Cheeba

Cheeba

Cheeba is an old-school slang word for cannabis that became especially popular in American hip-hop culture in the 1970s and 80s. The word is also spelled "cheba" or "chiba" and is often doubled as "cheeba cheeba".

More about Cheeba

The exact origin of the word is unclear, but it is usually linked to street slang in New York in the 1970s, the same environment where early hip-hop took shape. From there, cheeba spread through lyrics, block parties and radio, and it became one of the words that defined how cannabis was talked about in that era.

The doubled form "cheeba cheeba" follows a pattern that is common in cannabis slang, where words are repeated or rhymed to make them catchier. The same thing can be seen in zaza and in sticky icky.

Cheeba in hip-hop and popular culture

One of the best-known uses of the word is Tone Lōc's track "Cheeba Cheeba" from 1989, which helped carry the term to a wider audience. In later decades, new slang words such as loud, exotic and zaza took over, and today cheeba is mostly used with a nostalgic or retro touch.

Like ganja and doja, cheeba is a general slang term. It does not refer to a specific strain, quality or product.