Is Soulja Boy’s ‘Turn My Swag On’ a new Gamecock anthem? It should be

The University of South Carolina has ‘2001.” It has ‘Sandstorm.” Now, Soulja Boy’s “Turn My Swag On” can be added to the list of hype music that should be blasting at moon-level decibels across Williams-Brice Stadium.

In helping to create what could be a new tradition, Gamecock football coach Shane Beamer proved once again that he can bring the fuel that his team and its fan base need to put some depressing years in the rear-view mirror. The Gamecock football video production team deserves equal credit in making this new call to arms.

Soulja Boy seems to approve. Monday, the rapper retweeted a video of Beamer and his team celebrating to “Turn My Swag On” after their Saturday victory over Kentucky. Soulja Boy quoted the first line of his song “Hopped up out the bed”

“I’m back again. I know a lot of y’all thought I wasn’t coming back.. Yeah, I had to prove them wrong,” Soulja Boy raps later in the song almost as if he had a premonition of what USC did to the pundits, bookies and naysayers on Saturday.

“Turn My Swag On” entered the Gamecock football zeitgeist last summer after Beamer donned a slick suit, turned his flat brim backward, put on some gaudy Pit Viper sunglasses and lip synced and danced like a drag queen on Saturday night. The July video, put together by USC’s hype team, received millions of views.

In what was considered a veiled swipe at Beamer and his team, Kentucky football coach Mark Stoops was interviewed on an SEC Network show days after the video came out. “It’s easy to change a climate . . . You change a uniform, talk a little game, dance around, put on some stupid sunglasses.”

Stoops had to eat those words after the Gamecocks danced all over the Wildcats in Lexington, Kentucky, Saturday night.

In a total power move, Beamer had his Pit Viper sunglasses waiting during the locker room celebration. Stoops had “talked about stupid sunglasses and dancing,” Beamer told his players before slipping on the shades, flipping his cap around and busting some moves to the music. The climate of that locker room was electric.

Gamecock fans want to ride with that kind of energy, and “Turn My Swag On” can be our new soundtrack.

The Gamecock football hype machine typically hits all the right notes with their videos and social media content. The stadium sound and video crew usually don’t disappoint. But just in case they haven’t picked up on it, here’s the call. Make “Turn My Swag On” a Gamecock anthem.

For Gamecock fans right now, when the lyrics and bass drop in “Turn My Swag On,” it might as well be the shattering glass sound before Stone Cold Steve Austin comes stomping to the wrestling ring. ‘Turn My Swag On” hits like the “Main Theme” of Star Wars as the prologue rolls.

Beamer has helped turn a song that was relevant around 2010 into a Gamecock rallying cry. How’s that for a metaphor.

Embrace the swag.