Chet Hanx Has Now Immortalized The Baffling Concept Of “White Boy Summer” Through Music

Chet Hanx Has Now Immortalized The Baffling Concept Of “White Boy Summer” Through Music

Perhaps you’re familiar with Chet Hanx, the rapping son of screen icon Tom Hanks. A decade ago, when he was still a college student who used the name “Chet Haze,” Hanx was a big Videogum favorite. A year ago, Hanx was the guy who announced to the world that his parents had coronavirus. Right now, Hanx is mostly known for the three-word phrase “White Boy Summer.” On Instagram a couple of weeks ago, Hanx announced to the world, “I just got this feeling, man, that this summer, it’s about to be a white boy summer.”

That clip instantly went viral for its fascinating levels of cluelessness — for blissfully ignoring the idea that it’s basically been a white boy summer every summer for thousands of years. (Hanx clarified that he’s “not talking about Trump, you know, NASCAR-type white,” which is helpful.) Rather than backtracking, though, Hanx steered right into it, selling “White Boy Summer” merch that looks vaguely white power-ish. Today, Hanx has released a new song about the white boy summer that, he insists, is about to happen.

As a piece of music and as a video, “White Boy Summer” is a fascinating kaleidoscope of cultural appropriation. The song sounds a bit like Bay Area hyphy. In the video, Hanx dances with a series of women, bouncing his head off their asses. He wraps himself in a Jamaican flag and poses next to a lowrider. He also raps in fake patois: “Bad gyal, white don dada/ rude bwoy, it’s a white boy summer.” He notes that “white girls love Madonna”? It’s a lot. Witness it below.

In more serious news, TMZ reports Chet Hanx’s ex is now suing him for $1 million, claiming physical abuse. Hanx’s lawyers deny the charges.

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