The rise of the nepo babies 2.0.

The kids are (really rich and famous and) alright.

A new era of nepo babies is upon us, and at least these famous kids don't seem as defensive about their right to entertainment jobs as Lily Rose Depp just yet.

North West, the eldest daughter of Kim Kardashian and Kanye West, is the latest cover star of i-D magazine – marking her first solo magazine cover at the age of 10.

In the Q&A-style interview, North lists herself as her own style icon, states that the best thing about the accompanying photoshoot were the fries on set, and says when she's older, she wants to be a basketball player, an artist and the head of both Skims and Yeezy. Considering the world in which she lives, those don't even seem like huge dreams.

North has been famous her entire life, on account of her absurdly famous parents and the reality cameras that have been present in her house since birth. That not-so-small fact has earned them (mostly Kardashian) a lot of criticism.

Earlier this year, Kardashian trademarked North's name for a beauty brand (because, of course), hinting that skincare and a billion more dollars may be in her future. Both of them were also cast as voice actors in the upcoming PAW Patrol film.

Although North's become known for her reactions to paparazzi, such as holding up a sign that said "STOP" while photographers snapped photos of her at a fashion show last year, the nepo baby path is already well and truly paved.

She states in i-D magazine that she likes having her photograph taken, as long as it's on her own terms.

"Only when I want to, because ehhh, I don't want to sometimes. But not by the paparazzi," she said.

She's not the only child embracing the fact that they've essentially inherited a very unusual level of fame.

As Beyoncé performed on her Renaissance World Tour this year, Blue Ivy Carter became a sensation. Beyoncé and Jay-Z's eldest daughter, an 11-year-old with a Grammy, first appeared on stage to perform during a Paris tour stop in May.

After that, Blue began to appear regularly, with videos showing her getting gradually more comfortable and confident, and she quickly became a fan-favourite moment of the show.

"My beautiful firstborn," Beyoncé wrote on Instagram alongside pics of Blue on stage. "I'm so proud and thankful to be your mama. You bring us so much joy, my sweet angel."

When Madonna launched her Celebration Tour in October, it was a family affair. Five of her six children were featured, including 11-year-old Estere, who took part in a vogueing competition.

And in August, Angelina Jolie told Page Six she had employed her youngest daughter Vivienne, 15, to be her assistant as she works as a producer on the upcoming Broadway production of The Outsiders.

"Viv reminds me of my mother [actress/producer Marcheline Bertrand] in that she isn't focused on being the centre of attention but in being a support to other creatives," Jolie said. "She's very thoughtful and serious about theatre, and working hard to best understand how to contribute."

Now, to be fair, with last names like Carter, West and Jolie-Pitt, it would be hard for these particular A+++ celebrity children to pretend they wouldn't be given a massive leg-up if they continue to pursue jobs in entertainment.

But it's not like others haven't tried!

Lily Rose Depp, whose last name is literally Depp, told Elle it was weird to "reduce somebody to the idea that they’re only there because it's a generational thing", and "if somebody's mum or dad is a doctor, and then the kid becomes a doctor, you're not going to be like, 'Well, you're only a doctor because your parent is a doctor.'"

Jamie Lee Curtis (daughter of Tony Curtis and Janet Leigh) said the discourse around 'nepo babies' was "designed to try to diminish and denigrate and hurt".

Meanwhile, Gwyneth Paltrow pondered (to Hailey Bieber, no less) on whether nepo kids have to work "twice as hard and be twice as good" (probably... not).

Maybe this next generation, who have thrown themselves (or, uh, been thrown) headfirst into showbiz will avoid the next TikTok pile-on, curb the 'nepo baby' gotcha questions in interviews when they're older, or just avoid being included in a future iteration of New York Magazine's already infamous Nepo Baby cover.

Because when you're Blue Ivy Carter, you really don't need to pretend you're anything else.

This article was originally published on August 21, 2023 and has since been updated.

Feature image: Instagram @kimkardashian.