The Thug Shake is a term that has different meanings depending on the context. According to, it is a dance most popular around the hood and typically performed by homosexual African-American men who have a gangster/thug attitude. On the other hand, explains that Thug Shaker is a phrase said by the cameraman of a gay porn series called "Thug Hunters." People used it to make ironic memes about recontextualized gay porn, and this genre of memes is called Hood Irony. Thug Shaker Central was a Discord server about Hood Irony memes. Meanwhile, describes the Thug Shaker as a dance move typically performed by young Black men who are presumably part of the hood. These young men are frequently naked while performing the dance. Lastly, explains that the Thug Shake is a dance that was originally danced by black people in the US, preferably naked or in their underwear. The dancers usually belong to a gang, which is why the dance is also called Thug Shaker. Because the word Thug stands for thug or gangster in English. In the dance, the dancer takes off his pants and starts circling his hips. Furthermore, the dancer "twerks" to attract attention.

In summary, the Thug Shake can refer to a dance move typically performed by young Black men who are presumably part of the hood, a dance that was originally danced by black people in the US, preferably naked or in their underwear, or a phrase said by the cameraman of a gay porn series called "Thug Hunters" used to make ironic memes about recontextualized gay porn.