Gang Slang Lexicon - An Investigators Guide

GANG SLANG LEXICON AN INVESTIGATORS GUIDE
INTRODUCTION
Slang (n) 1.very casual speech, informal language. -words, expressions, and usages that are casual
2. language of exclusive group- used by a particular group of people, often deliberately
created and used to exclude people outside the group
- Encarta Dictionary : English
Currently, there is no definitive meaning given to the term Gang Slang by any recognised
or accredited source. The language commonly referred to as Urban Street language also
lacks a dictionary definition. Urban Street language is a slang version of the English
language so relaxed that it has been deemed the language of the streets or street
slang.
Far less common and much more complex is a codified version of Urban Street language
that is Gang Slang. Many of the words, terms and phrases of Gang Slang have been
derived from underground gangster rap or coined by members of Criminal Street Gangs.
Because gangs and gang members intermingle and conduct business with their associates,
the codified language gang members use amongst their own group becomes learned and
adopted in criminal street gang sub-culture and occasionally in the streets.
The need for a gang member to understand and speak this codified language is simple.
Criminal street gangs or organized crime groups engage in illegal criminal activity. It is
essential that in order to conduct business such as drug and firearm trafficking, the
planning of assaults, homicides and armed robberies, members of these groups engage in
dialogue about these activities. Organized criminal street gangs have become
increasingly aware of the intricate investigative tools employed by law enforcement
agencies. Wiretap authorizations and undercover operations are examples of complex
investigations that are now required to infiltrate and prosecute these criminal groups.
Armed with this knowledge, gang members and their associates utilize codified language
for the purpose of avoiding detection by anyone including law enforcement intent on
disrupting their business.
Project Brazen - Detective Gavin Jansz #5330
GANG RELATED TERMINOLOGY

Associated Terms
1. General Criminal Activity
- involving a type of activity, usually criminal in nature when

conversation is guarded
flex
eg. I got a customer coming in for a $20 flex
makin a move
Were making a move for some weed.
mission
You must complete three missions before becoming a full CRIP.
puttin in work
24/7 Im putting in work for the crew.
2. Carrying a Firearm terms associated with carrying a firearm
holding
eg. All my little soldiers is holdingwe got the block on lock down.
strapped
24/7 Im stayin strapped, Cant trust no one.
walking hard
Dont beef with GTF man dem. All of dem walking hard.
walking heavy
The boy dem lookin for any soldiers walking heavy
3. Snitching (in terms of degrees) a.k.a. as ratting, calling out, fink, singing, chirping, and beaksing
ratting 1st degree (v) going out of your way to actually tell someone - regardless of being questioned
Calling out someones name
nd
ratting 2 degree (v) to indirectly rat someone out, i.e. questioning someones actions out loud
Why are you hitting me? Someone overhears but snitch hasnt directly told anyone
rd
ratting 3 degree (v) inaction or refusing to deny allegations about another, an indication of accuseds
guilt by 3rd party silence no denial or contradiction to allegations of accuseds guilt
4. Associated with Violence

bedtime / bedtime story (v) to murder When I get ammo, its gonna be bedtime for him.
bust / bust up (v) to shoot (bust off) Im gonna bust a cap in his head.
fling down (v) 1. to shoot / shot 2. to cause injury He took out a knife and fling down a man.
jack (v) rob / steal The liquor shop got jacked twice today.
murk / murked (v) to kill / murder(ed)
picked up (v) to die
shank (v) 1. to stab with a knife or sharp object (n) 2. homemade sharp pointed or edged weapon
touch / touched / touched up (v) to shoot / to be shot / to be wounded
wet / wet up (v) to shoot / the act of discharging a firearm
wet shirt thing (n) a shooting

continued..
B.G. (n) y oung gangster (stands for baby gangstger)

