Green’s Dictionary of Slang

1. (US teen) disgusting, irritating, unpleasant, worthless [derog.].

1977		Eble Campus Sl. Apr. 3: nappy – messy, not neat.
1987		Ice-T ‘Rhyme Pays’ 🎵 Body that smells like the New York mets / Arm pits all nappy packed full of sweat.
1990		Eble Campus Sl. Apr. 6: nappy – irritating [...] ‘I have to take a nappy quiz in my literature class today.’.
1996		Eble Campus Sl. Mar. 6: nappy – unattractive, usually said of hair.
2000		Ebonics Primer at www.dolemite.com 🌐 nappy Definition: 1. worthless. 2. easily despised. Example: You better send your nappy ass home, bitch!

2. (US campus) bizarre but not unattractive [derog.].

1983		R. Price Breaks 180: No matter how nappy the music got the only kind of dancing people did was some variation of the cha-cha.
1987		Eble Campus Sl. Spring 5: nappy – cute, strange, odd: The way he wears those pocket protectors is so nappy.

3. (US black) proud to be black; honest, natural ideologically sound [with pride].

1997–2001		Online Sl. Dict. 🌐 nappy adj 1. the essence of being black and beautiful.
2002		Nappy Roots 🌐 ‘When you think of Nappy, you think raw and untamed,’ says Nappy Roots member Scales, explaining the hip hop sextet’s unique moniker. ‘But you also think pure and natural.’ ‘That’s what we are,’ chimes in partner in rhyme Skinny DeVille. ‘Our name signifies our unwillingness to conform with fads.’.