One of the many struggles parents endure is the never-ending quest to understand their kids. Sometimes it’s understanding their basic needs, other times it’s understanding their perspective. And in increasing times, it can simply be understanding the words they say.
The phrase “6-7” (six-seven) has started making the rounds more recently, and it’s become so popular that some classrooms are banning students from uttering it.
Languages, of course, evolve over time, and slang has and will always exist, but to Generation Alpha, slang is often referred to as “brain rot,” which describes the concept of how increased social media usage degrades a person’s mental faculties.
Increasingly more familiar phrases like “skibidi” and “sigma” sit atop the “brain rot” pantheon, so where does “6-7” sit, and what does it mean?
What does ‘6-7’ mean?
At face value, much of Gen Alpha’s slang might seem nonsensical, but that’s because its meaning is hidden behind cultural layers, which typically have online roots.
In this case, “6-7” truly doesn’t mean anything. It’s not short for anything, it doesn’t refer to anything specific that happened online, and there are really no words to describe it in a traditional sense. That doesn’t mean it’s nonsensical, however.
Saying “6-7” is more of an exclamation. Sort of like when two Alabama fans spot each other in a crowd and yell “roll tide!”
Why do kids say ‘6-7’?
Kids are saying “6-7” because, well, they’re kids.
Most commonly, they are likely trying to get a reaction. Either laughs from their friends, bewilderment from their parents or even provocation from their teachers.
Where did ‘6-7’ come from?
Tracing the “6-7” phrase’s roots is a bit of a rabbit hole, so buckle up.
The “6-7” origin started in December 2024, when the phrase first appeared as lyrics in the hip-hop song “Doot Doot,” released by a rapper called Skrilla, not to be confused with Skrillex.
The song’s lyrics are, ”The way that switch, I know he dyin’. 6-7. I just bipped right on the highway.” No one is quite sure what Skrilla means when he sings “6-7” here, but the prevailing thought is that it refers to 67th Street in Philadelphia, according to the Know Your Meme database.
So, why are kids shouting out the grim lyrics of a Skrilla song? TikTok, obviously.
TikTok has become a popular vehicle for musical discovery, and Skrilla’s “Doot Doot” song was featured on TikToker @matvii_grinblat’s video of commentary surrounding NBA player Lamelo Ball’s game. In the video, the commentator mentions Ball’s height, 6’7”, which cues “Doot Doot” to start playing over a compilation of footage featuring Ball.
Two months later, the TikTok video gained over 9.6 million views, according to Know Your Meme, and launched the song’s popularity on TikTok.
What is ‘brain rot’?
The noun can describe a state of being impacted by increased social media usage or content that has little to no substantive value, which may lead to the metaphorical degradation of the brain. These days, “brain rot” is largely used to describe the latter and can serve as an umbrella term for the words and phrases below.
The phrase “You stole my brain rot” is specifically in reference to a Roblox game called Steal Brainrot. In the fast-paced, heist-style game, users are tasked with stealing other players’ “brain rot,” which appears as different silly characters.
Contributors: Greta Cross, USA TODAY
This article originally appeared on Pensacola News Journal: The story of ‘6-7’ and why kids won’t stop saying it
Reporting by Brandon Girod, Pensacola News Journal / Pensacola News Journal
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
