bop
/bop/noun
Meaning
In current internet slang, a bop is a derogatory label for someone—most often a young woman—whom the speaker judges to have many sexual partners or to present themselves online in a sexually immodest way. The word can also appear in compounds such as lala bop and school bop. This sense is separate from the older, positive use of bop for a catchy song.[2]
- 1. A person, usually a woman, whom the speaker labels sexually promiscuous or as having had many sexual partners.
- 2. A person judged to post revealing, sexually suggestive, or otherwise immodest content online, whether or not the accusation is based on fact.
- 3. In phrases such as school bop or lala bop, a person publicly singled out or shamed with the label, especially in social-media or school-related settings.
- 4. A separate informal noun for a catchy, enjoyable song, especially one that is upbeat or makes people want to dance.
Examples
“Calling her a bop because she posted a beach photo is straight-up slut-shaming.”
“They kept tagging her as a bop until she turned off comments.”
“He called himself a bop as a joke, but nobody knew which meaning he meant.”
“This song is a bop; the insult meaning is completely different here.”
Origin and spread
The modern person-directed sense has an older record in African American English slang and hip-hop usage, with circulation documented by at least the 1990s. It gained broader online visibility after rapper Almighty Rexxo released the song “Lala Bop” on May 1, 2021, followed by a TikTok trend in 2023 that used lala bop to accuse or publicly shame people, particularly young women. The shorter form bop then circulated independently in compounds such as school bop and in direct insults. The available record does not establish that this sense developed from the older musical noun bop, which is short for bebop. The two meanings now coexist, so context is essential.
How to use it
When directed at a person, bop is insulting and often misogynistic, even when presented as a joke. It is frequently aimed at women for clothing, photos, dating history, or perceived sexual behavior, and the accusation may be baseless. Do not confuse this use with the harmless musical compliment in “that song is a bop.”
Sources
- 1. Apple Music — Lala Bop - Single by Almighty RexxoSupports: earliest documented use.
- 2. TIME — Here's Why Home Depot's Theme Song Is Going Viral on TikTokSupports: meaning.