B/K (n) Blood Killer
babylon (n) the power structure; the police
bait / baiting things up (v) drawing attention to
baller (n) gang member making money (high roller) and who is good with the ladies; drug dealer who
controls the bulk of the drug deals and profits
ballin (adj) having it all
bang (v) to fight, to kill; to be involved in gang activity
banger (n) a gang member, someone associated with gangs and murder
banging (v) gang activities; fighting or violence

base / block (n) specific location used by a criminal street gang for meetings, storing illegal /
prohibited products usually within the gangs turf or neighbourhood
be down (adj) member in good standing
beakage (v) express a story / information by word of mouth (beak refers to mouth)
beast (n) police
beat grains (v) act of shooting
beat in (n) common initiation ritual where a recruit must fight a specified number of gang members for
a pre-determined amount of time (15-60 seconds); the assault is intended to gauge the
prospective members toughness and willingness to endure pain for the group
beat it / beating it up (v) act of discharging a firearm / shooting
beat off / beat (v) shooting
beat one (v) one shot from a firearm
beaten out (v) to be released from a group, may involve the physical assault by others *uncommon
beef (n) crime; infraction; argument or discrepancy between individuals or groups
big / bigger mans (n) members of criminal street gangs that have seniority and status above younger
members
bills / buildings (n) units of money in $100s
bird (n) a person people dont like because of immature behaviour and getting into other peoples
business, like talking big (foolish) and ratting others out
bite / booked / hitched (v) getting arrested
blizzock (n) block
box (v) the action of striking or assaulting
boy / po po / heat / feds - (n) police
boy dem (from Patois) / boy them (n) police (derogatory term)
brand new sweater (n) good quality bullet proof vest
building (n) bill (hundred)
bummy (n) feeling upset / angry i.e. bummed out

continued..
bussing (shots) (v) firing shots e.g. bussing two-twos at him

butt (n) butt of a firearm
carrying weight (v) trafficking a large volume of drugs
cheese (n) money
chop (v) sale of material goods, or drugs
clapping (v) shooting a firearm
clique (n) a smaller group within a larger criminal street gang also known as a crew
cocked the machine (v) the action of exposing a firearm to be fired
come on road (v) go outside in the street
cop / copping it / cop it (v)get, purchase or buy something
crew (n) members of a criminal street gang
crib / bizzaze / gates / (n) an individuals house / home / residence
criss (adj) ok, everything is fine
custy (n) a customer
dees (n) detectives
deal with his case (v) delivering a penalty for an infraction
dicks (n) police specifically Detectives
deeks (n) dimes = $10
dime (n) a girl or $10
dip / dipset (v) to leave or get out
dirty (adj) criminal acts
dirty (n) illegal items usually firearms, can also refer to a firearm that has been used in a shooting /
homicide
d low (n) down low information keep quiet or close to particular group / people
drama (n) story
drapes (v) the action of confronting another with aggression including verbal and / or physical assault
dropping dimes (v) providing information to the police
d.t. (n) downtown
ducats (n) money
eat / eating / jook - (v) robbery
eat em / eat a food - (v) robbery of drugs or a person
ends (n) refers to being on gang turf / territory, can also refer to a neighbourhood
everything can happen (n) anything can happen
fake chops (n) fake drug / gun sales for purpose of robbing the purchaser
fams / family (n) close relationship between members in criminal street gangs / refer to fellow
members as family
feds (n) police

