In London, «wesh» is the new «well»

London is experiencing an epidemic of "wesh." Not a virus, but a little interjection from elsewhere that seems to be taking the British city by storm. In conversations, on TikTok, and even in rapper lyrics, it has quietly replaced the good old "well,” once so typical of the English capital. Are you wondering why everyone in London is suddenly saying “wesh”? The answer is simple: it’s because of rap, specifically a collaboration that changed everything. It all started with Central Cee, a British rap superstar, and his featuring with JRK 19, a Parisian rapper, on their track Bolide Noir released at the end of August. While the song made waves, it wasn’t just due to the beat or the punchlines. One particular line caught fans' attention: "Why she keep on saying 'wesh'?" A simple phrase, but enough to spark a cultural phenomenon.

Derived from Algerian Arabic, “wesh” is commonly used to mean “what” or “what’s up?” in modern French slang. Introduced into the Parisian suburban lexicon in the 1990s, it quickly became a staple of popular slang. In France, it can express surprise, greeting, or even irritation. A multifunctional word, like a linguistic Swiss army knife. It was largely through music, especially rap, that it made its way into French suburbs, with examples like the group Lunatic—a rap duo formed by Booba and Ali—popularizing the term in their cult track Le Crime Paie in 1996. 

Though “wesh” has deep roots in France, Central Cee recently became an unintentional bridge for its export to the UK. With his millions of followers and undeniable influence on the global rap scene, everything he touches turns to gold. So, when he used it in Bolide Noir, it was like flipping a switch. The word quickly went viral on social media. A Londoner named Nabeel, known for his comedic videos, was one of the first to recognize the situation's scale. In one video, he jokes that “London is experiencing a wesh pandemic” and that even his cat has said it. The video quickly racked up hundreds of thousands of views, propelling the phenomenon into mainstream culture. Rap as a vehicle of influence is as old as hip-hop itself. From Run-D.M.C. to Kendrick Lamar, rappers have always been pioneers of language that shapes the daily lives of their listeners. Today, that language knows no borders. Words once confined to specific cultural circles are now spreading globally thanks to artists and platforms.

So, what makes “wesh” so appealing to young Londoners? Perhaps it’s the exoticism of the word—foreign but familiar thanks to rap's influence. Maybe French slang, with its raw energy, resonates particularly well with British youth, who are eager for new expressions to assert their identity. Julien Barret, linguist and author of Le Grand Livre des Punchlines, explains that "words travel and have no borders.” According to him, rap plays a crucial role in this linguistic migration: "Rappers capture these words, solidifying them on sound and written media, while dictionaries lag behind." This linguistic appropriation is also a reflection of the intensifying cultural exchanges between France and the UK, especially in urban environments. BW, a British content creator passionate about French slang, spent part of the summer exploring the Paris suburbs to learn more about these expressions. His interest in street slang shows the strong attraction that French popular language exerts on young Londoners. And tomorrow? Maybe we’ll hear “wesh” in conversations among young people in Tokyo or New York. After all, as Barret said, words travel. And with them, a part of the culture they carry.