African, n. — Green’s Dictionary of Slang

African n.

[rhy. sl.; African nigger = cigger n.]

1. (Aus., also African nigger) a ‘tailor-made’, rather than hand-rolled, cigarette.

1959		Baker Drum.
1983		R. Aven-Bray Ridgey-Didge Oz Jack Lang 11: Lighting up an African he gargled on slowly.
1990		Tupper & Wortley Aus. Prison Sl. Gloss. 🌐 African nigger. Rhyming slang for ‘cigger’, i.e. cigarette. [...] Sometimes just ‘African’. Waning usage.
2001		Prison & Drug Sl.: NSW Corrective Services n.p.: African, (abbreviation) African nigger: Cigarette.

2. (US drugs) marijuana.

2001

ONDCP Street Terms 1: African — Marijuana.

get one’s African up (v.) (also get one’s North Carolina up) [racial stereotyping]

(US) to lose control, to lose one’s temper.

1868		H.L. Williams Three Black Smiths in Darkey Drama 4 29: Don’t! I’m ticklish – leff off! Don’t you git my Norf Car’lina up.
1881		J.C. Harris Uncle Remus 269: Well, you des oughter see me git my Affikin up.
1884		J. Harrison ‘Negro English’ in Anglia VII 263: To git de Affikin up = to evoke the African nature.
1889		Wahpeton Times (Dakota, ND) 20 June 2/6: Niggahs [...] Doan say nuffin ter keep me; I’se got my Affikin up.
1928		R. Bradford Ol’ Man Adam 199: So de people kept right on laughin’ and passin’ remarks about old Samson to finally old Samson got his Af’ican up [DARE].