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."
