The "67" meme (often stylized as "6-7" or pronounced "six-seveeeen") is a classic example of 2025's viral "brainrot" humor—absurd, repetitive, and intentionally meaningless content that spreads rapidly among Gen Alpha (kids born ~2010–2024) and younger Gen Z on platforms like TikTok, Instagram Reels, and YouTube Shorts.
Origins
It started with the drill rap song "Doot Doot (6 7)" by Philadelphia rapper Skrilla, released in late 2024. The chorus repeatedly features the line "6-7" (e.g., "6-7, I just bipped right on the highway"). Skrilla has said he never assigned a specific meaning to it—it's just a catchy ad-lib that popped into his head. Some speculate it references 67th Street in Philadelphia or Chicago (areas tied to his background), or even police code "10-67" (report of a death), but the artist insists it's fluid and meaningless.
How It Went Viral
- Early 2025: The song's beat drop synced perfectly with TikTok edits of NBA highlights, especially Charlotte Hornets star LaMelo Ball, who is listed at 6 feet 7 inches tall. Videos joked about how he "plays like a 6'1" guard despite being 6'7," with "6-7" hitting right on the drop.
- March 2025: A video from an AAU basketball game went mega-viral showing a young boy (later dubbed the "67 Kid" or "Maverick Trevillian") excitedly yelling "6-7!" into the camera while doing an up-and-down hand gesture (palms up, alternating shrug-like motion). This "cringe" energy turned it into pure meme fuel.
- From there, it detached from basketball and rap, becoming a nonsensical chant kids shout for no reason—at school (e.g., page 67 in a book, 67% on a test), in videos, or randomly to annoy adults.
Why It's Everywhere (and Annoying to Some)
The meme thrives on its lack of meaning: it's an inside joke that signals "I'm in on the chaos." Kids yell it in classrooms (frustrating teachers), mobs gather at fast-food places waiting for order #67, and it even got parodied on South Park. Dictionary.com named "67" its 2025 Word of the Year, calling it a "definition-free cultural signal."
It's peak Gen Alpha "brainrot"—low-effort, hyper-repetitive content that's addictive because it's so dumb. Similar to older memes like "covfefe" or "all your base," but accelerated by short-form video.
