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Dem Bow

Note: This is mostly El Chombo's research. I am condensing this for people that are curious about the history of the "genre." You can find him on YouTube. You need to know Spanish to learn from him.

Dembow (correctly written as "Dem Bow") is not a genre of music but a song and a colloquial slang from Jamaica. It means "them bow." The name was popularized by a song called "Dem Bow" by Shabba Ranks that was released in 1990. In Shabba Ranks song, he brings up a couple of social issues in Jamaica. "Dem Bow" has a racist and homophobic meaning. 1) "Them bow" means one bows to the white man. 2) "Them bow" means one bows as a way to have sexual intercourse with another man. Jamaica was an English colonized territory from 1655 until 1962 when they got their independence. Jamaica's society in the 80's and 90's and before was homophobic. This song presented these issues.

Shabba Ranks didn't popularize the famous (or infamous) "Tumpa-Tumpa" rhythm, that came after. The rhythm doesn't come from Jamaica, but Africa; as do the vast majority of latin rhythms. The "Tumpa-Tumpa" rhythm was actually popularized from a song produced by Dennis "The Menace" Thompson and the singer Nando Boom. "Pounder" is actually what the rhythm is called.

Urban Dictionaries TOS prohibits URLs, I would have included them.

Main Source:

MoluscoTV. (2021, January 31). El Chombo le contesta a Ozuna, Anuel y Molusco si el Pop es un genero SI o NO. YouTube.

Fast forward to the 22:30 time code.

Yw.
Persona Amateur: "Este Dembow tiene flow"
Persona Big Brain: "Que es el Dem Bow para tí?"
Persona Amateur: "Pues es genero de música no?"
Persona Big Brain: "No es genero, es una canción. El ritmo 'Tumpa-Tumpa' que escuchas hoy en día se llama 'Pounder.'"
by _co_razon_ January 24, 2022
mugGet the Dem Bowmug.

Bow effect

A case where in object shows, a character gets permanently killed off by something that would normally be recoverable in some form of a recovery center.

The term's name refers to Bow from Inanimate Insanity who was permanently killed off for something that could easily be revivable.
Micro suffered the Bow effect when he was killed in an explosion permanently.
by DefineKlashCash February 8, 2024
mugGet the Bow effectmug.

Bow Chicka Bow Bow

Aly: wanna do the bow chicka bow bow
by OrianIsPansexual June 27, 2019
mugGet the Bow Chicka Bow Bowmug.

haft bow

“every morning before school i sold a haft bow, how do you think i won best dresser with no support
by Aidan sawatsky August 18, 2019
mugGet the haft bowmug.

Marcus bowness

A man with Rizz, tall af, and kinda cute
Me: Yo how you doing bbg
My grandma: Wow🥵 You remind me of marcus bowness
by Big fella 97 December 30, 2022
mugGet the Marcus bownessmug.

Sharpen your sword ND String your Bow

.
343:Sharpen your sword ND String your Bow
by LeSouffleDeVersailles February 21, 2025
mugGet the Sharpen your sword ND String your Bowmug.

Bowsing

The act of spreading hate to gain attention for yourself.
Danny has been bowsing on Phish all week.
by phishLovee July 29, 2017
mugGet the Bowsingmug.

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