'Slabs' And 'Swangas' - The Cars Built On Houston Hip-Hop

Originating in Houston, Texas, "slabs" are a popular type of custom car. Some of their defining characteristics are elbow-rimmed wheels, candy paint, and massive stereo systems. Slabs are perhaps most well-known for being a major part of the city's hip-hop culture.
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'Slabs' And 'Swangas' - The Cars Built On Houston Hip-Hop

[@Eric-rr4ee]

Imagine walking and one of them bad boys hits your ankle.

[@beng7051]

😅♿

[@guccipappi278]

And since you hit them, now you throwing hands.

[@brapbrapbrapbrapbrapbrapbrap]

That's most definitely happened to someone. You know damn well someones momma tripped over them in the driveway lol

[@MrSilentsmoker713]

Happened to me last year I was hoping the owner didnt see my ankle hit his rims

[@cosmoray9750]

Slab will take out your ankle.

[@soundcheck2k7]

Cali got lowriders. Florida got donks. TX got slab. I love how different parts of the US got they unique style and culture.

[@matthewcaughey8898]

Carolina don’t have squats no more. The law ruled its illegal

[@jzj2212]

Memphis got steamers

[@soundcheck2k7]

@@jzj2212 Jamming to Project Pat as I ride in my donk! Cheese and dope 🔥

[@jzj2212]

@@soundcheck2k7 all day homie

[@blackcaesar3624]

Squats? Steamers? Gotta google them now… Edit: I found the squat cars… can’t find nothing on steamers. What those about?

[@nightlifeking]

I thought the first song was gonna be "still tippin"

[@johnnywilliams78388]

Watch your ankles when the slabs coming thru

[@chrismoody1342]

I’m down for all of it. Over the top stereo, candy colors, fifth wheel, custom interior. But the wheels got to go.

[@piercehawke8021]

Exactly! If the 'spinners' were easy to remove/put back on; for car show/strictly closed course driving, that's one thing. For any sort of regular street use; hell NO, where safety is concerned. Slabs make the Donk Master's 1971 LSx/5 spd stick/turbo Chevy Impala vert look almost quaint

[@GLOBOiTT]

No sir slabs wouldn’t be slabs without elbows/swangas

[@enriquemaldonado2619]

You got to go

[@rickkill9323]

I thought the same then I realized they are battle chariots .

[@geneticallysuperior6738]

then youre not down for all of it

[@clist9406]

$500 car with $150K addons , while living in a section 8 house. Living the ghetto dream

[@andycast707]

😂😂😂🤣🤣😅🤣 true!!!!

[@tyrinthomas5208]

More like a 7-10k car with 20-30k in Add ons while handling your business.

[@tyrinthomas5208]

chief tp lmao there are Cadillacs going for 50k and up still to this day.

[@tyrinthomas5208]

chief tp you’re stupid lmao there are 80s model caddy’s still goin for that price as well. That goes for any sought after old school... off rip it’s 7 to 10... then comes originality and conditions.

[@andycast707]

chief tp LMAO 😆

[@thomasfletcher1971]

Ever see the movie "Ben Hur" ?

[@joeyclemenza7339]

my uncle is a car enthusiast and gear head from the 70's, and that's what he called them. i remember some kid trying to explain to him what "elbows" where at a bar one night, and he just laughed and said "son..... we've been putting these on our tires for decades. they're called ben-hurs."

[@stuchbrosmnore8627]

@@joeyclemenza7339 right. These are just pimpcars. The rims in the vid, is just Starwire Rims. Weld Wheels, is the first company that created the rims. There are and were other types of "poking" rims out there besides and b4 Starwires. I might make a vid soon on when and where " slabs" had began.

[@angelantonioontiveros1778]

Swangin' and Bangin'

[@hecticerectic9588]

Cali here sending much love to H-Town car culture. Swangas are dope. Respect.

