How to use the term clout

While the political sway of most rappers is debatable, there’s no doubt they influence social media and popular culture. Clout lives in those interconnected realms, where wearing those famed Clout Goggles can get you a lot of likes on Instagram. Rappers have so much clout, we could say, that they helped make clout a trendy slang term.

Clout can be used ironically, though, as internet clout can’t always be cashed in on IRL. Clout chasers, or those that do things just to project a hipper persona on social media, are greatly disliked, deemed superficial and fake.

He is clout chasing. His music hasn’t sold in years. He’s desperate to pop again. He can say what he wants, but what he’s doing is the true definition of clout chasing. https://t.co/UF6UTkbcWt — breezega (@breezega) January 28, 2019

And if you do have clout? Don’t go proclaiming it or you might find yourself without it—unless your Denzel Curry. He can boast about his clout all he wants.

Added "CLOUT COBAIN | CLOUT CO13A1N" by Denzel Curry to my 🔥🔥🔥 Playlist on Spotify https://t.co/qcLAMyk5fr pic.twitter.com/Tjfe9o0g3a — Carlo (@itsyaboicarlo) January 28, 2019

Clout is a dangerous drug! Kids grow up addicted to it before they get to develop morals an principals these days 😔 social media wicked — Millyz (@MILLYZ) January 13, 2019

Clout, as a more general term for a person’s influence and power especially in domains like politics and business, still remains in wide use.

More examples of clout:

“RiceGum is continuing to take shots at Klein, further addressing the issue in a vlog published on January 11. Le hit back at claims of ‘clout-chasing’ due to using both Klein’s and PewDiePie’s images in the thumbnail of his apology video, as well as using PewDiePie’s name in the title (which was later removed).”

—Virginia Glaze, Dexerto, January 2019