The 1738 Phenomenon: How Fetty Wap’s 2015 Catchphrase Captured Pop Culture
By James H. Sterling
To understand how an obscure date on a liquor bottle became international urban slang, one must look at the geography of Paterson, New Jersey. Emerging from the city's 1st Ward, Fetty Wap teamed up with local collaborators Monty (Montana Bucks) and P-Dice to form Remy Boyz 1738 in the early 2010s. The collective operated as a tight-knit family before securing major label interest from 300 Entertainment.
Paterson was far removed from the glitz of Manhattan recording studios. The city carried an industrial heritage marked by economic hardship. For Fetty Wap, who lost his left eye to congenital glaucoma as an infant, music was an all-or-nothing venture. Naming the crew Remy Boyz 1738 anchored their street identity in a shared code of loyalty.
The tag served as an audio watermark. When Fetty Wap yelled "1738" or "Remy Boyz" at the top of an audio track, listeners instantly knew the personnel involved. It functioned like other legendary hip-hop producer tags, such as Mike WiLL Made-It or Metro Boomin, except it belonged entirely to an artist and his local crew.
James Sterling reports on renewable energy developments, climate policy, ecological conservation, and green tech innovations around the globe.
