BAD ADJECTIVE (YOUTH CULTURE)

In young people's slang, especially among Blacks in the US: excellent, spectacular, full of good qualities. Etymology: A reversal of meaning: compare wicked and the earlier use of evil in this sense. History and Usage: This sense of bad originated among Black jazz musicians in the US in the twenties and by the seventies had spread into more general use among US Blacks. It was taken up by the young in general during the eighties as a favourite term of approval, especially preceded by the adverb well: anything that was described as well bad had really gained the highest accolade. Its use among White British youngsters is an example of the spread of Black street slang as a cult language in the late eighties, with the popularity of hip hop culture etc. When used in this sense, bad has the degrees of comparison badder and baddest rather than worse and worst. We ran into some of the baddest chicks, man, we partied, we had a nice time. Gene Lees Meet Me at Jim & Andy's (1988), p. 203 Roxanne Shante is quite simply the baddest sister around, and teamed with Marley Marl at the mixing desk she is awesome. Number One 8 Nov. 1989, p. 43