The thing with the English language is, it is so complex that often we can hear some phrases that sound alien to us, and we might think – what does that mean exactly?

Dap me up is a phrase that has been used in the past that some people might be unfamiliar with. Essentially, it’s a way of requesting a greeting from a friend or colleague. In most uses, it’s a way to ask someone to give you a fist bump or handshake. 

Indeed, to give dap is to give someone fist bump or a greeting. Of course though, you’ll likely be wondering where this phrase came from and how you might use it.

So, if you’re looking for more information about this phrase – read on to learn more. 

Dap Me Up 

So, let’s get started with the meaning of the phrase dap me up. 

The Meaning Of Dap Me Up 

So, as we mentioned, if you were to ask someone to “dap me up”, you are basically asking them to provide you with a greeting. One of the most common ways to greet someone in the modern era is to give them a fist bump.

This is basically where someone with a closed fist will touch your closed fist as a way of saying hello, thank you, good luck or a well done. However, it can go further than this. 

As a greeting, someone might decide to provide a handshake or a high five which could be their preference. However, whatever the way someone will give you dap – the phrase still means the same thing. 

In short, if you ask someone to dap you up, you’re asking for a greeting or as a reinforcement as a well done or positive recognition. 

Examples Of Dap Me Up 

So, at this point it’s a good idea to provide you with examples of how you might use “dap me up”. Below, you might find some scenarios in which this could happen:

“Yo man, what’s good? Dap me up brother!”. 

“Woah, that was an awesome idea! Dap me up man!”

“What an incredible basket you scored. I’m gonna dap you up friend”. 

“Come on, give me some dap – that was the best score I’ve ever had”. 

Other Ways To Say Dap Me Up 

Of course though and as you can probably guess, there are other ways that you could ask for dap and still say the same thing. Here’s some of the ways you could use this in another way:

“Yo, did you see that goal? Come on – give me some skin brother!”. 

“I can’t believe you went on a date with that guy, throw us a high five for that!”. 

“Hey man, nice to see you again – give me a fist bump man”. 

“It was so weird, I saw Frank giving John props last night. But I thought they hated each other?”. 

Origins Of Dap Me Up 

The origins of this phrase are actually much more complex than some might have thought in the first place. Experts debate where this phrase came from, but there’s two main thoughts on it.

First, people believe it likely originated from the Vietnam War where African American soldiers would ask one another to provide them with a greeting or positive reinforcement. 

However, on this point – there are many linguistic experts that think this is part of the Mandela effect, and the original saying was “tap me up”, which would have made more sense in this original context. 

The second potential origin is that dap me up is an “backronym” (an acronym that evolves from its original context), and the word “dap” stood for dignity and pride. This may also have been used during the Vietnam War. 

However, the more modern uses could have evolved into the hip-hop circuit for dignity and pride as a way to provide other artists or fans with positive reinforcement and a way to provide appreciation. 

Whichever the correct origin is, the usage of the phrase needs to be recognized as the same. When we look elsewhere, we notice that there is a wrong way to use the phrase. 

Some people incorrectly believe it to mean for a monetary loan or a description for someone “leaving you hanging” with a proposed handshake, fist bump or high five. 

Conclusion 

Dap me up is essentially a way to ask someone to provide you with a greeting like a fist bump or handshake, and it can also be a way to give someone credence for their accomplishments, hard work or something surprising they have just done.