Ghetto fabulous is an expression believed to have originated among African-Americans living in poor urban areas.

It specifically refers to the mentality and lifestyle of some American ghetto inhabitants and vaguely to the mentality and lifestyle of poor African- American urbanites.

In the media

Ghetto fabulous is a stereotype

Stereotype

A stereotype is a popular belief about specific social groups or types of individuals. The concepts of "stereotype" and "prejudice" are often confused with many other different meanings...

 in lower income urban America. In this sense, it means individuals who have mentally created an affluent lifestyle while not always having any luxurious possessions or wealth. As a comedic device it often dramatizes and draws attention to life in the ghetto

Ghetto

A ghetto is a section of a city predominantly occupied by a group who live there, especially because of social, economic, or legal issues.The term was originally used in Venice to describe the area where Jews were compelled to live. The term now refers to an overcrowded urban area often associated...

. For example, in the motion picture B*A*P*S (or Black American Princesses), the protagonists pretend to belong to an upper-economic class, but in reality they live a lifestyle that is full of superficial glamour also known as ghetto fabulous.

Ghetto fabulous style has moved into the mainstream along with hip-hop and rap music icons adopting the style though sometimes calling the fashion "uptown couture" with common "ghetto fabulous" styles mixed with couture labels, including new upscale/designer labels created by hip-hop moguls including Sean Combs

Sean Combs

Sean John Combs , also known by his stage names Diddy and P. Diddy, is an American rapper, singer, record producer, actor, and entrepreneur. He has won three Grammy Awards and two MTV Video Music Awards, and his clothing line earned a Council of Fashion Designers of America award. He was originally...

, Jay-Z

Jay-Z

Shawn Corey Carter , better known by his stage name Jay-Z, is an American rapper, record producer, entrepreneur, and occasional actor. He is one of the most financially successful hip hop artists and entrepreneurs in America, having a net worth of over $450 million as of 2010...

, and Kimora Lee Simmons

Kimora Lee Simmons

Kimora Lee Simmons is an American fashion model, and former president and Creative Director for Phat Fashions.-Early life:...

.

The phrase has also been the title of several rap albums and songs including Mystikal

Mystikal

Michael Lawrence Tyler , better known by his stage name Mystikal, is an American rapper, and actor from New Orleans.-1993-1994: Early career:...

's 1998 album Ghetto Fabulous

Ghetto Fabulous (album)

Ghetto Fabulous is the third studio album by rapper, Mystikal. It was released on December 15, 1998 through No Limit Records and was produced by Beats By the Pound...

, Fabolous

Fabolous

John David Jackson , better known by his stage name Fabolous, is an American rapper of African American and Dominican descent. He grew up in the Bedford-Stuyvesant neighborhood of Brooklyn, New York. Part of his early popularity arose from his hit single "Can't Deny It" in 2001, from his debut...

's 2001 album, Ghetto Fabolous

Ghetto Fabolous

Ghetto Fabolous is the first album by East Coast hip hop artist Fabolous. The album was released on September 11, 2001 and was received critically by mixed views, but was a commercial success. It reached #4 on the U.S. Billboard 200 with 143,180 copies sold and had three singles which were all...

and the Ras Kass

Ras Kass

John Austin IV, better known by his stage name Ras Kass, is an American rapper. He is also a part of hip hop supergroup The HRSMN along with Canibus, Killah Priest, and Kurupt...

' song "Ghetto Fabulous

Ghetto Fabulous (song)

"Ghetto Fabulous" was the lead single released from Ras Kass' second album, Rasassination. Produced by Stu-B-Doo, the song featured a verse from Dr. Dre and a chorus by Mack 10. Though "Ghetto Fabulous" had a more commercial sound to it than his previous singles, it was not a commercial success,...

".

Common assumptions

Uses and interpretations of the term vary. For instance, a person who is living "ghetto fabulous" lives above their means, sometimes with means of support other than legitimate work. Money and housing may come from welfare assistance, relatives, or illicit activities. However, the person is not considered poor. In fact the person may appear well-to-do. Frequently the term is used in reference to a person's material possessions such as a luxury car, brand-label clothing and accessories, or jewelry. The term may also reference personal grooming habits such as having one's hair and nails done, being tattoo

Tattoo

A tattoo is made by inserting indelible ink into the dermis layer of the skin to change the pigment. Tattoos on humans are a type of body modification, and tattoos on other animals are most commonly used for identification purposes...

ed, or having cosmetic gold or silver caps

Grill (jewelry)

thumb|A gold dental grillIn hip hop culture, a grill is a type of jewelry worn over the teeth. Grills are made of metal and are generally removable. They began to be worn by hip hop artists in the early 1980s, but they became widely popular during the mid-2000s due to the rise of Dirty South rap...

 applied to the teeth. While the term "ghetto fabulous" may be used to specifically point to any of the above, it is most frequently used a generalization, e.g., "s/he is living (a) ghetto fabulous (life)." Buying from and vibrantly displaying designer brands such as Louis Vuitton

Louis Vuitton

Louis Vuitton Malletier – commonly referred to as Louis Vuitton , or shortened to LV – is a French fashion house founded in 1854 by Louis Vuitton. The label is well known for its LV monogram, which is featured on most products, ranging from luxury trunks and leather goods to ready-to-wear, shoes,...

 and Gucci

Gucci

The House of Gucci, better known simply as Gucci , is an Italian fashion and leather goods label, part of the Gucci Group, which is owned by French company PPR...

 traditionally go hand-in-hand with the trend. Many have gone as far as to customize the exterior and interior of their cars to be coated in the Louis Vuitton design, and Gucci Mane

Gucci Mane

Radric Davis , better known by his stage name Gucci Mane, is an American rapper. He debuted in 2005 with Trap House and followed with albums such as Hard to Kill in 2006, Trap-A-Thon and Back to the Trap House in 2007. In 2009, his second studio album The State vs. Radric Davis was released...

's stage name is likely a by-product of ghetto fabulous culture.