Are you with friends, and they're leaving to drive through a bad part of town? If you want to tell them the importance of carrying a firearm for self-protection, you could ask them to "stay strapped or get clapped."
This colloquial phrase has plenty of use in modern society and telling someone to "stay strapped or get clapped" can have serious or comical overtones and even sarcastic use in some cases.
Let's unpack everything you need to know about using "stay strapped or get clapped" in conversation. We'll also look at its meaning and origin.
Stay Strapped or Get Clapped Meaning
"Stay strapped or get clapped" has its roots in hip-hop street culture. It's a popular phrase from the 90s, where gang members would refer to firearms as "straps."
No one knows why this nickname for guns stuck with the community, but it's still in use today. Some experts theorize that the term "strap" comes from the Concealed Carry Technique and the use of a belt to holster the gun "Mexican style," without a holster.
Stay strapped or get clapped means to have your gun on you, or you run the risk of someone else killing you in a gunfight. It's a common phrase in high-stress socio-economic scenarios in poverty-stricken areas around the United States.
You can use "stay strapped or get clapped" when talking to yourself, other people, or referencing other people's actions.
Stay Strapped or Get Clapped Example Usage
"I'm heading downtown to meet some shady people, gotta stay strapped or get clapped."
"Yo Devine, you carrying?" "Sure, man, stay strapped or get clapped."
"We are rolling into these cats' hood right now; everyone got their biscuits? Gotta stay strapped or get clapped."
"If you out on the street at night, gotta stay strapped or get clapped."
Stay Strapped or Get Clapped Origin
Language experts can't identify the first use of "stay strapped or get clapped" in language. Some experts believe the phrase has roots in 90s hip-hop street culture. During this time, "gangster rap" was a popular theme in hip-hop, with many top artists rapping about their personal use of firearms in their lives.
"Staying strapped" was a common term in the 90s. We can see it in the 1993 film "Menace to Society," Where Cain asks Old Dogg, "Yo Dogg, you strapped?" Being strapped was a common phrase in the 90s, and it's still alive and well in hip-hop and street culture communities around the world.
The phrase is a common subject of memes, and it first appeared on Reddit in 2010. The Urban dictionary only recognized the expression in 2020, adding it to the site's library of street culture terms.
Phrases Similar to Stay Strapped or Get Clapped
- Locked and loaded.
- Kill or be killed.
- I got the nine.
- Always alert, always aware.
Phrases Opposite to Stay Strapped or Get Clapped
- I believe in a gun-free America.
- Who really needs a gun?
- Why carry a gun on me in a safe city?
What is the Correct Saying?
- Stay strapped or get clapped.
Ways People May Say Stay Strapped or Get Clapped Incorrectly
Some people may use the term in the wrong context or confuse the "clapped" part of the phrase with the physical act of clapping. The phrase is not suitable for use in professional situations.
Acceptable Ways to Phrase Stay Strapped or Get Clapped
You can use "stay strapped or get clapped" in social settings. Typically, people that use the term are familiar with street culture and have a hip-hop influence in their lives. You can also use the term when referring to yourself or other people.