Up north

From Rap Dictionary

interjection

up north

1. Being up north means being in prison. The prison in question is Clinton Correctional Facility. It is about 250 miles north of NYC. 2Pac was imprisoned here, and gives a shout-out on "Picture Me Rollin".
   • Mobb Deep, Up North Trip, The Infamous
   • "I knew her man, he was just up north" -- Jadakiss (Knock Yourself Out, Kiss Tha Game Goodbye (2001))
2. The north. "A Tribe Called Quest, we representing up north" -- A Tribe Called Quest (Motivators [1996])

In Minneapolis, amongst Native American people, "up north" refers to the Ojibway Reservations in northern Minnesota, ie. Leech Lake, Red Lake, Mille Lacs, White Earth, etc.