How might I define this generation? Gen Z is a generation of young people striving to make a change in the world that has been set-up to fail. As we navigate the future of our lives, we have the pressure of our ancestors to restore the earth that they took for granted, to be on the right side of history, and to change the implications of sexual relationships. With the weight of the world on our poorly postured backs, it is extremely important to have a song that helps us forget about all of that pressure, if only for a second. Or at the very least, 3 minutes and 48 seconds.
T-Pain’s song, Buy U A Drank, has it all: love, sex, money, and the complexities married with the simplicities of hook-up culture. It means everything and nothing. At first glance, of course, one might think that it’s just a catchy song with a chorus emulating the various sounds made during sex. I won’t dispute that analysis, but I must offer an additional viewpoint. In this song, Mr. Pain is telling a story of his courtship of a woman who he meets at a club and through a few steps discussed, he is able to bring her home with him. These steps are as follows:
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Meet
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Ask her name
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Share the details of your bank account
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Prove your monetary value by purchasing a beverage, a symbol of both nourishment and luxury
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Ask her what she thinks about that
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Potentially sex
We are a generation of dreamers. We dream of the future — how we can change the trajectory of history for the better, but seldom do we take time to slow down and think about the steps of our takeover and footprint. Buy U A Drank gives us a step-by-step guide on how to do something, and while silly, shows how simple things in life are. We don’t need to overthink everything. In fact, the title doesn’t even use the correct spelling of “you” and “drink.” Not everything is meant to be taken so seriously.
The song, itself, not only reflects our generation but is essentially a reflection of all beverages. A beverage, as noted in point 4, is a symbol of both nourishment and luxury. We need to stay hydrated to survive, but the plentiful assortment and endless combinations of drinks give us options. Likewise, the song gives a much-needed source of enjoyment to give us a break from the harsh realities of life, as well as a plethora of messages that we can take from it.
