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March 30, 2006
Slang of the Week: doo-rag/do-rag/du-rag (noun)
a head scarf tied in the back, usually made of stretchy material

Example:
Sid was actually going bald on top, but he kept it a secret under his doo-rag.

Celebrity quote:
“I wouldn't change nothing in my life
’Cause the hood made me
And I'm proud to be
When I sang for y’all
I'mma always keep my
I'mma keep my doo-rag on.”
-Dave Hollister in the song Never Gonna Change

In his 2003 song, Hollister talks about keeping his doo-rag on because he wants to let people know that despite his success, he is still a regular guy from the hood (the neighborhood, usually in the inner city.) While most people associate the doo-rag with men, especially with rappers, all kinds of people wear them (picture picture.) But what do rappers (and other men) do with their hair when they aren’t covering it up with a doo-rag?

One popular style is the fro, where the hair is styled to form a ball around the head (picture.) Although this word comes from Afro—as in African-American—it can be achieved by anyone with super curly or kinky hair (picture.)

Another popular men’s hairstyle is the fade (picture.) To create a fade, the hair is cut from nothing at the bottom of the sides and back and tapered to be longer higher up, making a light to dark transition. In the late 80s, this hairstyle reached new heights with the high-top fade (picture.) This style differs from other fades in that the top of the hair stands up tall with a flat top like a box—in the most extreme version, a very big box (picture.)

What’s new at Slang City?
Translated quotes from the movie classic, The Shawshank Redemption (adult themes.)

In the Bookstore
Learn more about thugs with beefs, ghetto-griots, eight-balls and elbows in the alternative dictionary The Hip-Hoptionary. Includes cultural information and a reverse dictionary.