Meaning
What does Stay Strapped or Get Clapped mean?
Stay Strapped or Get Clapped is a slang expression, conveying the hood wisdom of “either you’re armed or your body is hauled”.
It is an urban variation of the colloquial expression “kill or be killed”, perfectly summing up the weapon policy of the United States.
“Stay Strapped or Get Clapped” is a phrase, heavily influenced by African American slang, and was popularized in slang thanks to the spread of hip-hop culture.
Origin
What's the origin of Stay Strapped or Get Clapped?
It is hard to determine the origin of the phrase, as hip hop culture is known for producing lines of street wisdom, adorned with ghetto slang and rhymes.
“Stay Strapped or Get Clapped” could be traced back to the 90s, to the golden age of hip hop and gang violence, where “staying strapped” might indeed have saved someone’s life.
Both the words “Strapped” and “Clapped” are popular hood slangs, where the former means armed, alluding to the strap of a gun holster, while “Clapped” refers to the capping, popping sound of a fatal gunshot. Both expressions are heavily referenced in rap lyrics.
Spread & Usage
How did Stay Strapped or Get Clapped spread?
The phrase would appear online in the late 2010s, predominantly on memes on sites like Reddit, iFunny, MemeDroid or YouTube, making fun of the heavy gun violence, present in the United States.
“Stay Strapped or Get Clapped” was first defined on Urban Dictionary in 2020.
Since its inception, the expression has spawned a large amount of content online, as well as image macro memes, reaction GIFs, as well as merchandise, usually depicting an artistic rendition of the founding fathers, like George Washington, along with the phrase.
External resources
- Urban Dictionary – Stay strapped or get clapped