"Daddy chill" is the kind of iconic phrase that sounds like it could have come from anywhere. But this meme has origins that are deeply rooted in internet culture, making it a favorite among the perpetually online.
The origin of 'Daddy chill'
Also referred to as the "What the hell is even that" meme, "Daddy chill" is a quote from a video that appeared on YouTube in 2019. YouTuber McJuggerNuggets uploaded the original video, titled "EVICTION DAY," as a part of his series, "The Devil Inside."
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In the snippet of the video that’s been meme-ified, a character known as Psycho Dad is kicking a group of partygoers (played by various YouTubers) out of a house. He yells at the group until another character, Tippy, interrupts him.
The exchange goes like this:
"You’re trespassing on my property," Psycho Dad yells at the group as they try to calm him down.
"JT let me have this house," says one of the partiers.
"He let you have my house? My sh*t?" Psycho Dad demands.
"I won it," the younger man responds.
"You’re trespassing on my property," Party Dad retorts. "You didn’t win sh*t."
"Wait, wait wait," interrupts Tippy, "Daddy, chill."
Psycho Dad erupts, "What the hell is even that?!"
The spread of 'Daddy chill'
While the YouTube series never became all that popular, the phrase "Daddy chill" took on a life of its own after it started making the rounds on TikTok. In mid-2020, social media users began to use the phrase "Daddy chill" in humorous situations, mimicking Tippy.
The meme gained so much popularity that Tippy (who is a character in the video series and the name the actor uses on social media) posted a video to YouTube in which they reacted to memes from TikTok that referenced the video.
In an interview with Knowyourmeme.com, Tippy said of the famous phrase, "It wasn't planned, I swear to you. This is not planned, no one's told me to say anything … I got there and all this screaming, screaming, screaming is going on. I was like, 'You know what? Let me just say something real quick,' so I was like, 'Wait, wait, wait. Daddy, chill.'"
@knowyourmeme After appearing in a viral video, Tippy–AKA Tiffany Jade–went viral. We set up an interview to get the whole story! #daddychill #tiffanyjade #tippy #whatevenisthis #knowyourmeme @Tippy
♬ original sound - Know Your Meme
The 'Daddy chill' meme on TikTok
A search for the phrase on TikTok today brings up users who are still playing with "Daddy chill."
One TikToker, Joshua (@joshgancas) posted a popular video that has 4.5 million views, asking various people to do their best “Daddy chill” impersonation.
@joshgancas Who’s Daddy Chill was better ??... the last boy kinda sus ??! #daddychill #interview
♬ original sound - joshuagancas
Others, like @juliewise4, reenacted the original scene for the platform, putting their own twist on things.
@juliewise4 Daddy chill
♬ WHAT IS EVEN THAT - Tiktoker
Influencer Joe Mele (@mmmjoemele) took a commenter up on a challenge to say "Daddy chill" in front of his own father, which prompted a hilarious turn.
@mmmjoemele Reply to @tynoormae YES DAD YES?
♬ original sound - Joe Mele
A TikTok user who posts under the handle @cuhstarican also captured the moment when Pedro Tovar, singer from the musical group Eslabon Armado, said the phrase on stage while playing his guitar.
In 2021, Tippy also stitched a video from social media personality Bretman Rock in which Bretman showed off a bucket hat that had the phrase on it.
@tippytiffanyjade @bretmanrock UH OH? #daddychill #dadgrass this hat?
♬ original sound - Tippy
Tippy also shared a clip in 2020 that reunited him and Psycho Dad, much to viewers' delight.
@tippytiffanyjade Daddy still mad at me? #daddychill #fyp #foryou #foryoupage
♬ original sound - Tippy
New iterations of the meme had slowed down by 2023, but it still pops up in unexpected places from time to time.
Will "Daddy chill" see a proper resurgence in the future? Who can say. But for those who were there when it first gained ground, it's clear this meme will never die.
Editor’s note: This article is regularly updated for relevance.
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