Green’s Dictionary of Slang

(US) a gathering where those involved devote themselves to talking, esp. unashamed gossip.

1899–1900		C.L. Cullen Tales of the Ex-Tanks 130: You can’t spreadeagle this outfit by going at a talkfest both ends from the middle.
1904		Phila. Inquirer 22 May Pt II 3/5–6: A ‘rave’ is any form of conversational endeavor [...] When the ‘rave’ is extended it becomes a ‘talk fest.’.
1910		Chicago Daily Maroon 10 June 1/2: After the roll call a ‘talk fest’ was indulged in by some of the old timers [DA].
1928		W.A. White Masks in Pageant 247: He stepped naturally into supremacy at that talkfest [a political convention] because he had been training for his famous speech.
1942		Berrey & Van den Bark Amer. Thes. Sl.
1949		Chicago Daily News 26 Mar. 6/1: He objects to the ‘talkfests’ in Congress which delay legislation favored by the people [DA].
1962		J. Quirk No Red Ribbons (1968) 322: I thought it would be a talkfest among friends.

(US) a speech-maker, a rhetorician.

1906

Mexico Missouri Message (MO) 18 Jan. 3/1: Haven’t they hired a Talk-tosser witha Shamrock name to throw Word Bombs at you?

1. to chatter inconsequentially; to make empty promises.

1955		The Du Droppers [song title] Talk That Talk.
1965		C. Brown Manchild in the Promised Land (1969) 320: He keeps talking that talk about how he might go back later on and that kind of shit.
1972		Milner & Milner Black Players 43: An important part of ‘hitting on’ a woman is a particular style of verbal encounter called talking shit, talking that talk, or talking trash. This manner of publicly accosting a woman and attempting to interest her with a fast-talking line of patter is by no means restricted to pimps, but is a common mode of ghetto encounter.
1983		R. Klein Jailhouse Jargon and Street Sl. [unpub. ms.].

2. (US black) to engage in games of ritual verbal abuse.

1988

(con. 1930s) C.E. Lincoln The Avenue, Clayton City (1996) 4: Guts hated to hear anybody talkin’ that talk [...] but here they were under the streetlight [...] cutting the fool and talking that nasty talk. [Ibid.] 4: Talkin’ that talk. Two quick-tongued contestants were already hacking away at each other’s family tree.

1. (US black) to conduct oneself in a manner that matches one’s proclaimed beliefs, standards and/or abilities.

1965		B. Jackson Get Your Ass in the Water (1974) 157: There was Professor Fenny, who made eyes aplenty, / and yet talked that gangster talk, / and his good pal Boss pulled like a hoss / to prove that he could walk that walk.
1979		(con. c.1970) G. Hasford Short Timers (1985) 60: We talk the talk, but we don’t walk the walk.
1980		E. Folb Runnin’ Down Some Lines 257: talk (one’s) talk and walk (one’s) walk Reference to doing whatever is natural and comfortable .
1989		L. Block Out on the Cutting Edge 72: My mother [. . . .] I must have heard her say it a thousand times. ‘Don't tell nobody your business.’ And she walked the walk, God bless her.
1997		G. Sikes 8 Ball Chicks (1998) 69: Once in jail, they’ll talk the talk and walk the walk, empowered by the fact there’s no men here to call the shots.
2010		Codella and Bennett Alphaville (2011) 328: DEA’s civilian informant knew how to walk the walk and talk the talk.
2014		D.B. Flowers Bangs 121: ‘He talks the talk but looks a little meek [...] Sure we can trust him?’.

2. (US black) to mind one’s own business.

1969

U. Hannerz Soulside 65: ‘I walk my walk and talk my talk’ is a ghetto phrase for minding one’s own business.