Definition
Apeshit (also spelled “ape shit”) is English slang meaning to become wildly excited, angry, or frenzied — to lose control in a way that resembles the chaotic behavior of an enraged ape. The phrase “go apeshit” entered common usage in the late 20th century and has become a staple of internet slang, music lyrics, and casual conversation. In 2018, the term was elevated to global pop culture status when Beyoncé and Jay-Z released the song and music video “Apeshit,” filmed in the Louvre Museum in Paris, which became an instant cultural phenomenon. The song’s lyrics — “Have you ever seen a crowd going apeshit?” — and the video’s juxtaposition of Black American pop royalty against the backdrop of European art history made “apeshit” a symbol of cultural reclamation, opulence, and unapologetic celebration. But the word retains its original meaning: to go apeshit is to transcend normal human restraint, for better or worse.
Why It Matters
“Apeshit” is the perfect internet slang word because it is visceral, visual, and universally understood. It does not require explanation. Everyone knows what an ape going crazy looks like. The word captures a specific emotional state — not just anger, but uncontrolled, primal, almost joyful chaos. The internet uses “apeshit” to describe everything from a viral tweet thread to a market crash to a fan reaction to a new trailer. Beyoncé’s “Apeshit” redefined the word for a generation: it was no longer just about losing control. It was about owning the space, commanding the attention, and making the establishment watch you go apeshit in their own house. The Louvre video was a statement — Black excellence in a space that historically excluded it — and the word “apeshit” became the soundtrack to that statement. But the word also persists in its original form: when a Reddit thread goes off the rails, when a comment section descends into chaos, when a TikTok comment section is overwhelmed by a single enthusiastic fandom — that is apeshit. The internet is always going apeshit about something. That is its natural state.
Example
“He posted a take on Twitter. It was mild. It was boring. No one cared. Then a quote-tweet went viral. The replies went apeshit. He was called names he had never heard. He was defended by people he didn’t know. The thread became a war. The war became a meme. The meme became a news article. He had gone to bed. He woke up famous. He had not moved. The internet had gone apeshit around him. That was the internet. That was apeshit.”
Related Terms
- Hype — The positive form of going apeshit
- Viral — The internet phenomenon that often triggers apeshit reactions
- Beyoncé — The artist who redefined “apeshit” in popular culture
- Primal — The emotional quality that apeshit describes
- Chaos — The state that results from going apeshit