine

yayo - cocaine

Maybelline - cocaine [Oklahoma]

Powdering his face - snorting cocaine

Gun-Related Slang Terms

Glock handgun - nine, nina, Nina Ross

.22 caliber gun - Deuce Deuce, Scooby-Doo (used by Cypress Hill)

40-caliber gun - 4 pounda

44-caliber gun - 44, Fo' Fo'

45-caliber gun - Fo'Five

Desert Eagle - Desert Eaze, Deagle

AR-15 - AR

AK-47 - AK

MAC-10 - Mac

shotgun - pump, shotty, "The Dimple-ator"

INTRATEC-DC9 - Tec, Tec-9

Numbers in Hip-hop Slang

187 - homicide

24/7 - all day hustle

411 - information. from 4-1-1, the number for directory assistance in the United States

420 - Number associated with cannabis and cannabis usage. also refers to April 20th, which
many people refer to as "Marijuana Day" because of the date.

5-0 - in reference to the police (as in the television show Hawaii Five-O)

1096 - police code for mentally ill suspect (from the film The Sugarland Express). commonly
used in the state of Texas.

4080 - industry rule #4080, in reference to the music industry and it's lack of morals and ethics
(from "Check The Rhime" by A Tribe Called Quest)

5150 - code for mentally ill from the California Welfare and Institutions Code. also the name
of a Van Halen and an Eazy-E album

730 - the code for a crazy person. according to some New York City rappers the term "730"
originated from mental health patients receiving their medication at 7:30am and 7:30pm.
 Page 9

808 - in reference to the Roland TR-808 drum machine.

211 - robbery.

20 - location. (EX: "What's yo' 20?" = "Where are you?")

Hip-hop Slang Phrases

Brain - Oral sex from a woman

Buck - 1. To act uppety, to provoke (EX: You wanna get buck nigga?) 2. To steal (Yo, we was
buckin' gummy worms all day!)

Bus a nut - Ejaculate

bum rush - crashing into a show hoping to see it for free, to arrive in force, to ambush from
behind

bust a cap - shoot a bullet

bust a move - to act first in an altercation, to perform a dance step. popularized by Young
M.C.'s hit single, "Bust A Move" (1989).

bust out - leave or exit quickly. (EX: "He busted out of the club." = "He left the club quickly.")

bust out - show or bring out something. (EX: "He busted out a fat dubsack from his coat
pocket." = "He took a big sack of drugs out of his pocket.")

cappin - lying, saying you were going to do something and not doing that thing. popularized
by rapper Tampa.

clap iron - to shoot a firearm

coolin' it - relaxing

da bomb - the bomb. cool, appealing, or popular

da shiznit - "the shit". cool, appealing, etc. popularized by Snoop Dogg.

dead presidents - money (U.S. currency has a picture of a former President of the United
States)

fo shizzle my nizzle - literally, "for sure my nigga". popularized by Snoop Dogg.

heavy metal - firearms

keep it trill - keep it true and real (true + real = trill)

kickin' it - relaxing

my bad - my mistake or I'm sorry

off the chain - unbelievable, outrageous, wild, etc.

off the hook - unbelievable, outrageous, wild, etc.

oh fo sure - no problem, you're welcome

open up shop - sell drugs, establish a drug-selling spot

peace out - good bye

peep game - to take note of someone's game, observe someone's game in action, etc.

plexing - starting stuff or beefying (Houston slang)

roll out - leave. specifically, to get in your vehicle and leave the scene.

spit game (also "spittin' game") - to speak "game". see the definition of "game" above.

to the beat - acceptable, on top of things

throwed - tight, the best, or great (Houston slang)

what's goin' down? - what are we doing tonight? can refer to a fight.

what tha dilly yo? (also "...dealio?") - what is going on?. Originated from "What the deal, yo?"

what up? - hello, how are you?, or what is going on?

wiggity-wack - very disturbing. presently, the "wiggity" has been dropped and those in hip-
hop now use just "wack".)

word up - you got that straight, that's right, or how's it going. many now simply use the word
"word".