What up doe — Lets brand, my baby!

How language,dialect, and ebonics can be used to build your brand identity! Take a brief look into the world of Detroit’s slang, wordplay, and jargon.

The night is fairly young and the streets are packed with young people - mainly millennials - filling the air with cologne, coney, and a good Backwood! If you haven’t noticed by now, this isn’t your typical Medium read, and I am not your typical writer, but I am Mr.Duffy!

As a Detroit native, my brand is comprised of being a hustler, social influencer, and a person that gets the job done, or what I like to call it, “Director of Impact.” Now that we have gotten that out the way, What up doe, my baby! For some, that phrase may be new, but to your local Detroiter, I simply said, “Hello, how are you?” According to the 2019 Census, Detroit’s African-American population is 77% which equates to a rough population of 518,000! The Motor City is known for its blue collar workers, phenomenal imprint within the auto industry, fashion, technology, art, and music! Detroit has continued to drive culture, and the people are definitely talking, even if you may not understand all of the dialect that is used.

The late Detroit Icon, **“Blade Icewood”**, is infamous for his coined phrase of, “Boss Up”, which has been solidified as a key phrase for Detroit and all of its history. The city known for being flashy, confident, and unapologetically Black has been using their own language to impact the culture of music and dialect within the country. Lets begin with understanding the root of this all — The power of ebonics!

The word itself, “Ebonics” is comprised of two words combined, Ebony + Phonetcis. Ebony, referencing people of color, primarily African-Americans, and phonetics, meaning the study and classifications of speech sounds! The standard English language can be what some call, “Bland”, but that’s where slang comes into play as you can find in this short **Youtube video breaking down Ebonics for white people. **Black people have used communication tools and strategies to survive for hundreds of years. African tribes haved used a mixture of sounds, affirmations, and mantras to communicate to one another as a means of protection and security. In today’s society, we operate with the same intentions, but with a deeper form of endearment and appreciation for the culture. If you’re from Detroit specifically, we will be able to tell (LOL).

Rap groups such as, “Band Gang”, and others heightened the use of slang and personifying words like, “Chicken”, as a reference to an abundance of money, or “Dog S*”, if you will — Both meaning residuals. As of today, Detroiters’ ability to blend, shorten, and personify their words has provided us with our own language if you will. In June of 2020, I posted a series of content centered around, “Detroit Ebonics 101”**, via Twitter. Til this day, I get people who refer to this video to share with friends who are from out of town or simply need the reminder themselves. Its deeper than just a “What up doe?” or a “Whats on the Flo?”, but more importantly our identity as Black people and how we embrace our culture.

Below I have left a series of words and/or phrases commonly used by Detroiters that will get you “Hip” or aware of whats going on. Hopefully you feel a little closer to my city now that you can understand our language — “Uveelme”!

1. “What up doe” — A warm welcome! This is a signature phrase,, if not THE most used by Detroiters to greet others.
2. “My baby” — A term of endearment similar to saying, “Hey buddy” or “My pal”. This is a gender neutral term used to make others feel like family!
3. “Boss Up” — You can do it! Coined by rapper, entrepreneur, and mogul Darnell Lindsay, also known as, “Blade Icewood”, this phrase is an affirmation to remind you that whatever you do, be the best at it — BOSS UP!
4. “The Mile” — A reference to 7.Mile Rd. an iconic neighborhood within the city of Detroit which is home to many actors, professional athletes, rappers, doctors, and a plethora of other Detroit natives.
5. “The Avenue of Fashion District ” — Livernois (W.7mile Rd and Pembroke) is home to the Avenue of Fashion District! This houses a collective of minority and Black-owned businesses and brands that are often overlooked — The hidden gems!
6. “Uveelme” — Pronounced, “You feel me?” This statement / question is often used as a way to tie everything together. The saying of which one is relating to another. Truly relating anything, to anything. Coined by Eastside native, Allante Steele, better known as Uncle tae
7. “Detroit Player” — Often given to a Detroit native who possesses a wise, mature, and suave personality. This person exemplifies the smooth, slick talking, and hard working mentality that the city has cultivated over the years.
8. “Buffs” — Signature Cartier glasses that are beautifully crafted using white buffalo horns.
9. “Minks” — A coat made of premium fur that many people wear during the winter months to stay warm while maintaining the fashion sense that Detroit is known for.
10. “Out Cold” — A way to describe something cool based on the feeling it brings you, and the physical effort to get it sold.
11. “Pape” — A shortened version of the word “Paper” referencing money — Detroit Hustles!
12. “Say less” — A statement used to assure someone that they have comprehended what you have told them or nothing more needs to be said.
13. “A slug” — One single dollar
14. “The Nino” — A reference to one of Detroit’s infamous casinos: Motor City, Greektown, or MGM.
15. “The Hook” — Referencing police or law enforcement
16. “Off the Hook/Chain” — A phrase used to describe a social setting’s turn out, an events current status in terms of enjoyment, etc. If it is “Off the hook”, you might want to arrive at the event on-time or you may miss all the fun!
17. “Coney” — Whether it is L.George’s, Olympia, Lafayette, American, or the others, Detroiters love their coney islands!
18. “All-whites / crackheads” — Low top air force ones
19. “Get-off” — The element of winning, having a good time, or manipulating a situation in your favor
20. “Lil Yeah” — Your significant other that you may not disclose to others, but you all have an established understanding of the relationship you all have