Patrick Swayze: Hip Hop Icon

…or Patrick Swayze: Hip Hop (Lex)icon

The passing of Patrick Wayne Swayze is of significance if not for his role as a successful actor and choreographer, but for the courage of his long-fought battle against an aggressive case of Stage IV pancreatic cancer. He catapulted to stardom with his Golden Globe-nominated performance in Dirty Dancing, and later appeared alongside Demi Moore and Whoopi Goldberg in the 1990 film Ghost. But Swayze didn’t just make an impact in the world of cinema. His unintended influence on hip hop culture can not be understated and mustn’t be undervalued. The term “Swayze” (and, as a nod to his film, “going ‘Ghost’”) became popular in the early ‘90’s, used as a synonym for “leaving”, “going” or “disappearing”. Like much of the slang to emerge from pop culture of the last twenty years or so, this term originated from the hip hop lexicon, featured within the rhymes of notable emcees. Below I’ve included a selection of some of my favorite “Swayze” quotables. Feel free to contribute in the comments section:

Reach for the pistol and you're crazy/
Try to blast and I'll be swinging that ass like Patrick Swayze/
- Kool G Rap; “The Symphony Part II”

I'm sick, insane crazy, Driving Miss Daisy/
Out her fuckin’ mind now I got mine I'm Swayze/
- Method Man; “Bring the Pain”

You got me strung like I'm young and it's crazy/
You're making me nervous, I don't deserve this, I'm Swayze/
- CL Smooth; “Searching”

The n****s went wild, the hoes went crazy/
We dropped the microphone, then we Swayze/
- E-Swift; “Can’t Tell Me Shit”

I try to stay aware of the drama, it's crazy/
Plus, see I got to tell your mama that I'm Swayze/
- Dres (of Black Sheep); “Who’s Next?”

Then he was Swayze, the shot must’ve dazed me/
Thug's selling drug, busting slugs, but he ain't crazy/
- Big Noyd; “Right Back at You”

But now I'm Swayze, ghost, the rap host/
Who rip shows, from coast to coast/
- PMD; “It’s Going Down”

After it’s all said and done though, Biggie had the best “Swayze” quotes:

Lick your toes, bitch? Fuck no, you must be crazy/
Squirt in your face and then I'm Swayze/
- The Notorious B.I.G.; “Big Booty Hoes” & “Bust a Nut”

Commitments, I'm Swayze, no time for the ill shit/
Rest with the n****s on that real blood-spill shit/
- The Notorious B.I.G.; “Let Me Get Down” & “Living the Life”

That's why I bust back, it don't phase me/
When he drop, take his glock, and I'm Swayze/
- The Notorious B.I.G.; “Runnin’” & “Runnin’ (Dying to Live)”