You’re in class and the teacher happens to say 67. Suddenly, half the class is saying “Six Seven” while waving their hands. What does this mean, where did it come from, and how did it get so popular?
The original “Six Seven” comes from the song “Doot Doot (6 7)” by American rapper Skrilla, which includes the line “6-7 I just bipped right on the highway.” The song was frequently used in edits of famous basketball player LaMelo Ball, who is six foot seven. It was further popularized by a video of Taylen Kinney (a high school basketball player) responding with “six seven” after being asked to rate his Starbucks drink, doing a gesture as if weighing the two options. The hand motion became part of the meme, and Kinney was deemed “Mr. 67.” The trend reached its peak popularity when a video of a kid screaming “six seven” at a basketball game went viral, leading to him being called the “67 kid.”
Why did this meme become so popular? It may seem surprising, but the term actually has no set meaning. The appeal comes from the absurdity and the feeling of being included. Because it’s meaningless, the phrase can be used in many contexts. From students shouting the phrase at school to U.S. politician Blake Moore referencing it in the House, the phrase has proven to be very versatile.
However, this meme has also been heavily criticized. Many people dislike its lack of meaning, wanting logical explanations. Others see the phrase as the younger generation’s way of excluding the older ones. The meme has often been described as “brain dead” and “low quality” by younger and older generations alike. Critics believe it disrupts classrooms, with students repeating the phrase daily. Teachers are tired of the phrase and have even begun using the term themselves as a way of fighting back. When older generations partake in trends, it is often seen as cringe. It undermines the sense of an inside joke and discourages further participation.
This meme reflects the fast paced and low quality meme culture of today. Unlike meme culture in the past, where memes like doge had lasting impact, newer meme culture involves lazy and weak memes that explode in popularity and become irrelevant in months. One example of this is the smurf cat meme, which peaked in popularity around August 2023 and it died out in September that same year. “Six seven” has already experienced a decrease in popularity and will likely become obsolete in the coming months.
Sources:
Schnell, Lindsay. “What Is ’6-7′? It Started with This High School Basketball and Social Media Star .” The New York Times, The New York Times, www.nytimes.com/athletic/6619536/2025/09/12/basketball-taylen-kinney-high-school-social-trend/. Accessed 20 Nov. 2025.
Caruso, Skyler. “Why Are Teens Saying 6-7? The Reason behind the Now-Viral Phrase among Kids.” People.Com, PEOPLE, 30 Oct. 2025,people.com/what-does-six-seven-mean-all-about-tiktok-trend-11724247.
“‘Six-Seven’: What Does the Latest Slang Mean (and Should Parents Be Worried)?” The Guardian, Guardian News and Media, 20 Oct. 2025, www.theguardian.com/society/2025/oct/20/six-seven-latest-slang-should-parents-be-worried.
