Slang, brands and symbols
Gangs have their own 'language' of slang terms.
| Slang | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Air | ignore something, not worth talking about |
| Allow it | stop it |
| Bait | easy to get caught |
| Bare | lots of |
| Beef | trouble |
| Burner | cheap phone, pay as you go |
| Ends | home area |
| Fam | family |
| Food | drugs |
| Hen | Hennessy – alcoholic drink |
| Looms or balloons | use of nitrous oxide |
| Merk | murder or kill |
| Mule herder | someone who recruits young people for financial exploitation, typically searching social media profiles for information then approaching young people either online, through a messaging app or in person and using the information to befriend them or trick them into receiving stolen money into their bank account |
| Nitty | derogatory name for female |
| On fleek | perfect |
| Ps | money – paper money or notes |
| Pagan | person who moves between gangs, or has no affiliation |
| Shank | stabbed, a knife |
| Shook | nervous, scared |
| Sket | derogatory name for female |
| Slipping | being in the wrong area, not being prepared for something |
| Smurfer or money mule | a young person who is being financially exploited |
| Square | a bank card |
| Squaring or deets | use of a child's bank account to hold or 'clean' money from criminal activity |
| Strap | gun |
| Whip | car |
If you hear a word that you don't understand, you should make a note of it and either Google it or look it up on www.urbandictionary.com. It may seem like another language but it's important you know what they're saying.
Brands
What might look plain or inexpensive could actually cost a lot of money. You may question how a young person could afford these items worth hundreds, or even thousands, of pounds.
Tattoos
Several symbols are common in gang tattoos. These include:
- rosary beads with a cross on the hand
- a heart with £ or $ on the hand
- family, loyalty, respect wording
- postcodes, letters, numbers
- 'Money over Bitches' – MOB
- wads, rolls of cash, dollars, paper money
- 'Soldier', 'Souljah'
- Nicknames and street names
- RIP tattoos