Next time you hear the phrase “That’s dope,” be the life of the party by knowing its origin! The phrase has roots in African American Vernacular English (AAVE) and evolved over several decades. Originally, the word “dope” (dating back to the late 1800s) referred to drugs or something thick/liquid. By the mid-20th century, it started to take on slang meanings like “excellent,” “cool,” or “impressive.” The modern sense of “that’s dope” took off in the 1980s and 1990s, influenced by hip-hop culture. Artists and groups like Run-D.M.C. and N.W.A used “dope” in lyrics to describe something high-quality or exciting, helping spread it into mainstream slang. By the 2000s, the phrase had become widely used across the U.S. (and beyond), especially among younger speakers, to mean: That’s awesome or impressive or cool. And now you know the rest of the story…
