English edit

Alternative forms edit

Etymology edit

Bay Area slang amongst many other terms for money of variously obscure allusions. Likely a blend, the constituents of which can be seen in the same area’s scratch (money) +‎ bills, the -a being from its frequency in other words for money including moola, mazuma, and mozzarella. Also possibly from the Italian-American slang usage of scarola, meaning “endive” or “lettuce” in Italian but also “money” or “dollar bill” in Italian-American slang. In a similar way, possibly derives from Spanish escarola.

Pronunciation edit

Noun edit

scrilla (uncountable)

  1. (slang, Bay Area, African-American Vernacular and Chicano) Money
    • 1993, Darkroom Familia (lyrics and music), “Northern Killa Cali” (2:16–2:39 from the start), in From the Barrio with Love[1], Remastered edition, published 1999:
      back up bro, cuz crooks is in the house man,
      a player for life with major game, going insane,
      Paul Lane in the dark room studio spittin tight flows, late fact,
      overbound tracks tryna get paid fact,
      straight out of the haze, that cold world’s records and player faze,
      I took the criminal road out of young age so I can get paid,
      cuz I am all about my scrilla, on the forilla,
      the Bay Area’s getting scarier cuz northern chems are killa.
    • 2002 September 9, Rai, “Re: OT: N'Sync AstroNOT!!!”, in alt.music.pearl-jam[2] (Usenet):
      Bitch isn't in debt, she's just got a good scam for getting strangers to send her some scrilla.
    • 2007, Abiola Abrams, Dare, Pocket Books, →ISBN, page 193:
      "Who cares? I get to be the hot chick in the video. Do you know how much scrilla video hos are raking in these days? []
    • 2012, Azealia Banks, “Liquorice”, in 1991:
      But I gotta dip, I gotta get at the cake / Lotta scrilla to make
    • 2016 April 2, “Afghan Business (Afghan Dan Send)”, performed by Dylan Brewer and Little T (Josh Tate):
      This guy thinks he's big 'cause he's got a bit of scrilla
    • 2016 June 10, BlocBoy JB (lyrics and music), “No Chorus, Pt. 5”, in Who Am I[3]:
      Fuck the police, they locked him up and took his scrilla

Synonyms edit