Part 292: Get A Leg Up

LL

RECORD STORE TALES Part 292:  Get A Leg Up

What is with those rapper kids who have one pant leg rolled up?

The first time I ever saw this fashion statement, I was working the record store.  I saw this kid with his left leg rolled up, he wasn’t riding a bike.  He was in just on foot with his buddies.  Goofy shoes, one pant leg rolled up, ass all but hanging out the back.  Headphones on.

I was working with Matty K, who was a hip-hop fan.

“Look at this guy!” I said.

“Shh,” Matty shushed me.  “That means he’s ganged up.”

“What?” I whispered?  “In Kitchener?  That’s stupid.  What is he, the River Road Posse?  Westside K-Town?”

Over the years I have heard different explanations.  One leg up means you’re with one gang, the other leg means another gang.  I’ve also heard it means you have drugs for sale.  I’ve never happened across a definitive answer.  All I know is that however stupid you may look, all you have to do is roll up one pant leg to max out at uber-stupid.

What does it mean?  Comment below!

86 comments

        15. Goose meat is greasy, and you gotta like the dark meat. Nasty bird, nasty eating. And anyway I think it’s illegal to eat the hissing little bastards, isn’t it. Oops. I mean, I’VE HEARD the meat is nasty yessir. Never had it myself, nope, no way.

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        17. I LOVE the dark meat, my wife and I we never argue about a chicken. She gets the white, I get the dark. I don’t like greasy though.

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        18. I don’t even know if it’s true. I just have some hazy recollection of them being some jackass national symbol or something, and it being illegal to shoot them (for sport or food). The wat they shite all over the parks, I’d say a good cull was in order, myself.

          As for eating national symbols, INSERT JOKE ABOUT EATING BEAVER HERE.

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        21. Sexual joking aside (as if I’d ever do that for long), beavers (the animal, you perv) are assholes too.

          Wait. Beavers are assholes. If I were still making lewd insinuations about something other than beavers (the animals), I’d sound like I’m confused about anatomy. I am most certainly not.

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  2. I remember the first time I saw guys wearing the big baggy jeans by only pulling them up halfway and showing their underwear – August 1992, and my sis and I were shopping at the Woodbine Centre in Etobicoke. I remember that – and thankfully that trend never made it up to Sudbury while I was still in H.S.. But it’s funny how the kids these days think they’ve created that style. Sorry, that horrible style has been going on for at least 20 years, kiddo!

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    1. Any style kids think they’ve created today was just a trend from two decades ago (and still look stupid). I’m waiting for the Kriss Kross backwards clothes to catch on again.

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        1. No. Thankfully, I do not remember that trend.

          Although when I wore my sweatshirt inside out by accident in 1987, it sure didn’t make me cool.

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      2. My almost 4 year old son puts his clothes on backwards. He dresses himself. I don’t give him much crap about it andh e doesn’t seem to mind. Its kind of adorable in a “I’m sure its just a phase and he’ll soon get over it” kind of way.

        Trends on the other hand. Mullets. Thats all I am going to say. Did anyone else peg their jeans in 1990?

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        1. My just-turned-5 year old son also puts his clothes on backwards sometimes, but its not on purpose. He could truly care less. We require him to put on a shirt, so he put a shirt on. What, it’s wrong? Sorry I can’t fix it, I’m already too busy playing.

          Mullet. Mullet! MULLET!!! Also know as Hockey Hair.

          I don’t even know what it means to peg your jeans. And I’m not going to use the evil powers of th einternet to find out. In this case, even from the name of it, I think ignorance might be bliss!

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        3. You fold over the cuff of your jeans and then you roll em up. Maybe HMO can translate that to budgie.

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        4. I remember jean-pegging but I didn’t do it.

          I sport an accidental mullet currently. I was trying to grow it a bit, you know for that Bradley Cooper look. All I got was mullet.

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        7. Folding them over before rolling them up – do you fold them inside or outside? Because I can’t see them rolling very far if you rolled them inside…

          Hahahahahaaaaaaa SKULLET!!! I had never heard that before. Good one.

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        3. I know, we’re talking about his currently on HMO’s excellent blog :(

          We’re also discussing which Alien movie we’re watching this weekend.

          Is it cheating if I pick Prometheus because I have a sad affinity for that movie?

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        4. Really? Interesting! The hubs hated that movie. I thought it was good.

          I just watched the first two Alien movies a few months ago.

