By Katherine Williams
With over 2 billion users, including 89% of Gen Z, YouTube is enormously popular for sharing video content. But how can users find quality content on such a vast platform? There are many niches to explore on YouTube, but regardless of your interest, it’s always important to support Black creators. Here are five Black vloggers to watch.
1. Jenelle Eliana is a vlogger known for her videos about living in a van. From building an RV to thrifting in the desert, her videos take viewers through the routines and adventures of her unconventional lifestyle. There’s a huge community of van life vloggers on YouTube, but as a Black woman vlogger, Eliana’s fun videos add diversity to the platform. Her down-to-earth demeanor and unique content appeal to young viewers to whom authenticity and individuality is key.
2. Aaliyah Jay is a beauty and fashion vlogger with a loyal following of almost 1.5 million subscribers. From detailed makeup tutorials to hilarious storytimes to girl talk vlogs, her content is always relatable and fun. And if you’re looking for someone who knows what’s trending, Jay is the one. Her Y2K trend haul video is perfect for Gen-Z viewers who have been loving 2000s-era fashion lately. If you’re looking for a Black beauty vlogger to add to your subscription list, Jay’s channel is a great place to start.
3. Shameless Maya isn’t your average vlogger. Her channel “started out as a social media experiment and now it's a lifestyle”; after she decided to self-promote herself on social media as a short experiment, she quickly gained over a million subscribers. Her viewers love her travel vlogs, curly hair tips, chit chat GRWM videos, and overall commitment to always being herself.
4. The Black Hokage is a gaming vlogger with almost 150 million views across his videos. While names like PewDiePie have long dominated the gaming side of YouTube, The Black Hokage is clearly a popular figure in the niche community. His review videos cover dozens of different games, providing content for all kinds of gamers. And with gaming on the rise in Gen Z and Gen Alpha, The Black Hokage is definitely someone to watch
5. Jackie Aina is not only an amazing beauty vlogger but also an advocate for representation of Black women in the beauty industry. From sharing African-owned beauty brands to explaining why you shouldn’t touch Black women’s hair, Aina’s videos combine lighthearted makeup tutorials with meaningful conversations about social justice.
See the entire list of Adolescent creators here
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