Chet Hanks, son of famed actor Tom Hanks, has forcefully denounced the appropriation of his “White Boy Summer time” time period by white supremacist teams, which he claims has distorted its authentic, playful intent.
The rapper, who created the phrase in 2021 after titling a track “White Boy Summer time,” says it was supposed as a light-hearted celebration of variety and interracial admiration.
As a substitute, it has been co-opted right into a racially charged slogan.
“White Boy Summer time was created to be enjoyable, playful, and a celebration of fly white boys who love lovely queens of each race,” Hanks, 33, wrote on social media.
He additional condemned any use of the phrase to advertise hate or violence, stating, “Anything that it has been twisted into to assist any form of hate or bigotry in opposition to any group of individuals is deplorable and I condemn it.”
The time period initially gained traction on social media, with Hanks urging his followers to “tag a REAL Vanilla king.”
Regardless of his intentions, the phrase was ridiculed on-line, with critics stating its awkward and probably problematic connotations.
“Somebody inform Chet Hanks that we’re already a number of thousand years right into a white boy summer time,” one remark learn, encapsulating the tongue-in-cheek backlash.
With the catchphrase now tainted by affiliation with extremist teams, Hanks is adamant about reclaiming its supposed that means.
He defined that “White Boy Summer time” was designed to reflect Megan Thee Stallion’s “Scorching Lady Summer time,” selling inclusivity and interracial relationships over divisive rhetoric.
“I hope that all of us can unfold love to one another and deal with one another with kindness and dignity,” he added.