continued..
first (n) 1st degree murder

five-o-five boys / streetcar (n) police i.e. here comes the 505 streetcar
flipping (v) action of robbing and selling / reselling
food (n) in robberies, can include anything of value
freshie (adj) someone new to the country from any island
full touchdown (v) complete the shooting task murder
G / G note / gino / note (n) a thousand dollars (grand)
G code (n) the gangster code of silence
Gs (n) a gang member / gangster
general (n) leader of a group within the structure of a criminal street gang
get / got me dirty (v) caught with illegal items / substance
greazy (adv) behaviour that is dirty, immoral, unsavoury, usually criminal in nature
green boy (n) $20 bill
grilling (v) posturing aggressively, a hard, aggressive stare, similar to mad doggin or screwface
grimey (adj) nasty
grizzind (v) grind
have it up (v) to be armed and ready to shoot
head busters (v) shooting someone in the head (n) killers / hitmen / enforcers
heat (n) attention / or causing attention to the police
heatbag (adj) someone who attracts attention
holding down (v) ability to manage or control Criminal activity in relation to gang turf / gang
controlled territory
holler (v) to call, greeting
homi (n) homicide
hood is talking (v) people in the neighbourhood / turf are talking in general or to the police or openly
discussing
I only have a full (n) only having one full revolution of shots, full clip
jakes (n) police
jook (v) to rob
keepn it grimy / gully (v) reppn the hood, loyalty to the gang
kick away the football (v) disposing of a firearm
kick off the house (v) police executing a forced entry or describing the execution of a search warrant
kicking it up (v) causing a commotion / disturbance
knocked (v) got arrested
leaving footprints (adv) leaving your mark to make a statement or leave an impression about the
criminal activity
let it off - (v) discharging / shooting a round of ammunition

continued..
lick (v) the action of hitting or striking, also shot

lick him out (v) shooting someone dead
lick one (v) shooting a round of ammunition
line / liline (n) telephone
line up (v) arrange, set up, facilitate
link (v) contact via telephone
links (n) contacts or suppliers of goods
little men (n) younger members of a criminal street gang also derogatory to describe members of
rival gangs
mad greazy (adj) very dirty, nasty, generally bad or negative, can also refer to an individuals
behaviour or actions
man dem (from Patois) (n) a fellow member of a criminal street gang or associate gang
men (n) members / associates of a criminal street gang
big mens (n) senior or ranking members of a criminal street gangs
moss (n) hide (normally used in the context of incriminating evidence)
moving deep (adj) gang movement / activity in numbers
moving greazy (adv) dirty (filthy), slippery (sly) and suspicious behaviour (actions), is also
paralleled to criminal activity
moving militant (adj) characterization in the term of militant soldier, the role of enforcers within a
criminal street gang
my moms end (n) area where the mother resides, may be a gang turf, but can also simply refer to the
turf she resides in
my team (n) a persons street gang, crew, clique
nizza (n) n*gga
not clean (n) an unclean police record, used in criminal activity i.e. firearm
on house (n) house arrest
one (n) everything is ok (v) bye
phizzone (n) phone
pop off / let off (v) fire shots
push it (v) act of selling material goods
ray, ray, ray (n) blah, blah, blah, a term used in place of and so on, also used if the speaker is
attempting to limit revealing information about a particular topic, yet hopes the person
he is speaking to understands what is being said
recent come out (v) being released from jail
road (adj) to be out of custody
rock a jaw (v) assault at varying levels
roll proper (n) conducting business / criminal activity while being armed with a firearm
roll with me (v) belonging to my gang (crew)

continued..
rolling deep (n) large number of gang members moving in a group

rolling heavy (v) carrying a firearm while on the move
rub him (n) assault
safehouse (n) a location unknown to police used as a hideout and / or to store illegal goods
show (v) tell, inform or advise
sitting on their shoes (v) not using their firearms
soft (adj) wimpy, weak
soldiers (n) members of a criminal street gang
spitting out his grill (v) talking / providing information
squashed (v) to be finished, over
squeeze (v) the act of discharging a firearm by squeezing the trigger
squillers / scrilla (n) money
standing six / six (v) acting as a lookout
suck him (v) being apprehended or confronted by force
suck it / suck (n) robbery
suck off (v) to get taken
sucked off (v) taken off the streets (i.e.boy dem suck off a man dem)
sweep that two shoes (v) take / steal two firearms
takin it dry (adv) letting someone treat you badly / screw you over
team (n) a crew clique or subset of a criminal street gang
touch inside (v) to go to jail
touch road (v) to get out of jail
touchdown (v) shoot down or murder
tracey (n) police as in Dick Tracey
t-shirt (n) bullet proof vest
turf (n) territory claimed by a criminal street gang
undees / ucs (n) undercover police
Versace (n) a Criminal organization
weed mans house (n) a marihuana growers / distributors property often found to be a marihuana
grow operation
whip / vehics (sounds like leeks) (n) a motor vehicle / car

