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Green’s Dictionary of Slang

props n.²

also propers

[abbr. SE proper respect]

(US black/campus) respect, admiration.

1972		implied in give props
1992		Click ‘Mr. Flamboyant’ 🎵 Out here get my propers, don’t ya know.
1997		Simon & Burns Corner (1998) 234: Expectation is readily sacrificed for the leavings of the here and now: girls, props, weed, new Jordans, crew clothes.
2000		W. Shaw Westsiders 364: A T-shirt printed with another acronym: ‘Respect Exact Same Props Equality Community Truthful’.
2000		Mack 10 ‘From the Streets’ 🎵 I’m from the ghetto, so the hood-rats gettin propers.
2001		(con. 1990s) in J. Miller One of the Guys 185: ‘They probably could be hard or whatever. But they wouldn’t have no props’.
2002		Teen Lingo: The Source for Youth Ministry 🌐 props n. Favor or admiration credited to a person because of something done. A verbal recognition of good achievement.
2007		W.D. Myers ‘some men are just funny that way’ in What They Found 81: ‘I went after Michael big-time just to reclaim my propers’.
2012		W.D. Myers All the Right Stuff 54: Everybody gave the dude his propers and nobody moved upon him too quick.
2016		C. Eble (ed.) UNC-CH Campus Sl. Spring 2016 8: PROPS — recognition, praise: X: ‘I won this round! Want a rematch?’ Y: ‘Sure thing. Props, dude’.

In phrases

get props (v.)

(US black) to gain respect, admiration.

1994		Coolio ‘Sticky Fingers’ 🎵 It Takes a Thief [album] Yeah, buddy, shit’s lookin good / Gets much props and respect from the hood.
1998		Hip-Hop Connection Dec. 4: Queen Latifah may not be getting much props from the hip-hop world.
2011		G. Hayward Corruption Officer [ebk] cap. 18: You may be getting props right now but when shit hits the fan a lot of the times you’re gonna find yourself by yourself.

give props (v.) (also give propers)

(US black) to applaud, to praise, to acknowledge as good.

1972		(con. 1950s) D. Goines Whoreson 85: If you’re as cool as I think you is, just give Fatima her propers.
1983		G. Tate ‘Electric Miles’ in Flyboy in the Buttermilk (1992) 78: I’ll give Frank Zappa and Captain Beefheart their propers for wallowing in similar sties on the other side of the tracks.
1997		‘Q’ Deadmeat 45: Up an cumin DJs like DJ Ink an Loxey give dem som props.
2004		Eble Campus Sl. Apr. 5: props – respect: I gotta give you props on getting that girl’s phone number.
2006		Burns & Price ‘Corner Boys’ Wire ser. 4 ep. 8 [TV script] Bodie got a real short memory when it comes to givin’ props.
2012		‘Dutch’ ? (Pronounced Que) [ebook] I couldn’t break you and you can’t break me. I give you your props, though.
2016		A. Wheatle Crongton Knights 238: ‘The Major will give me props and let me step up’.
2017		D. Winslow The Force [ebook] Even the cops who hate blacks give him his props.