See if you can find the U.S. connection to this story:
Gidion Mbuvi , a 35-year-old lawmaker, was recently thrown out of the Kenyan parliament for wearing earrings and sunglasses. Members of the African country’s parliament typically wear suits, and they expect Mbuvi to dress with more dignity. Mbuvi is fighting the decision, telling the BBC, “I represent the youths who elected me to [office]. This is our generation. It is our time.” He’s even said it’s part of his job to wear bling. He believes he’s doing his part to stay relevant to younger voters, since, as he says, Kenya has been ruled by “old men” for too long. “I’m trying to prove to the world that it is the right time for the youth to be in charge of our nation,” Mbuvi says.
Beyond the shades and diamond studs, Mbuvi drives a Hummer and wears ball caps. He’s been linked to drug trafficking. It’s no surprise, really, that his nickname is “Sonko,” a Swahili term for a rich and flamboyant person.
So how does this affect those of us who live stateside? you ask. Has Meredith had coffee yet? So let me ask you this: Isn’t it fascinating how this man—who lives on the other side of the planet—is emulating U.S. rappers?
Actually, the thing I find most frightening about this story is that, according to Mbuvi, the youth in Kenya relate so well to this problematic, often misogynistic export—how a lifestyle nearly synonymous with gritty, urban America found such a receptive audience in the heart of Africa. And it’s a global example of how entertainment isn’t just entertainment.
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