You've seen it. It’s all over your TikTok FYP and Twitch streams. Someone looks at the camera, flashes a confident (or hilariously awkward) smirk, and says, chat im going to rizz them up. Then they proceed to either fail miserably or—against all odds—actually pull it off.
It's weird.
If you aren't chronically online, this sounds like a foreign language. But for Gen Z and Gen Alpha, it’s basically the modern equivalent of "watch this." It's a declaration of intent. It's a performance. Most importantly, it's a window into how "rizz," the Oxford Word of the Year for 2023, has evolved from a simple noun into a full-blown interactive event.
The phrase isn't just about flirting anymore. Honestly, it’s about the audience. When a streamer tells their "chat" they are about to rizz someone up, they are inviting thousands of people to judge their social skills in real-time. It’s high-stakes social theater.
Where "Chat Im Going To Rizz Them Up" Actually Came From
Let’s be real: Kai Cenat basically owns this space. While he didn't invent the word "charisma"—which is where rizz comes from—he and the AMP crew popularized the specific format of "rizz" as a competitive sport.
The structure of the phrase is specific. It starts with chat. In the world of livestreaming, "Chat" isn't just a box of scrolling text. It’s a sentient entity. It’s a collective consciousness. By addressing the chat first, the speaker is setting the stage. They’re saying, "Witness me."
Then comes the "rizz them up" part. This is the action. It implies a transition from passive observation to active pursuit. You aren't just talking to someone; you are deploying a tactical level of charm. Whether it works or not is almost secondary to the fact that you said you were going to do it.
The Mechanics of Modern Rizz
What does it actually look like when someone tries to rizz someone up? It’s not just "hey, you're cute." That’s boring.
Modern rizz—the kind that gets clipped and shared—usually involves a mix of extreme confidence and self-aware irony. You have "W Rizz" (successful) and "L Rizz" (catastrophic failure). There is no middle ground.
- The Eye Contact: It’s often too much. Way too much.
- The Vocabulary: Using slang like "motion," "unspoken rizz," or "sigma" (usually ironically, but sometimes not).
- The Silence: Often, the most effective rizz is saying nothing at all and just letting the "aura" do the work.
Actually, the term "aura" has started to eclipse rizz in some circles. If you have "infinite aura," you don't even need to say chat im going to rizz them up. You just exist, and the chat loses its mind.
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Why This Phrase Rankles Older Generations
If you’re over 30, this probably feels like the end of civilization. "Why can't they just say they're going to talk to someone?" you might ask.
But language has always been about tribal signaling. In the 90s, it was "all that and a bag of chips." In the 2000s, things were "poggers" or "swag." The difference now is the immediacy.
Because of platforms like Discord and Twitch, slang moves at the speed of light. By the time a brand uses "rizz" in a tweet, the kids have already moved on to something else. The phrase chat im going to rizz them up is a survival mechanism for creators. It’s a hook. It keeps people from scrolling.
The Psychology of the "Chat" Relationship
There is something deeply fascinating about the parasocial relationship involved here. When a creator says they’re going to rizz someone up, they are performing for a digital crowd.
This changes the dynamic of the actual interaction.
Think about it. If you’re on a date and you’re secretly thinking about how a thousand people would react to your next sentence, you aren't really on a date. You’re in a movie. You're the main character. This "Main Character Syndrome" is baked into the very DNA of the phrase.
It turns a private moment into a public commodity.
Is that healthy? Maybe not. But it’s the reality of 2026. We live in an attention economy, and rizz is the currency.
Misconceptions About Being a "Rizzler"
People think "rizzing" is just about being smooth. It’s not.
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Sometimes, the best rizz is being a "crash out." Sometimes, it’s about being so "cooked" that it becomes funny. The nuance is what people get wrong. You don't have to be handsome to have rizz. You just need to have a specific type of social intelligence—or the lack of it—that makes people want to keep watching.
Duke Dennis is often cited as the "Rizz God." Why? Because he doesn't try hard. That’s the "unspoken rizz." The moment you have to say chat im going to rizz them up, you’ve actually already lost a bit of your unspoken rizz. You’ve admitted you’re trying.
How to Actually Use This (Without Looking Like a Fed)
If you’re trying to use this phrase in real life, proceed with extreme caution. It’s 90% irony.
If you say it seriously, you will be "clowned."
The only way to pull off saying chat im going to rizz them up is if everyone involved knows that you know how ridiculous you sound. It’s a meta-joke.
- Identify your "Chat": Even if you aren't streaming, your "chat" is your group of friends.
- Commit to the Bit: If you’re going to do it, you have to go all in. No half-measures.
- Accept the "L": If you fail, own the "L Rizz." It’s part of the narrative.
The Future of Social Slang
We’re already seeing "rizz" being replaced by "motion" or "game." But the structure of addressing a digital audience before an IRL action is here to stay.
The phrase chat im going to rizz them up represents a fundamental shift in how we experience reality. We are constantly narrating our lives for an invisible audience. We are all streamers now, whether we have a camera on us or not.
It's about the "clip." Everything is a potential clip.
When you understand that, the phrase makes perfect sense. It’s a title for a video that hasn't happened yet. It’s a way to categorize a life experience before it’s even finished.
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Actionable Steps for Navigating Rizz Culture
Understanding the slang is one thing; living in the culture is another. If you want to stay relevant or just understand what your younger siblings are shouting at their monitors, keep these points in mind.
First, stop trying to define these words with a dictionary. The meaning changes based on the tone of voice and the person saying it. Rizz can be a compliment, an insult, or a verb.
Second, watch a few minutes of a top-tier streamer like Kai Cenat or Fanum. You don't have to like it. You just have to see how the "chat" functions. Notice how the streamer interacts with the wall of text. That is the "Chat" being addressed.
Third, recognize the irony. Most of the time, when someone says chat im going to rizz them up, they are mocking the idea of being a "pick-me" or a "try-hard." It’s self-deprecating humor disguised as arrogance.
Finally, pay attention to the "vibes." In 2026, vibes are everything. Rizz is just the tool used to shift the vibes in your favor. Whether you call it charisma, game, or rizz, the goal is the same: connection. Even if that connection is mediated through a digital screen and a thousand "OMEGALUL" emotes.
Don't overthink it. Just watch the play unfold. If they win, type "W." If they fail, type "L." That’s all there is to it.
The evolution of language doesn't stop for anyone. Yesterday it was "swag," today it’s "rizz," and tomorrow it’ll be something that sounds even more nonsensical. But the human desire to show off for our "chat"—our friends, our followers, our tribe—that isn't going anywhere.
Stay "locked in" and keep your "aura" high.