How Kendrick Lamar's 'Not Like Us' Helped Young Kenyans Lead a Successful Protest in Their Country
LIKE MANY AFRICAN countries colonized in the 20th century, Kenya has struggled to find its diplomatic footing in the decades since gaining independence. The East African nation successfully broke away from British rule in 1962, and a small circle of affluent and influential Kenyans quickly took over. They banked on their connections to Western superpowers and the detrimental effects of colonialism to maintain their power. Though that strategy has worked — Kenya has yet to see a president that isn’t connected to this circle — it hasn’t been without its conflict. The nation has found itself in states of civil unrest as the divide between the country’s governing bodies and its people continues to grow.
Now, it’s become intolerable, and Kenyan Gen Zs have had enough.
Last month, young Kenyans took to social media to object to the country’s 2024 finance bill, which proposed increased taxes on an alarming amount of everyday items, from tampons to bread. Using the hashtag #RejectFinanceBill2024 to rally together, it was an unprecedented approach to activism for Kenyans that inspired both international attention and national unity — and birthed a viral protest song that samples Kendrick Lamar’s diss track “Not Like Us.”
Titled “Reject Hio Bill,” the track, by local rapper Sabi Wu, has become the theme of a movement calling for change to Kenyan government.
