The Voice of our Generation

The assignment is to find examples of representations of the voice of our generation in media, however I find it rather taxing as I wonder, does our generation have a voice? What do we stand for? What are we fighting for? What are our goals? What have we done/produced that shows our signature and puts a mark that will in turn form history for the generation of tomorrow? I feel we have become weak, music has lost its soul, wealth of knowledge is diminishing in our social circles, topics of discussion have become superficial, relationships are flaky, privacy is becoming a thing of the past...this all seems rather cynical and many will argue that we are in a very positive era, however these are the things that stand out to me as I think of where our generation is today. 


The famous slogan 'Hip Hop is dead' referring to the diminishing of raw and meaningful Hip Hop, this loss of substance is a reflection on our society's loss of drive, ambition, and cause. However, there has been a revival in the quality of Hip Hop with the arrival of talents like Kendrick Lamar, J. Cole and other compelling, provocative Hip Hop artists causing a healthy lyrical ruckus in the Hip Hop world, unlike the days of Tupac Shakur and Notorious B.I.G. that resulted in gang battles and shootings.
Music tells a story of various groups within a generation and is a great indication of the mindset of a set population. Music is known as a universal language, therefore I choose to use examples from two icons in the industry: Pharrell Williams and Kendrick Lamar.  

• Defy expectations and stereotypes, are curious, ambitious, energetic and have every intention of squeezing the most out of life and above all are individuals.

• Do not fit into any category and are above labels.

• Believe individuality is the new wealth.

• Are a diverse group of optimistic, bright minds connected by technology and a desire to make a mark.

Choice & Identity, recurring themes in our day and age, unlike our parents' generation and those before them I feel we are fortunate as we have more choice although relative to people's society. We have more choice in career opportunities, choice sexuality, choice in marriage (you can marry whomever regardless of sex, religion and background). The abundance is choice has opened many doors for us, but has also led us to be very confused and lost. We are continuously changing careers and questioning who we are and what we want to be, bringing us to the theme of Identity. Our generation longs for individuality, this longing conflicted with the search for belonging as in the search to belong, you lose a sense of identity. Renowned singer-songwriter (whose work ranges from R&B, Soul to Hip Hop), producer and fashion designer Pharell Williams, is very passionate about the issue of identity has begun a movement 'I Am Other' which addresses the issues that have risen due to the longing to belong. 'I Am Other' celebrates people who push society forward, forward thinkers, innovators and those seen as outcasts. He says 'History has proven that it’s the rule breakers who have the power to change the world.' 'Others' are seen as those that: 

This movement strives to convince our generation that it is not just ok to be different, but that there is wealth in being different and not conforming to any norm, which I feel is very important, as when we attempt to fit in, we lose our individuality and become a clone of what is seen as acceptable. However I do feel like in the attempt to be 'other' we tend to reach extremes and again lose the essence of who we are. We need a balance. 

In his song 'Kush and Corinthians' renowned provocative rapper Kendrick Lamar,puts in plainly:

"Live your life, live it right

Be different, do different things

Don't do it like 

He did, 'cause he ain't what you is"

Referencing a letter from St. Paul addressed to the church of Corinth is in the book of Corinthians of the Bible. In the letter, he tells the church to not act like the rest of the world and explains how to act and set themselves away from the world. The verse in the bible speaks of turning away from the ills of the world, however the verse in Kendrick's is challenging people to do what sets them apart from others and not copy others, because they are living their own journey have not walked in your path, therefore be yourself, we all have a different story to tell, so tell your story your way and not an adaptation of someone else's. 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=695Dxe6LXMA
Another worthy listen is ADHD by Kendrick which talks of how weak our society has become to the point that we rely on drugs to numb out our problems instead of solving our issues. 
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QjlFqgRbICY