Wednesday, May 20, 2009

The REAL Deal About Swagg....

We've all heard it by now...we've all heard others saying or singing about it...we may have even caught ourselves adding it to our own vernacular. The new "it" word in the urban, contemporary world has hit the scenes like a tsunami: SWAGG.

Personally, I do believe that swagg is a viable word with a proper definition. I define swagg as having a certain confidence which exudes oneself in the way he or she carries him or herself, handles business, and conducts daily life. We've all seen it too! Ladies, we know when a young man has bonefied, official swagg! The way he walks, talks, dresses...even the most mundane things he does spell c-o-n-f-i-d-e-n-c-e. Fellas, yall have seen it in women as well. That woman walking by with her head held high, smelling good, looking nice, and handling her business....Miss Independent, if you will.

However, let us stop and think about how the word swagg is being thrown around as an adjective instead of a verb. I have now seen and heard, in the past few weeks, so many young people referring to themselves as having a certain insurmountable amount of swagg predicated by:1.) how much money they make, 2.) how cute/fine they (think they) are, 3.) the car they drive, 4.) the house or apartment they live in, and/or 5.) other temporal THINGS that shall fade away.

But you know...I am starting to wonder about how much thought this widely coined phrase evokes when being constantly over-used. Do the people always keeping this word in the forefront of their everyday diction really even have the swagg they claim to have? For me, I struggle to believe this so-called level of swaggerdom you've achieved if you are always speaking on it, making mention of it, or drawing attention to it. Do you really have swagg if you have to TELL everyone that you have swagg? Does your standard of what swagg truly is even classify you as having swagg? For me, having stacks of benjamins, driving a nice car, and looking nice is not a major proponent of the formula that yields swagg.

I'd like to think someone who has arrived at a level of achievement in life that allows them to live comfortably and confidently while maintaining a quiet humility about themselves is the true characteristic of REAL swagg. Someone who oozes confidence, professionalism, intelligence, and wisdom without saying one word. Someone who makes you feel an extra iota of security all because their presence is near....REAL swagg is not an adjective, it is a verb...it is a state of mind and being. Not something to describe yourself, but a way in which you carry and govern yourself. It is someone who never ever thinks of himself (or herself) more highly than he ought (Romans 12:2-3: 2 And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God. 3For I say, through the grace given unto me, to every man that is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think; but to think soberly, according as God hath dealt to every man the measure of faith.)....


Think about it....real Swagg doesnt need accolades, compliments, or statements about how much swagg he or she has..it just is. It is a state of mind and being that exists without being boisterous. Gentleman (and ladies) take note...humble yourselves, stop thinking more highly of yourself than you ought...just let your swagg do its own talking.

3 comments:

A.Smith said...

You hit the nail on the head.

If you have to tell me you have "swagg" I already know that you really don't. People with swagg don't talk about it because that's just who they are. It doesn't occur to them to mention it.

Sort of like it never occurs to me to say "I'm black" or "I'm a female" because I just am. You can see that. I don't need to point it out.

Meanwhile, though, the use of "swagg" has gotten ridiculous. I maintain my rule that the only people who can use it are those who remember when we called it "steelo" LOL.

SpkTRUTH2Pwr said...

I like this read. It is true that swagg, like most tings, ends up being misinterpreted and used to describe temporal things that have little to do with the character of a person and the qualities they exude.

Tunde said...

what?

i got swag! my sh*t is on a hundred gizzilion trillion. why you jocking my swag?

swag tag you're it. people really sound like this though. lol.

you have to check out this video. hilarious.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IdsAFI1IHf8