Breaking Down the Meaning Of "Major Bag Alert," and How the Phrase Went Viral

More often than not, catchy phrases are a dime a dozen on the internet. With the frequency and sheer volume of new things going viral online every day, you'd be forgiven for not keeping up with every new sequence of words the internet fawns over. However, some phrases really develop legs of their own and continue to permeate the zeitgeist long after others have faded.

This includes the phrase "Major Bag Alert," which, if you've been on TikTok, Instagram, or any other social channel over the last year, you've likely heard all too often. Given that, you might be asking yourself what exactly "Major Bag Alert" means. Well, fear not, as we've got the answer for you right here.

The meaning behind "Major Bag Alert" is quite simple: It's an indication of having a lot of money. Indeed, the term "bag" (lots of money) and versions of it ("spending a bag," "blowing a bag," dropping a bag," etc.) have long been used in hip-hop. By saying "Major Bag Alert," it's alerting others that a serious amount of cash has been or is about to be amassed or spent. It could also be used to describe an individual who wants to come off as being affluent, letting others know that they have a "major bag."

TikTokers have been using the phrase and audio to humorously describe situations that involve making tons of money. For example, user @bethannrobinson joked that her long distance relationship would be a "major bag alert" for Delta airlines since she spends so much money on plane tickets to visit her boo.

There have been a few iterations of "Major Bag Alert" as time has gone on, but its earliest use in that form was on DJ Khaled's 2016 smash hit song "I Got The Keys" featuring Future and Jay-Z. The term came to be as a blend of the earlier DJ Khaled phrases "Major Key Alert" and "Secure Your Bag," which Future flawlessly blended in the intro lyrics on "I Got The Keys."

Just a year after that, on another DJ Khaled-helmed track, the phrase was given the spotlight once again in its own namesake track "Major Bag Alert," which features Migos. On that song, the rapping trio trade lines about having a "McLaren with wings" and Patek Philippe watches, and spending a "bag on my clothes."

The entire track thrives in excess and perfectly epitomizes Future's usage of the phrase during his heavy-handed raps on "I Got The Keys" the year earlier. On "Major Bag Alert," the Migos touch on their early lives in Atlanta. Beyond that, they reference how their alleged past criminal activities and what they experienced became the basis for their rapping, with all of the aforementioned factors culminating in the trio earning a "major bag."

In the time since it was first released, the song "Major Bag Alert" and the phrase itself have become a cultural phenomenon. The song was certified two times platinum alongside the rest of "Grateful," per Wikipedia, and Wendy's has even used it in a past commercial to advertise their $5 Biggie Bag meal.

"Major Bag Alert," indeed, DJ Khaled and Migos, "Major Bag Alert," indeed.