English edit

Alternative forms edit

Etymology edit

From the phrase "ya know what I mean?".

Interjection edit

yadadamean

  1. (slang, Bay Area, hyphy) Do you know what I mean? Do you understand?
    • 2003 May 13, “Love Da Kids”‎[1]performed by Keak da Sneak:
      Do ya yadadameen, I invented that shit / So before you put it out there you better holla at a pimp
    • 2007, Nyomi Scott, Gettin' Hooked, New York, N.Y.: Kimani Press, →ISBN, page 75:
      "Besides, girl—" Kayla cut in "—what's it matter if you know anyone? Look at you. All the fellas will be on ya in a minute. Yadadamean, yadadamean?"
    • 2009, Michelle McGriff, Blood Relations, West Babylon, N.Y.: Urban Books, →ISBN, page 38:
      "Had a bad feeling you were going to say that. Do you realize that this is homicide? We don't like hearing that people who are dead aren't as dead as we thought. Kinda scary . . . yadamean?"
    • 2011, Victor M. Rios, quoting J.T., Punished: Policing the Lives of Black and Latino Boys, New York, N.Y., London: New York University Press, →ISBN, page 142:
      J.T, an African American sixteen-year-old, was a good student: "I get like As and B's and sometimes C's, but I try to stay on top," he explained. I saw two of his report cards to verify this. His mother worked for the City of Oakland as a clerk. He described what she does: "The kind of person that checks yo' papers to see if you legit. Like, she'll put the rubber stamp on your paperwork if you paid your taxes, yadadamean [you understand]?"
    • 2013, Lisa McMann, Don't Close Your Eyes: Wake, Fade, Gone, New York, N.Y.: Simon Pulse, →ISBN, page 604:
      "Well, yeah, I can see that. It's not like he lives in the 'hood, yadamean? Who comes way out here? It'd be a real crapshoot. People out here'd either pull a gun on you or invite you for pot roast."

See also edit

References edit

  • yadadamean”, in The Right Rhymes, launched 2013.

Further reading edit