VIVA ! GEN Z, VIVA !

 I grew up listening to a lot of hip-hop, back in the day you were either a hip-hop fan or a reggae fan, there were no in-betweens unless you were old then you would listen to Lingala. Recently I've had the sudden urge to revisit my old music, guess am finally embracing my inner teen or something like that. I've been churning out tunes from the likes of KRS One, Tupac, Vinny Paz, Killer Mike, and Immortal Technique (am sorry Gen Z, there's no Kendrick Lamar on that list)

Well in as much as the times might have changed the message in their songs still reigns supreme. Immortal Technique's albums Revolutionary Volume 1 and 2 stood out for me. Why, the revolutionary drums are beating hard in my country right now and only a fool won't acknowledge the signs of the times.

The young people have closed their ears to that nonsense our folks used to tell us. You that bull about " the youth are the leaders of tomorrow"  Yeah that shit is done. The youth are the present and the way they are applying pressure makes me wish I was born a little later to fit into their space but am glad to be alive in these times.

They go by Gen Z and they don't give a blunt fuck about anything. Oh and am going to curse a lot in this text because that's the hip-hop thing to do and obviously, because I want to stir up a lot of emotions. 

These youngins have watched two generations disappoint them silently, they kept quiet about it but rather than cower and believe the lies of the oppressor they went against the grain, they went to school, they understood their history they got empowered, they self-taught themselves skills that were useful to their everyday living! They didn't go around looking for jobs they fucking employed themselves! They did shit our parents talked us out of or beat the shit out of us into not doing! Imagine telling your folks back in the '90s or 2000s that you wanted to be a social media influencer a DJ or a photographer, you catch my drift? Well, they did all that and more but most importantly they got enlightened! They know their fucking rights! 

The enemy is still poverty, but they are not waiting on anyone to come sort it out, they create their revenue streams and make hella good money from that too. So one day when the oppressive government wanted to stick their long hands into their cookie jar, they broke hell and it's been drama ever since. They have told the government to hold on a damn minute, you mean to tell us all the money you have swindled from us isn't enough? How the hell do you plan on using that money first before you want more? 

See the beauty about this generation is they are renegades, they bend over for nobody (well unless it's consensual)

They don't ask how high when you tell them to jump. They ask why! They want to know what's in it for them. They are not swayed they fuck around and find out. Unlike us they don't sip on that Christianity cool aide, they know when you fucking with them and they outrightly don't give a hoot about anything that doesn't go with their agenda.

They understood way earlier that the media is the fourth branch of government and devised methods to communicate en masse without the interference of government through mainstream media. They use VPNs to bounce off their actual locations and proxies to mask their online activities.  You won't catch them lurking and oh my they can mobilize resources from the comfort of their homes with just a stable internet connection and a smartphone. They are unstoppable when they rally for a common cause! 

I was recently privileged to be in a social media space with them! They articulate issues perfectly. They are well informed about the geopolitics that cause ripples in our country and how the government is eating right from the palms of the IMF, an outfit whose sole agenda is to keep African countries impoverished and dependent on the West for the simplest decisions like who to sleep with or what gender they actually are! They understand the law too much they don't need a coup to overthrow the government, just a constitution and a fearless heart. They are well connected to facilitate medical emergencies for wounded comrades and offer legal support to those unfairly incarcerated. They have some tricks up their sleeves did you know toothpaste could actually wear down the effects of teargas?? 

This is a generation that was slept on, nobody expected them to come out like they did. To use their words "We are not our parents, we will fuck you up!"

We are being schooled on what to do with fear as a country, and what a time to be alive. All I can say is Viva!

When we lose our fear they lose their power. With that said, the patriotic thing to do is join them in arms, march with them, listen and support them offer them guidance when they need it, and don't chaperone them. They have organized themselves in a way the older generations never would have!!

#RejectFinanceBill2024

#OccupyParliament

#OccupyStatehouse

#OccupyKenya