Meaning
What does Hoodrat mean?
Hoodrat is a slang term for people, coming from inner city circles, raised by the streets.
You know what? I’m gonna say it
Hoodrats are rarely well mannered, or educated, instead they are more characterized by a derelict upbringing, due to the hardships of hood life in most cities.
While some people, coming from the hood are able to break through the cultural barrier, set in front of them, most people are left behind, to struggle in the midst of inner city difficulties.
Origin
What's the origin of Hoodrat?
The term hood comes as a shortening of the word neighborhood, utilized by several people, who are living in ghettos or otherwise notorious areas, especially in big cities.
Hoodrat is a word, derived from that root during the second half of the last century.
Spread & Usage
How did Hoodrat spread?
With the spread of hip hop culture, the terms and phrases of the inner city neighborhoods and ghettos also broke into popular culture, enabling people of various lifestyles and origins to learn about the expressions and thoughts of these individuals, raised in hardship.
Hoodrat is also a creation of this subculture, emerging more widely in the English language in the late 90’s.
Urban Dictionary had added a definition to the term as early as 2003, with several other articles being written since then.
External resources
- Urban Dictionary – Hoodrat