Do we realise how much we like to intellectualise every issue, including the stuff that that is straight forward? Take for example the recent tour of the region by social media personality iShowSpeed, whose real name is Darren Jason Watkins Jr according to his Wikipedia page.
iShowSpeed’s galavant through the region was more than a regular visit, it was an event. Within hours, clips of him interacting with the locals, wolfing down food samples, joking with fans; mainly young people, and showcasing Caribbean life were circulating across TikTok, Instagram, and YouTube. For many young Barbadians and others across the region, the occasion was about being hip by associating with what was a trendy and trending event.
There was a time some of us worried about cultural penetration from television and music, now a purveyor of a new reality is the social media influencer. We have a few so described locally but truth be told, these are in name only. It is said that a single creator with millions of followers can shape youth perception faster than any of our traditional institutions. iStreamSpeed’s visit highlighted how easy it is to culturally penetrate our ‘open’ borders. What is scary is that the youth nowadays do not just consume foreign content, they internalise and become it.
To be fair this foreign influence does not exist in a vacuum. It collides with our own subcultures, especially the minibus and ZR culture that has shaped two generations of young people. The ZR culture has been the local equivalent to how the youth are influenced: blaring dancehall, bashment, and soca music; amplifying ‘underground’ activities; and projecting a rebellious anti-establishment behaviour. In many ways, our ZR culture is the equivalent of a viral TikTok feed, fast, loud, unfiltered, and very influential on the youts. iStreamSpeed’s visit generated more online engagement among Barbadian teens in 48 hours than most local creators generate in a year.
So the question becomes: what can a small society like Barbados do to filter and slow down cultural penetration?
Barbados must invest in how to be culturally aware. Young people especially need tools to understand how others influence them, how algorithms shape taste, and how social media in this case frames reality. Some will label it as censorship; it is more about empowerment. A culturally literate teenager should be able to enjoy iStreamSpeed’s show without feeling to imitate and absorb his antics.
Barbados must elevate its own creators. If foreign influencers can shape our narrative, then local influencers must be equipped to counter. This means training our people to understand the importance of delivering and valuing local content. We have to attack the perception that what comes from ‘over in away’ is better than what is available locally.
Barbados must treat culture as a strategic priority that is important to national development. If Barbados does not define and influence what our youth consume, TikTok, YouTube, and a Zr with 15-inch sub woofers will do it for us. Are we there yet?
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