ragamuffin, n. — Green’s Dictionary of Slang

ragamuffin n.

also raga, ragga, raggamuffin

[SE ragamuffin, orig. the name of a demon, latterly a ragged, dirty, disreputable man or boy; like a number of teen terms, this pej. is used as a term of approval]

1. (UK black) a hooligan, a lout.

1992		in R. Graef Living Dangerously 99: A lot of Ragas (tough black youths) started going.
1997		N. Barlay Curvy Lovebox 7: Raggamuffins. Ravers. Ruffnecks.
2001		(con. 1981) A. Wheatle East of Acre Lane 252: Be selective ’pon de client dem. Me nuh waan no ragamuffin wid her.
2004		London Posse ‘Money Mad’ 🎵 Could be a kiter, a dipper, a blagger / Or a roughneck ragga brandishing a dagger.

2. (US black) an unaffected, down-to-earth person.

1994

G. Smitherman Black Talk.

In compounds

ragamuffin tip (n.) [tip n.⁷]

(US black) a down-to-earth situation.

1994

‘Jonathan Slick’ Behind Bars [album credits] ‘A Love That’s True (Part 1)’ reconstructs his classic ‘Hey Young World’ into an up-tempo story of no-good females, while on ‘A Love That’s True (Part 2),’ he goes off on the same themes but on a ragamuffin tip.