What does the "Let Him Cook" emote mean on Twitch?

The latest meme to reach the same level of popularity and usage since 'KekW' and 'Copium,' 'Let Him Cook' is the most viral emote on Twitch, TikTok, and every other relevant social media platform at the moment.

It was popularized and unknowingly created by American rapper Brandon Christopher McCartney, better known as Lil B, a.k.a TheBasedGod, through his catchphrase "Let That Boy Cook" in July 2010. As seen in the video, the phrase was initially meant to describe dance moves often seen in rap videos, with cooking implying dancing and the dancer being the chef.

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Meaning and spread of 'Let Him Cook'

As defined by Urban Dictionary, "let him cook" means "let him do his thing," or to give someone space to hone their craft. However, the phrase has expanded to cover many different meanings since being used a little over a decade ago.

Metaphor for flirting

Let Him Cook is generally used as a reference to allow someone to do what they do best or to continue doing something they already do well. It usually refers to someone trying to use their 'rizz' or flirting with others.

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New base

Let Him Cook has become a catchphrase for giving someone room to express their unpopular opinions or hot take that some people agree with. It implies they're onto something, so refrain from chastising or rebuking their post at face value and listen to their entire train of thought.

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Let Russ Cook

The popular phrase-turned-meme has been a staple within the American football community, appearing as early as 11 years ago with multiple players opting to do the 'cooking' dance following a touchdown.

Former professional American footballer Damien Woody used the phrase on December 29, 2013, that read:

Just get Geno some weapons & let him cook!"

However, in the fall of 2020, Let Russ Cook became a prominent evolution of the original phrase for Seattle Seahawks NFL player Russell Wilson to take on a bigger role as the team's best offensive player.

The first instance of Let Russ Cook was used by a Twitter user in September 2019, with The Athletic distinctly mentioning it in one of its articles. However, this has become a meme following a less-than-impressive season for the Seattle Seahawks, as stated by this Reddit user.

The widespread popularity of 'Let Him Cook' has led to the creation of many spinoff memes.