[@kalipooh3388]

Born and raised in Los Angeles..this shit is awful ..stop it

[@jixjoe]

What's so funny that PhD here studied this 2 years what any kid in the ghetto can figure out in 5 min 🤣

[@peppapig17453]

joeg Last haha yeah PhD dumb poor people smart! your comment was so funny I had to reread it 3 times to understand it. Speak English.

[@shadowwsk3507]

@@peppapig17453 do you mean poor people are so stupid that they are smart

[@hectorortiz2689]

Pepperoni Pepperoni i understood his comment but u might wanna fix yours

[@joeyclemenza7339]

i'm sure he doesn't just study the cars.....

[@stanthegreatman6592]

He studies more than just cars and he is in part responsible for why it's so easy that that type of information is easily available and quick to find. Don't bite the hand that feeds dumbass

[@jamesbenedict7206]

More money than brains!

[@curtisszymczyk1339]

Got that right!

[@Curling_Rack]

good chance to hit the vehicle in the next lane, or scrape the curb? lol

[@kilovwdude6457]

U gotta Kno how to drive it

[@SirChimpleton]

That’s where the elbow knowledge come in

[@wickedhouston5538]

@RICO FROM PICO pendejo

[@mrcincoundos]

u got to know how to swang

[@jogmas12]

Kilovw Dude you can trip up a cyclist riding along side you.

[@iamwill3561]

He forgot to mention before you put all the extras you got to get everything under the hood new. Slab ain't no good broke down. Back in the day a 1,500$ car became a 15,000+ . In the 90's money was quick and easy.

[@Ole_CornPop]

I'll just put 40k in the engine and 4 link.

[@kingofdubs]

I started listening to Houston rap in 2005 when still tipping came out and I feel in love with it!! Even though i had no idea what swangas or candy paint or purple drank was!!

[@machomaamtrannysavage9642]

You must not be from Texas

[@kingofdubs]

@@machomaamtrannysavage9642 I'm not!

[@machomaamtrannysavage9642]

@@kingofdubs it shows

[@efrgefrg7010]

what is the car at 0:23

[@wick2faded]

You gon wanna look at old chevys or caddys

[@carloslein3200]

The drug burns the brain. It's not just ridiculous, it's totally unsafe.

[@FrancoF6]

Mad Max: Houston Hip-Hop edition

[@minkmack81]

🤔💨Lmfao!😂

[@desireytaylorchannel4639]

Try going in the drive thru at McDonalds ain't happening 🙃

[@platonian2421]

Do they come with a gun in the front? Or some ejector seats?

[@slabbinonspokezz2375]

No but they do definitely come with haters like you lol

[@platonian2421]

@@slabbinonspokezz2375 I'm referencing James Bond, I'm not a Hater

[@slabbinonspokezz2375]

@@platonian2421 my apologies for making an assumption.

[@johns.87]

DAT, RYETCH DARE, IST WAS eYeUhhhhm TAWLKing BOWT, BEEUHSSHHHH!!!!++++

[@dateraped.1323]

@@slabbinonspokezz2375 that's what's up. I appreciate your willing to stay real

[@jiggsaw5736]

Look best on the old skool cars but not too wide. Them extended ones look like weapons lol

[@sheridanodonnell4196]

How do u park the slab next to another car

[@jamalcole1985]

Ill stick to daytons & vogues

[@wickedhouston5538]

thats gay

[@bimercatracho]

Square

[@bigrussdog1347]

HTown Baby

[@sleepy310714]

Yep rep those 13x 7 s

[@hustlegame5069]

Jamal Cole you probably from Cali.

[@SkoolieBoyQue]

Thanks Insider for the love! H-town reppin' 🤘🏾🤘🏾🤘🏾

[@elnastd5234]

Why do the wheels on these cars look like the Chariots that the old Romans had with knives.😂

[@RagingCajun985]

Not just Houston I know for sure this extended to Beaumont... hell even Lafayette.. it was better in the 90s when those ridiculous Orangutan rims were not around. 30s and vogue baby

[@jaywitham7273]

Slab doesn’t mean “Slow loud and bangin” that was from a song real slab riders know it’s when the car can drop all the way down to the concrete “slab”

[@ma.higiniablancoblanco1380]

You know it mayne 💪 all these videos on Houston culture and swangas got the game fucked up repeating that mainstream bs

[@losindadrop]

That's what I understood...

