Conversation Starters, Features, Talks
Gen Z Culture Is Black Culture: How Music, Language, Politics and Humor Flow From Black Communities
No cap, Generation Z has used their creative senses and various forms of expression to start trends. However, even phrases like “no cap” aren’t necessarily Gen Z culture. Beyond trends, dances, slang, humor, style and political standpoints, Black culture has a powerfully rooted influence. What people call “Gen Z” culture today is actually a reflection of a culture that long dictated what’s hot and what’s not. Black culture has laid the framework for centuries and has popularized much of what Gen Z experiences and participates in today.
Music
Black culture and music go together like peanut butter and jelly. Music is one of the many elements embedded in the culture and a gem loved by ALL, if we’re being honest. Especially by Gen Z. Gen Z loves new dance trends and music that originates from Black culture. Whether it’s teenagers saying “6,7” while hand gesturing to Skrilla’s famous “Doot Doot (6 7)” song or young adults putting their spin on the “Sexy Walk” dance, many of these adapted trends have originated within Black communities and been re-labeled as “young people” activities and Gen Z culture.
Long before social media amplified trends, rap songs have consistently featured catchy lyrics that have become cultural phenomena. Similar to the “6,7” hype, Biggie’s 1994 lyrics, “It was all a dream,” and Ice Cube’s 1993 lyrics, “Check yourself before you wreck yourself,” are examples of Black legends’ music being quoted in real life. Like Gen Z’s behavior today, Black culture has produced music that has left a lasting impact long before the generation was born. It may sound silly to some, but when you hear “6,7,” think about how Black culture has been integrated and replicated. Gen Z culture flows directly from Black communities.
Dance
Lyrics aren’t the only things being replicated and claimed by Gen Z; dance moves are as well. As previously mentioned, Gen Z has put their spin on the “Sexy Walk,” a Jersey Club dance popularized by DJ LILMAN’S song. As someone from New Jersey and part of Gen Z, it is amazing to see how a dance I grew up with in the 2000s has become a mainstream dance move and a global phenomenon performed by people who aren’t from New Jersey. Thanks to the power of social media and Black culture, countless people have promoted the style of “Jersey club” music and Jersey club dances like the “sexy walk” via the internet. This further proves that Gen Z Culture is Black Culture.
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Language and Slang
A hard truth that many people have yet to realize or accept is that several slang terms are simply recreations of African American Vernacular English, better known as AAVE. Before Gen Z adopted terms like “lit,” “period,” “clocking tea,” “no shade,” “bussing,” “slay,” “unc” and more into their everyday conversations, Black culture had already imprinted itself, making its influence known. Dating back to before readers of this piece were born, AAVE has been around since the 17th and 18th centuries, according to The Oxford Handbook of African American Language.
Constantly evolving, AAVE has taken over in ways unimaginable. Today, companies include it in their marketing to appeal to Gen Z audiences. By emphasizing and amplifying the mainstream effect through their social media, companies like Duolingo, a popular language-learning app, have demonstrated that slang has become a household term amongst youth. Slang, as many of Gen Z know it today, has its roots in Black culture. But let’s make one thing clear: AAVE is not Gen Z slang.
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Politics
When it comes to standing firm on beliefs, Gen Z isn’t backing down. Advocating for change globally, Gen Z has taken on some tough yet essential qualities from those who came before it. From leaders of the Black community, Black culture has always demonstrated collectivism and the ability to move as a unit to fight for justice, reputation and rights. Protests are a form of activism that the Black community has been using for decades. Dating back to the 18th century and the Revolutionary era, protesting served as a form of resistance within the culture. The Civil Rights Era was also an example of how Black people have consistently used protests as a form of peaceful resistance.
Bringing it into the 21st century, activism began to look a little different. After the tragic death of Trayvon Martin in 2012, a new movement emerged: the Black Lives Matter Movement. With the movement came the hashtag #BlackLivesMatter in 2013. The Black Lives Matter hashtag, an act of solidarity, became mainstream, prioritized, and forever shaped how Gen Z uses social media to voice their opinions on both politics and tragic events. In today’s political climate, Gen Z uses hashtags to encourage freeing Palestine, stopping Asian hate, protecting Black women, stopping illegal deportation and more. While Black Lives Matter didn’t start the use of hashtags for solidarity, it reshaped how activists use social media to make their voices heard. Gen Z similarly demonstrates the resilience of the Black community, leveraging their digital nativeness to spread awareness worldwide through the internet and social media.
Humor
Comedy has deep ties to the African American community and has strongly influenced Gen Z. As shown in the previous paragraphs, the connection is clear, and I’m sure you can believe it. Black culture has shaped various forms of comedy. Charley Case, a Black man, became one of the first stand-up comedians. Case performed in the 1880s without a script or a monologue, leaving a profound effect on generations born centuries later. Other Stand-up legends who emerged decades later, such as Richard Pryor and Dick Gregory, often used their traumatic life experiences as a source of humor and satire.
Gen Z often demonstrates this style on TikTok, turning traumatic events into humor. Several Gen Z users participated in the “You’re So Funny” trend, which depicts how humor can help people cope with traumatic events. While some may think this is a stretch, this exact style of comedy is part of Black culture and Black traditions. Pryor and Gregory were actually among the first to popularize traumatic comedy. By often laughing their way through serious and uncomfortable situations, Gen Z unknowingly reflects the fact that it gets much of its humor from Black communities.
With the help of social media, Gen Z has put their spin on already established terms, songs, dances, movements and jokes. Black culture has deeply influenced many trends credited to Gen Z. Paving the way for future generations to come, Black people have inspired music, language, politics and humor for centuries, showcasing that Gen Z is Black culture.
Feature image credit: Julius Drost via Unsplash
