The internet teen slang simp, as is true of many slang terms that go mainstream, appears to come directly from Black hip-hop slang—and it's older than you may think. Hip-hop lyrics from the late 1980s and 1990s were already using simp as an insult for a men perceived as too subservient to a woman.

Where did the term simp come from?

Simp began to have the connotation of someone being "soft" and "overly sympathetic" in the 1980s, when it was used by West Coast rappers such a Hugh E.M.C., Too Short, and E-40.

Who invented simp?

The term “simp” began trending on TikTok courtesy of a user named Marco Borghi, aka "polo. boyy". The influencer uploaded TikTok's first “Simp Nation” video to his 2 million followers, simply saying: “If she rants to you about her relationship problems and you comfort her, welcome to the Simp Nation”.