[@jhud2788]

No....

[@jhud2788]

@Saint Fifty One I didn’t say a slab does not mean a low rider? I meant it was never considered slab because it was dropped to the concrete. Every Houston rap artist always goes by the term Slow loud and banging.

[@jhud2788]

@Saint Fifty One Your making this complicated my guy. Everyone in Texas knows that SLAB means slow loud and bangin! Your argument is all over the place. You keep mentioning that a slab is a pimpmobile, like I’m disagreeing with you? I agree....so what’s your argument?

[@sgthjennings]

Like it or not, this is their culture. This is what they do and I love it. No different than the biker gangs, bassheads (car audio)!!!! This is what they do!! Dope!!!

[@leonrot4473]

I am BassHead :D

[@johnchamberlain5435]

"...with such a distinguished appearance..." Distinguished is not a word that would have come to my mind!

[@bizzleb3002]

I always liked Fat Pat, Tops Drop song. Some nice slab in that video. I don't really care for the ones that poke way out, but it not my car lol

[@andrewp1308]

WTF! Just cause you can, doesn't mean you should 😳

[@higherworld9743]

I’m from Houston and I never like this style because it wasn’t me, I was more into loweriders in the early 90s. But just because I don’t like it doesn’t mean other people shouldn’t like it and I think is very unique for my city so kudos to them.

[@i_luvcats_uwu9908]

From del Rio and raised in a town called pasadena Lived in Houston before,so I like these kind of cars

[@frankjohnson9372]

Love it 💪🏾👍🏾💯

[@jbirdspears7974]

I lived in Houston for 5 years, loved the city, loved the music but I’ll pass on the elbow wheels. I like the original Cadillac swanger wheel better!

[@southparkpornking]

How u say you'll pass on swangas but like ORIGINAL Cadillac elbows.. Same thing !!

[@jbirdspears7974]

ScrewTapeCity-SouthPark maybe i said it wrong. I like the wheel, I just like it better when the elbow isn’t stretched out.

[@Chilling4Shillings]

@@southparkpornking not the same. When TWW started making those ugly ass super pokes made the whole scene a clown show

[@southparkpornking]

@@Chilling4Shillings it is the same they just have different size wheels if you don't like super poker get the original 15 in regular poker it don't matter it's all the same just don't get the super poker ...elbows are elbows

[@mrguapo6526]

@@Chilling4Shillings no one cares

[@kilovwdude6457]

I live in Houston finally no nobody ever talks about slabs

[@cynthiabates3807]

Me too

[@409gmoney]

LIES!

[@lbennhtx6072]

Kilovw Dude Slabs be rockin’ southside oh yeah 💪🏾

[@SnoopyRu1980]

I'm from Cali and love Houston rap but can't stand the looks of Slabs 🤣🤣🤣 I give y'all props for creating y'all own car culture tho 👍🏾

[@Johnniewalker78]

4:01 Slab drivers have to weave in and out of traffic because if anyone passes them it’s bad news for their rims.

[@Neildo430ci]

Slab duel.

[@SickTwisted]

Johnnie Walker thts not why they do it

[@tonyl3012]

They're just swinging and swervin

[@athonynesbitt7956]

That cant be road legal?...i call them leg brakers

[@rickeystovall7547]

They are stupid !

[@lloydhudson6463]

They're legal, although cops obviously pull them over more often, but we all know how that goes.

[@athonynesbitt7956]

@@rickeystovall7547 ikr, how the heck do they find a paring?

[@athonynesbitt7956]

@Your Daddy Slays Them To Death kml looks like some Mad Max type of shit

[@bundlewebb6963]

Athony Nesbitt we don’t care in houston

[@JB182Dog]

Jesus, is this video actually trying to embarrass Houston?

