rack
Money slang for one thousand dollars.
By Cal Hewitt, Gen X · Researched from public sources ·
What it actually means
A rack is generally $1,000, and multiple racks are counted in thousands. The term was already in circulation, but YC’s 2011 Atlanta hit Racks, featuring Future, made it nationally recognizable.
See the quick definition in the rack dictionary entry.
Where it came from
Dictionary.com says rack means $1,000 and was popularized by Yung Chris’s 2011 Racks. Contemporary Atlanta coverage described the song’s racks as thousand-dollar stacks, so the song amplified rather than necessarily coined the word.
No single person is credited, the origin is well-documented.
Where it's popular
Atlanta hip-hop, rap lyrics, and U.S. money slang.
A rack is more specific than a stack because it normally means $1,000.
How it caught on
- Before 2011Rack circulated as money slang.
- 2011YC released Racks featuring Future.
- After 2011The song helped spread the term nationally.
How to use it
“The repair cost a rack.”
Saying it cost $1,000.
“They saved three racks for the trip.”
Counting money in thousands.
Common mix-ups
Rack does not usually mean $10,000. In money slang it normally means one thousand dollars.
Do you actually know it?
Rack math
0/31. How much is a rack?
2. What 2011 song popularized it?
3. What city’s music scene is central here?
Related slang
Questions people ask
How much is a rack?
Usually $1,000.
Who popularized rack?
YC’s 2011 song Racks featuring Future helped popularize it.
Is rack the same as stack?
Not reliably. Rack is normally $1,000; stack has disputed amounts.
The hook racks on racks on racks helped turn a local Atlanta hit into a nationwide money-slang reference.
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