Explain da Massive, if you could help a brother out

December 4, 2004 7:42 PM

I was watching da Ali G movie the other night, and the bit at the beginning where his "West Side Massive" faces off against the "East Side Massive" got me wondering: what the heck is a "massive"? I've heard the term used in similar contexts, but can't seem to Google or Wiki up any explanation. Respec!
posted by schoolgirl report to Society & Culture (9 answers total)

In this context, it seems to refer to a formal gang (a la the Crips, but perhaps slightly less extensive). In other contexts, it could refer to a group of friends, or a loose collective that forms around a scene. ("Respect to the underground hip hop massive.")
posted by samh23 at 7:58 PM on December 4, 2004

A big rave is also a massive - as in "GateCrasher's New Years Eve 2004 Jungle Massive".
posted by falconred at 8:39 PM on December 4, 2004

urbandictionary.com is a good resource for this sort of thing.
posted by cadastral at 8:44 PM on December 4, 2004

For future reference, it's "respek."
posted by hoboynow at 9:58 PM on December 4, 2004

From an entry in The Cassell Dictionary of Slang:

massive n. [1980s+] (W.I./UK Black teen) a group of people who stick together and have shared social interests, such as a dance-hall crowd; often specified by a geographical name, e.g. the Peckham massive, the Tottenham massive
posted by floanna at 12:23 PM on December 5, 2004

Oh and Peckham and Tottenham are dodgy parts of London where you are actually quite likely to run into a massive
posted by floanna at 12:25 PM on December 5, 2004

Oh and Peckham and Tottenham are dodgy parts of London where you are actually quite likely to run into a massive

Staines, home of Ali G's massive, is not one of the places where you'd be likely to find one. Nor is Maidenhead, home of one of the Staines Massive's rivals.
posted by krunk at 1:45 PM on December 5, 2004

That's cause they all drink in Windsor.
posted by Frasermoo at 4:43 AM on December 6, 2004

"Staines, home of Ali G's massive, is not one of the places where you'd be likely to find one. Nor is Maidenhead, home of one of the Staines Massive's rivals."

And the "Ali" in "Ali G" stands for "Alistair.

That's the point of the joke ;)
posted by rubin421 at 3:41 PM on December 6, 2004