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Wake Up! It's The First Of The Month: The Dual Origin Of A Viral Meme, Hip-Hop Anthem, And Global Ritual

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The phrase "It's the first of the month" has transcended its simple calendar designation to become a cultural phenomenon, a digital rallying cry, and even a spiritual reminder for millions around the world. As of this December 21, 2025, the phrase is a complex tapestry woven from three distinct, yet interconnected, cultural threads: a legendary 90s hip-hop track, a modern viral meme, and an ancient, global ritual for manifesting prosperity.

Far from just marking a new page on your calendar, the first day of a new month carries a powerful, almost electric energy—a universal moment of reset, financial relief, and a fresh start. Whether you’re counting up your latest payday, sharing a specific song on social media, or blowing cinnamon into your doorway, understanding the full context of this phrase reveals a fascinating history of celebration, struggle, and hope.

The Dual Hip-Hop Legacy: From Bone Thugs-N-Harmony to Playboi Carti

The modern viral life of "It's the first of the month" is rooted deeply in two separate, yet thematically linked, rap songs separated by a quarter-century. This dual musical origin is what gives the phrase its current cultural weight and widespread recognition.

Bone Thugs-N-Harmony: The O.G. Anthem (1995)

The original and most significant musical association with the first of the month is the classic 1995 track, "1st of tha Month," by the iconic Cleveland hip-hop group Bone Thugs-N-Harmony.

  • Song Title: 1st of tha Month
  • Artist: Bone Thugs-N-Harmony
  • Album: E. 1999 Eternal
  • Release Year: 1995
  • Writers: Bryon McCane (Krayzie Bone), Steven Howse (Layzie Bone), Charles Scruggs (Wish Bone), Anthony Henderson (Krayzie Bone), Stanley Howse (Flesh-N-Bone), and DJ U-Neek.
  • Cultural Context: The song is a celebration of the day when government assistance checks (like welfare or Social Security) or paychecks arrive, providing a moment of relief and temporary prosperity in the midst of struggle. The song captures the feeling of an "unofficial holiday" in many American communities, where bills are paid, families are fed, and a brief period of joy and spending begins.

The track's smooth, melodic flow and celebratory lyrics established the "first of the month" as a positive, communal event in hip-hop culture. It is a powerful example of how music can capture the socioeconomic realities and hopeful spirit of a community.

Playboi Carti: The Viral Meme of the 2020s

Decades later, the phrase was resurrected and given a new, viral life by Atlanta rapper Playboi Carti. The line, though an homage to the Bone Thugs-N-Harmony classic, became a massive, recurring social media trend.

  • Song Title: Sky
  • Artist: Playboi Carti
  • Album: Whole Lotta Red
  • Release Year: 2020
  • Viral Lyric: "Wake up / It's the first of the month / I brush my teeth and count up."
  • Meme Trend: The "Wake Up It's The First Of The Month" meme became a tradition, shared widely across platforms like TikTok and X (formerly Twitter) on the first day of every month. The meme often features exaggerated or humorous videos of people "waking up" to celebrate the start of the new month, symbolizing a reset or a payday. The trend peaked around 2023 and has solidified its place as a monthly digital ritual.

Playboi Carti's line successfully bridged the generational gap, taking a concept from 90s hip-hop and transforming it into a modern, shareable piece of digital culture, ensuring the phrase remains fresh and relevant today.

Beyond Music: The Global Rituals of a Monthly Reset

The first of the month isn't just a financial or musical checkpoint; it's a powerful moment for spiritual and cultural rituals focused on luck, abundance, and a fresh start. This intention-based use of the day is a major reason for the phrase's enduring popularity.

The Cinnamon Abundance Ritual: Manifesting Wealth

One of the most popular and recent cultural phenomena surrounding the first of the month is the Cinnamon Abundance Ritual. This practice, performed globally, is a form of spiritual manifestation rooted in folk magic and belief systems that associate cinnamon with prosperity.

The ritual is simple, yet highly intentional:

  1. On the first day of the month, take a tablespoon of ground cinnamon in the palm of your hand.
  2. Stand outside your front door (or inside, facing outwards).
  3. Blow the cinnamon inward, into your house or apartment, while reciting an intention or mantra for wealth, prosperity, and abundance to enter your home for the month.

Spiritual experts suggest this act is believed to bring good luck, financial flow, and positive energy for the entire 30-day cycle. This practice highlights the universal desire for a clean slate and financial security that the first of the month represents for many.

The British Tradition: Pinch, Punch, First of the Month

In the United Kingdom, the phrase is tied to a quirky, harmless tradition known as "Pinch, Punch, First of the Month." This is a playful, often childish, custom where the first person to say the phrase to another person on the first day of a new month is permitted to give them a gentle pinch or punch.

The tradition often involves a counter-phrase, like "White rabbits, white rabbits," which is said on the last day of the previous month or immediately after the pinch/punch to ward off bad luck or prevent the other person from retaliating. It is a lighthearted, if slightly bizarre, cultural entity that adds another layer of meaning to the calendar date.

The Financial Gravity and Psychological Reset

At its core, the first of the month is a date of profound financial and psychological significance for nearly everyone. This is the universal, non-meme, non-ritualistic reason the day holds so much weight.

  • Payday and Counting Up: For many, the first of the month is the official payday or the day that crucial funds, like government benefits or direct deposits, hit their accounts. This moment of financial relief is what the Bone Thugs-N-Harmony song so accurately captured, and what Playboi Carti's lyric "count up" nods to.
  • The Monthly Budget Reset: The date is the mental and practical starting line for a new budget cycle. Rent, mortgage payments, utility bills, and subscription fees are often due on the first, making it a critical day for financial organization and accountability. It’s a moment of financial reckoning and planning for the next 30 days.
  • Psychological Clean Slate: Psychologically, the start of a month, much like a Monday or the New Year, acts as a "fresh start effect." It provides a clean break from the previous period, making people more motivated to pursue goals, start new habits, or reset personal challenges. This feeling of renewal contributes to the celebratory nature of the "Wake Up" meme and the optimistic spirit of the abundance rituals.

In conclusion, the next time you see the phrase "It's the first of the month" pop up on your feed, remember you are witnessing a moment that is simultaneously a celebration of 90s hip-hop history, a viral TikTok trend, a powerful manifestation ritual for wealth, and a universal financial and psychological reset button. It is a truly unique cultural marker that continues to evolve, proving that some dates on the calendar hold far more significance than just the number printed on them.

Wake Up! It's The First of the Month: The Dual Origin of a Viral Meme, Hip-Hop Anthem, and Global Ritual
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