whole of them (n) all of them
win the game (v) to complete the task
yard / yardie (n) an individuals residence / Jamaica (back home)
you done know (v) you already know
you n*ggers better stand (v) advising crew they must stand up and rise to whatever
zeen (v) seen ? i.e. do you understand ?
FIREARMS RELATED TERMINOLOGY

GENERAL TYPES
9th floor (n) a firearm
9th oclock (n) a firearm
big things (n) large calibre i.e. 45 cal or 357 cal
biggest shoe - (n) largest calibre firearm
burner (n) firearm
cassette (n) firearm
cd (n) firearm
drill (n) firearm
dummy (n) malfunctioning / broken firearm
fizzie (n) firearm
football (n) firearm
gat gauge (n) shotgun
girl / girlfriend / bitch (n) specific firearms
hammer hand / hand burner / hand thing (n) hand gun
heater / heat (n) firearm
juby (n) gun or girl
kizzy (n) firearm
little ones (n) small calibre i.e. 22 cal
mach / mash / mosh (n) machine gun or generally a firearm
machine / chine / mach (n) firearm
matic (n) automatic or semi-automatic firearm
one / two size down (n) one or two calibres down in size from the largest calibre piece
pumps (n) shotgun
resolve (n) firearm
shoes (n) firearms
shottie (n) shotgun
six-spinner (n) six chambered revolver
sixteen shooter (n) a firearm capable of storing and discharging sixteen rounds of ammunition
snub (n) snub nose revolver
snubby (n) short barrelled firearm
snuggy (n) firearm
spinner (n) revolver

GENERAL TYPES
continued..
spitter / spitta (n) auto / semi-auto action firearm usually a machine pistol/ak47 etc
strap streetsweeper (n) high capacity / Rapid fire
strizzie suzy wong (n) firearm (possibly Smith &Wesson)
thing / ting / brand new thing (n) firearm
tool (n) firearm
twin (n) shotgun
video / video game (n) firearm
whore (n) firearm
wife / wifey (n) firearm
SPECIFIC to MAKE / MODEL / CALIBRE

12 oclock / 12 cents (n) 12 gauge shotgun
ak (n) AK 47
beretta (n) brand name beretta firearm
bird (n) desert eagle firearm
browns / browning / brown skin / brown girl (n) browning firearm
deuce deuce (n) .22 cal
eagles (n) desert eagle (all calibres)
eighty (n) .380 rifle
fifth (n) .45 cal
fiftharoo - (n) .45 cal
fifty-seven (n) .357 cal
five seven / seven shooter - seven chambered .357 cal revolver
five-seven - (n) .357 cal
fo fo (n) .44 cal
forty (n) .40 cal
four / four zero / four point zero - (n) .40 cal
four fifth - (n) .45 cal
four five - (n) .45 cal
four fizzle / forty five - (n) .45 cal
four four / double four - (n) .44 cal
four O - (n) .40 cal

