Ratchet

1999slang / catchphraseclassic

Published September 24, 2026

Ratchet is a slang term used to describe someone or something perceived as trashy, unruly or classless, popularized through Louisiana hip-hop before exploding into a mainstream internet catchphrase in 2012. The word jumped from Shreveport rap scenes to YouTube parody songs, Urban Dictionary entries and eventually think pieces about Miley Cyrus, becoming one of the defining slang words of the early 2010s.

slang memesaave memeship hop memesinternet slang origin memesearly 2010s memes

Overview

Ratchet describes someone considered trashy, unruly or lacking class, and it doubles as a broader label for a subculture built around that aesthetic1. The word is widely understood as a diminutive of "wretched," pointing to poor character, dirtiness or morally questionable behavior2. It can be an insult, a self-aware badge of honor, or a joke, depending on who says it and how.

Online, the term took off through parody songs, comedy sketches and YouTube skits mocking "ratchet girls" through exaggerated outfits, hair and attitudes3. By 2013, mainstream outlets were using it to analyze pop stars and hip-hop aesthetics, and the word had picked up enough political weight to spark debates about race, class and appropriation4.

Origin & Background

Platform
Louisiana hip-hop (origin) / YouTube (viral spread)
Creator
Anthony Mandigo
Date
1999

The word ratchet in its modern slang sense is traced back to Shreveport, Louisiana, specifically the Cedar Grove neighborhood. In 1999, rapper Anthony Mandigo released a track called "Do the Ratchet" on his album Ratchet Fight in the Ghetto1. In 2004, a remix featuring Lil Boosie and Untamed Mayne sparked a dance craze built around twisting at the waist and shifting weight from foot to foot, and the video was later uploaded to YouTube on October 10th, 20065.

Beyond the song, the term also carries the older meaning of a socket wrench, which is where slang lookups often first encounter the word before its Louisiana rap history2.

How It Spread

The word crossed from regional Louisiana rap into wider internet slang around 2012. On January 16th, 2012, YouTube duo Emmanuel and Phillip Hudson uploaded a song called "Ratchet Girl Anthem," which took off and pushed the term into everyday online use3. An April 26th, 2012 music video for the song featured the brothers dressed as women in ill-fitting outfits, mocking fashion choices they framed as ratchet3. Urban Dictionary's earliest entry appeared on April 9th, 2012, from a user defining it in line with the Louisiana usage6.

Cover versions kept the audio spreading through YouTube. A cover posted March 12th, 2012 by Kenda Wheeler pulled in millions of views over the next two years, and another cover from Ruben Gloria on April 22nd, 2012 racked up hundreds of thousands more78. Comedy channels leaned into the format with sketches like YoMuscleBoii's April 29th, 2013 "What Ratchet Girls Think Before A Fight"9 and billysorrells' November 26th, 2013 "Lorde Royals Parody 'Ratchet'"10.

By mid-2013 the term had jumped into celebrity culture. After Miley Cyrus released the music video for "We Can't Stop" on June 3rd, 2013, outlets published pieces about her flirtation with "ratchet culture" and whether she was appropriating a style tied to poor Black Americans4. Cyrus later distanced herself from the label in interviews, cementing ratchet as a word big enough to argue about in national press4.

How to Use This Meme

People typically use ratchet as an adjective aimed at behavior, outfits or situations judged loud, sloppy or over the top. It often appears in phrases like "she's so ratchet" or "that party got ratchet," and it can be self-deprecating ("feeling ratchet today") just as easily as it can be an insult. Comedy videos commonly use the label to caricature dramatic reactions, cheap fashion or public meltdowns3.

Frequently Asked Questions