Hip-Hop Speak for Dummies

Holla! You cats didn't represent last night. It was off the charts, G! Why you hatin'?

For those of you who didn't understand what that meant, Foxnews.com has culled a list of the latest slang to descend from rap and hip-hop influences like Ja Rule, Jay-Z and P. Diddy into the vocabularies of our sons and daughters.

Keep a copy handy for quick translations:

Spending Money:

Bling-bling: Flashy jewelry; cash. "P. Diddy is so bling-bling."

Cheese, Cheddar: Money. "That G (gangsta) got cheddar."

Baller: A person with a lot of money; a ballplayer; a stud (player). "That cat is ballin'!"

Drop: A drop-top convertible.

Whip: A car.

Floss: To show off. "J. Lo be flossin' ice (diamonds)."

Playa hater: Someone who hates someone else; the player is usually popular and the hater is probably jealous. "Don't hate the playa, hate the game." "Don't hate on me." "Why you hatin'?"

Kicks: Shoes, sneakers.

Run Game: To attempt to con someone. "I ran game to get those kicks."

Out on the Town:

G: Gangster; a pal. "We go back to when I was a lower-case G."

Dirty: A friend. "You're my dirty, man (i.e. You're my boy. We're brothers.)."

Come Through: To show up. "Why didn't you come through last night?"

Represent: Give respect to; to be from a place. "She represents Queens, I represent Brooklyn."

Coolest Words for Cool:

Tight/Hot: Cool. "My new crib (pad) is tight/hot!"

Off the charts/chain/hook/heezie: Really cool. "Nelly is off the charts!"

Pop: Not cool anymore; played out, like a song. "The Real Slim Shady is so pop."

Love and Romance:

Shorty: A girl. "Shorty's lookin' proper."

Boo: A boyfriend or girlfriend. "I love you, Boo."

When You Really Mean It:

Fo' sheezy: For sure. "I'll be there, fo' sheezy."

Please believe it: Yes, definitely. (To be used instead of 'yes, definitely.')

Coming and Going:

Holla!: Hey; here I am; hello; goodbye.

One: One love, peace, goodbye. "I'm out. One."

Geneseo University DJ Dhaval Mehta contributed to this report.