Meaning
What does Boujee mean?
Boujee is a slang mostly used by the black community, meaning someone who is “high class”, wealthy and living life deluxe, yet coming from a poor or less fortunate past.
A person who is boujee is rich and fancy now, but still keeps in touch with their roots in the “hood”, as they built themselves up from poverty.
The slang can be easily confused with the very similar “bougie”, which has a slight different meaning.
“Bougie” is an insult towards someone who is living a middle class lifestyle, boring and grey, and always wanting and striving for something more.
A bougie will often wear expensive brands or drive an expensive car that they cannot fully afford to prove that they are wealthy and “high class”, yet they are not, and everyone knows.
Origin
What's the origin of Boujee?
Both slangs come from the French words “bourgeois”, a term used to describe something that is exclusive, expensive and high class, hence, all terms are interconnected, just viewed from different perspectives.
Spread & Usage
How did Boujee spread?
As both terms sound the same in conversation, they are used interchangeably.
However, the “boujee” version of the term are mostly used by the black community for someone who has built themselves up to wealth, while the “bougie” version would more likely be used about the white population, describing middle-class people buying overly expensive stuff.
The slang(s) gained increased popularity from the famous eight-week top hit “Bad and Boujee” by Migos.
