A rather confusing slang phrase that keeps popping up on TikTok is ‘KIAB’. It may seem difficult to understand at first but it’s simply a new evolution of a phrase that’s been around for as long as time. Everybody at some point in their lives needs to ask a friend or family to be truthful, or to be 100 percent honest. In some places of the world, you can ask them to KIAB.
If you ask somebody to KIAB, you are asking them to ‘Keep It A bean’, or to ‘keep it a buck’. How did this phrase come to be and what does it mean?
KIAB: Keep it a Bean, Keep it a Buck 50 Meaning
Slang phrases evolve over time as they disperse out to new cultures and new populations. It’s fun to modify slang over time to include in-jokes and everyday references. Two phrases that are popular to use in various areas of the USA, primarily hip-hop circles, are to ‘keep it a buck’ and the later developed ‘keep it a buck 50’.
![Hundreds of songs reference 'Keep it a buck' and 'Keep it a buck 50'](https://megasplain.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/buck-50.png)
Since there are 100 cents in a dollar, it’s easy to see how this term originated. If someone were to ‘keep it a buck’, they are keeping the dollar at the full 100, or in other words, 100 percent honest. It’s the same meaning as ‘keeping it real’.
In that sense, to ‘keep it a buck 50’ is to be so honest that you have elevated past 100 percent. You’re being honest beyond any doubt. We sometimes use this form of hyperbole in other statements, like a coach asking his team to give “110%” towards their performance. Naturally, a buck 50 flows much better than a ‘buck 10’, hence the popularity of the slang.
KIAB: Keep It a Bean Origin
Urban Dictionary has definitions of ‘Keep it a bean’ dating back to 2011. Sources online suggest that Keep It a Bean originates from Philadelphia, USA. The apparent connection to the city is echoed frequently online, with businesses even making merchandise displaying KIAB.
![Business 'Philadelphia Dining Experiences' selling KIAB Keep it a bean merchandise](https://megasplain.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/keep-it-a-bean.png)
Again, to ‘keep it a bean’ is to keep it 100, or to keep it real. The term can be used interchangeably with ‘keep it a buck’. No doubt in the future we will see further transformations of saying ‘keeping it real’, but until then, make sure to keep it a bean.
Interested in more TikTok slang mysteries? Check out ‘What does Tu velo’ mean on TikTok, or check back to the megasplain homepage daily for new articles.