Today we delve into the history of one of the oldest memes and one that has made the most rivers of (digital) ink flow in recent times on the Internet, the so-called ‘Thug Life’ which, translated from English, would come to say something like ‘Gang life.’ In other words, someone who has had a ‘Thug life’ has had a hard life, on the street, like those we see in Hollywood thrillers set on the streets of Los Angeles.
One of the earliest appropriations of the term ‘Thug Life’ to communicate a message goes back to the late Tupac Shakur’s rap song ‘Thug for Life.’ In general, ‘Thug Life’Â has always been associated with gang members, neighborhood gangsters, and other regular characters of rap themes, more specifically in the Gansta-Rap subgenre, themes whose content revolved around stories of street life, weapons, drugs, crime, and sex, always from the perspective of the heterosexual man.
Later, the phrase “I didn’t choose the thug life, the thug life chose me,” attributed to the rapper Tupac, also played an important role in the meme’s appearance.
Of course, the arrival of ‘Thug Life’ on social networks, more specifically YouTube, ‘came hand in hand with irony, sarcasm, hyperbole, and satire. We use ‘Thug Life’ when we see someone ‘putting someone else in their place’ (also known as ‘Zap, all over the mouth’). The ‘Thug Life’ has been widely used, for example, in our country, in the interventions of commentators on political issues, such as the video that I link below. No meme is complete without the overlay of the caption ‘Thug Life’ and a pair of sunglasses superimposed on the ‘thug’ causer. And we all know that a badass with sunglasses is badass for two.
The meme was created. There is no shortage of characters in social networks who put others in their place with arguments and proven facts. And for every character who deserves the emblem of ‘Thug Life,’ there will be an Internet user to put the sunglasses on. These are some of the best ‘Thug Life’ memes on the networks.
THE BEGINNING OF EVERYTHING
There are always those who open the door, and, in this case, it was this video in which a boy appears showing his foam bullet gun and, not knowing what it is called, says that perhaps it is called ‘Fuck you. ‘ We believe that it does not need translation. Here the usual sunglasses had not yet appeared. Of course, this video went viral when a Reddit forum user shared it online.
BEING A CAT IS HARD TOO
Be careful. The ‘Thug Life’ meme is not only starring humans but also cats. What other animal but our beloved cats could star in some memes that reflect the hard life of the street, right?
AND BEING A DOG IS NOT FAR BEHIND EITHER
Dog fans should not be alarmed that they have starred in harsh street scenes where they have had to put everything on the spit. Because behind that goofy smile, that drooling and tail wagging, and those clumsy movements that some make hide a lifetime of crimes and delinquency, let’s not go too far.
THUG LIFE FROM EARLIEST CHILDHOOD
From a child who sings the Madrid anthem to, seconds later, define himself as a culé, to another whose all he does is imitate his father’s swear words, to another who gets an entire audience to follow his movements by heart, these children are of arms to take Since they were little they have suffered, in their flesh, the harsh life of the streets. And this video remains a testimony to it.
THUG LIFE… BUT FOR REAL
Before, we commented that the ‘Thug Life’ meme is usually used when a person gives a tremendous blow to another or has a very cocky attitude towards life, much like a gang member. On other occasions, ‘Thug Life’ is used literally to illustrate real-life characters who have not had it easy and have been involved in drugs and other criminal activities. Like, for example, the boy who will never die of an overdose but who will hit something else.
MYTHICAL THUG LIFE
Some take advantage of mythical moments on television that are authentic ‘Thug Life’ to add the laughing cigarette and sunglasses, like this one from the 90s program ‘Al Ataque’ in which an egg is thrown at a boy and …well, if you haven’t seen it, don’t lose detail.
A VERY SINCERE THUG LIFE
In what seems like a kind of ‘Spain Direct’ in a Lottery office, a young man is asked about the numbers he plays. In the conversation, of course, how unlikely he has to win appears and what he would spend the money on if awarded. We think the answer will not surprise you since it makes all the sense with a ‘real thug life.’
IN CONGRESS, THERE IS ALSO THUG LIFE
If you want to see our country’s politicians throwing shit left and right, with better manners and better fortune on some occasions than others, here we leave you with a compilation full of them. Seven minutes to put our hands to our heads.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ea2TPXFqGq8
THE STREET LIFE OF THE SOCCER PLAYER
If there is a profession that lends itself to cockiness, that is that of a soccer player. And this compilation does not come to anything other than to demonstrate it to the letter. No other footballer can open the video than Cristiano Ronaldo, an expert in outbursts, self-centeredness, and public demonstrations of what a great player he is.
I am a writer with eight years of experience writing in business and technology. I always carry a passion for learning and discovering new knowledge.