hype man
Americannoun
-
(in rap music) a supporting performer who energizes and engages the audience and punctuates the rapper’s lyrics with shouted interjections.
The show ran out of steam without a hype man to keep the crowd excited and the rapper on point.
-
an enthusiastic and vocal supporter or promoter of a person, group, or thing; booster.
His antics from the bench have made this rookie college basketball’s most recognizable hype man.
Etymology
Origin of hype man
First recorded in 2000–05
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
In 2024, Flav signed a five-year deal as the official hype man for the U.S. men’s and women’s water polo teams that included an undisclosed financial contribution to the women’s team.
From Los Angeles Times
Last year, Flav was named the official hype man for the U.S. bobsled and skeleton teams.
From Los Angeles Times
US honorary coach, hype man and rapper Snoop Dogg was not in the house on Saturday, but Bruce Mouat and Jen Dodds made their own headlines, roaring into a 5-1 lead after just three ends before closing out a 7-5 triumph.
From BBC
The swaggering rap legend - in the high-end Italian mountain resort as a Team USA hype man and "honorary coach" - even felt the urge to claim a selfie with Jen Dodds and Bruce Mouat after their fourth win of the competition.
From BBC
I must have hesitated, because Joe, the sales representative, became my hype man: “Let’s do it,” he said.
From Slate
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
