You've likely heard the infamous Gen Alpha term "6-7" one too many times. The phrase has been driving parents and older generations crazy, but the virality of the saying doesn't appear to be fading anytime soon.
If you've been wondering where the phrase came from and how it got so popular, start in Northern Kentucky. It's true. A Newport high school student and basketball player, Taylen Kinney, is at the heart of the term's popularity.
Taylen Kinney, right, with his step-dad, Andrew Mitchell, after Kinney committed to the University of Kansas. The star basketball player helped contribute to the popularity of the "6-7" meme.How did the '6-7' trend start?
The origins of "6-7" tie back to the song "Doot Doot," released by rapper Skrilla in December 2024. In the song, Skrilla sings, "The way that switch, I know he dyin'. 6-7." The rapper has not revealed the meaning of "6-7," but some suggest it could be a reference to 67th Street in Skrilla's hometown of Philadelphia, according to Know Your Meme, a database for memes and internet slang.
AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementAfter its release, the song was used to soundtrack basketball highlight videos of Charlotte Hornets point guard LaMelo Ball, whose height is 6-foot-7. In the earliest videos, a sports commentator says Ball plays like he's 6-foot-1, even though he's "6'7"," at which point the song "Doot Doot" kicks in and the video shows a compilation of Ball's best moves on the court.
How NKY's Taylen Kinney contributed to its popularity
Taylen Kinney, a 6-foot-1 guard from Newport, Kentucky, and a University of Kansas commit, is credited by The Athletic for spreading the virality of "6-7" when he played in high school.
According to The Athletic, a few weeks after Skrilla released the song "Doot Doot," Kinney was asked to rank his Starbucks drink. He raised his eyebrow in contemplation before answering, "six-seven," motioning up and down with his hands (like he was weighing two options), a gesture that's become a viral sensation.
Overtime Elite, the Atlanta-based basketball league Kinney plays in, recorded and posted the clip on its social media channels. Over the next month, Kinney found ways to work "6-7" into videos whenever he was on camera. According to The Athletic, Overtime Elite kept posting clips of him saying the phrase and within a month, "an internet sensation was born."
AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementThe phrase and Kinny's popularity began to grow. The basketball star saw a business opportunity and launched his own drink brand, 6 7 Water, on, of course, June 7 (6/7).
Aside from his water brand, Kinney also has specially branded "6-7" merchandise dubbed "MR67." The basketball star sells T-shirts and hoodies that feature a "6-7," as well as hats and cups. Visit lowkeyballers.com for more information.
What does '6-7' even mean?
The viral phrase "6-7" (pronounced "six-seven") was recently announced as Dictionary.com's Word of the Year. But what does it mean? According to Kinney, the phrase doesn't really mean anything.
AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisement"It's just two numbers, ain't much to say," he told The Athletic.
The phrase has been around for nearly a year and its meaning is fluid. The online dictionary said some people interpret it to mean "so-so" or "maybe this, maybe that," but it can also be used in isolation to draw laughter and sow confusion.
Because of its shifting meaning, Dictionary.com says it's an example of "brainrot slang," which is intended to be "nonsensical and playfully absurd," like last year's "skibidi."
USA TODAY reporter Greta Cross and Indianapolis Star reporter John Tufts contributed to this report.
This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: Where did '6-7' come from? Newport native at the heart of viral term
AdvertisementAdvertisement
