

These ranged from colors, character traits, and size. There were racially indicative names used across many cultures, but it was most prevalent among African Americans.Īs African American culture progressed, they developed many more descriptive words that were placed in front of someone’s name. Golla was a common nickname placed in front of someone’s name to indicate their race. The origin of these descriptive nicknames began with the term “golla,” meaning from Africa. Nicknames within the African American community are one of the oldest traditions that have been passed on over the years.Ī common theme in early African American culture was to provide descriptive nicknames for family and friends. This is especially true with regard to African Americans and their culture. Sources Racial Influence on Rapper Namesīecause rap and hip hop culture was mainly inspired by minority groups, it comes as no surprise that many of the names used in hip hop today have some sort of racial derivative.
