Chet Hanks, known for his song “White Boy Summer,” has responded to reports of far-right extremist groups misappropriating the track for racist purposes. The musician, son of Tom Hanks and Rita Wilson, released the rap three years ago, only to find it co-opted by organizations like the Proud Boys and White Lives Matter for promoting propaganda and hate campaigns, according to findings by the Global Project Against Hate and Extremism.
The report highlighted instances where the song’s lyrics, including lines like “Rude boy, it’s a white boy summer, bad gyal, white don dada,” were used to recruit members and incite acts of vandalism and hate incidents.
In a recent Instagram post, Chet Hanks unequivocally distanced himself from any association with racism stemming from his music. “White boy summer was created to be fun, playful, and a celebration of fly white boys who love beautiful queens of every race,” he clarified. He went on to condemn the misuse of his song for spreading hate or bigotry against any group of people.
The statement comes in the wake of growing concerns over the appropriation of cultural symbols and music for divisive purposes, prompting Chet Hanks to reaffirm the original intent of his music while denouncing its misuse.
