# Another Question re: When Keeping It Real Goes Wrong

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/another-question-re-when-keeping-it-real-goes-wrong/263676>\
**Category:** Cafe Society\
**Created:** [September 8, 2004, 8:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/another-question-re-when-keeping-it-real-goes-wrong/263676 "2004-09-08T20:37:22Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 3\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![UrbanChic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/9dc877/32.png) [@UrbanChic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/UrbanChic)\
**Post date:** [September 8, 2004, 8:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/another-question-re-when-keeping-it-real-goes-wrong/263676/1 "2004-09-08T20:37:22Z")

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What does the phrase “really hood” mean?

The phrase in question was introduced – to me, at least – during a popular segment known as “When Keeping It Real Goes Wrong”. In this particular installment, a plucky gal who, in a zealous, but unfounded, fit of teaching a strumpet from playin’ on her phone, winds up incarcerated for defacing a federal vehicle. In an effort to establish a higher spot in the pecking order early on, our heroine looks askance at a rather hardened and stalwart inmate. The inmate, not to be cowed, asks our newly imprisoned – to the tune of six years, mind you – champion, “What’s really hood, bitch?”

I would like to tell you that I at least had _heard_ of the phrase, but just never knew what it meant, but that would be a lie. I had to replay that scene at least a dozen times to figure out what the hell she was saying. Thank heavens for ReplayTV!

In my quest to discover the perplexing phrase’s meaning, I decided to forgo asking the dudes in the mailroom – if you recall, they’re my source for all things street – because they threatened me grave bodily harm if I asked them one more question about slang. I believe the conclusion that I “ain’t. never. gonna. get. It.” and the suggestion to, in fact, cease watching Chappelle _altogether_ were leveled at me. (Undeterred, I watch _Chappelle’s Show_ with reckless and cheeky abandon.) So I turn to you, dear Dopers, to decipher this enigmatic expression for me.

Thanks in advance for your answers!

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**Author:** ![Jimmy\_Chitwood](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/f475e1/32.png) [@Jimmy\_Chitwood](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jimmy_Chitwood)\
**Post date:** [September 8, 2004, 10:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/another-question-re-when-keeping-it-real-goes-wrong/263676/2 "2004-09-08T22:09:38Z")

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It’s just another of a million phrases that means “What’s up?”

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**Author:** ![Jimmy\_Chitwood](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/f475e1/32.png) [@Jimmy\_Chitwood](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jimmy_Chitwood)\
**Post date:** [September 8, 2004, 10:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/another-question-re-when-keeping-it-real-goes-wrong/263676/3 "2004-09-08T22:10:53Z")

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That mean that, I mean.