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