Cab Calloway's Hepster Dictionary

This fascinating piece of jazz history, published around 1938, was Calloway's way of translating the "jive talk" of Harlem for the mainstream public. It’s a classic look at how language evolves—you can see the roots of modern slang in words like "hip," "in the groove," and "solid."

Notable Definitions from the Page:

• Apple (N): The big town, the main stem, Harlem. (A precursor to "The Big Apple")

• Drape (N): A suit of clothes, dress, costume. (As in the famous "Zoot Suit with a reat pleat")

• Hip (A): Wise, sophisticated, anyone with boots on.

• Icky (N): One who is not hip, a stupid person, can't collar the jive.

• Jam (N): Ad libbed music.

• Joint is Jumping: The place is lively.

Black American legend Cab Calloway created "Hepster's Dictionary: Language of Jive" in 1938, a dictionary of BA lingo/slang at the time. Many of the words such as "hard", "hype" & "solid" are still used to this day almost 100 yrs later. We've been the blueprint #BlackHistoryMonth pic.twitter.com/XZlsfKgZ7v

— X 🔴🔱⚫ (@HeavyIsTheHead_) February 5, 2026