All Things Ghetto

Hater, (HAY-tur) adj., A racist or someone who is against a class or group of people, someone guilty of stereotyping.  “I can’t stand all those playa haters.”  Also:  hatin’ (v., hating).  [Etym., African American]

Hatnin’, (HAT-nin) v., present participle.  Happening, going on.  “Hey, blood, what’s hatnin’.”  [Etym., African American]

Heat, (heet) n., The police.  Also:  a weapon.  “When the heat rolls up, you have to fade.”  “He’s bringing the heat.”  [Etym., African American]

Heazy (HEE-zee) n.,  hook, in phrase, “off the heazy.”  It means something that is “off the hook,” is very good.  See:  Fo’ sheazy.  [Etym., African American]

Hecka (HEK-ah) adv.,  Very, extremely. Grammar school variation of “hella.”   “That’s a hecka fresh ride!”  Also:  hecksa.  (Variation:  Heck-city.  “That’s heck-city good!”)  [Etym., Berkeley]

Hella (HEL-ah) adv.,  Very, extremely, in large quantity.  “There’s hella candy in the cabinet.”  “That girl is hella fine.”  “That jacket is hella clean.” (Also:   helluv)  [Etym., combination of “hell” and “of,”  Berkeley]

Hit, (hit) v., To have sexual relations.  “Hey, let’s hit it.”  Also, how much something costs.  “Those shoes hit me about 180 bucks”  Also:  Hit that shit, to do something no one else will do, e.g., pull your pants down in a basketball game.  “Hit that shit, blood!”  [Etym., African American]

Homie (HO-mee) n.,  friend, pal, someone from the same home or neighborhood.  “How ya doin’, homie?”  (variation:  Homes, home slice, home skillet.)  [Etym., African American]

Hoochie, (HOO-chee) n., (adj., hoochie, hoochified). A young woman who dresses in tight clothing and wears large amounts of make-up. “She’s trying to really look like a hoochie.” As an adjective, can mean slutty, tacky.  “That shirt is so hoochie.”  [Etym., First used in “Hoochie mama” from 2 Live Crew, hip hop]  Usage note:  Many people feel that hoochie has transcended its negative connotation and that it is also racist to identify all women who dress a certain way as a hoochie in the negative sense as this applies to many Chicano/Latino and African American female styles.  They also argue that hoochie can be a state of mind, a personal statement of working class identity, or a choice of friends. 

Hood rat,  (hood rat) n., Literally a person who sits on the hood of the car.  A young woman who dresses in teased and  hair-sprayed hair, black leather, tight clothes.  See hoochie.  [Etym., Hip hop]

Hooptie, (HOOP-tee)  n., Old, wrecked automobile.  “Let’s go for a ride in my hooptie.”  [Etym., 70’s youth]

Hooride (HU-ried) v., (also:  hoorider, hoorode, hoorided), to put down, destroy, ridicule.  “Let’s go hooride the party.”  “You’ve been hoorode.”  [Etym., African American]

Hot, (hot) adj., Stolen, as in merchandise.  “That CD player is hot, bro’.”  [Etym., American, 1950’s]

Hottie, (HOT-ee) n., A young woman or man who is very attractive.  “That one is a hottie.”  [Etym., hip hop]

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