# Glow Up Glow Up is an internet slang term describing a dramatic improvement in someone's appearance, confidence, or style, typically shown through before-and-after photo comparisons. The phrase originated from Chicago rapper Chief Keef's 2013 track "Gotta Glo Up One Day" and spread across social media as a format for sharing personal transformation photos, with a major viral moment in 2017 when LGBTQ+ users on Twitter popularized "freshman to senior year" glow up posts. ## Origin Chicago rapper Chief Keef coined the term "Glo Up" in his song "Gotta Glo Up One Day," officially released on August 15, 2013[1]. In the track, Keef raps about personal growth and his own rise to wealth[2]. The following day, a YouTuber uploaded the song, where it picked up over 160,000 views over the next several years[2]. The spelling "Glo" comes from Chief Keef's label and brand "Glory Boyz Entertainment" (later "Glo Gang"), where the shortened "Glo" was already part of his vernacular. The term quickly jumped from hip-hop slang into broader internet usage. - **Platform:** YouTube (song release), Twitter / Reddit (viral spread) - **Creator:** Chief Keef (coined the term in song) - **Date:** 2013 ## Overview A Glow Up post follows a simple before-and-after structure. Someone digs up an old photo of themselves, usually from an awkward phase like middle school or early high school, and places it next to a recent photo showing how much they've improved. The contrast is the whole point. The term covers physical changes like weight loss, better fashion, or new hairstyles, but also broader personal growth like confidence and self-expression[4]. The format is closely tied to the concept of an "ugly duckling" transformation. While makeover content existed long before the phrase, "Glow Up" gave it a specific label and a built-in social media format that made it easy to share and participate in[2]. ## How It Spread By September 2014, the term had made it to Urban Dictionary, where user BEEZUSChrist defined "GLO" as a state where "his confidence, swagg and demeanor are so heightened they cannot be changed by negativity"[4]. The definition picked up more than 850 upvotes[2]. On February 15, 2015, a Redditor posted "What does the term 'Glo up' mean?" in the r/OutOfTheLoop subreddit, signaling the phrase had crossed over from hip-hop circles into mainstream internet confusion[2]. Shortly after, YouTuber Nathan Zed posted a video titled "WHAT IS A GLO UP?" which pulled in over 639,000 views and helped define the concept for a wider audience[2]. The term got another boost on May 23, 2017, when rapper Meek Mill released the music video for his song "Glow Up," which collected over 7.1 million views in under a year[2]. By this point, the spelling had largely shifted from "Glo Up" to "Glow Up" in mainstream usage. The biggest viral moment came on October 22, 2017, when Twitter user @caitlincrowley_ posted freshman-to-senior-year comparison photos with the caption "does this count as a glo up???" The photos showed her on a date as a freshman and kissing a woman in front of a fountain as a senior. The post pulled in over 35,000 retweets and 137,000 likes[2]. This sparked a wave of LGBTQ+ users sharing their own glow up stories, framing coming out and self-acceptance as the ultimate transformation. Twitter published an official Moments page about the trend that same week[2]. ## How to Use The standard Glow Up post is straightforward: 1. Find an old photo of yourself from an earlier, less flattering era (middle school, freshman year, early college). 2. Place it side-by-side with a recent photo where you look noticeably better. 3. Caption it with some variation of "glow up" or ask "does this count as a glow up?" ## Cultural Impact The 2017 LGBTQ+ glow up trend on Twitter was significant enough that Twitter itself highlighted it with an official Moments page[2]. The trend reframed "glow up" beyond physical appearance into something about identity and self-acceptance, giving it emotional weight that pure makeover content lacked. Urban Dictionary lists multiple definitions that evolved over time, reflecting how the term shifted from hip-hop slang about confidence and swagger to a general term for any kind of personal transformation[4]. The phrase became common enough in everyday speech that it no longer needs explanation for most English-speaking internet users. ## Fun Facts - The original spelling was "Glo Up" (no 'w'), matching Chief Keef's "Glo Gang" branding. The mainstream "Glow Up" spelling overtook it as the term left hip-hop circles[1][2]. - The r/OutOfTheLoop post from 2015 asking what "Glo up" means is one of the earliest signs the term had crossed into mainstream internet culture[2]. - A Philippine TV show called "Glow Up" ran from 2019 to 2020, focused on fashion and lifestyle makeover content, showing the term's reach beyond English-language internet culture[3]. - The term is sometimes used sarcastically for things that got worse, not better ("reverse glow up" or "glow down"). ## Frequently Asked Questions ### What is Glow Up? Glow Up is internet slang for a dramatic personal transformation, usually shown through before-and-after photos comparing an awkward earlier phase to a more attractive or confident present[2]. ### Where did Glow Up come from? The term was coined by Chicago rapper Chief Keef in his August 2013 song "Gotta Glo Up One Day," originally spelled "Glo Up"[1][2]. ### What does Glow Up mean? It describes a mental, physical, or emotional transformation for the better, covering everything from better fashion and fitness to increased confidence and personal growth[4]. ### How do you use Glow Up? Post a side-by-side of an old unflattering photo next to a recent better-looking one, captioned with "glow up" or some variation of it. It can also be used as a verb: "she really glowed up"[2]. ### Is Glow Up still popular? The phrase entered common usage after its 2017 peak and is still widely understood, though the specific before-and-after photo format is less of an active trend than it was in 2017-2018[2]. ### Who coined the term Glow Up? Chief Keef coined "Glo Up" in his 2013 song "Gotta Glo Up One Day," where he rapped about personal growth and rising to wealth[1][2]. ### Why did Glow Up go viral on Twitter in 2017? A tweet by @caitlincrowley_ showing her freshman-to-senior-year transformation, which included coming out, got over 137,000 likes and inspired a wave of LGBTQ+ glow up posts that Twitter featured in an official Moments page[2]. ### What's the difference between Glo Up and Glow Up? "Glo Up" is the original spelling from Chief Keef's hip-hop branding. "Glow Up" became the mainstream spelling as the term spread beyond hip-hop culture[1][2]. ### Is Glow Up the same as an ugly duckling transformation? Essentially yes. The term is closely related to "ugly duckling syndrome," meaning someone who was unattractive or awkward growing up but became good-looking later[2]. ## References 1. [Chief Keef – Gotta Glo Up One Day Lyrics | Genius Lyrics]() 2. [Glow Up - Know Your Meme]() 3. [Glow Up]() 4. [Glow Up - Urban Dictionary]() --- Source: https://meme.com/memes/glow-up Published by meme.com — The Internet Meme Library