Saying that someone or something is "85" is a colloquial way of implying paranoia.
The phrase originated in
Detroit, where gang members would tag houses to be burgled with the number 80, the jersey number of famed football hall-of-famer Jack Butler, a nod to the Steelers cornerback'
s ability to break through any defense.
Over
time, the phrase was generalized to refer to anything that was going to be hit: a snitch, a rival gang, or a deserting member of the crew. Around the same
time, the phrase "five by five" became a common way of expressing well-being. Some started using that phrase sardonically, and referring to oneself as "five by five" was eventually understood to mean that the person wasn'
t doing well.
In the 90s, the idea of being "an 80" and the sarcastic "five by five" merged;
people began referring to
people who were afraid of being targeted by gang violence as "85."
