What The Saying "Congratulations, You Just Played Yourself" Means & How It Is Connected To Sneakerhead Culture

Edited by Azizi Powell

This pancocojams post provides information about the vernacular American saying "Congratulations. You just played yourself".

This post also provides information about the sneakerhead culture in the United States and how the "Congratulations, you just got played" saying is connected to that culture.

The content of this post is presented for linguistic and socio-cultural purposes.

Selected comments given below from the discussion thread of the embedded video not only provide information and examples of the saying "You just played yourself" but also provide information about sub-sections of African American culture and [other] American cultures, including sneakerhead culture/s/

All copyrights remain with their owners.

Thanks to all those who are quoted in this post and thanks to the publisher of the YouTube video that is embedded in this post.

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BACKGROUND: THE VERNACULAR MEANING OF THE WORD "PLAYED"
The saying "Congratulations, you just played yourself" is a relatively recent (2015) extension of the vernacular saying "You got played".

Here's urban dictionary's top definition [to date] of the word "played"
https://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=Played
"Played
Made a fool of, chumped, taken advantage of."
by Droopy August 07, 2003
-snip-
"You got played" is a shortened form] of the saying "You got played for a fool".

Here's information about the saying "You got played for a fool" from a website for people learning English:
https://www.italki.com/question/92972?hl=en-us
"What does "You got played" mean?
"Best Answer - Chosen by Voting
This is short for 'you were played for a fool' or 'played like a fiddle (or any instrument)' and means you were fooled into doing something. You were naive, or unsuspecting, and therefore taken advantage of by someone else. The 'play on words' in this expression is that you, like a musical instrument, had to 'play' the tune that someone wanted to hear: you got played by them."

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WHAT "YOU PLAYED YOURSELF" MEANS
A November 23, 2016 urban dictionary entry submitted by BryScher gives this meaning of "played yourself":
"played yourself"To mess up terribly".
-snip-
BrySchec also noted that this saying was "made famous by DJ Khaled: "Congratulations, you played yourself".
https://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=Played%20yourself
-snip-
I agree that a person who played himself or herself has "messed up terribly". But the way that a person "messed up terribly" is by saying something that reveals that he or she is foolish, ignorant, or "unhip" or by doing something that shows that he or she is foolish, ignorant, and/or not hip.

Instead of someone else causing you to say something foolish or to act foolishly, you did it to yourself.

The next section provides another definition of the saying "You played yourself" as well as information about that saying's connection to the Hip Hop record producer DJ Khaled.

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DJ KHALED AND THE SAYING "CONGRATULATIONS, YOU JUST PLAYED YOURSELF"
From http://knowyourmeme.com/memes/congratulations-you-played-yourself
"About

Congratulations, You Played Yourself is a catchphrase spoken by DJ Khaled which means to reveal one’s own weaknesses. The catchphrase is commonly applied to images, videos, and other media in which the subject or original poster ends up as the butt of a joke.

Origin
On September 23rd, 2015, Complex uploaded a video* in which Khaled shows off his sneaker closet. During the segment, Khaled says the phrase “Congratulations, you played yourself” ...

In case you are not up to date with today's slang terms, “playing yourself” according to the Urban Dictionary means, “Screw things up for yourself. Let yourself down. Betray yourself by acting in a way that's opposite to your own interests or (conscious) intentions.” Currently if you've been on Instagram or Twitter lately you've seen the DJ Khaled memes that say “Congratulations, you played yourself” to various scenarios.

[...]

What I've learned is some people have been “playing themselves” and not even knowing it. I hope this article have helped in preventing you from embarrassing yourself any longer."...
-snip-
*That video is given below.

According to https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/DJ_Khaled DJ Khaled (Khaled Mohamed Khaled, November 26, 1975) is "an American "record producer, radio personality, DJ, record label executive, and author who "was born in New Orleans, Louisiana of Palestinian parents who immigrated to the United States".

DJ Khaled is also a noted sneakerhead. Information about "sneakerheads" is given below.

