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Did you ever wonder where Dallas got the famed Triple D nickname? Sure, the city is known for a few other nicknames, but why is Dallas called Triple D, in particular?
DDD is all tied to the city’s locals and their stories. It’s funny how a simple design of the city’s logo gave birth to the nickname. And with the influence of the hip-hop community, the nickname became a symbol of the city they proudly represent.
How Did Dallas Get the Name Triple D?
The term “Triple D” started making noise among locals in Dallas in the 90s and onwards. It all began when several Dallas hip-hop music artists noticed the old City of Dallas logo.
Since the logo can be found everywhere, the D symbol, which looks like three Ds piled together, became an icon. Many local rappers then started referring to Dallas as Triple D to represent where they came from.
As such, the influence of rappers and other hip-hop artists spread across some of the locals of Dallas.
It All Started With the Logo
The old City of Dallas logo celebrated its 50th anniversary in August. Anyone who lived in Dallas throughout the 80s and 90s can attest to how popular this logo was at the time.
The logo has three blue concentric lines forming the letter D, with a tree symbol at its center. As advocated by the City of Dallas, the logo is a subtle representation of the city’s quality of life. The tree in the center stands for environmental growth and concern.
The logo first appeared on August 10, 1972, during the city’s 1972 to 1973 annual budget presentation.
The Triple D Movie (Dirty Dirty Dallas)
The 2014 gangster movie titled “The Triple D” helped boost the identity of the Triple D nickname. The movie tells the story of three young men struggling to find a better life as they try to survive the streets of Dallas.
The Triple D was directed by Juan Salas in collaboration with Dallas rapper Mista E as the film’s writer. It gave the typical gangster movie genre a Dallas twist as it drew on the city’s gangs and local hip-hop culture.
Juan Salas worked with many of the rap community and Dallas, which inspired him to make the movie. This was after he learned more about the collective experiences of these communities.
As such, he and Mista E agreed that the city was criminally misunderstood. 7 years later, the film’s sequel, Triple D Revenge, was released under the writing and direction of Mista E.
The cast of The Triple D movie included a variety of Dallas hip-hop music artists such as:
- Don Chief
- Mr. Lucci
- T Cash
- Pooca Leroy
- Lil Man
- Bay Bay Hollywood
- Yusef Abdur-Rizzaaq
- Fat Pimp
- Dorrough Music
Gangs in the City of Dallas
The influence of hip-hop culture goes hand in hand with the city’s gangs and street life. With hip-hop being one of the main means of expression for different gangs, Triple D became more of a flag of identity.
You’re likely to hear more of the term from rappers and gang members as they use it to represent themselves. Triple D may not be as common as other Dallas nicknames, but it certainly is in the gang hoods of the city.
Rappers Who Mentioned Triple D in Their Song Lyrics
Rap songs and artists heavily draw inspiration from where they come from. More often than not, these artists will always have a track or album about the city they were born and raised in.
Dallas rappers are no exception to this, as a handful of rap songs mention the name Triple D in their lyrics. Here are some of those rappers and the title of their songs:
| Artist | Song Title | Lyrics |
| Str8drop Mega | Triple D | “Born and raised in that Triple D, yeah we made up in that Triple D” |
| Big Chief featuring Dorrough Music, A Bay Bay, and Tae | Triple D Anthem | “Triple D stand up, dirty, dirty Dallas” |
| Yung Furr | Triple D | “Triple D, Triple D, Triple D, I’m a pretty boy from the dirty south” |
| Tonyjr | Ton-Tastic | “Funk to that Triple D funk” |
| Tr3y Tr3y | The Representative | “This is how we do in Triple D, now you know what’s up” |
Other Popular Nicknames for Dallas
Apart from Triple D, there are other nicknames that Dallas is known for, including:
1. Big D
Dallas was considered the Big D of Texas due to how big and well-off the city was, sitting over three counties. There was also a musical song titled “Big D” back in 1956 that helped popularize the term.
2. Metroplex
The term Metroplex originally started in 1970 with “Southwest Metroplex.” It was the North Texas Commission (NTC) that copyrighted the term and used it as an identity of their allied communities.
3. DFW
DFW is likely the most common name for Dallas, especially the Dallas-Fort Worth area. Dallas and Fort Worth built the DFW Regional Airport in 1973, which gave birth to the term DFW.
Dallas Name FAQs
What Other Nicknames Was Dallas Known For?
Dallas is known for various nicknames that tell the city’s story and diversity in culture. Among all the handles, the most popular and dominant would have to be the Big D.
Other Dallas nicknames include:
- D-Town
- Metroplex
- City of Hate
- Pegasus City
- DTX
Why Is Dallas Called the Big D?
The name Big D first appeared in the Dallas Morning News print in 1933. In 1950, it eventually became the title of a famous column by one of its writers, Paul Crume.
Although, it was the song Big D from the musical The Most Happy Fella in 1956 that made the term pop off.
References;
- City of Dallas logo history: twitter.com/CityofDallas
- The Triple D movie: dallasobserver.com
- Gang divisions in Dallas county: dallascounty.org
- Gang presence in DFW: star-telegram.com
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Christian Linden is a seasoned writer and contributor at Texas View, specializing in topics that resonate with the Texan community. With over a decade of experience in journalism, Christian brings a wealth of knowledge in local politics, culture, and lifestyle. He holds a Bachelor's degree in Communications from the University of Texas. When he's not writing, Christian enjoys spending weekends traveling across Texas with his family, exploring everything from bustling cities to serene landscapes.