[@beatzsmartzshow]

How do you park with those things lol

[@JasonBrown-tx4lq]

Wow informative ❤

[@whothere8442]

good to always see the blacks contributing to the community

[@detective___mcnulty]

Going to be hard making lane change or even parking.

[@hickman7909]

5th wheel,is called a continental kit,3:18 god just kill me now I've see to much

[@borla4491]

Yep. The Lowriders got those by the way. And the guy who has a "phd" got everything wrong.

[@earnestray7921]

Naw in Tx its called a fifth wheel

[@borla4491]

@@earnestray7921 Nicknamed "5th Wheel" . While in General its just a Continental Tire Kit. Plus Lowriders got them and etc.

[@jcjackson47]

What do they actually call those belt buckle straps on the truck. I'm looking for some for my 2011 Cadillac DTS BUT CANT FIGURE OUT WHAT TO CALL THEM. THANKS

[@gotcho34]

Saw a car with some as I was leaving Houston yesterday. First thing I thought was wat if someone else's car get too close?

[@PBWillyWonka]

2019 and I'm still banging Paul Wall in my sound system.!! Remarks from my youth in high school... much from Dallas Texas!

[@hectorortiz2689]

dallas ? 🤔

[@richkeylor787]

2:39 Sound system actually cracking the sheet metal. 🤦‍♂️

[@hondaboys_420]

those are fiberglass 💀

[@MrPhotodoc]

I learn something new everyday.

[@knuxhunter7592]

Holy shit, i could literally blend something with that by doing a burnout

[@pauljohnson5116]

Did you guys see the teal caddy or Buick with the cracked quarter panel

[@deshawnreal1690]

Also stands for She Lookin And Bopin

[@mrcincoundos]

quit making shit up SLAB SLOW LOUD AND BANGIN

[@RtistiqSkubie]

@@mrcincoundos you know that came from a song right? Both of y'all definitions are wrong. SLAB isn't an acronym.

[@thabandit520]

Thanks you for that one

[@Chilling4Shillings]

What's Bopin ? *Bopping

[@borla4491]

@@RtistiqSkubie Yep. It just meant lowered down vehicle to a street which is a slab, hence "slab". Besides that, the video that refers to these vehicles as "slabs" , are just Basically Pimpmobiles.

[@bobvel7760]

How bout a chrome bumper that extends 4 feet past the front of the car?

[@VinceroAlpha]

Ironically those are bozuko cars in Japan lol

[@FisterMantastic]

Thats the Japanese yo

[@rickeystovall7547]

That when you start selling shit on the street thats a shelf to stock your products ! Real dumb !!!!

[@damedinero3210]

lol the Japanese BEEN doin that 😂

[@terrya450]

Bob Vel with ideas like yours you can really go places in this scean

[@dannysauceda]

You forgot to mention the number 1 rule to slabs: Candy Paint

[@stuchbrosmnore8627]

Candy paint ain't necessary Actually. And a "slab" is just a Pimpcar.

[@ogbustos3958]

Those have to be the ugliest wheels on the market!

[@jaela02]

Man this really makes me miss TX Relays at old Highland Mall. They all came down from H-Town and was like a free car show.

[@15heartz]

All I see is danger, 10mph rule

[@eileenferguson2301]

Ima swang ima swerve ima park n scrape the curb

[@swgtx7134]

Why when I'm not high does my life feel like it's missing something? I know that I must be high so that I can function

[@Christianemaunel]

can they survive a zombie apocalypse and do they have booming speakers

[@chillymack6885]

Christian Branch when it’s your time to go it’s your time to go. Bless up and stop watching movies.✌🏾

[@alexib1984]

City where the candy paint drip leaving stains in the turning lane, 5th wheel relax, and the trunk wave bye to the haters.

[@wingsfan6238]

Always wondered if your driving and side swipe one of these cars wheels cuz they are sticking in your lane?!?