MAKE / MODEL / CALIBRE continued
fours - (n) .40 cal
g-lock (n) glock
heather / hector (n) brand name heckler & koch firearm
lock (n) glock
luger (n) brand name luger firearm
mac (n) MAC 10
nina (n) .9 mm
nine - (n) .9 mm
nine oclock - (n) .9 mm
nino / neeno - (n) .9 mm
nizine - (n) .9 mm
nizzle - (n) .9 mm
nizzy / nizi - (n) .9 mm
number five - (n) .45 cal
plastic (n) glock pistol
plastic hammers - (n) glock
remington (n) brand name remington firearm
ruger (n) firearm specifically of the make
seven - (n) .357 cal
sixteen (n) m16
smith & wesson (n) brand name smith & wesson firearm
sniper thing (n) sniper rifle
state (n) .45 cal (as in state trooper)
tech / tek (n) tech 9
ten (n) mac-10 firearm
three finger deuce / three deuce / three two (n) .32 cal
three odd odd - (n) .357 cal
three zero (n) .30 cal
three-eight (n) .38 cal
trey-deuce (n) .32 cal
twelve / twelve gauge (n) 12 gauge shotgun
twenty-five cents (n) .25 cal
twins / two deuce / deucy - (n) .22 cal
two two - (n) .22 cal
ultra (n) brand name ultra firearm
walter (n) brand name walther firearm
AMMUNITION
GENERAL TERMS
boxes (n) box of ammunition
charger (n) ammunition or a clip
clizzy / clizzip (n) clip or magazine for a firearm
copper heads (n) copper tipped bullets
copper tip (n) ammunition
eight boxes of food (n) ammunition ordered in boxes (one box = 50 rounds)
food / food for ting (n) bullets / ammunition
grains (n) bullets / ammunition
hollow / hallow point / hawks (n) black Talon hollow point ammunition
holls for nizzy (n) hollow point .9 mm ammunition
klizzy (n) clip
laces (n) bullets
ninos (n) .9 mm ammunition
nizi hollows (n) .9 mm hollow point ammunition
nizzy - (n) .9 mm ammunition
pebbles (n) ammunition
rice (n) ammunition
shoelace - (n) bullets / ammunition
silver heads (n) lead tipped bullets
sleeve (n) magazine clip
teeth (n) bullets / ammunition
those things (n) ammunition
three-eight hollows (n) .38 cal hollow point ammunition
three-eights (n) .38 cal ammunition
ILLICIT DRUG TERMINOLOGY

DRUG TERMS
dro (n) hydroponic marihuana - chinese
drizzo (n) hydroponic drugs
cess (n) marihuana
chron (n) chronic drugs
chronic (n) mixture of cocaine and hydroponic marihuana
corn (n ) crack (kernels)
E (n) ecstacy
food (n) typically used to describe crack cocaine/ drugs / marihuana
grades (n) describing high grade marihuana, weed usually meaning better than DRO
grains / greens (n) marihuana
hard (n) crack cocaine
high grade (n) good quality marihuana (high level of THC)
ice cream (n) cocaine
snow (n) powder cocaine
soft (n) powder cocaine
trees (n) marihuana
uncut (n) uncut cocaine
yard-cess (n) natural grown higher quality
TERMS ASSOCIATED TO DRUG TRAFFICKING

ball (n) 3.50 grams / 1/8 oz
bird (n) package cocaine (usually one bird = 1 kilogram of cocaine)
brick (n) kilogram of cocaine
carrying weight (v) trafficking a large amount of drugs
chicken / chicken (n) small quantities
chippin / chippin off (v) selling crack cocaine
choppin / chops (v) selling crack cocaine
cook / chef up (v) process by which powder cocaine is cooked to form crack cocaine
cuban (n) quarter pound of drugs
custie (n) drug customer
deego (n) $10 worth of drugs
eat him food (v) rob for his drugs
fiend (n) crack cocaine user
ASSOCIATED TO DRUG TRAFFICKING continued

key / ki (n) kilogram of cocaine
lb / elbow (n) weights
nine pack (n) quarter kilogram of cocaine
onion (n) ounce
oz - (n) ounce
P (n) pound
QP (n) quarter pound / cube
weight (n) large quantity / pounds (weed)
* These terms must be analysed in the context of the conversation to truly define the use of the
word or phrase relating to criminal activity.

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GANG SLANG LEXICON AN INVESTIGATORS GUIDE

Project Brazen - Detective Gavin Jansz #5330