Today, we will answer the question, “why do rappers hold up 4 fingers?” There are many common meanings to this hand gesture. Let’s get started.
People around the globe love to hear and perform rapping. They have a different level of obsession and love for the rap artists they most admire. Rappers are known for their charisma and inspire their fans. They are also celebrities who can be a great inspiration to young people.
The full article about how celebrities inspire people can be found here. You may have noticed that rappers hold their hands up while rapping. Have you ever wondered why? Is there a reason for this gesture? We understand that you may have many questions about this topic. That’s why we are here to answer all of them. This article will help you understand why do rappers hold up 4 fingers? Let’s start.
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What is 4 Fingers Up?
The act of holding up four fingers can also be called throwing up fours, or tossing fours. You can make the sign by holding up four fingers and pointing your palm at your chest with your palm.
Rappers and wannabes often modify the original sign’s four-finger-up sign to make a unique gesture. This is done by placing the middle and ring fingers overlaid, and leaving the index and pinky fingers open. The thumb is then folded into the palm.
Famous rappers like Tupac Shakur popularized this simple gesture in the 80s, 90s. This gesture, unlike many other trends of that era has remained popular for decades and is still very much in demand even in 2022.
What does it mean when rappers hold up 4 fingers?
Rappers are known to hold up four fingers in order to represent the West Coast or West Side. Snoop Dogg and Dr. This gesture was popularized by Dre and Tupac Shakur with accented beat gestures. They are all West Cost!
When serenading, a large ‘W’ sign is held up to the four fingers. This is done to show respect for the West Coast homeland and solidarity with West Coast fans.
Urban Dictionary users must be aware that the Westside hand gesture is a sign of innocent teenage fun. It was originally from Florida.
To indicate which blocks they were coming from, people would raise their 4 fingers. These areas include Broward County and Pompano Beach as well as Oakland Park and North Lauderdale.
DaBaby is one of the most popular young rappers of all time. He explained exactly what he meant when he asked a middle-aged white woman to “put fours” and include a ring and middle finger in a photograph.
The gang sign of four fingers held up is believed to have originated in Florida. It’s quite funny when a middle-aged white woman makes this gesture. A four-finger indicates maximum effort and the fourth quarter of a game. This is a sign to raise awareness about mental health. The Canadian Women’s Foundation has made the silent warning sign of danger, four-finger, a popular one.
But celebrities will often start to show off their fours. This is why the trend is so popular on social media.
5 Another reason why do rappers hold up 4 fingers
1. You’re In Danger
A TikTok viral video showed a four-finger hand gesture that can be used to help someone in trouble. The “secret signal” is as simple as tucking your thumb in your palm and holding your four fingers straight up. Next, fold your fingers to make a fist.
This graphic will help you understand how to do this hand gesture.
Source: Women’s Funding Network
2. Four Fingers In Football
Dictionary.tn writes that “When the clock ends at the end of the third period, teams raise four fingers to signal the start of the most crucial 15 minutes of play.” The fourth quarter is where legends are made and games are won. Fourth quarters are the reason players put so much effort into the running and weightlifting in the offseason.”
Perhaps the gesture of four fingers being raised is a nod to the “beast mode”, which players use to be in. People encourage others to put their best foot forward and walk into every area of their lives. No matter what your goal is, whether it’s to pursue a career or message potential dates on Tinder.
3. Gang Sign
You can also use the gang sign of holding up four fingers. Urban Dictionary says that the gesture of “4’s up”, which is used to signify your “hood” or “block in Florida, is used to indicate whether you are representing north Lauderdale, pompano Beach, Oakland Park, or Broward County.
4. Mental Health Awareness
In 2017, there was a massive movement to raise awareness about mental health issues through the holding of 4 fingers in photos. This hand gesture is meant to symbolize that one in four people suffer from mental illness.
This trend was supported by huge celebrities such as Russell Brand, Kristin Bell, and Tom Brady. MTV.co.uk claims that this trend was actually part of a BBC mental health campaign (the #1in4 campaign). This campaign was about breaking down stigmatization and starting a dialogue around mental illness.
Although the campaign was ended in 2017, you might still see celebrity selfies with their four fingers up.
5. TikTok Meme
Urban Dictionary users defined the gesture of holding four fingers up as a signal to others that you are gay and scared to come out. It is possible to conclude that this symbol was used only in jokes or as a troll post.
This Urban Dictionary entry inspired TikTok to create a trend where people hold up four fingers and joke about homosexuality.
Urban Dictionary saw a huge influx of spam definitions for “4 fingers up” between March 2022 and April 2022. Many definitions of the hand symbol indicate that it is used to denote homosexuality or being in love. Below are some examples.
@mechantpadre
Goofy ahh
Smh. You sound stupid af, and write like you got DS. FOH with this goofy shit