# Yaass > Yaass is a 2013 internet slang expression from a viral YouTube video of a fan ecstatically screaming 'Yaaass Gaga' at Lady Gaga, sparking the Yassification trend. Yaass is an enthusiastic affirmative expression and word of encouragement, typically directed at someone's style or appearance. The phrase traces back to 1980s ballroom culture but exploded online after an August 2013 YouTube video captured a young man ecstatically screaming "Yaaass Gaga, you look so beautiful" at Lady Gaga outside a venue[4]. The expression and its many spelling variations (Yas, Yaas, Yas Queen) became staple internet slang, later spawning the "Yassification" meme trend in late 2021[3]. ## Origin The roots of "Yaass" go back to ballroom culture, the gay drag queen dance subculture that flourished in the 1980s, where it was used as an expression of fierce approval[4]. But the word's internet life started on a very specific date. On August 21, 2013, a young man spotted Lady Gaga emerging for paparazzi cameras and lost his mind on camera, screaming "Yaaass Gaga, you look so beautiful"[2]. The video, originally posted to Instagram by a user known as PrinceNeptune, was uploaded to YouTube the same day[4]. The clip's raw, unfiltered energy struck a chord. By April 2015, the YouTube upload had picked up over 340,000 views[4]. BuzzFeed identified PrinceNeptune as the Instagram user behind the original video[1]. In 2014, VFiles posted an interview segment featuring two separate young men who each claimed to be the voice screaming at Gaga, adding a small mystery to the meme's backstory[4]. - **Platform:** YouTube (viral video), Instagram (original post by PrinceNeptune) - **Creator:** PrinceNeptune (original video poster, Instagram user) - **Date:** 2013 (internet origin); 1980s (ballroom culture roots) ## Overview Yaass is an elongated, excited way of saying "yes," used to express overwhelming approval, hype, or admiration. The word can be stretched to any length ("Yaaaaaaaass") and is frequently paired with "queen" to form "Yas Queen," a compliment directed at someone who looks or acts flawlessly[4]. The expression is strongly associated with gay culture and drag communities, where it functions as both greeting and celebration[2]. The phrase works as a standalone exclamation or as part of longer sentences of praise. Its spelling is intentionally flexible. More As and Ss generally mean more enthusiasm. The expression crossed from niche subcultural slang into mainstream internet vocabulary largely thanks to one viral moment with Lady Gaga. ## How It Spread After the Lady Gaga video blew up, various spellings of the word spread fast across social media. People started filming themselves screaming "Yaass" at Lady Gaga, whether on television or at her live appearances[4]. The expression quickly detached from its Gaga-specific context and became a general-purpose exclamation. The phrase migrated into image macros and GIFs, becoming a go-to reaction across platforms[4]. Remixes of the original video appeared, set to tracks like R. Kelly's "Bump and Grind" and Lady Gaga's own "Applause"[1]. BuzzFeed called it "the perfect way to tell someone you love them," helping push the expression into mainstream social media vocabulary[1]. Urban Dictionary entries cemented the definition: a phrase used to express excitement, made popular by the viral fan video[2]. The expression's simplicity and emotional punch made it easy to adopt. By the mid-2010s, "Yas Queen" was showing up in mainstream television, advertising, and everyday conversation far beyond its queer cultural origins. ## How to Use **Classic Yaass usage:** The expression typically works as a reaction to something impressive or someone looking great. Drop a "yaass" or "yas queen" in response to a friend's selfie, an outfit reveal, or any flex-worthy moment. The number of As and Ss you include usually signals how excited you are. A simple "yas" is mild approval; "yaaaaaasssss" is losing your mind. **Yassification format:** 1. Pick a famous figure, fictional character, or any recognizable face 2. Run their image through FaceApp or similar beauty filter apps 3. Apply maximum glamour: contour, lip filler effect, smoky eyes, highlighted hair 4. Post the before and after side by side 5. The more inappropriate or absurd the subject, the funnier the result ## Cultural Impact Yaass crossed