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        6. Haha! We watched this exact video after watching Prometheus! That bit where they are running away from the ship in a straight line was something I brought up while watching the movie.

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  5. I also remember when it was (purportedly) cool, for about ten minutes (maybe less) for kids to wear their clothes backwards, like Kriss Kross.

    I’ve never understood the clothing thing, with rap. I mean, I get that those who are already rich are selling overpriced crap to gullible people just so they can sport a label. I understand that (though wouldn’t do it myself). But pants hanging off your ass? Walking slow like you’re stuck in the mud and have a limp (or, probably, hindered by the pants hanging off of your ass). Baseball hats cocked at odd angles and the tags still on them (who are you, Minnie Pearl?). All of it is idiotic.

    Rap is still trying to sell that it’s “underground” (while it sells $billion$ each year). But those idiots are no different than anyone else. Every movement had fads. Break out the flannel and Docs, grunge is coming back! Break out the black shirt with white sleeves and paint on your smallest jeans, and poof your hair up huge, 80s rawk is coming back! Get out your red zipper jacket and one glove, someone somewhere might maybe still care about Michael Jackson (though probably not)! Break out your bobby socks and saddle shoes, we’re going full retro into the 50s and 60s again, kids…

    Punk was the worst. That DIY idealogy, the express yourself and be different… but wear what everyone else is wearing. Way to negate the message by being sheep who think they’re not sheep. Morons.

    It’ll always be something. And then something else comes along. Repeat.

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    1. I remember growing up I never could seem to grow my hair and have it look cool. I never looked much like a rocker. I looked like a nerd.

      I haven’t changed much. I don’t have a clue about what’s in or out. My wife buys my clothes and I’m not ashamed. She buys me rock shirts! She bought me some of my favourites that I own! My Motley shirt was a gift, so was my awesome Queen I shirt. When you see someone wearing a Queen I shirt, you know they’re a serious fan!

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  6. Other tribes are just baffling, says a man who spent his entire later teenage years rocking various scarves, bracelets and a ‘100% Pure Pussycat’ Faster Pussycat tee.

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      2. Sadly they all appear to have been lost in the Great Fire of Wales, just after that earthquake we had, following the volcanic eruption under my parent’s living room. Honest.

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    1. Here ya go buddy!

      That is indeed the song that inspired the title for this story. This song came out right around when I was working at the record store and I thought it was bad ass.

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      1. Awesome clip…….that whole,record is bad ass!
        The only Mellancamp album I can say that about!
        And that’s saying sumthin!

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  8. If it’s not too late to stick in my “Jurassic Rocker” 2 cents; I’m remembering the slap-slap of huge ‘elephant’ bell-bottomed jeans- worn along with the shirtless denim vest (& leather thong headband!) -solid proof that music/fashion has ALWAYS inspired teens to dress like practical joke victims.

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        5. I’d forgotten all about this one! I remember “Bug Music” and when Fred became “Hi-Fi” but this one I had completely forgotten.

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        7. LOL….The Wayouts RULED!!
          Also “Herman’s Hermits” parody- the “Beau BrummelStones” came to Bedrock. I’ve got a Beau Brummels LP w/ killer garage/punk version of “These Boots Are Made For Walkin”

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        8. I forgot the Beau BrummelStones as well. Man, that show had some great music. I had completely forgotten all these little moments.

          I bought my wife all the Flintstones box sets for Christmas a couple years ago but we haven’t made our way through yet.

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        10. HAH! That thought never occurred to me while watching Flintstones in the 80’s, but it all makes sense!

          I know Gazoo gets a lot of hate, but those are some of my favourites!

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        11. Don’t understand objections to Gazoo at ALL! Does he wreck the historical accuracy or something? What I love best about his character is the twist on the “Chariots of the Gods” thing- instead of aliens teaching our primitive ancestors to build fantastic architecture, we have Gazoo trying to prevent Fred from f_cking up what they’ve already achieved!

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        12. Like I could have appreciated that twist back then. But good point. Fred and Barney were dum-dums!

          I enjoyed the more outlandish plots of some of the later episodes. Jay Bond-rock for example. Or Prince Barbaruba. I really thought the crossovers with other contemporary shows was genius.

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        13. I remember Jay Bond-Rock, but not Prince Barbaruba.
          Haven’t seen the later seasons in a LONG time.
          Fred laid the groundwork for Homer Simpson, as far satirizing contemporary pop culture.

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