*now playing : "So International" - B-Legit
http://arts.guardian.co.uk/features/story/0,,1923258,00.html
You too can pop ya collar, fo' sheezy
Dan Hancox
Monday October 16, 2006
The Guardian
E-40
The master of San Fran slang ... E-40
Any hip-hop variant worth its salt has good slang, whether you are sipping on crunk juice (Hennessy cognac with Red Bull) in the American south or merking wastemen (disposing of your enemies) on London's grime scene. Hyphy, the San Francisco Bay Area's mutation of hip-hop, virtually has its own language. Even its name (pronounced "high-fee") comes from rapper Keak da Sneak (real name Charles Bowens) being told as a child that he was too hyper, which gradually morphed into the name for the subculture that is sweeping the US today.
Hyphy godfather E-40 (aka Earl Stevens) claims to be a pan-genre slang innovator - apparently creating phrases already familiar to the MTV generation worldwide such as "pop ya collar" (demonstrate your superiority), "fo' sheezy" (for sure) and "gouda" (money). Many of these phrases have already flown the Bay Area to the American mainstream via more familiar names such as Snoop Dogg. That Hyphy culture itself has defied dilution in its five or so years of existence is down to the fact that it is more than just a local music scene. Here is a glossary of some everyday phrases, automobile stunts, fashion accoutrements, and even facial expressions to help you get by in Hyphy:
Article continues
"I got my thizz face on 'cause I popped last night" - "thizz face" is an expression coined to describe the response to the bitter taste of taking ecstasy. The use of "thizz" has transferred into other contexts, such as "thizzle dancing", which involves shaking your limbs in an apparently uncoordinated but enthusiastic manner.
"Stunna shades" - unusual, oversized sunglasses, a popular accessory. They should be as silly as possible, while staying just this side of Elton John.
"Flamboasting" - showing off, partying ostentatiously. Another great neologism.
"Turf dancing" - Oakland's unique street-dance style, using smooth moves such as the moonwalk and "fluid arm movements". It is a counterpart to LA's more energetic "krumping".
"Ghost ride the whip" - the "whip" is your car, ghost-riding is jumping out of your car while it is still moving and flamboasting on the hood, giving the impression that the car is driving itself. "Ghost ride, go crazy / who's that driving? Patrick Swayze?" (Mistah FAB - Ghost Ride It).
"Hyphy train" - a wild, mobile party with a long line of cars, ideally most of which are ghost-ridden. Seen in residential parts of Oakland.
"That was a sick sydeshow, yadadameen?" - a "sydeshow" is a more expansive version of a Hyphy train: a Fast and the Furious-style automobile festival of ghost-riding, turning doughnuts (circular spins), loud music and general Hyphy behaviour. "Yadadameen?" is the Bay Area way of asking "do you know what I mean?"
"Shaboobalaboopy" - literally, "I don't know." Try saying it out loud and you are more than halfway to enjoying Hyphy.
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Basically, I think they just watched MTV My Block: The Bay...hahha
http://arts.guardian.co.uk/features/story/0,,1923258,00.html
You too can pop ya collar, fo' sheezy
Dan Hancox
Monday October 16, 2006
The Guardian
E-40
The master of San Fran slang ... E-40
Any hip-hop variant worth its salt has good slang, whether you are sipping on crunk juice (Hennessy cognac with Red Bull) in the American south or merking wastemen (disposing of your enemies) on London's grime scene. Hyphy, the San Francisco Bay Area's mutation of hip-hop, virtually has its own language. Even its name (pronounced "high-fee") comes from rapper Keak da Sneak (real name Charles Bowens) being told as a child that he was too hyper, which gradually morphed into the name for the subculture that is sweeping the US today.
Hyphy godfather E-40 (aka Earl Stevens) claims to be a pan-genre slang innovator - apparently creating phrases already familiar to the MTV generation worldwide such as "pop ya collar" (demonstrate your superiority), "fo' sheezy" (for sure) and "gouda" (money). Many of these phrases have already flown the Bay Area to the American mainstream via more familiar names such as Snoop Dogg. That Hyphy culture itself has defied dilution in its five or so years of existence is down to the fact that it is more than just a local music scene. Here is a glossary of some everyday phrases, automobile stunts, fashion accoutrements, and even facial expressions to help you get by in Hyphy:
Article continues
"I got my thizz face on 'cause I popped last night" - "thizz face" is an expression coined to describe the response to the bitter taste of taking ecstasy. The use of "thizz" has transferred into other contexts, such as "thizzle dancing", which involves shaking your limbs in an apparently uncoordinated but enthusiastic manner.
"Stunna shades" - unusual, oversized sunglasses, a popular accessory. They should be as silly as possible, while staying just this side of Elton John.
"Flamboasting" - showing off, partying ostentatiously. Another great neologism.
"Turf dancing" - Oakland's unique street-dance style, using smooth moves such as the moonwalk and "fluid arm movements". It is a counterpart to LA's more energetic "krumping".
"Ghost ride the whip" - the "whip" is your car, ghost-riding is jumping out of your car while it is still moving and flamboasting on the hood, giving the impression that the car is driving itself. "Ghost ride, go crazy / who's that driving? Patrick Swayze?" (Mistah FAB - Ghost Ride It).
"Hyphy train" - a wild, mobile party with a long line of cars, ideally most of which are ghost-ridden. Seen in residential parts of Oakland.
"That was a sick sydeshow, yadadameen?" - a "sydeshow" is a more expansive version of a Hyphy train: a Fast and the Furious-style automobile festival of ghost-riding, turning doughnuts (circular spins), loud music and general Hyphy behaviour. "Yadadameen?" is the Bay Area way of asking "do you know what I mean?"
"Shaboobalaboopy" - literally, "I don't know." Try saying it out loud and you are more than halfway to enjoying Hyphy.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Basically, I think they just watched MTV My Block: The Bay...hahha
