Steers’s #Kinging celebration crowns SA’s new wave of youth-culture shapeshifters

For many years, young people have had a real desire to change the African narrative by making a difference in their communities and around the globe.

The continent, which has the world’s youngest population, is experiencing an revolutionary eruption of new ways of thinking and expression, driven by young people.

In South Africa, creatives are representing the country on global stages, but enough of the spotlight remains on the social entrepreneurs who are shaping the future of underground street culture, which is the essence of youth culture.

A new brand of millennial thinking aims to define a new, post-1994 struggle, driven by a powerful purpose not only to persevere but also to excel – regardless of the current tough economic times.

This “woke” thinking has given birth to a new movement that showcases social and political awareness through the creative expression of African cultural beliefs. It is also drawing attention to Africa’s youth skills in fashion, music, literature and the performing arts.

In celebration of this new consciousness, South Africa’s leading burger brand, Steers, has launched the #Kinging Celebration campaign to challenge visionary creatives in fashion, food, art, dance and music to show how they are “#Kinging” with an ever-growing African influence. The objective is to create artistic career paths for millennials.

Since the campaign’s inception, the #Kinging Celebration has seen a burst of captivating social media visuals from social and creative entrepreneurs. Listeners of Roger Goode’s breakfast show on radio station 5FM took part in challenges to win the ultimate Kinging experience – a master class with the featured collaborators of the day and a seat at the grand Kinging Celebration dinner held at the swanky Turbine Hall in Newtown, Johannesburg, last month.

At the dinner, hosted by Sandile GQ Ntshingila, new-school celebrity squads, media and performing-arts influencers were treated to a three-course menu created from Steers ingredients by Chef Luyanda at the Turbine Hall, which was suitably done up in purple decor.

The spectacular event also featured the launch of the new 100% Boerewors King Steer burger and showcased how the arts had converged in preparation for a new era of African expression.

Visual developer and illustrator Terence Maluleke and Idols SA choreographer and dancer Lee-ché Janecke, who are both enjoying tremendous success following the campaign, were involved in the making of the #Kinging Celebration. Maluleke has since been booked to represent South Africa at the Annecy International Animated Film Festival in France.

Anatii, the Electronic Bushman of South African hip-hop who is working on his second album, joined the campaign as a performer and hosted a Kings’ Table conversation at the dinner. He will soon jet off to Los Angeles to promote his latest single, Thixo Onofefe.

Avant-garde fashion designers Neo Serati of Nao Serati and Sandile “Talent” Mhlongo of Uniqueiconz collaborated to create the #Kinging Collection, one of the many designs that have grabbed the attention of international fashionistas and New York Fashion Week 2018.

“This #Kinging movement has given our collaborators the opportunity to throw a celebratory campaign that served to support their entrepreneurial goals as creatives,” says Steers marketing executive Adolf Fourie.

“Out of that we birthed the #Kinging Collection and some amazing new-age artworks, which we believe mark the beginning of a new wave of creatives whose work will be purchased by Steers and shipped to forever remain in our Steers museum in Greece.”

This article was paid for by Steers.