What is Keeping It Real?
1.
A black person's excuse for being ignorant or doing ignorant shit. The person who says that they are "keepin' it real" usually claims to be denying pop culture and sticking with their own thing.
Chris Rock had a good description:
Rock: Nothing makes a nigger happier than not knowing the answer to your question:
(first person):"What's the capital of Zaire?"
(nigger):"Shit, I don't know that!....Keepin' it REAL!"
Rock: Yeah, real DUMB!
2.
the act of being yourself, usually by buying and wearing shit that everyone else has.
Wearing all this expensive brand name shit assures that I'm keeping it real.
3.
Staying true to yourself, your faith, your life and constantly seeking the truth.
You are keeping it real as long as you do not harm yourself or anyone around you physically mentally or spiritually.
You try to benefit the environment and society that surrounds you and eventually serving humanity for the greater good.
By keeping it real you are authentic and do not follow the geopolitical or corporate economic norm, but you strive to develop a norm that is centered on peace, truth, and unity.
Love Life, Live Life, After Life
- Keeping it Real
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4.
When a black celebrity/athlete gets into trouble and his teamates/black commentators/BET media say he's "Keeping it real", as if it were assumed he is supposed to act like that. It is more or less a black-on-black racist term. (White people don't use the term and are largely unaware of what it means.) It says that black people are supposed to get in trouble with the law, thusly "keeping it real"; being true to their race.
A lot of people probably said Kobe Bryant was "keeping it real" when he got into trouble, or when insert name basketball player got busted for marijuana possession, not realizing they are perpetuating the racism they try to fight at the same time.
5.
Not being fake or influenced. Being true to yourself and your values, but more importantly, being true to innate values that all people acknowledge as respectable. Not
Honesty, doing the right thing, genuineness, fairness and reasonability are generally aspects of keeping it real. Gandhi kept it real because even though his acts were controversial or illegal, they were never harmful and society now knows he was doing the right thing.
Also used in a more jocular way to explain an individual's behavior that they may have thought was the right thing to do out of stubbornness or disregard for others, but it wasn't really
- Matt respects everybody, he is genuinely nice to friends and strangers and does not seek out conflict with people or put them down. He is keeping it real.
- Joe stands up against bullies at his school and defends kids who are getting made fun of, even though he is quite popular and doesn't hang out with those kids. He is keeping it real.
- Ashley skipped Friday night partying with her friends to stay at home and watch movies with her sister who just broke up with a boyfriend. Ashley is keeping it real.
- Josh just isn't a very smart person, but he puts effort into doing the best he can. He is keeping it real.
Alternative example:
Latoya: Tanisha why did you call me out for buying my shoes at Walmart in front of everybody.
Tanisha: I'm just keeping it real, why does it matter where you buy your shoes?
Latoya: Girl you are not keeping it real, I know it doesn't matter where I buy my shoes but people still might make fun of me for it. It's really just none of their business.
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6.
The act of revealing your true or "unprofessional" self in any arena of your everyday life when feeling angered, oppressed, mistreated etc..
Edward has been keeping it real at work ever since the Manager tried to insult him.
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7.
A manufactured street code for continued white supremacy. As used in common speech, could also be phrased, "keeping it submissive" or "keeping politically, socially, and economically irrelevant."
African-Americans (especially men) who have evolved into greatness through traditional paths are invalidated as they have not "kept it real." The term's definition relegates and caps many potential great African Americans through peer-pressure, advertising, greater social misunderstanding, and ambiguous racial identity.
The phrase is harmful in that it not only damages the collective psyche of a large portion of the American populace, it also limits (in all facets) the unlimited potential that this group could have upon the country.
"Thurgood Marshall, Barack Obama, Bill Cosby, Oprah Winfrey, Morgan Freeman, Booker T. Washington, (Sports Analyst) James Brown, and Condoleeza Rice are not keeping it real."
"50 Cent and Michael Vick are keeping it real."
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