*This story has been updated.
In a stunning development surrounding the Monument Avenue debate, Richmond is bracing for yet another demonstration at the statue of Robert E. Lee on October 7. According to sources close to RVA Mag – along with a Facebook event page – demonstrators plan on gathering in solidarity to let out the longest “Yea Boi” ever heard.
Yelling “Yea Boi” has a storied history, one that is steeped in mystery and antiquity, but was most recently popularized by rap legend Flavor Flav, who made the expression his signature trademark. The phrase can be used in a plurality of formats, such as “should we take down Confederate statues?”, which would be followed by a long form “Yea Boi” to signify agreement.
Unlike the most recent rally planned by neo-Confederates, which only attracted seven supporters, the Yea Boi demonstration already has 1,700 confirmed attendees with another 9,400 interested – potentially making this one of the largest displays of unity in Richmond’s history.
The event on October 7, however, will not be without some degree of controversy. In 2015, Kondwani Sichinga, a student from Zambia, sat down and over the course of 30 glorious seconds recorded the longest known ‘Yea Boi’ in current existence. The video, now viewed around 12 million times, has become a world wide sensation, spawning countless memes, renditions, and internet knock-offs. In an interview with New York Magazine, Kondwani himself was quoted as saying, “I’ve seen the remixes and I’m quite proud I started something like this.”
Nonetheless, the event in Richmond is shaping up to be quite the media circus with Yea Boi RVA merch already being advertised on various forums. According to the event page, participants are to arrive at 6pm with the “Yea Boi” to start in earnest at 615pm. It is currently unclear what preparations the city has put in place to accommodate such a “Yea Boi” or if various law enforcement agencies have provided guidance on how to handle this sonic spectacle.
Yea Boi.
*As of early this week, this event has been canceled by its organizers.
