Hyphy (pronounced /ˈhaɪfiː/ HYE-fee) is a slang word created by Bay Area Rapper Keak Da Sneak which is commonly used in the San Francisco Bay Area that means "rambunctious". Hip-hop artist E-40, with his 2006 single titled "Tell Me When to Go", along with many other Bay Area music productions, put the Bay Area culture on the national map, and this culture began to be known as the Hyphy movement.
The movement started in the '90s rappers but re-emerged in the early 2000s as a response from Bay Area rappers to commercial hip hop's ignoring of the Bay's influence. Although the "hyphy movement" has just recently seen light in mainstream America, it has been a long standing and evolving culture in the Bay Area. Bay Area rapper Keak Da Sneak was the first to use the term on an album.
An individual is said to "get hyphy" when they act or dance in an overstated, fast paced, and ridiculous manner.Those who consider themselves part of the Hyphy movement would describe this behavior as "getting stupid" or "going dumb." In contrast to much of popular American culture where these phrases would be considered negative or even insulting, Hyphy is distinguished by taking this kind of behavior as a form of pride. .
