What TikTok’s obsession with nepotism babies says about class

The nepotism babies community on TikTok is more than just a digital fad, and is “part of a wider trend,” explains Ahmed. “Of social justice, which has been going on since the beginning of the millennium. Young people have had enough of an unlevel playing field”.

If anything, the nepotism babies TikTok trend builds a strong case for working class representation. And it’s not just about the TV, film and music industries.

When you come from a disadvantaged socioeconomic background, you look for pathways out and try to spot routes that have been taken before. That’s why it’s such a huge let down to find out someone – celebrity or not – has lied about the journey you’ve pinned your hopes and dreams on.

“There is something that we rely on as working class individuals: hope. Our hope is so important. We hope to be a music artist, an actor, a performer, an academic in my case. Now I want to become a professor, if I suddenly see that actually, most people in the industry are there through nepotism, that’s a real shock,” Ahmed explains. “It tells us t... See more

There’s real damage to be made when famous faces, as well as people in our day-to-day lives, make an effort to conceal how nepotism benefited their career trajectories. Often, working class fans idolise the supposed trajectories of celebrities as a symbol that hard work can achieve anything – if they can do it, anyone can.

“Through education systems and through the government, we are told that if you work hard enough, you can succeed and that’s something that is repeated in every workplace – that if you work hard for a promotion, you’ll get it,” Ahmed explains. But the very existence of nepotism – especially in extreme cases, where individuals are able to become famo... See more

Family connections have always been the real blueprint to fame and success, beyond the rags-to-riches stories peddled in the media. This is perhaps why YouTube, Soundcloud and now TikTok are popular avenues for working-class artists to get their foot in the door.