Massive
Also spelled: massiv
Meaning
A crowd, crew, or collective of people, especially fans, supporters, or a community group united by place or allegiance. Unlike the English adjective 'massive' meaning large, here it names the group itself.
Examples
-
“Big up di whole a di massive!”
Respect to the entire crowd!
'big up' means to praise or salute; 'whole a di' means all of the.
-
“Di London massive turn out fi di show.”
The London crew came out for the show.
'fi' here means 'for'; names a group defined by their city.
-
“Nuff love to mi massive back a yard.”
Lots of love to my people back home.
'nuff' means plenty; 'back a yard' means back home in Jamaica.
Origin
From English 'massive' (large), reinterpreted as a collective noun in Jamaican and British-Jamaican sound system and dancehall culture.
How it's used
Strongly associated with sound system, dancehall, and DJ culture, especially in the Jamaican diaspora in the UK. A DJ shouting out 'the massive' salutes their audience. Everyday among music communities.