Gen X Rise

Submission 3,205

Part of a series on Generation X / Gen X. [View Related Entries]

About

Gen X Rise refers to a TikTok trend started by members of Generation X who used a TikTok filter (called the "Gen X Mask") that added a black and red X to their face with "Generation X" written beneath. Their videos used a TikTok sound with a male voice reciting, "Gen X, rise!" followed by an ominous fog horn sound. Gen Xers started the trend to threaten the younger Gen Z (Zoomers). Gen Z TikTokers labeled the Gen X Rise trend cringe and made fun of it in tow, often using the "Generation X" filter ironically or questioning why Gen X was mad at them in the first place.

Origin

Starting in early 2024, Gen X TikTokers began sharing videos about themselves being "activated" and "rising up" or "uniting" against an ambiguous force. Many of the early videos were posted in May 2024 and used a TikTok sound^[1] of a man saying, "You can't summon a whole generation just by playing a song," followed by AC/DC's "Thunderstruck."

On May 14th, 2024, TikToker^[2] @cluckindeliciousflavors posted a video using AC/DC's "Thunderstruck" with a caption reading, "I'm here for the GEN X Rise!" She explains in the video, "We were born for this." The video is currently the first known to use the phrase "Gen X Rise," amassing over 64,900 plays and 4,700 likes in two months (shown below).

Spread

Soon after, on May 16th, 2024, TikToker^[3] @40ish_and_fabulous posted a video in which she starts by saying, "For those Gen Zers out there who don't understand the Gen X Rise, let me explain it to you." The video went more viral than the abovementioned video, gaining over 2.3 million plays and 120,800 likes in two months (shown below, left).

Similar videos about Gen X rising or awakening were posted by Gen Xers in June 2024, like one shared by TikToker^[4] @spoyltone on June 12th, gaining over 1.6 million plays and 163,500 likes in a month (shown below, right).

Gen X Rise TikTok Sound / "Generation X" Filter

On June 29th, 2024, TikToker^[5] @generacerx created a TikTok filter called "Gen X Mask" that added a black and red X to his face and "Generation X" written beneath. The TikToker's promo video for the filter received over 40,500 plays in a month (shown below, left).

Viral usage of the filter surfaced in July 2024. An early example was posted by TikToker^[6] @meggymeg427422 on July 1st, who lip dubbed a TikTok sound^[7] in which a male voice says, "Gen X, rise," followed by a fog horn sound effect. The TikTok sound was created by a TikToker named Girliechef GenX who deleted her original video. @meggymeg427422's video received over 190,800 plays and 7,100 likes in 17 days (shown below, right).

Other Gen X TikTokers^[8] used the "Gen X Rise" TikTok sound^[7] going into July 2024. In turn, Zoomers started parodying their videos. For instance, on July 15th, 2024, Gen Z TikToker^[9] @j1nx555 posted a video mocking the trend, gaining over 1 million plays and 148,600 likes in three days (shown below, left).

On July 16th, TikToker^[10] @hntxo used the sound of TikToker^[3] @40ish_and_fabulous's video, mocking it by using the Talking To Brick Wall video, amassing over 2.6 million plays and 658,600 likes in two days (shown below, right).