[@rickkill9323]

You gotta be kidding me what the with the elbows . Oh I get it it’s a battle chariot from way back in the day . This is on on par with spinners on hub caps . Freaking hilarious .

[@cynthiabates3807]

My husband car should've been on this episode. Love his Cadillac Fleetwood brougham. H-town for life

[@rubengranados4898]

SLAB stands for sitting on the concrete with some 15 ogs or g8s max on switches

[@stuchbrosmnore8627]

Yeah , the acronym came later which it became "slow low and banging" , another term for Lowriders, then "slow loud and banging" , a term for pimpcars.

[@samsonCoby]

@@stuchbrosmnore8627 Slow Loud And Bangin came from a rap group really

[@agomez9698]

I rather have mine sitting on bricks.

[@nycat5132]

You have to drive really really slow if you have 4 5 foot pole’s looking 👀 like blenders on your vehicle 😂🤣😆⚔️

[@sgthjennings]

Like it or not, this is their culture. This is what they do and I love it. No different than the biker gangs, bassheads (car audio)!!!! This is what they do!! Dope

[@sgthjennings]

T L You’re right.. I jacked that all up... lol

[@stuchbrosmnore8627]

A "culture" that began with Pimps, Drugs Dealers, Gangs since the 1970s and 60s. Originally on the east coast.

[@morrisstewart7586]

@I wish I was a vampire in the late 80s & early 90s wrong, they are called biker gangs by the FBI and the gangs themselves. I'm sure that the other 20,000 gangs in America call themselves a club also.

[@jetstreamdefalpha5411]

I still remember riding in my brother's 86 Fleetwood brougham, the back seat was like a sofa. He never put elbows on it , he always had 22. Man those were the days

[@i_luvcats_uwu9908]

This is coming from captain planet

[@WATCHMAKUH]

Damn gladiators and their body slicing chariots

[@rza380.]

Couldn't get away wit this in Philly🤣🤣

[@jaeeecee9764]

These cars are extraaaa asFuck lmao 😂

[@dogsevil8672]

I think the elbows look like shit, but love the cars. Go back with the original 84's.

[@johns.87]

D'zz WhooooWhutttt!!

[@77numerouno]

Yesh those elbows really look horrible

[@dwaynejohnson7287]

Yall trippin 🤦🏾‍♂️🤷🏾‍♂️

[@SickTwisted]

Flo Sanchez aye mane, its part of the culture, i love my City and its Swangas, including the bows

[@wilsonbettis9461]

Flo Sanchez bro this is the weirdest ugliest shit period and I'm from Mississippi!

[@majorneptunejr]

These are used for cutting the grass on the side of the street .

[@BigTweez9]

Good video

[@boodah808]

I’d choose lowriders over those no cap

[@boodah808]

@Thė Nīnth Hært yea really would tf you can do way more w a lowrider them just long slabs

[@cre8iveone699]

AKA Spartacus style.

[@samsonCoby]

Slow Low And Bangin'

[@Bisonzilla]

Those "elbow wheels" look DUMB!

[@ralan5527]

What a waste of money.

[@blasthead1722]

Slabs and donks should mix it up and create real street Frankenstein monsters.

[@RealAnthonyJones]

Donks done moved into the future gettingbuilt motors with turbos even 2jz swaps now. These slabs about driving slow.

[@imlatinoguy]

They be saying originated in Houston but Im from there and I think all this shit stupid.

[@aetrole4060]

That's what's up, that's my hood and my boy tay tay in that video pimping his slab.

[@raypeters4525]

HOW REDICULOUS CAN YOU GET !

[@zuko1569]

*puts a giant drill on the front of the car* "CJ time to mine some diamonds underground!"

[@Ti_Taannikk]

Dat golf cart slab was kill n it

[@craigmercer6846]

Wtf is wrong with the world today? Did everyone lose there minds?

