Teen Slang · Social & friendship

What does “Dap up” mean?

Greeting with a fist-bump or handshake. 'Dap me up.'

Where “Dap up” comes from

AAVE greeting term dating to the 1960s.

Why teens actually say it

Friendly acknowledgment among peers.

What it means for you as a parent

Benign.

How it’s used

  • “Yo, come dap me up before you leave.” A friendly bid for connection. Warm guy-to-guy greeting ritual.
  • “We dapped up after the game like nothing happened.” Patching things over without words. Casual reconciliation.

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