from internet slang into mainstream English faster than most meme phrases. Television writers put it in scripts. Advertisers used it in campaigns. The word showed up in dictionaries and linguistic studies of internet language. The Yassification trend in late 2021 generated significant media coverage. Art publications like Elephant explored its connections to art history and influencer culture critique[3]. The format was notable for being simultaneously very stupid and genuinely insightful about beauty standards and digital self-presentation. The expression's journey from 1980s ballroom floors to global internet slang mirrors how queer culture has been absorbed and sometimes flattened by mainstream adoption. Within the drag and ballroom community, "yaass" carried specific cultural weight. Online, it became detached from that context, used by millions who may not know its origins[4]. ## Fun Facts - Two different young men appeared in a 2014 VFiles interview each claiming to be the original screamer in the Gaga video[4]. - The Urban Dictionary user who coined "yassification" in March 2021 went by the handle "yaass queen"[3]. - Art critic Barry Pierce compared yassification to 16th-century court portraiture, arguing that painters like Velázquez were essentially yassifying their royal patrons[3]. - John Waters' 2012 artwork "Beverly Hills John," which imagined himself with an extreme Hollywood makeover, was retroactively identified as "proto-yassification"[3]. - The word "yaass" has no standardized spelling, and that's the point. Every variation from "yas" to "yaaaaaassssss" is considered valid[4]. ## Frequently Asked Questions ### What is Yaass? Yaass is an enthusiastic affirmative expression used to show excitement or approval, especially about someone's appearance or style. It gained internet fame from a 2013 video of a fan screaming at Lady Gaga[4]. ### Where did Yaass come from? The expression has roots in 1980s ballroom culture, a drag queen dance subculture, but its internet origin is a YouTube video from August 21, 2013, showing a fan screaming "Yaaass Gaga you look so beautiful"[4]. ### What does Yaass mean? It's an excited way of saying "yes," used to express overwhelming approval. Urban Dictionary defines it as "a phrase used to express excitement" that became popular after the Lady Gaga fan video went viral[2]. ### How do you use Yaass? Use it as a reaction when someone looks great, does something impressive, or needs encouragement. It can be written with any number of As and Ss. Pair it with "queen" for extra emphasis[1]. ### Is Yaass still popular? The expression became a fixture of internet and mainstream English. While the original video's peak virality was in 2013-2014, "yas" and "yas queen" are still widely used in everyday online communication[4]. ### Who was the fan in the original Yaass video? BuzzFeed attributed the original video to the Instagram user PrinceNeptune[1]. In 2014, VFiles interviewed two different men who both claimed to be the screamer[4]. ### What is Yassification? Yassification is a late 2021 meme format where people use FaceApp to give anyone an extreme glamour makeover with contoured cheekbones, plumped lips, and highlighted hair. It started with a yassified version of Toni Collette from Hereditary[3]. ### Is Yaass a queer expression? Yes. The expression originated in ballroom culture and was embraced by the queer community as a term of fierce approval before crossing into mainstream internet usage[3]. ### What does "Yas Queen" mean? "Yas Queen" is a variation that directs the enthusiastic approval at a specific person, calling them a "queen" as a compliment. It's used to hype someone up about their appearance, attitude, or achievements[4]. ### Why did the Lady Gaga Yaass video go viral? The video captured a genuine, unfiltered moment of fan excitement so intense it was both hilarious and endearing. The sheer energy of the scream, combined with Lady Gaga's unbothered reaction, made it infinitely shareable[1]. ## References 1. ["Yaaaas Gaga" Is The Perfect Way To Tell Someone You Love Them]() 2. [The Golden Meme: Is it Time to Say Yass to Yassification? - ELEPHANT]() 3. [Yaass - Know Your Meme]() 4. [List of web series]() 5. [Yaass - Urban Dictionary]() 6. [Urban Dictionary: yaass]() --- Source: https://meme.com/memes/yaass Published by meme.com — The Internet Meme Library