Young Dumb & Broke

Main Point: Often the message teenagers get is if it makes you happy, do it and live young, wild and free. This can lead teens to spend their youth chasing pleasures instead of reaching higher and making their mark for God. Does God expect teenagers to be young, dumb, and broke, or is there something more to live for?

Vital Info Before You Get Started: The following info should help you contextualize this very popular song so you can have a great discussion about it with your kids.

• IMPORTANT NOTE TO PARENTS: We at The Source for Youth Ministry believe that certain elements in our youth culture can serve as good discussion jump starters with students. At the same time, we would never hope to introduce teens to a negative influence that they haven’t already encountered. This balance is a delicate one. In our experience most teens, churched and unchurched, keep pretty current with music and music videos like this one. Thanks to YouTube, MTV.com, and iTunes, the most popular music videos and songs are free to access only a click away. If you decide to use this, do so by catering it to fit your family’s needs.

• Nineteen year old Khalid Robinson burst onto the scene in 2016 with his hit song Location.Reaching the Top 10 on Billboard Hot R&B Songs chart Location led to his debut studio release American Teen.

• Released in March of 2017, American Teen debuted at number nine on the Billboard 200.

• Khalid’s mother served in the military, causing him to move several times as a child, which made touring from city to city an easy transition. He cites his mother, who was a singer in the Army band, as the primary influence on his music career.

• In 2018, Khalid was nominated in five Grammy categories including Best New Artist.

• Don’t appear as if you have a “canned” discussion in your head and rattle off questions like a teacher giving a pop quiz—your kids get enough of that in school. This is a guide, primarily—not a verbatim script. Just familiarize yourself with the content here and start a conversation in the most natural, unforced way you know how.

Introducing the Song:
Khalid describes the song in this way, “For me it was about turning the negative connotation of young, dumb and broke and being like this is who I am. This is who I will have been. But I have so much love to give, I have so much fun to have. It was my ode to my graduation.” The video features Khalid on his last day in High School. It’s an upbeat and fun song, but does his perspective reflect how High School students should view this season in their lives?

The Music Video: The music video can be viewed for free at
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IPfJnp1guPc

Song Lyrics:  Young Dumb & Broke

So you’re still thinking of me.
Just like I know you should.
I cannot give you everything, you know I wish I could.

I’m so high at the moment.
I’m so caught up in this.
Yeah, we’re just young, dumb, and broke.
But we still got love to give.
[Chorus]
While we’re young dumb, young, young dumb and broke,
Young dumb, young, young dumb and broke.
Young dumb, young dumb?
Young, young dumb and broke
Young dumb broke high school kids
Young dumb broke high school kids
[Verse 2]
We have so much in common.
We argue all the time.
You always say I’m wrong.?
I’m pretty sure I’m right.
What’s fun about commitment??
When we have our life to live.
Yeah, we’re just young dumb and broke.
But we still got love to give.

[Chorus]

While we’re young dumb
Young, young dumb and broke
Young dumb
Young, young dumb and broke
Young dumb
Young, young dumb and broke
Young dumb broke high school kids

Young dumb broke high school kids
[Bridge]
Jump and we think – do it all in the name of love
Love
Run into sin, do it all in the name of fun
Fun
Whoa-oa-oa

I’m so high at the moment?I’m so caught up in this
Yeah, we’re just young, dumb and broke
But we still got love to give
[Chorus]
While we’re young dumb

Young, young dumb and broke
Young dumb
Young, young dumb and broke
Young dumb
Young dumb
Young, young dumb and broke
Young dumb broke high school kids
Young dumb broke high school kids

Three Simple Questions (with Answers You May Be Looking for):

Q: Isn’t Khalid just out of High School?

A: Khalid will be twenty in February of 2018, and is looking back at his High School days. In the video he is attempting to capture his last day of High School.

Q: What is he trying to say in this song?

A: When you’re in High School, you are young dumb and broke, so you should just give love and have fun. That’s what High School is for.

Q: Do I recognize some people in that video?

A: In the beginning, you’ll notice Dennis Haskins who played Mr. Belding in Saved by the Bell, and toward the end the janitor is Wayne Brady from Whose Line is it Anyway, Let’s Make a Deal, and the Wayne Brady Show.

Where to Take It from Here: Wherever it feels natural. If these questions lead to a longer discussion on the topic, wonderful! (There is a guide just after that paragraph that helps you do just that.) If your kids are barely uttering grunts, don’t get discouraged – the next time it feels right, try out another song. Keep engaging them

For Deeper Discussion:
(If your kids seem into diving in deeper and looking at what the Bible has to say on the subject, the following discussion guide can help take you there.)

