Word Up Wednesday - Mad Hot Blog

First of all, I'm running out of words, so in the comments section, I am open to suggestions.

Secondly, the word this week is "mad." No, I don't mean angry. I'm talking about "mad" as an adjective. Seems weird, you say? I agree.

When I first moved to New York City, I started working at a restaurant in midtown and became friends with a guy named Danny. He grew up in Queens and was about five to seven years younger than me. Recently graduated and not yet married, he was still hip to club life and the pop culture that thrives within. A great guy, we became friends. I think he was just as intrigued in my rearing in rural Kentucky as I was with his in Ozone Park, Queens.

Anyway, he was eager to show me the ropes of fast-paced city life. Always on his Sidekick, texting at lightning pace, and keeping his hair "fresh" (or was it "tight"? - hmmmm), he was the guy I looked to for all things current. And if he taught me anything during the two years we worked together, it was that "mad" means so much more than "ticked off."

The Urban Dictionary defines mad as:

Most predominantly used in the greater New York area, "mad" is an appropriate replacement for Northern California's "hella" and Boston's "wicked." In the common vernacular, it translates into "very," "a lot," or "extremely." Can be used almost interchangeably with any of the above listed words. 

As a writer, I pride myself on choosing the right words in my work - even when I'm writing these blog posts, I will occasionally consult the online dictionary or thesaurus - so you can imagine my glee at learning to use an old word in a new way.

I was at first baffled when Danny would say, "Yo, it's mad busy today," or "Check it, that song is mad hot." But soon, my fascination with the descriptive leniency of this adjective became an infatuation. I started dropping "mad" here and there in everyday conversation - and oh yes, I did it with a straight face. Let's be honest: I am not too proud to pose.

Then I was introduced to the killer documentary Mad Hot Ballroom about New York City public school elementary students learning and competing in ballroom dance, and that solidified the urban definition for me - made it legit. I mean, the documentary could just as easily have been called Very Hot Ballroom, but then you'd get the image of senior night at the community center: old folks and hand fans. Totally different vibe.

(Note: Watch this movie. It's awesome.)

So, if we've learned anything today, it's to listen to our youth. They're mad hip. And isn't it refreshing how they took such a negative word and gave it a totally fresh spin? They deserve mad props.

Sound off below.

Keep it real. Word to your motha. Peace.

(okay, I'm done)

Word Up Wednesday - Peeps

 So the word this week is "peeps," and I'm not talking about the delightful Easter-time sugary confection. I'm talking about your homeboys, your girlfriends, your posse, your inner circle. I'm talking about the folks that you could call up on the phone cause you already have their number in your contacts. These are people you connect with, you vibe with, people you know. These people are so true and loyal to you that when you call them peeps, you never do so without the word "my" in front.

The Urban Dictionary defines peeps as:
        slang for "people," referring to friends, associates, family, or anyone involved in
        your inner circle.
        Me and my peeps are having a get together this Saturday.

The Bloomsbury Dictionary of Contemporary Slang defines peeps as:
        n, pl - occurs in American slang, in which it may refer to one's fellow
        gang members or friends and family - 1997
        "Closer than my peeps you are to me" - Shaggy, from the song Angel

Either way, it's clear that in today's pop culture, one's "peeps" are folks considered to be more than a mere acquaintance.

Try telling that to my dad...

I've told you in a recent Word Up Wednesday about the enjoyment my dad gets out of incorporating hip lingo into his vernacular. Remember how I described the twinkle in his eye when he voraciously used the word "Cha Ching" during my youth? Well now, it's peeps.

He likes to use the word "peeps" to describe folks he doesn't know. An example of this is when he recently told me that some people were coming by to look at the farm where I grew up. (Plug - they're selling their awesome house and sweet 40 acres if you're interested in a great place to live, grow up, raise kids.)

He wrote in an email, "I've got some peeps coming by to look at the farm."

I asked, "These are friends of yours?"

"No," he said, "they're off of Craigslist, from South Carolina."

I tried to tell him that the slang is most commonly used to describe people that you're close to like friends, family, or homeboys. To which he replied, "Oh, I didn't know. I just use it as short for 'people' when I'm typing."

"But Dad," I tried to sway him, "please note that peeps is only one letter shy of people, therefore not really a shortcut at all. Maybe 'ppl' is what you're looking for."

"Oh, okay," he said. And he changed for a bit. I noticed 'ppl' popping up in random emails and a few Skype chats. I thought, 'Yeah, my dad is getting it. He's saving characters, could advance to Twitter and conquer the status choking tweet limits by next week at this rate.'

But slowly, and let's face it - inevitably - 'peeps' returned.

"Are you gonna have some peeps look at your car battery?" he asked me last week.

Well Dad, unless there's an auto shop up here in Queens run by some of my nearest and dearest, then no, I am not. I would venture to say that the majority of my subway commuting homies couldn't even change a tire, much less replace a car battery. I am instead bound to get ripped off by some slick talkers and their peeps.

And PS, Dad, in my middle age, I now love the silly corny jokes and cheesy puns. I have even forgiven you for the time that you once said "bummer" in front of a boy I liked at Space Camp in fifth grade. But for the sake of your own street cred, remember this: Buddy and Lucky = your peeps. Mom and me = your peeps. Hardee's drive-thru employees = ppl (and perhaps, enablers).

Okay, my peeps. Sound off!