Did Young, Famous & African deliver?

To answer the question of whether the show Young, Famous & African delivered, we have to first take a look at what its producers promised to do. Then, of course, it also matters if viewers’ expectations were met. The producers of Young, Famous & African, Netflix’s first original African reality show said they wanted to show Africans in a different light, that Africans can be cosmopolitan and modern. The show was meant to follow the lives of selected famous Africans: Khanyi Mbau (actress & businesswoman, South Africa), Nadia Nakai (rapper, South Africa), Andile Ncube (broadcaster, South Africa), Swanky Jerry (celebrity fashion stylist, Nigeria), Naked DJ (DJ, South Africa), Kayleigh Schwark (Naked DJ’s girlfriend—-South Africa), Zari Hassan (entrepreneur, South Africa-based Ugandan), Diamond Platnumz (musician, Tanzania), Annie Macaulay-Idibia (actress, Nigeria), Kudzai Mushonga (businessman, Zimbabwe), and Innocent ‘2Baba’ Idibia (musician, Nigeria).

It’s not clear how Netflix arrived at these selected young and famous Africans.  We could query each attribute young and famous to see if these names fit them best. That is to say, when it comes to young, how young are they? And as for famous, does this mean famous in South Africa or famous in all of Africa? I mean, we don’t have to go too far to agree that there are definitely younger and more famous names in Africa. But let’s not quibble. Still, it would’ve helped to see these young and famous Africans in other environments than only in Johannesburg, South Africa and never in their natural habitat. It wouldn’t have hurt for viewers to be reminded of what these young and famous Africans do and how they became famous enough to be on the show.

Now, let’s look into the show. The idea is that all these famous Africans are friends, at least move in the same circles. The show opened with a party or ball hosted by Khanyi Mbau, who is tagged as the Bling Lady. Swanky Jerry (Jeremiah Ogbodo) is friends with almost everyone on the show and it is through him that Annie Macaulay Idibia is invited into the circle. The first few meetings are testy between the women. Khanyi and Nadia think there’s more to Annie, soon learn about her relationship with her husband Innocent, 2Baba, and his serial infidelity.  It doesn’t take long for almost every woman on the show to have an opinion on Annie, her insecurities, neediness, and as it’s normal with many human beings, they all generally think they’re better than her.  Of course, all the while, the viewer is intermittently reminded by some of these women just how wealthy they are. Except for Annie who expressed her discomfort discussing bank accounts. I am not sure if any part of this show was scripted though…

And speaking of Annie, she was the reason I was watching Young, Famous & African. She was also the reason I almost stopped watching. I didn’t like the idea of Khanyi, Nadia, and especially Zari harping on how insecure Annie was. There was an issue with 2Baba. At a party organised by Diamond Platnumz (Nasibu Abdul Juma Issack), 2Baba had called his wife Annie on the phone. She excitedly proceeded to introduce her ‘friends’ to him and he speaks with everyone. Then he kept asking after ‘Zari the boss lady,’ who it turned he had met previously. Annie then asked Zari how she knows her husband. That question should’ve been for 2Baba but I guess that wouldn’t have made for interesting TV. I think this specific storyline was stretched thin. Are we to believe that 2Baba was going to go after Zari, mother of 5 and baby mama of Diamond Platnumz? Like his own 7 children are not enough, assuming he completely doesn’t care that his wife was present. Puhleeze! Annie on the other hand could only talk about Zari not being her husband’s type. I suppose this means that once 2Baba sees a woman that’s his type, all bets would be off as he’s incapable of controlling himself? But she still asked her husband not to walk behind Zari. Zari of course feeling superior enjoyed twisting the knife. Anyway, where does a woman with two baby daddies and five children get off feeling superior about not needing a man? There were many cringe-worthy moments…moments I thought I was going to stop watching the show. I don’t like people being treated as less than, and I always feel for the underdog.

Season 1 of Young, Famous and African ended with Annie and 2Baba’s renewal of their vows on their 10^th wedding anniversary, complete with a new song from 2Baba to his wife. The Idibias’ marriage or Annie’s near-obsessive love for 2Baba must be one of the hottest takeaways from the show. A lot has been said about Annie’s choice to remain glued to her husband despite suffering many indignities. Being 2Baba then 2Face’s ‘day one’ as he said, Annie was with him when he had five children with 2 women, Pero and Simi. Many women blame Annie for loving 2Baba so much he’s “scared.” He admitted this to Andile and something to the effect that no one should base their happiness on another person. I’ll like to think he wasn’t being literal, or that he was searching for the right words. I doubt the reason he’s still with Annie, and even renewed their vows at their 10^th wedding anniversary is just because she’s dependent on him. Na today? Is she the first woman to show her love for a man? If that was it all it took, Pero, who appeared to be trying to break some Baby Mama challenge, by having 3 children, should be the African Queen. Pero was pregnant with her and 2Baba’s third child as he was about to wed Annie. Should Annie have left then? It’s her choice.

By the way, am I the only one who remembers that Annie lost her first pregnancy after being beaten by supposed robbers after the car she was in broke down somewhere around the Gbagada expressway in Lagos? Nothing was stolen, though. Should she have left then? Again, it’s her choice. To be clear, in case, it hasn’t been evident, I respect Annie’s choice to remain in her marriage. I can relate to giving all for love. Does that mean my husband is scared like 2Baba and feels he has no responsibility for how I feel? Hopefully, no. However, I am pretty certain he wouldn’t hang me out to dry. Which is why I don’t understand people who are re-victimising Annie, especially after the year she’s had. Can we please hold Mr. Innocent 2Baba Idibia, who’s not so innocent, more accountable? Is it the best payback for love humiliation? Is Annie loving 2Baba a crime?

• So, did Young, Famous & African deliver?

I imagine that its creators will likely answer in the affirmative. It’s beautiful, visually speaking. It also affords fans and followers of its famous cast front row seat to witness some aspects of their lives. To me, Young, Famous and African looks like it was going for a Bling Empire vibe. Bling Empire (2021), also a Netflix reality series, was about stupendously wealthy Asian-Americans. The obvious difference is that the cast of Bling Empire were Asian-Americans, born and bred in America, so there was nothing wrong with their Americanness. Equally worthy of note, the cast of Bling Empire didn’t have to boast of how rich they were à la Zari, the boos lady saying she was a billionaire who didn’t need a man (well unlike Annie, we suppose). I don’t claim to know all of Africa’s billionaires but…if you have to say it all the time…

Speaking of which, some Nigerians were shading the make-up and wigs of these self-acclaimed billionaires. Some people said the lace front was tacky. It’s not bad belle, I assure you. I couldn’t tell you the difference between lace front or lace back (if there’s such a thing). When it comes to wigs like those, I just face my front (pun seriously searched for). However, I can say that I’ve seen better-dressed people in Lagos and Abuja.

That said, I’ll watch Season 2 of Young, Famous & African, if for nothing, to see how the stories progress. Also, because Season 1 ended on a cliffhanger: Nadia announced she’s broken up with rapper boyfriend Vic Mensa; Andile who thinks he has something with Zari, his ‘brother’ Diamond’s baby mama (or his family according to Diamond), finally has to tell his friend about what’s been happening behind his back. And I’ll like to see how the other stories (I didn’t mention here) progress: Khanyi’s relationship with Kudzai, who may be wanted or not wanted for embezzlement or something like that in his home country Zimbabwe, which Khanyi says she doesn’t give a hoot about. Then there’s the twice-divorced Naked DJ (Quinton Masina) and his girlfriend Kayleigh. And perhaps, we could see other young-er, more famous Africans?