slap
/slap/verb · noun
Meaning
In informal slang, to slap means to be exceptionally good, especially to have a powerful, catchy, or satisfying musical impact. The verb is usually used intransitively, as in this song slaps. The noun can refer to a song or track with that effect, while newer usage also applies the word to food, shows, performances, and other things people find excellent.[1]
- 1. To be exceptionally good or impressive, especially of a song, beat, album, or performance.
- 2. A song or piece of music that hits with strong rhythm, bass, or overall energy.
- 3. By extension, to be highly enjoyable or effective in contexts such as food, television, games, or creative work.
Examples
“This song slaps so hard I had to replay it.”
“The bass on that track absolutely slaps.”
“Anyone got some slaps for the road trip?”
“That garlic bread slaps, not gonna lie.”
“The new episode slaps from start to finish.”
Origin and spread
The ordinary verb slap is centuries old and originally referred to striking with an open hand; its sound and force also made it available for figurative extensions. The modern slang sense is generally associated with California hip-hop culture, especially the Bay Area scene, in the early 2000s, where a song that hit hard through a car's speakers could be described as slapping. The term later spread beyond regional music talk through hip-hop, online communities, and social media. Some accounts connect the expression specifically with E-40 and Bay Area rap, but the available record does not establish a single certain inventor. The extension from music to food and other enjoyable things became increasingly common as the slang entered wider internet usage.
How to use it
Slap is informal, enthusiastic, and most natural in sentences such as this beat slaps or that song slaps. It is especially associated with music and with Bay Area hip-hop slang, although broader online usage now applies it to many kinds of excellence. Some Bay Area speakers prefer slap for music and use smack for food, so calling a meal a slap may sound like an outsider's extension rather than a local usage. The form slaps is the most common everyday form when the subject is a song or track.
