What Does the Slang Phrase “Dabbed Up” Mean?

“Dabbed Up” Meaning & Usage

“Dabbed up” is when you greet a friend with an elaborate handshake. It can include many different gestures, like snaps, slaps, fist bumps, and more. It also refers to any handshake you share with a close friend. There’s no right or wrong way to dap someone up. In fact, people often create their own unique daps. Many athletes use the dap with teammates before a game or to celebrate after scoring a goal or making an impressive play. For example, dab up the point guard on your basketball team after they drain a 3-pointer. Or if you’re talking about it, say, “I dabbed up Winston after he drained that 3-pointer at the end of the third quarter,” or “Jay dabbed up Evan in the hall between fifth and sixth periods.”

"Dabbing up" can also mean performing the dab dance move. Dabbing – a dance move made popular by the rap group Migos – starts with one arm pointed upwards towards the sky. Then the dancer bends their other arm and bows their head into the inside of their elbow like they’re sneezing or dabbing sweat off their brow. They then bang their head into their elbow a few times. Finally, they straighten their arms and switch sides. A dancer might take the dance to the next level by walking, hopping, or shaking their hips. They can also wave their hands in the air or swing their arms from side to side as as they switch sides.

Is it “dabbing” or “dapping”?

Many feel “dabbing” and “dapping” can be used interchangeably. Traditionally, the slang term “dapping” refers to saying hello to a friend with a fancy handshake. “Dabbing” refers to doing the dab dance. It’s sometimes used as a slang term to describe a method for preparing THC oil. Recently, however, the term is more often used to refer to the greeting, especially in more general conversations. Using “dabbed up” interchangeably with “dapped up” probably started as a mistake, but then caught on. While “dabbing” refers to performing the dance, “dabbed up” doesn’t usually refer to dancing.

How to Dab (or Dap) Someone Up

Use a fist bump as a simple way to dab/dap someone up. The simplest way to dab/dap someone up is to make a fist and hold it out with your knuckles facing forward. Your friend does the same, and you push your knuckles together. Unless you and your friend have come up with a unique dab/dap, the fist bump is appropriate for most situations and familiar to most people. So, when in doubt, fist bump it out. There is an almost limitless number of variations for dabs/daps, so there’s no way to tell which dap is going down unless you have an established dab/dap with your friend.

Try using a pound to customize your dab/dap. To perform this dab/dap, hold out your fist with your thumb facing up. Bump the top of your friend’s fist with the bottom of your fist, then vice versa. Both of you then open your hands and slap them together. Then, slide your hand away from theirs, catching your fingertips on theirs to make a snapping sound. This dab/dap is also commonly called a vertical fist bump. To make this dab/dap your own, add a fist bump or another fist pound or snap.

Add a pound hug to make your dab/dap more affectionate. Show your bro extra love by extending your hand like you're about to give a handshake. When your friend grasps your hand, pull them in for a quick half-hug while holding their hand at chest level. Tilt your head to the side and use your free hand to firmly pat their back. This greeting is also known as the bro hug and is usually saved for close friends.

Origins of the Dap

Black G.I.s created the dap during the Vietnam War as a symbol of unity. The dap (an acronym for “dignity and pride”) was a combination of hand and body gestures that allowed Black soldiers to show each other solidarity during the Vietnam War. It was another way to reaffirm that they would look out for each other in camp and out in the “boonies” (what they called the jungle). Since white soldiers and officers falsely believed the dap was a way to secretly plan insurrection, some Black soldiers were punished or forced out of the military for giving the dap. After the war, soldiers continued to use the dap to greet friends after they got back home to the U.S.

“Dab Me Up” Meme & Emoji

A “dab me up” emoji was used to create a meme on social media. This emoji was originally custom-drawn as an emote for the mobile game Mafia City where it was called the “Stronger Than You” emote. Players used it to mock others in the in-game chat. In early 2020 the emote was used to create responses on Reddit before becoming a reaction on Discord in 2021. In January 2021, Twitter user @DoubleJTheG posted the emote with a hand and the text, "Dab me up." Twitter user @FUNDIESplatinum posted the emote with the text “I gotchu fam” a few days later. User @goodkiddropout responded to a comment on the same thread from @ItsAxel_meme by posting the meme with the text "ight." Over the next few months, Twitter users continued to post versions of the meme with new text.