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millennials and raphayden lewis july 12, 2016
raised in chicago (suburbs) university of missouri 2016
major: journalism - strategic communication minors: political science & religious studies
studied abroad in brussels spring 2016
about me
i am
a millennial who listens to rap
rap listenersmajority millennials aged 18-24
skews hispanic and african-american significant white suburban listenership
http://www.nielsen.com/us/en/insights/news/2015/hip-hop-nation-how-the-genre-is-turning-up-in-2015.html
"the single most important event that has shaped the musical structure of
the american charts"
rap music
http://www.cnn.com/2015/05/06/tech/pop-music-study-hip-hop-the-beatles/
millennials
the millennial starter kit
http://www.pewresearch.org/fact-tank/2016/04/25/millennials-overtake-baby-boomers/
values: authenticity transparency connectivity social responsibility word-of-mouth experience-driven
http://www.pewresearch.org/fact-tank/2016/04/25/millennials-overtake-baby-boomers/
it can be helpful…overall strategic guidance top-level brand planning large-scale campaigns forbes.com pieces of questionable authority
the millennial starter kit
values: authenticity transparency connectivity social responsibility word-of-mouth experiences
is there a way to better discuss millennial values, motivations, and desires?
bifurcation of millennials
builders&firebrands
Nathan Heller Writer, The New Yorker
Source: “The Big Uneasy”, Nathan Heller, The New Yorker May 2016
Source: “The Big Uneasy”, Nathan Heller, The New Yorker May 2016
builders (26-34 y/o) : “having reached adulthood on unstable ground, they’re opportunistic entrepreneurs, restless climbers, and deferential compromisers.” firebrands (18-26 y/o) : “adept and accomplished, but many feel betrayed by their supposed political guardians, and aspire to tear down the web of deceptions from the inside.”
bifurcation of millennials
Nathan Heller Writer, The New Yorker
builders
firebrands
we can use rap to break these down even further
drake
started from the bottom…
now he’s here
here
gotta be here
drake
29 years old (born 1986)
more top 100 singles than The Beatles
nielson n-score: 73%
themes: fame, backstory, wealth, braggadocios tenderness, lucid yet evasive sensitivity
Views (2016)debuted 1 on Billboard 200 245 million streams in first week broke previous record of 115.2 million by Beyonce first UK number 1 album for drake
drake = builder
Source: “The Big Uneasy”, Nathan Heller, New Yorker May 2016
drake as builder: protean showmanship (opportunistic) apolitical diffusiveness (deferential) calculated appeal (entrepreneurial)
Nathan Heller Writer
The New Yorker
drake also represents a heavy-handed use of the millennial starter kit
but within rap, drake is an outlier
chance the rapper
chance the rapper
22 years old (born 1994) has only released 3 mixtapes, in defiance of record labels latest mixtape released to ‘universal appeal’ themes: positivity, community, nonviolence, religiosity
Source: “The Big Uneasy”, Nathan Heller, New Yorker May 2016Source: “The Big Uneasy”, Nathan Heller, New Yorker May 2016
chance = firebrand
Source: “The Big Uneasy”, Nathan Heller, New Yorker May 2016
Nathan Heller Writer
The New Yorker
chance as firebrand: betrayed by political guardians socially minded reigniting activism amid unmet change
chance’s firebrand psyche appeal
brands can tap into firebrand cultural tensions by taking a stance on a controversial issue
firebrands: 8.1% builders: 21.1%
most likely to have increased purchase intent from a company with a stance aligned to their own
http://www.forbes.com/sites/datafreaks/2015/03/12/brands-take-a-stand-when-speaking-up-about-controversial-issues-hurts-or-helps-business/#4d44d0a44c08
gay marriage health care reformclimate changegun control
there’s more to firebrands than just positivity and productivity
tyler, the creator
tyler, the creator
25 years old (born 1991) four albums signed with sony founder of rap group Odd Future themes: irreverence, extreme vulgarity, dark humor, brutal pop culture satire, nostalgia
“I'm an overachiever, so how about I start a team of leaders And pick up Stevie Wonder to be the wide receiver? Green paper, gold teeth and pregnant golden retrievers All I want, f*ck money, diamonds and b*tches, don't need them”
- Tyler the Creator, Yonkers
tyler represents a different strain of firebrands
growing frustration yet patience amid unmet change
= productivity and positivity
absurdist nihilism and political apathy amid unmet change
= cultural defense mechanism
active firebrand dismissive firebrand
brands can reach into dismissive firebrands through internet culture, memes and absurdism
and just like there’s more to firebrands than positivity, there’s more to builders than calculated opportunism and showmanship
yeezy
kanye west39 years old (born 1977) 21 grammys music & fashion mogul themes: arrogance, fame, creative expression, brashness, complex emotional states
narcissistic builder:
egotistical and abrasive upon success amid
tumult =
daring innovativeness
sympathetic builder:
apolitical and calculating upon success amid
tumult =
inoffensive popularity
ego -> expression -> innovation
Life of Pablo (2016)February 14, 2016
released unfinished
updated 12 songs post-release
"a living breathing changing creative expression.” - west
tech-fueled egotism -> innovation -> more relevant/live content
brands can tap into narcissistic builders by empowering them — putting them as close to their content as possible
sympathetic builders
apolitical and calculating upon success amid tumult
= inoffensive popularity
narcissistic builders
egotistical and abrasive upon success amid tumult
= techno-innovation
absurdist nihilism and political apathy amid unmet change
= cultural defense mechanism
dismissive firebrands
growing frustration yet patience amid unmet change
= productivity and positivity
active firebrands
there is a limit to how much we can understand about millennials
childish gambino
childish gambino32 y/o (born 1983) real name: donald glover wrote for 30 Rock at 21 also an actor, comedian themes: techno-skepticism, info-manic mindfulness, cathartic artistry, introversion, lyrical density and innovativeness
masterful performer like drake dabbles in racial politics like chance cultural innovativeness of tyler the creator creative inventiveness of kanye
gambino isn’t a firebrand or a builder
gambino is doing something different
2013 instagram breakdown/revelation 2013 release of Because the Internet 2016 pharos.earth promotional app and tour
gambino’s tech-mediated revelation
Because the Internet (2013)
album cover is a gif debuted #7 on Billboard 200 2015 Grammys Best Rap Album nominee recorded at chris bosh’s mansion under strict tech-based rules: no tweeting no instagramming
2016 breaking silence, promotional app and tour
brands can reach broad swaths of millennials with innovative technology
but there’s something deeper…
gambino’s tech-mediated revelation
distinctly millennial tension: digital vs. analog self
rap can help us make sense of the noise
rap can help us make sense of the noise
questions?
thank you