Green’s Dictionary of Slang

1. (US black) to recount a lengthy epic poem, usu. based in the pimping or underworld experience; thus toasting n.

1953		L. Durst Jives of Dr. Hepcat (1989) 6: At a party one of the ace hi gets up to toast.
1972		Milner & Milner Black Players 23: Men would boast and toast and lie and goad each other into gales of laughter and rounds of handslapping.
1983		Lou Reed ‘The Last Shot’ 🎵 Here’s a toast to toasting and I’m not boasting.

2. (W.I.) of a disc jockey, to perform one’s own lyrics to the background of a reggae song, usu. in a dub (no lyrics, only bass and rhythm lines) version; thus toasting n.

1978		D. Hebdige Subculture 38: Power was at home here [...] channelled through a battery of home-made speakers. It was present in every ‘toasted’ incantation.
1986		R. Hewitt White Talk Black Talk 115: The toasting [...] is the oral art form of reggae music. [Ibid.] 123: You have to have a rough voice for toastin’.
1994		C. Cooper Female Sexuality in Lyrics of Bob Marley and Shabba Ranks 2: 1980’s violence versus 1970’s peace [...] toasting versus singing.
2006		G. Pelecanos Night Gardener 35: Beanie Man toasted from the house stereo.
2007		D.S. Mitchell Killer Tune (2008) 55: The King’s wailing chants as he toasted onstage.

3. (US Black) to defeat; to treat harshly.

1987		Lord Shafiyq ‘My Mic Is On Fire’ 🎵 I’ll roast ‘em, toast ‘em, post ‘em where the sea dwells.
1993		Notrious B.I.G. ‘Party & Bullshit’ 🎵 Nigga, I toast ya, put fear in your heart.
2009		MC Lars ‘We Have Arrived’ 🎵 Take these haters down then I toast them like some Eggos.
2010		W.D. Myers Lockdown 220: ‘I looked over at the jury and they looked at me, and I could tell they were going to toast me’.