Krump
Also known as clowning, krumping is a style of hyperkinetic break dancing that originated in L.A. in the early nineties, and is the subject of photographer David LaChapelle’s riveting new documentary, Rize. Krump’s moves draw on the energy of mosh pits and African dance, and its performers dress like clowns—literally. The form was reputedly invented by Thomas Johnson, a.k.a. Tommy the Clown, as a way to augment his performances at children’s birthday parties, and was introduced to a mainstream audience through MTV, on videos such as Missy Elliott’s “I’m Really Hot” and the Black Eyed Peas’ “Hey Mama.”
Crunk
A style of hip-hop associated with Atlanta and the so-called Dirty South. Crunk, most likely a combination of “crazy” and “drunk,” was developed as club music and is notable for its synth riffs and repetitive exclamations. The best-known example of the form is Usher’s hit “Yeah!,” produced by crunk pioneer Lil Jon. (He’s the dreadlocked guy with the crazy teeth who shouts “Yeah!” throughout the song.) Crunk songs are often easy to identify, as the word “crunk” is helpfully included in the title. Examples include “Crunk Juice,” “Get Crunk,” “Get Crunk Tonight,” “Let’s Get It Crunk,” “So Crunk,” and “We Get It Crunk.”
Crumpets
Crumpets are “small disk-shaped yeast-raised muffins that are often served toasted,” according to the Website of Tyson Foods. The crumpet tends to be fairly dense, with a spongy texture and bland, unsweetened flavor. The word crumpet is believed to be derived from the Welsh crempog, which is a type of pancake. While crumpets are a staple of the British diet, they should not be confused with English muffins (which are drier and tend not to be baked within a ring-shaped form, like crumpets). Nor should they be confused with field crumpets, a recently invented hybrid of soccer and field hockey in which players use sticks to “serve the crumpet.”
Trump
Donald J. Trump is “the very definition of an American success story,” according to his bio on the Website for The Apprentice, a show that he produces. The flamboyant real-estate developer, famously nicknamed the “short-fingered vulgarian” by Spy magazine in the eighties, has achieved ever-higher levels of fame despite his on-again, off-again business troubles. Trump’s real-estate projects are often easy to identify, as the word Trump is helpfully included in the building’s name. Examples include Trump Parc, Trump Palace, Trump Plaza, Trump World Tower, Trump Taj Mahal, and Villa Trump.