Drip is most commonly used as a metaphor for describing someone who has a lot of swagger, and who is dripping with confidence, high fashion, money, etc. The word drip is primarily used in cases of describing outfits, for example you wouldn’t say that an event had drip, or was dripping, but you would use it to talk about yourself or a particular person at the event.
The usage of the word drip originates from rap/hip-hop and has been especially gaining popularity since 2018 in particular. ‘“Drip” was mentioned over 2,000 times in hip-hop songs released in 2018” according to data collected by Genius, and that “amount represents a 195 percent increase compared to 2017, and is quadruple the number of times that “drip” was mentioned in 2016”.
However, the exact definition and use of the term varies between artists, for example, Genius explains that rappers such as “Offset and Cardi B use the term to refer to their diamonds and wealth, while Atlanta rapper Gunna told Billboard that “drip” refers to fashion”. Either way, the term is used as another word to refer to how their clothes, jewelry, or lifestyle makes them feel, a feeling that can ultimately be described as confidence. With that being said, you do not need an abundance of wealth in order to have drip, it’s something that can be seen through how you carry yourself.
We’ve all heard the phrase “Look good, feel good, play good”, well drip does not only live within the confines of the rap game, but also in the world of sports, Basketball and Football in particular. Feeling confident is extremely important as a high level athlete, and without confidence your game can suffer greatly, causing you to perform at a level far below that of one if you are confident. All high level athletes have specific techniques of handling their confidence, and a lot of it has to do with how they look and present themselves. Players entering the tunnels into stadiums before games have become almost as sought after and anticipated as the games themselves, at least for fans of fashion. It’s at this time where the players show off their unique styles and drip, dripping with all kinds of high end fashion and jewelry, charging up their confidence before the game.
In the tunnels is one thing, but what about in the game? Every player that has drip off the court/field has their own respected drip on the court/field as well, they bring their own unique sense of style to their game through accessories/footwear and subtle uniform preferences. This way they can continue to keep their confidence level at a high while in the heat of battle. Drip isn't just something that is cool, and that these athletes aspire to attain, for them it's necessary, it’s a way of life, a part of their game.
