up north

• up North (sense 2)

From up +‎ north. The sense 2 comes from the fact that that in New York state many prisons are located in the northern part of the state.

up north (not comparable)

1. In the northern part of an area, country etc.

   Antonym: down south

   Coordinate terms: back east, out west

   She spent a few years up north.

3. (hip-hop slang, New York City) in jail, in prison
   • 1994, Method Man, “All I Need”, in Tical‎^[1]:

     Even if I'm locked up North you in the world
     Rocking three-fourths of cloth, never showing your stuff off, boo

   • 1995, Masta Ace Incorporated, “People in my Hood”, in Sittin' on Chrome‎^[2]:

     And when the fella be walkin' you can tell a
     Whole lotta sugar's in his core
     Feed the soft, he be hittin' off
     He heads fresh home from up North

• “up north”, in Urban Dictionary, launched 1999.

• Northup