Rap, explained properly.
Every ad-lib, alias and slang term in rap came from somewhere. We do the reading, check the sources, and give you the actual answer — plus the joke you came for.
Rap produces more aliases per capita than any genre because it inherited naming from graffiti tags and DJ handles, where the name was the reputation. Almost every rap nickname traces to one of six sources: a childhood name, an alter ego, a flex, a crew, a shortened birth name, or a mentor's gift.
The complete rap ad libs list: 40 iconic ad-libs from Flavor Flav to Playboi Carti, what each one means, where it came from, and why it works.
What does bars mean in rap? A bar is one measure of music, four beats long. It also means the lyrics. Plus hot 16s, MCs, 808s and the 4/4 grid.
The funniest rapper real names, plus the documented story behind every stage name — 45 government names from Gucci Mane to Childish Gambino.
What does Metro Boomin say at the start of his songs? Two tags, two different voices. Plus 24 producer tags explained, verified and sourced.
Why is Drake called Drizzy? What does OVO stand for? Every Drake nickname explained, including 6 God, Champagne Papi, The Boy and October's Very Own.
Why is Lil Wayne called Weezy? The real story behind Weezy F Baby, Tunechi, Birdman Jr., Shrimp Daddy and the D he deliberately dropped.
Why do rappers use Lil? The real lineage, from a Bronx MC in 1979 to the mentor rule to the 8,000 Lils on Spotify. Traced, sourced and explained.
Why does Gucci Mane say brrr? It is the sound of cold. And 1017 is not a date, it is an address in Bessemer, Alabama. Both answers, verified.
What does slatt mean in rap? It's a greeting and a show of loyalty popularized by Young Thug, recorded as an acronym of "slime love all the time."
Why does Rick Ross say huh? The grunt is an ad-lib that works like percussion. Plus who really voices the Maybach Music tag and where Rozay comes from.
What does slime mean in rap? It's a term of endearment for a close friend. XXL credits N.O.R.E. with bringing it to hip-hop; Young Thug took it global.
The grunts, yelps and drops that make a rap song identifiable in two seconds. What they mean and who actually says them.
Where rap aliases come from — the childhood names, the alter egos, the flexes, and the government names underneath them all.
Real etymology for the words rap actually uses, with the context the slang dictionaries leave out.