The title is generally accepted as a
portmanteau word meaning "self-obsessed, show-off person". The precise origin is debated, although most theories suggest a blend of "gangsta" and "wannabe". The term had previously been used in the 1999 track Q.B.G. from
The Tunnel, a collaborative album by American DJs Funkmaster Flex and Big Kap.
50 Cent has explicitly stated that the word is not related to the British colloquialism "
wanker": Jake Arnott: And another claim to fame: you introduced the word 'wanksta' into the language with your track 'Wanksta'. That word sort of means something in England — does it mean the same in America? 50 Cent: Nah, nah! 'Wanksta's like... we use that terminology to mean a fake gangster. When people told me about the word 'wanker'... 50 Cent may however have simply been unaware of the origin of this established slang term. The song's lyrics were believed to be directed towards long time nemesis Ja Rule, but
50 Cent disputed this himself in a
MuchMusic interview, stating that while the song itself was not directed at Ja, he was a good example of a wanksta. ==Charts==