chips n.pl.— «“It says ‘I’m gonna get my chippy on.’ What does that mean? Chips?” Choc takes a beat. Looks at me like I’m nuts. “My chippies,” Choc says. “Chips is money. Cheddar. Whatever…dollar signs. Whatever...
break it off v. phr.— «These guys are working on Skid Row because they believe they can make a difference. Chris breaks it off for me. “There are more random gangs from all over the Southland here in Central Division than I could believe...
get one’s chippy on v. phr.— «“It says ‘I’m gonna get my chippy on.’ What does that mean? Chips?” Choc takes a beat. Looks at me like I’m nuts. “My chippies,” Choc says. “Chips is money. Cheddar. Whatever…dollar...
one-time n.— «A disheveled black man rides close to the car on his bike and taunts us. “I know what time it is,” he says. “‘One time’ means police,” Feldtz says. “That’s what they call us, ‘one time.’”» —“Inside the...
box n.— «It’s where the drugs are. Where the crack is. An area that soft-spoken, veteran police Lieutenant Lionel Garcia calls “the box.” It’s an informal term in cop-speak that means the floating area of most concentrated...
sketch n.— «I caught him wandering Alameda and Seventh streets in the late morning after a decidedly rough night, trying desperately to break out of a sketch with a Happy Meal.» —“Inside the Box With the Super Dope...