10 slangs that originated in the Bay Area
Every kid growing up had this friend.....
Growing up in the Bay or "Yay Area" along with my best friend Sam who constantly surrounds me with his obsession of hip hop and Mac Dre.
Like any other kid, this influence was not only in our hometown, but spread across the nation. These phrases were in our music, on MTV, even some of my teachers knew what they were.
Now looking back, I'm proud that San Francisco community has strong influence in trend setting.
Here are few examples from Odyssey that reminded me of the terms we used:
1. Gig: dancing a lot and having a grand time.
Example: Wow, homecoming was so fun, barely anyone got in trouble for dancing, we were giggin'.
Every school dance and party, "giggin'" was practically the motto. It's like the equivalent to "goin hard", except better, clearly.
2. In The Cuts: far away or in a secluded/hidden place that might be in a weird/sketchy area.
Example: I don't want to drive to that party, it's wayyyy in the cuts.
We use to say that if anything was beyond a 20 mile radius....lazy kids we were..
3. Hella: a large amount.
Example: I have hella homework tonight.
LA people hate our term, yet it's very popular and known. One of the more popular terms that originated from the bay. I'm hella hungry. That shirt's hella cute. Why are there hella bananas in the kitchen?
4. Beezie: derogatory term for a female, but also could be a term of endearment.
Example: *posts pic on myspace* "Love My Beezies ;-*"
This one was one of those ones I used sarcastically, and is so much better than the other B word. It makes everything less aggressive. Like, that waitress was a beezie. Or Sup beezies.
5. Yee: "yes" or "woohoo".
Example: Yee yee.
No explanation needed. THAT PARTY WAS DOPE YEEEEEEEE. ARE YOU GOING TO CLASS? YEEEEE.
During that time with all my Yemen friends, it seemed to be their favorite word.
6. The Yay: the Bay Area.
Example: I'm from the yay.
Rolls off the tongue nicely. Not that I would ever use this seriously when someone I didn't know asked me where I was from, but 'I'm from the yay' just makes anyone sound much cooler than they actually are.
7. Gassed/Put on Blast: humiliating someone in an argument.
Example: Oh shoot, she just got put on blast. (She just got gassed)
This one I could not believe had not been used everywhere. This was one of those phrases that I really cant think of a better way to say it.
8. Out of Pocket: doing something out of character or something strangely out of the ordinary.
Example: I just saw Spring Breakers, Selena Gomez was so outta pocket.
The example......enough said.
9. Yadidamean: "Do you know what I mean?" Do you understand what I am saying?
Example: That test was hard, yadidamean?
During Mac dre era (R.I.P), this was one of the most popular terms. Yadidamean? And now it has evolved even further to "Yahmean". We just get lazier and lazier with our vocabulary.
10. Trippin': stressing out, paranoid, unnecessarily upset.
Example: You're not going to get in trouble, why are you trippin'?
I'm always trippin' about my grades, trippin' about my bank account. It's a great way to say wow I am really freaking out without saying wow I am really freaking out. You don't wanna be that friend, right? Good, cause you're not; You're just trippin' too much. Another popular term that you see in movies, music and many areas of hip hop culture.
I'm probably biased, but the Bay has so much creativity and original work, not only with slang, architecture, pop culture, design, technology, etc. And we got Steve Jobs. Shout out to mac dre and e40 for enhancing my language, yaddidamean?
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