Green’s Dictionary of Slang

(UK black) a fellow black person; latterly adopted on campus for any race.

1899		C. Chesnutt ‘The Gray Wolf’s Ha’nt’ Conjure Woman 178: Hoddy, Brer Dan? I hopes you er well?
1970		G. Cain Blueschild Baby 130: ‘Walk tall brother, you got a queen there.’ ‘Take care of that sister brer.’.
1972		D. Dalby ‘African element in Amer. Eng.’ in Kochman Rappin’ and Stylin’ Out 178: brer, buh—‘brother’.
1997		C. Newland Scholar 15: Your cousin should watch himself with dem brers he’s moving with, y’know.
2004		Shystie ‘Unfinished Bizzness’ 🎵 I never thought a brer could make me feel this way.
2012		C. Eble (ed.) UNC-CH Campus Sl. 2011 2: BUH — /b?/ friend, buddy. Usually in a greeting: ‘Hey, buh! How are you?’.
2013		K. Koke ‘Destiny’ 🎵 I’m a real brer living in these dutty slums.
2015		www.reddit.com/r/hiphopheads Grime Terminology Guide 🌐 Breh – a man (e.g. I saw this breh walking down the street the other day…).
2020		G. Krauze What They Was 14: A grainy photo of one brer called Bloogz.