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WHAT ARE SNEAKERHEADS?
From https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sneaker_collecting
"A sneakerhead is a person who collects, trades, or admires sneakers as a hobby. A sneakerhead may also be highly experienced in distinguishing between real and fake replica sneakers. Sneaker collecting is a hobby often manifested by the use and collection of shoes made for particular sports, particularly basketball and skateboarding.

The birth of sneakerhead culture in the United States came in the 1980s and can be attributed to two major sources: basketball, specifically the emergence of Michael Jordan and his eponymous Air Jordan line of shoes released in 1985, and the growth of hip hop music. The boom of signature basketball shoes during this era provided the sheer variety necessary for a collecting subculture, while the hip-hop movement gave the sneakers their street credibility as status symbols.[1] The sneakerhead culture has emerged in the United Kingdom[2] and the Czech Republic in the last decade.

Styles and marketing
Several popular brands and styles of sneakers have emerged as collectors items in the sneakerhead subculture. Popular collections include Air Jordans, Air Force Ones, Nike Dunks, Nike Skateboarding (SB), Nike Foamposites, Nike Air Max, and more recently, the Nike Air Yeezy. Shoes that have the most value are usually exclusive or limited editions. Also certain color schemes may be rarer relative to others in the same sneaker, inflating desirability and value. More recently, sneaker customs, or one-of-a-kind sneakers that have been hand-painted, have become popular as well.

[...]

Sneakerhead subculture
The sneakerhead subculture originated in America during the late 1980s and had gone global by the end of the 1990s. Hardcore sneaker collectors in Britain, Europe,[5] and the US[6] buy online and go to outlets, sneaker events, swapmeets, parties, and gatherings in search of rare, deadstock, vintage, and limited edition shoes to invest in.[7] Originally popular among urban black youth and teenage white skateboarders, by the 21st century, it had also gained a sizeable Asian following especially in Malaysia,[8] India, and China.[9]

[...]

As of 2016, the most desirable[14] colors for sneakers and apparel were black,[15] red,[16] and white[17] due to their longstanding association with late 1980s new wave music, the Michael Jordan era of basketball,[18] and old-school hip hop.[19]” ...
-snip-
This page also has a section on “Sneakerhead slang” which was said to have developed “During the 2010s, sneakerheads influenced by hip hop fashion and skater subculture”.

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SHOWCASE VIDEO: Complex Closets : DJ Khaled Shows His Sneaker Closet



Complex Published on Sep 23, 2015

DJ Khaled gives Joe La Puma a view of his sneaker closet and collection, which features rare Air Jordans, Yeezys, and more.
-snip-
As per this blog's policy regarding profanity, note that this video contains one example of profanity: the word "sh&t".

**
Yeezys" are "sneakers designed by rapper Kanye West" https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sneaker_collecting.

DJ Khaled says forms of the "play yourself" saying at least three times in this video before he says "Congratulations, you've played yourself":
1:19- 1:20 “You see this room...I call this “Don’t ever play yourself.”
1:43 “Don’t ever play yourself’. know what I’m sayin.

3:21 This is no junk brand...“Don’t play yourself”.

The most quoted line from this video: "Congratulations, you got played", occurs at 6:36. However, the beginning of that conversation about what he would say when he confronts the thief who stole one of his set of sneakers begins at 6:34.

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SELECTED COMMENTS FROM THIS VIDEO'S DISCUSSION THREAD
Pancocojams Editor's Note:
This compilation includes selected comments that provide examples of or explanations for the saying "You played yourself". I've also included comments in this compilation that provide some information about sneakerhead culture as well as comments from some people who are critical of that culture.

In addition, I've selected comments that provide some information about Black cultures in the United States (for instance, the sub-thread of comments beginning with #1 and ending with #11 which indicates that "sneakerhead" culture began with and is most closely associated with Black people and the comments beginning at #12 and ending at #33 which I read as documenting the custom some [not all] Black Americans have of not wearing shoes inside their houses and not allowing others to wear shoes inside their houses).

For the historical record, I've also included some comments that I consider to be culturally insensitive (such as comment #2 that includes the word "fag" meaning a homosexual person or a "homosexual" lifestyle, comment #16 "All arabs wear sandals", and comment #46 that includes the phrase "retarded lifestyle").

