What Does 'Unc' Mean, And What Does It Mean To Achieve 'Unc Status'?

The latest iteration of an AAVE slang term getting adopted by a wider, often younger, TikTok audience and ran into the round is the word Unc, often used as shorthand in Black American communities to refer to an older and often out-of-touch male member of a family or community.

Jokes about people saying that they feel as though they have reached Unc Status have grown popular on TikTok, despite many of these jokes coming from kids who have barely scratched at their early 20s. Here's a recap of the evolution of the term Unc, from its beginnings in colloquial language and Rap culture to the exponential rise in its use in 2024.

What Are Some Of The Earliest Uses Of The Term 'Unc'?

The term "Unc" is African American Vernacular English derived from the word "Uncle." The term is often used to refer to older male figures in a Black family, however, it can also be used to joke about or mock an older member of a group or community.

One of the earliest recorded uses of the word "Unc" appears in the 2003 track "For The Love" by rapper Defari, as seen at the 2:14 timestamp in the video below, when he says, "And Charlie Parker, yo that's my unc."

The term also appeared on the 2014 Gucci Mane track "On The Way" (B------ wan' f--- Young Thug and they wanna f--- uncle unc), and on the 2018 J. Cole song "Brackets" (What's up Unc'? Yup, hey, I told you that check was coming in).

How Is The Term 'Unc' Typically Used?

The term "Unc" is often used in a slightly ribbing manner, as older members of a family or community are sometimes seen as out of touch, or behind the times. A February 2017 post by X user @DJPrettyBoyTank showed a photo of a man with a heavily designed jacket, posted alongside the caption, "UNC TOLD ME TO SNAP 1 BEFORE CHURCH RIGHT FAST."

A post by March 2018 shows X user @chuchiitos using the word Unc in a teasing manner, writing, "Hey unc u right but when’s the last time u updated your iOS?"

What Does It Mean To Achieve 'Unc Status'?

While the term Unc is typically used in Black communities to refer to actual older male members of a community or family, in the early 2020s, the term also came to be adopted by younger internet users. In June 2021, TikToker @callmechosen85 posted a video joking about how he thinks he's getting old because a kid called him Unc at the family function.

More people posted jokes about suddenly realizing that they have grown older and slightly out of touch with popular youth culture in the early 2020s, as seen in jokes posted by X users @heyyitsjanea and @dielikejay in 2022 and 2023.

For the full history of the term Unc, be sure to check out Know Your Meme's encyclopedia entry for more information.