We hear that the Oxford English Dictionary is currently crafting a definition for the phrase 'bling, bling' which it will add to its next edition, alongside other hip hop phrases that already appear like 'jiggy', 'breakbeat', 'dope' and 'phat'. The term - meaning anything, but especially jewellery, of a showy style, of course - apparently has it origins with the New Orleans rap family Cash Money Millionaires - with Cash Money member BG the first to bring it to public attention with late 90s track 'Bling Bling'. When MTV told him about the addition of his phrase to the OED, BG said: "I'm so surprised that that word has spread like it has. But I knew it was serious when I saw that the NBA championship ring for the Los Angeles Lakers had the word 'bling bling' written in diamonds on it." He seemed quite open to the general use of his phrase: "'Bling bling' will never be forgotten. So it's like I will never be forgotten. I just wish that I'd trademarked it, so I'd never have to work again."
May 1, 2003
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1 min read
Bling bling in the dictionary
The Oxford English Dictionary is reportedly writing a definition for bling bling, with BG of Cash Money Millionaires credited with popularising the phrase.