The comments in this compilation are given in relative chronological order, with the oldest year's comments given first, except for replies. I've added only a few editorial comments, and I've assigned number to these comments for referencing purposes only.

2015
1. TheMightyWill
"Why is collecting sneakers such a big deal?"

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2. SebsExotics
"+TheMightyWill African American males like to outdo each other with expensive belts, shoes, shirts with propaganda on it, expensive fag pants etc."

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3. Ezekiel F
"+TheMightyWill some people can'y move on"
-snip"
I think this comment means "Some people can and you [should] move on [to some other topic],"

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3. JustJayson12
"+SebsExotics He's Not African American though"

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4. Gavin Free, 2016
"+TheMightyWill you must be white or asian"

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5. TheMightyWill, 2016
"+Gavin Free
ayy Gavino Free!! And yes, I am :P"

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6. TheNat Gamer, 2016
"+Gavin Free What's wrong with white people?"

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7. Gavin Free, 2016
"+TheMightyWill nothing, its just white people don't get the culture"

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8. TheNat Gamer, 2016
"I am white and I am a sneakerhead..."

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9. Forrest Lin
"Im asian and i collect"

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10. SebsExotics1 year ago
+JustJayson12 Some other people do it to. I am not racist, I hate all races equally by the way. I do not hate one race, I hate them ALL :).

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11. JDaRealz
"Collecting sneakers??? It's more than collecting. It's a lifestyle!! Don't ever ever ever ever ever EVER!!! Disrespect it again OK!!!"

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12. Porcum Means Pig
"All those Jordans and he's wearing socks and sandals."

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13. MrYnoter
"Not just any sandals....Gucci sandals..."

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14.Chicago Harlem Street
"He's in his home, who wears shoes in the house?"

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15. Thunder Bearer
"+Porcum Means Pig And why would you be wearing sneakers when you are at home?"

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16. Gamer2478
"All arabs wear sandals"

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17. Pavlakos V
"Soooooooooooooo true mannn!"

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18. Pavlakos V
"+Thunder Bearer dude some shoes are never worn,cleans soles so why not?"

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19. Victor Guerrero
"+Porcum Means Pig Hes in the crib"
-snip-
"crib" = an African American Vernacular English word for someone's house (I first heard this term in 1969 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. I don't know when it was first used).

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20. Tyree Marsee
"+Porcum Means Pig----- Im dead 😂😂😂.... But bro got Money💰💸"
-snip-
"I'm dead" means that . This commenter considers the name "Porcum Means Pig" to be funny. Hence, the saying "I'm dead", meaning I laughed so hard it felt like I was dying".

I think "but bro got money" means that DJ Khaled can do whatever he wants to do because he's rich.

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21. snowyo318
"I have plenty of shoes and wear my benassi swoosh and socks 70 percent of the time lol it's a down south thing"
-snip-
"down south" = Southern region of the United States (for example, Mississippi, Georgia, Alabama etc)

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22. NhiQuann
"Gucci flip flops are more expensive"

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23. Yoni Macaroni
"+Porcum Means Pig First of all they're Gucci, second, who wears shoes in the house? Most people are just barefoot in their house. It's his house he can wear anything he wants in his own home."

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24. Dylan warbritton
"he does not want to ruin his sneakers"

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25. Carissa Cornelius
"That's what I was thinking"

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26. Yoni Macaroni
"+Carissa Cornelius They're Gucci, plus it's HIS OWN HOME."

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27. sarftie
" 1. They're slides
2. It's his house"

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28. Rafael Moreno
"+NhiQuann Gucci flip flops are 150$ those shoes go from 300$ to priceless"

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29. Clark Kegley
"Shows off 400-pair shoe masterpiece. Wears flip flops."

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30. Ethan C
"+Clark Danger they're gucci"

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Chicago Harlem Street
31. "We wears shoes in the house?"

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32. Chicago Harlem Street
"Unless you want your house dirty"

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33. Zebede Zandale
"+Clark Danger The difference is that he doesn't see them as wearable shoes, rather piece of art. The reason why he is on slippers not on them."

