Turn your swag off.

Hip Hop goes through many waves of catch phrases.  The lastest is the term “swag” or “swaager.”  Urbandictionary.com defines swag as:

1. apperance, style or the way he or she presents themselves

2. the way one carries themselves

Lately, however, “swag” has really oversaturated the radio and hip hop in general.  “Swag” really made it’s way on to main stream radio stations with M.I.A.’s “Paper Planes” which was sampled in “Swagga Like Us” by Kanye West, Jay-Z, Lil’ Wayne and T.I.  It was then that the suburbs and top 40 stations started to use the term “swag” on a regular basis.

Then Soulja Boy dropped his latest single “Turn My Swag On.”  There is nothing to the song, but somehow, like a lot of Soulja Boy songs, it’s a hit.  It makes you feel good.  The beat goes hard and the lyrics are so simple there is now way they cannot get stuck in your head.  “Turn My Swag On,” solidfied the term “swag” in modern day lyrics.

Now “swag” is being thrown at us from all angles to the point where many people don’t even think about it any more.  It is a lyrics in all sorts of songs from “Turnin’ Me On” by Keri Hilson feat. Lil’ Wayne and Ciara “Pucker Up (Kiss my Swag)” to “Too Much Swag” by Ocean’s 7 feat. Bow Wow.

Personally, I tired of it.  I was feelin’ it, but not anymore.  It’s become a “bling bling” or a “bro” where I’d rather not hear it.  It is no longer orginial.  The term “swag” has lost its “swag.”  I get it, I’m just ready for a new word.