More Than A Meme: Kids Keep Yelling “Six, Seven” And The Athlete Behind It All Is Getting Paid
Anwar Stetson
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New School Year, New Slang
School is back in session around the country, and I’m sure many parents and teachers are perplexed with kids screaming the phrase “6-7” at each other. Well, it all starts with NBA star LaMelo Ball: Months ago, basketball fans began posting edited highlights of the 6 foot 7 inch tall starting point guard for the Charlotte Hornets.
Now you can’t walk down the halls of an American school without hearing the phrase everywhere as an inside joke. But what just seems like an obnoxious meme actually has a far more interesting sports angle.
Late last year, edited LaMelo Ball highlights on social platforms featured the song Doot Doot (6 7) by the rapper Skrilla. The thing is, no one knows what it actually means.
Rumors have spread online that “6-7” refers to “67th street in Chicago,” though Skrilla is from Philadelphia.
For further sleuthing, Prep Network reached out to Vivian Medithi, a culture writer and critic for The Fader. Medithi has connections to Skrilla’s camp, but the trail gets cold after that.
“Skrilla has never officially commented on why he said “6-7” — in fact, the meaning is so obscure nobody on Genius has taken a stab at it,” Medithi told me Wednesday.
The 17-year-old hoops star Taylen Kinney helped popularize the meme earlier this year by referencing the song in a viral video. Ultimately, the phrase is practically meaningless. But where many saw just an innocuous gesture, Kinney saw an opportunity.
The first Taylen Kinney “6-7” Reference, According to Rod Wave Elite
A Market for Money-Making Memes
On June 7, Kinney announced “6 7 Water” with the help of Overtime Elite. The canned water beverage has its own marketing page and website, and there’s currently a waitlist for prospective buyers who can’t wait until the next exclusive drop.
The water was developed in collaboration with food and beverage delivery company GoPuff.
According to GoPuff, over 20,000 fans signed up on the 6 7 Water website for product updates. On July 11, the company began selling the water in the Philadelphia and New York City metro areas through a delivery system. Kinney also gave away cans at events over the summer to thirsty fans.
According to Strictly Bball, the senior is the first youth athlete to have his own beverage company. Back in February, Skrilla was invited to an Overtime Select tournament, where he gave props to Kinney, calling him “Mr. 6-7.”
A Viral Hooper, Not Just a Viral Meme
Kinney is a 6’1” (not 6’7”) point guard from Newport, Kentucky, who currently attends Overtime Elite Academy in Georgia. He’s a pretty big deal in high school hoops. The five-star recruit in the Class of 2026 is currently the 13th ranked player in the nation, per Prep Hoops.
He hasn’t committed to a college program yet, but recently made headlines with a visit to Indiana.
Kinney plays his AAU ball for Wildcat Select in Adidas’ 3SSB league and has won multiple titles at the high school level. He also has nearly one million followers on TikTok. By the time Kinney made his way through summer tournaments this year, the meme had spread like wildfire. Paige Bueckers, Darius Garland, NFL Giants head coach Brian Daboll, and Shaquille O’Neal all referenced the meme in public.
Reflecting the nature of modern prep sports, Kinney already has an agent representing him for NIL deals and has been able to turn a Gen-Z joke into a lucrative financial opportunity.
Just a few years ago, Kinney (or any high school student) was barred from profiting at all from any endeavor related to their sport. Now, you can potentially make a living off of a meme. Though NIL and branding deals aren’t usually exposed, I’ll guess Kinney has made more than $67 in the endeavor.
More than a meme, Kinney will have plenty of eyes on him for his on-the-court play this fall as he prepares for the next level.