Over the past few decades, Oakland has earned a distinct reputation for inventing and popularizing wildly creative slang. Terms like "hyphy" and "yadadamean," for example, exploded beyond the NorCal city, propelled by cultural ambassadors like rappers E-40, Keak da Sneak, and the late Mac Dre. Earlier this year, Bay Area artist and producer Iamsu! stopped by The FADER's offices to give an official hometown explanation of one of Oakland's most popular expressions, "yee." "It's a call to attention," he explained. "It was devised and created by some people from South Richmond, California. But it became more widespread over the years." Yee!
Watch the third installment of The Slang Show for a Bay Area breakdown of "yee," and stay tuned to The FADER for more on your favorite artists' favorite colloquialisms.
From The Collection:
The Slang Show
