caping

DC Comics

The word cape, for the article of clothing, dates back to the 16th century, ultimately from a Spanish or Italian word for a sleeveless, cloak-like garment.

Caping came to describe matadors who used their capes to taunt a bull during a fight, e.g., he caped the bull.

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It’s unclear when caping took on its slang meaning of “to defend or support someone,” but the slang evokes a cape-wearing superhero swooping in and saving someone from an attack.

Some have credited it to rapper E-40’s 1993 song “Captain Save A Hoe,” about acting like a superhero to win women. The song features the word cape, though it doesn’t use caping as such.

Whatever its exact origins, caping was established in black slang for “standing up for someone” by 2009. It is often used of people who are defending people considered unsavory in some way. It spread in the 2010s to other domains outside rap, from politics to sports.

“Shouted slurs” but the quotable y’all went with was ‘Get out of here’

Y’all be caping for white men and don’t even know it https://t.co/2T0nv5Abz2

— Sydney Cartier (@SydCartier) March 28, 2019