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2016
34. Crying Seal
"Kids in Africa could have eaten those shoes"

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35. Samourai
"HAHAHA"

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36. Siyabonga Gwaza
"why our kids would eat shoes?"

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37. Vain Glory
"+Siyabonga Gwaza Ppl in the western world we're constantly bombarded with marketing from foreign aid groups that push the idea that most kids in Africa are dying of hunger. Kids in africa are dying... Of hunger, will you help? So western kids decide to make light of it with dark humor."

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38. shaiska
"@Crying Seal are YOU giving money to kids in Africa ? stop being a hypocrite !"

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39. Wyatt Stancil
"why does he keep saying "know what I'm saying"

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40. OZHKAR1
"Wyatt Stancil don't play yourself x12"
-snip-
My take on this comment is that since so many people had already written that DJ Khaled had repeatedly said "You know what I mean", to again write that DJ Khaled had said this is to use a "played out" line (something that is "old" and "needs to be retired"). And saying something that is "played out" makes a person look foolish and "unhip".

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41. Sean Briggs
"gotta be at least 1,000,000 in shoes in resale value"

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42. Cho0segoose
"plus his custom shoes which are worth more"

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43. Secular Student
"How many starving children could this dude feed with all them sneakers he don't need? #ExcessiveGreed"

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44. Chris Brathwaite
"You wanna feed the kids take your own money and do it. I hate when people criticize people who work for their own money about fuckin donating it somewhere."

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45. Yes Im Going To Be That Guy
"+Chris Brathwaite right"

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46. Lodestarrobot
"+Chris Brathwaite
1. This is about khaled's retarded waste of money
2. Not everyone can just donate money, that's the reason the rich were the ones needed to move the economy (which in theory khaled is doing by buying so many jordans)
3. All the money he makes is from mediocre music that just so happened to have mainstream artists anyone with a shallow taste in music just loves to gobble up"

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47. Lodestarrobot
"I guess on the nature of what he's collecting. Shoes are made to be worn, and to just have them sitting there seems like a waste. in addition, as others have mentioned before, his collection is pretty shi&&y* compared to what he's boasting."
-snip-
* This word is fully spelled out in this comment.

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48. Lodestarrobot
"+UnknownAssassin310 I think greed also implies extravagance, such as pap johns not providing health insurance to buy more gold encrusted sodie pops, or the waltons driving their employees into poverty so they can afford yet another stadium full of vintage cars"

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49. Moneyfromaps
"you have the power to feed children too. that's your responsibility as well. what have you done"

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2017
50. Darin Moreland
"Jose Zamora only one pair boi u playing ur self"
-snip-
This comment was written in reference to Jose Zamora's comment that he only had one pair of a certain brand of sneakers. "Boi"= "boy"

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51. Fiji anz
"Darin Moreland OKAY AND HE HAS 1 PAIR U EXPECT HIM TO HAVE MILLIONS AND MILLIONS? NO ONE GOT TIME TO PAY 160-400$ FOR A PAIR OF SNEAKERS . PEOPLE DONT HAVE MONEY LIKE THAT I SHOULD BEING SAYING BOI TO YOUR COMMENT AND YOU PROBARLY HAVE SKETHCERS, AND DONT COMMENT BACK "ACTUALLY I HAVE MORE THAN DJ KHLAD". OR WHAT EVER HIS NAME IS"

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52. KidRaph
"what is Dj Khaled even famous for?"

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53. Realdoses
"he makes hits every year"

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54. Metro B
"+KidRaph He's a DJ that is famous for making multiple big collaborations with big name artists every year. He also makes beats for songs but not all."

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55. Don Rozay
"Making all this hits songs, don't ever play yourself."

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56. seri
"+KidRaph hes made hella hits and is a producer"

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57. Jam Bar
"hold this L"
-snip-
Here's information about the meaning of "L" from https://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=L submitted by Tvhj_ December 04, 2013,
"To lose, or to take a loss. The L comes from the word lose/ loss."

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58. SlazerFis
"+KidRaph Congratulations. Ya played yourself"

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59. GreenGoblinHD
"damn this guy must have a lot of feet"

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60. penguinbrucelee
"Don't ever play yourself"

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