Yang Gang, meet Hype House.
Andrew Yang has already made a controversial splash into New York City politics just weeks after filing to run in the Big Apple’s 2021 mayoral race. As a candidate who’s branded himself by backing policies that often have yet to make their way into the mainstream — he was a proponent for a universal basic income program during his presidential run — Yang has continued to base his messaging on building a “human-centered economy” guided by “fact-based governance.”
But part of Yang’s vision of a post-coronavirus New York City renaissance, including “bringing NYC to the forefront of new cultural touchstones,” has raised some eyebrows on Twitter — and some ire.
“Our administration will partner with large institutions to help subsidize rent for resident artists in buildings,” Yang’s campaign website says. “These up-and-coming creators deserve a place to cultivate their craft and the city has a role to play in supporting their dreams.”
The page continues: “Similarly, our administration would also work to attract content creator collectives, such as TikTok Hype Houses, where young artists collaborate. We need to help create similar artist collectives that utilize new technologies.”
Hype Houses are a term for large houses used by “collectives of glamorous Gen Z’ers who mostly sing or dance or perform comedic routines while living together” and who “are assigned to promote songs by the music industry and merchandise by the fashion industry,” among other things, according to Gizmodo.
“What about, like, a TikTok Hype House that’s free for homeless people to live in,” Daily Show with Trevor Noah employee and writer Jason Gilbert gibed.
What about, like, a TikTok Hype House that’s free for homeless people to live in
— Jason O. Gilbert (@gilbertjasono) January 14, 2021
“Currently mapping out the parts of my brain to rip out to inoculate me from going insane watching andrew yang campaigning in nyc for the next year plus,” Nib illustrator and associate editor Matt Lubchansky tweeted.
currently mapping out the parts of my brain to rip out to inoculate me from going insane watching andrew yang campaigning in nyc for the next year plus
— expert on whatever is going on (@Lubchansky) January 14, 2021
Lubchansky also criticized Yang’s proposed “trust currency” system of providing funds to low-income households, calling it “giv[ing] people in housing projects f—ing monopoly money.”
The Washington Examiner reached out to the Yang campaign for further comment.
