Big up
Also spelled: bigup, big up yuhself
Meaning
To praise, celebrate or publicly give respect to someone. Used as a verb (to big up a person) and as a standalone salute acknowledging someone's presence or achievement.
Examples
-
“Big up yuhself, mi bredren!”
Respect to you, my friend!
The most common form — a direct salute.
-
“Mi waan big up di whole a mi family.”
I want to give respect to my whole family.
-
“Di selecta big up di crowd before him drop di tune.”
The DJ saluted the crowd before playing the song.
Standard dancehall and sound-system usage.
Origin
Built from English "big" used as a verb with the intensifying particle "up", a productive pattern in Patois (compare "mash up", "buss up"). Spread internationally through dancehall and sound-system culture from the 1980s onward.
How it's used
Warm and public by nature — it is an acknowledgement meant to be heard by others. Now common in British and North American slang, often without the original sense of showing respect.