guap

While its exact origins aren’t certain, the term guap may be shortened from the Spanish guapo or guapa, meaning “handsome” or “pretty.” It may have originated from drug-dealing slang in Harlem, New York, to refer to a “handsome sum” or “pretty penny” of money earned. Another theory suggests gwop, an acronym for George Washington On Paper.

And now, get ready for some music …

According to The Right Rhymes hip-hop dictionary, the first time guap appeared in a rap song was in Nelly’s 2004 “Grand Hang Out.” This isn’t about a big group of friends kicking back in style but having a thousand dollars dangling out of his pocket. In it, Nelly raps: “Fuck a handout, I been gettin guap since way back.”

Guap was popularized by rapper Big Sean, whose 2012 single “Guap” charted for 12 weeks. Backed by Trinidadian drums, Big Sean (with Kanye West) raps: “This to all of my enemies that seeing me gettin’ guap right now / Seeing me gettin’ guap right now, seeing me gettin’ guap right now.”

Rapper Cardi B, who soundtracked much of the popular music in summer 2018, hooked her single “Bickenhead” that year with “Guap, guap get some chicken / guap guap get some bread.” Maybe she wanted some guac? No, chicken and bread are also some tasty slang terms for money, like cheddar and clams.

Elsewhere in guap tracks, Toronto-based rapper Killy released a 2018 track called “Guap.” He raps in the chorus:”Hey, call me Guapanese, smoke that cheddar cheese.”