Want help getting your teenager engaged in conversation? CLICK HERE for a helpful article from our “Parenting Help” page providing you with 3 Essentials to Talking with Today’s Teens.

Transitional Statement – Say something like this:
Khalid is a young man who has just finished his high school years, giving him relatability in the things he sings about. He sings with confidence throughout this song, saying things such as, “so you’re still thinking of me, just like I know you should” and “You always say I’m wrong, I’m pretty sure I’m right.” The tune is catchy, and the lyrics are pointed, but are the things he sings about true? Are the teenage years about carefree living and just “giving love” as Khalid says? Or is there something more?

Let’s talk about this a bit and then look and see what God’s Word says on the subject.

Discussion Questions:

1. ASK ALL FAMILY MEMBERS: Khalid’s mom was in the Army for many years. If you were going to be in the military, which branch would you choose and why?
2. ASK A FEW FAMILY MEMBERS: How do you feel about the phrase “young dumb and broke high school kids?” Is it relatable? Offensive? Humorous? Explain.
3. ASK A FEW FAMILY MEMBERS: Khalid is singing this song to a girl (or girls). What do you think his message is toward this girl (or girls)?
4. ASK A FEW FAMILY MEMBERS: Why do you think teenagers will relate to this song?
5. ASK A FEW FAMILY MEMBERS: What does the phrase “run into sin, do it all in the name of fun” mean? Why do you think it’s easy for teenagers to live that way?
6. ASK A FEW FAMILY MEMBERS: What are three words other than young, dumb, and broke that you would use to describe how you see teenagers?

Read the following passages:

Ecclesiastes 12:1

Remember your Creator in the days of your youth, before the days of trouble come and the years approach when you will say, “I find no pleasure in them.

Ephesians 5:15

Be very careful, then, how you live—not as unwise but as wise.

7. ASK A FEW FAMILY MEMBERS: What does Ecclesiastes 12:1 say we should do in our youth? Why?

8. ASK A FEW FAMILY MEMBERS: What do you suppose it looks like in your life to remember your Creator in the days of your youth?

9. ASK A FEW FAMILY MEMBERS: What do you think wisdom means? Why is it important?

10. ASK A FEW FAMILY MEMBERS: How can you increase wisdom in your life at a young age?

11. ASK A FEW FAMILY MEMBERS: Would you say you live in a way that would be considered carefuland wise? Why or why not?

12. ASK ALL FAMILY MEMBERS: If God is inviting you to a better way to live, what would keep you from choosing His way instead of living the life Khalid sings about?

Wrap Up:
During this time, we listened to Khalid’s R&B song “Young Dumb & Broke.” We heard him sing about making choices with minimal concern for consequences because that’s just part of being young.

• Jump and we think – do it all in the name of love

• Love

• Run into sin, do it all in the name of fun

        Fun

Khalid isn’t trying to convince people to live this way. He just assumes this is how teenagers will live. It seems right to him. Proverbs 14:12 says;

There is a way that appears to be right, but in the end it leads to death

The word translated death can also mean destruction. There is a way that will seem right, but in the end it won’t take you where you want to go. Can you think of something in your life that has seemed right, but ultimately didn’t end up taking you where you thought it would?

(Pause and give them a moment to consider this question.)

Is it possible that God loves you so much that He wants to not only save you from making regrettable choices in your youth, but wants to shape you into something greater? Is it possible that God is inviting you to use your youth for something beyond just chasing what feels good for a moment?

(Pause and give them a moment to consider this question.)

It is easy to hear catchy fun songs like Young Dumb & Broke and allow the sense of relatability to keep us from engaging further with the message. The irony here is this song was written by a guy who is young, but clearly not dumb or broke! Hopefully during this time, you have been able to think through what is being communicated in this song and considered if you believe it represents your generation, or if there is something more to strive toward. The truth is God never puts limits on age when it comes to making your mark for Him. He calls young people to remember Him in their youth and live carefully with wisdom because He knows there are things that will easily distract from living the life He has created you for. When God says don’t, He means don’t hurt yourself. There are things that seem harmless, but in the end lead you to a place God never wanted you to go. Let His love guide you toward a higher way to live. Let your youth be spent pursuing the One who made you, loves you, and wants you to be involved in His work. Make your mark for God now!

CLOSE IN PRAYER