Agony
Dancing that simulates sex, or the actual act of sex itself. The dance usually involves gyrating the hips back and forth as if having sex while dancing.
Babylon
A term synonymous with police, authorities, or oppressive society.
Baby Mother
A young mother.
Baggy
Women’s underwear. “gun in her baggy” refers to STD’s.
Bakra
White man.
Baldhead
A non Rastafarian.
Balm
Jamaican shamanic folk healing using herbs.
Bandulu
A fraudulent transaction, scheme or swindle, as in “bandulu business”.
Bangarang
When someone else’s system or noise or commotion is disrupting yours.
Bashment
If referred to a women, it means the best, the top, or the ultimate. The term can also be applied to ones sound system - “a big bash” or the works.
Batty boy
One who is gay.
Beanie (Beenie)
Little, small, tiney
Big people music
A general term referring to the music the older generation of Jamaicans would listen to, including but not limited to 50’s and 60’s music, soul, and ballads.
Big up
The act of praising someone.
Blood claat
A used tampon. Also see “Rass claat”.
Bobo dread
A Rastafarian who followed the order of Bobo Shanti, a movement that was led by King Emmanuel Charles Edwards VII (1915 - 1994) - wearing ones hair in a turban and carrying a broom for personal cleanliness are traits of Bobo dreads.
Bongo
In Jamaican culture, bongo could refer to the bongo drum which is a small two headed hand drum, or used to describe one with African cultural traits - aka “Bongo Man”.
Boops
A sugar daddy who keeps a women around.
Boopsie
A women kept by a sugar daddy or “Boops”.
Bow
Oral stimulation, head or oral sex.
Brawta
A little bit extra or a little more.
Bredda
Brother or friend.
Browning
A Jamaican women with lighter skin complexion.
Cabin stabbin
Act of having sex.
Carry go bring come
Spreading rumors or talking shit about someone.
Chalice
A marijuana pipe or bowl similar to a peace or friendship pipe.
Cho
Running out of patience.
Chronic
Strong herb, weed, grass, pot… marijuana.
Combination
A style of music where the deejay works with the singer in the studio, instead of recording tracks separately.
Coolie
East Indian or one of East Indian blood line.
Copasetic
Means everything is ok.
Craven
If you’re craven, you’re greedy.
Culture
Means Rastafarian.
Cuss
An argument.
Dancehall
1) Any place where the music is played.
2) A general term referring to Jamaican music played in dancehalls and the style of reggae that started in the late 70’s. It’s similar to early ragga.
Dibby
Inferior music or sound systems.
Diss
Short for disrespect.
Don
Gang leader, or leader in general. One can be a Don of a record.
Don Gorgon
Similar to Don, but even stronger power. A don gorgon is someone to be afraid of.
Do-over
Revised lyrics from an old tune.
Downpresser
Someone who keeps you down. Similar to “the man” in US.
Dread
Short for ‘Natty Dread’ or can be used to mean serious.
Dub
Remixing a record and removing the lyrics. Sometimes partially removing the lyrics. Bass and drum are dominant in the mixes. Many reggae songs have dub versions. The terms been since watered down and used to refer to good remixes in general.
Dubplate
Prior to releasing a record on vinyl, a limited number of acetates may be produced to build up demand prior to the release of the record. This is referred to as a dubplate.
Dunny
Money.
Dunza
Money.
Duppy
Ghost.
Flex
The behavior of one person related to another.
Ganga Lee
Gangster.
Ginnal
Conman.
Gorgon
Similar to Don. Someone who imposes fear into people such as a gang leader. This person is often respected as well as feared.
Gow
Bragging without substance.
Gravalicious
Greedy.
Grounation
A Rasta gathering. It’s a combination of bible study, drum circle and chanting ritual.
Hearical
Qualified. A hearical person is prepared for the task at hand.
Herb
Marijuana, pot, cannabis. Considered a sign of inward grace to many Rastafarians.
Higgler
Street vendor.
ICI
“Informal Commercial Importer” A person who imports good traditionally by traveling to acquire the goods sold.
Ital
Organic. Rasta’s prefer ital food.
Joe Grind
When the boyfriend or husband is away, Joe Grind is the other man who the girl slips out with.
John Crow
A scavenger bird. “John Crow Skank” was named after that.
Juggling
Using two sound decks to layer various rhythm transitions seamlessly. DJ’s refer to it as segueing.
Kiss me neck
Means “I’m surprised”.
Labba labba
Similar to the western phrase “bla bla bla” meaning too much talk.
Labrish
Gossip.
Lick shot
Mimicking gun fire, or actually firing a gun.
Lovers rock
Romance reggae. A refreshing change to the military context of reggae typical in the 70’s. Romance reggae originated in the UK. Often times, women perform this type of reggae.
Macca fat
A tasty fruit but not as tasty as the Jackie Mitoo album.
Mampy
A fat chick.
Massive
Colossal, large and important.
Mattie
The other woman - mistress.
Mento
Original Jamaican music.
Natty
Short for ‘natty dread’.
Nyahbingi
A type of Rasta music inspired by the Niyabinghi resistance movement with emphasis on the drum beats and chants. It incorporates the large bass drum and smaller hand drums.
Obeah
Jamaican magic.
Peenie wallie
Literally means firefly, but more commonly used to refer to the Jackie Mittoo instrumental tune.
Pickney
A child.
Punaany
Synonym for pussy.
Ragga
Short for ragamuffin. Ragamuffin is a type of digital reggae, post 1985.
Ras
Ethiopian term meaning “prince”.
Rass
Referring to blood from a woman’s period.
Rass claat
Used tampon.
Reality
The reality of suffering in the ghetto.
Reason
Talk and discussions surrounding Rasta topics many time spiritual or social.
Revive
A classic record from the past that might not have gotten the notoriety it deserved oringinally.
Rhythm
Drum and bass parts of the record.
Risto
High society.
Rockers
A 70’s rhythm style that can be described as militant.
Rude boy
A young criminal from the ghetto made popular by the Wailers in the 60’s.
Samfi-man
Cheater, con-man
Satta
To be glad or take delight.
Screwface
A gloomy or threatening look where the brows are drawn down in a displeased or angry manner; or someone who has this type of look on his/her face often.
Seen
Understood.
Sensi
Short for “sensimilla” - aka strong marijuana
Showcase Album
Vocals are followed directly by their dub versions. This comes in handy when the producer is short on material from the artist.
Sipple
Slippery or dangerous - “Sipple Out Deh”
Skank
1) 1970’s Dance movement
2) To con (UK)
Sketel
A slutty dressed women
Skylark
Loitering
Slack
Sexually explicit
Slam
A fuck. DJ Beenie Man says the “wickedest slam” is with a real ghetto girl
Sound System
A mobile disco for dancehalls
Spar
A friend or partner
Specials
Custom dub-plates where artists praise the sound system which they’ve been cut.
Steppers
A more militant style of rhythm than rockers, like hard bop was to bebop.
Sufferah
A sufferer or Jamaican ghetto dweller
Toasting
The DJ’s performance over records in the dancehall.
Trailer-load
A large amount as in “a trailer load of girls or ganga”.
Version
Another cut of a popular rhythm.
Wagonist
One who jumps on the bandwagon of popular trends.
Work
Sex.
X-amount
Countless or infinite amount.
Yard
Jamaican home specifically referring to the government built housing projects built around open spaces.
Yardie
Anyone from Jamaica and often times referring to Jamaican gangsters.
Yush
A rude boy’s greeting.