[@dave_riots]

As a native Houstonian, I can guarantee that you'll see at least 3 or 4 of these in one day while you're on the road. The cars are insane, the people who own them are crazy, but it's part of Houston's culture, and it's great.

[@joseortegaa2349]

Especially down on mlk

[@dave_riots]

@@joseortegaa2349 Oh yeah, definitely.

[@mgk357]

Og swangaz are cool these gorilla pokes or whatever they call them are just plain silly lookin.

[@granitestone633]

The LONG ones look Real silly. And dangerous. I would choose spinners over long elbow rims any day.

[@michaelroper2356]

Unless you are a cyclist.

[@joeyclemenza7339]

how the hell are these things street legal?

[@anthonyjit4093]

Them shits clean af just wouldn get them extra long ones

[@jaymes1]

They showed the dukes car from escape from NY, the og!🤘

[@imlamar2011]

You don't put a fifth wheel on a BMW or a grand Prix lol

[@earnestray7921]

Why not

[@erikadowdy686]

Im pretty sure the rim extensions are highly illegal

[@kilovwdude6457]

They aren't

[@captainzoeboy8608]

Not in Houston

[@tinaamariee832]

Nope. Perfectly legal

[@cynthiabates3807]

As long as they remain in the lane they are legal. We drive ours and never had an issue.

[@mrcincoundos]

negative it's a Texas thang! Whenever you in Texas keep your eyes peeled for officers riding swangs they out here swangin in there cruisers.

[@djaftermath4313]

What is that color matching disk behind the spokes? Just curious? I've seen that on several slabs around the H

[@jaejohnson4611]

Their dust covers

[@djaftermath4313]

@@jaejohnson4611 Ahhh ok. Appreciate that!

[@SuperDragonRED]

Movie villain rims

[@faataatiatupuolajr8799]

Awesome Houston. Much Love from San Diego 😎

[@jordanwashington4662]

Faataatia Tupuola,Jr same

[@kalipooh3388]

Faataatia Tupuola,Jr stop it

[@faataatiatupuolajr8799]

@@kalipooh3388 Don't Hate. Congratulate 😎

[@FireWaia]

"i'm a folklorist and a researcher, researching the slab culture for many years now" ahhh...yes... i'm a meme-connoisseur myself researching memes for years now. Just waiting for it to become as lucrative as the folklorist area....

[@brooklynred6762]

FireWaia 🤣

[@robrokswing8110]

well keep on w/memes, then-cos yo comedy aint sh*t,fam

[@YoungBlaze]

@@robrokswing8110 i think i like you a lil bit

[@theempresss]

LOL

[@BigDogRidgeback]

8 foot wide from tip to tip of vehicle is in legal limits in Texas. Personally i like a wire wheel no more than 8 inches out just to much to look out for hitting curbs etc. The term slab is basically like a concrete slab being droped on the ground from a height of 10 feet. You will turn your head to figure out what did it. So a slab car will make you turn your head and look and impact you the same way. Showstopper the term stops the show. Swaga swaggering basically means you are the $hit you are it you are the man! The slabs are some of the safest cars on the road simply because they can't go fast the wheels will come apart and you can't miss them and you have to watch out for them.

[@michaelroper2356]

Curbs, pedestrians, cyclists.......

[@jesuscabral5898]

How do you drive down a tight road?

[@robertrose7455]

The new 84s are ugly. They shorter ones looked good and classy. They went overboard between 2010-2020

[@HEAVYCHEVY409]

*If you going to show Slabs, you should have on ESG Swanging & Banging or Zro Mo City Don!*

[@SirChimpleton]

jarvis thomas any thing chopped and screwed really

[@mrcincoundos]

What you meant to say is if you riding SLAB you have to have Robert Earl Davis bangin da trunk

[@matthewcaughey8898]

If I was a cop and I saw this I would pull you over, give you a hacksaw and tell you to “ chop that crap off before you kill somebody “ then I would sit there until it stuck out no farther then the wheel

[@jeneichler5682]

Respectfully explained