Why Does Everyone Want to be a Streamer?

New York-native Kai Cenat, 23, known for his action-packed Twitch livestreams featuring celebrities like Nicki Minaj, Kevin Hart, Snoop Dogg, and more (this list goes on and on), recently made headlines for his now trademarked Streamer University. Streamer University is a week-long event in which streamers and internet personalities have the opportunity to live on a college campus (the campus of the University of Akron), stream, and network with others. Cenat was able to accept 120 content creators into Streamer University, making for countless viral moments and all around chaos. Above all, this event was an opportunity for smaller and larger content creators to network and a chance for everyone to grow their audiences. Despite its name, the event was not exclusive to streamers.

Many content creators from TikTok and YouTube (namely popular creators like Thickney and Yonna.Jay), who have no experience with streaming, were also in attendance. This shows the new wave of young people moving toward streaming as a method to build a platform, go viral, and potentially make money without having a regular 9-5 job. The youth, especially Generation Z, are turning to less structured options where we can be our own bosses and work our own hours. So what is causing Generation Z to look to streaming as a new job avenue?

According to a 2021 article published in The Journal of Social Psychology,  the immediate live interaction during a live stream creates a relationship that is similar to face-to-face interaction, making the audience feel closer and more intimate to the content creator. Due to the isolation suffered from the COVID-19 pandemic, social media usage was used to substitute in-person interactions. This was the time where many members of Generation Z were maturing socially, making streaming a more “comfortable” avenue to work in.

The popularity of live streaming for entertainment also goes back to the fact that Generation Z is one of the first generations to grow up with social media at our fingertips. John Kendrick, a Senior Political Science major at Howard University, notices how social media can expand your network. “Because of social media, I’m able to follow over 2,000 people on Instagram. Even though I don’t necessarily know all 2,000 of those people, I’m able to peek into their lives through social media and feel connected to them.” This is why streamers are able to grow their platforms at such a rapid rate. Their audience feels a genuine connection with them and in turn, the streamer finds a home with their audience.

Live streaming has become an industry where creative, funny, and social people alike can entertain each other while making a living at the same time. In a time where careers for the next generation of Black youth are far from guaranteed, content creators like Cenat are creating spaces for us to thrive.

By Amaar Zarrieff, Sophomore, Howard University

Instagram: amaar.fz

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