What is swag?

Swag is the new cool. It could be style, appearance or just the way you carry yourself. It can be used as a noun (“I got swag”) or a verb (“he swagged into the room”).

It all began when...

Swag was probably derived from “swagger”, which means to “to walk with an air of overbearing self-confidence”. The word “swagger” was reborn in the modern world when hip hop artistes (like rapper Jay-Z) began to use it in lyrics. In the virtual world, swag also implies “free merchandise handed out to people who attend events”.

Swag controversy:

When Lady Gaga’s Burqa song leaked online last year, Twitter was flooded with fans posting pictures of themselves with towels, blankets and shirts wrapped around their faces with the hashtag #burqaswag. Of course, it didn’t go down well with all.

Don’t mistake ‘swag’ for:

• Sports Writers Association of Ghana

• Secretly We Are Gay

• Sex With A Girl

• Saved With Amazing Grace

• Shoot With A Gun

• Okay, are you Still Wondering and Guessing?

Robert Downey Jr

He has a 20-year-old son but girls want him instead. He’s been in some of the top-grossing movies of all times. He’s been arrested and been to rehab (more than once) for drug addiction. But this swagger don’t care.

Rihanna

All them girls be checking my bags

While they be jockin' my swag

I guess you know I’m bad

From her Bad Girl lyrics to a red carpet gown, concert crop top or double denims, RiRi can make even a piece of cloth look swag.

G-Dragon

Swag must’ve been invented to describe G-Dragon, the K-pop superstar who’s making all the right noise (read: music). He has international fashion designers lining up to dress him, but what he turns up best in is his own unique style — whether it’s electric blue hair or gold grills in his teeth.

Madonna

Even at age 55 she dares tell fans to shove flowers up her a** (read: Reddit AMA). She can even make seasoned talk show host Jimmy Fallon break into a sweat during interviews. And she still makes Beyonce, Rihanna, Shakira and all the ya-ya sisters bow down before her.

Rajinikanth

Rajinikanth doesn’t have swag. Swag has Rajinikanth.

barack Obama

Mr Obama put swag in swagger. He gives fist bumps to White House workers. Last month, he hit the streets of Washington and said a quick hello to hotdog sellers and basketball players. “Are you real?” asked a young girl, prompting Obama to give her a hug. Yes, he’s real. And, he’s swag. His wife Michelle knew what she was saying when she said in an interview, “I always say my husband has got swag.”

Salman Khan

Swag was coined for Salman. At 48, Salman can make a million heads turn as soon as he swaggers into a room. The coolest of the Khans — Shah Rukh is intelligent, Aamir is intense — Salman’s bad boy appeal floors women from six to 60. And where else would you find a man with so many male fans? Bhai rules!