'Young, Famous & African'—please!
Discover more from rice and stew please
'Young, Famous & African'—please!
My review and pleas for season 3
I’m always looking for African content that encapsulates the different lens of the diaspora experience. When Netflix announced we were getting our own luxury-based reality tv, I stowed away my feelings around capitalism and buckled in for some classic reality tv.
The show was created by Peace Hyde, a British-Ghanaian journalist and tv producer. Filming is mostly in South Africa.
I barely made it through the second season, with most of it serving as background noise to me doing tasks around the house. TikTokers provided recaps and reviews that I found to be a lot more entertaining than the rest of the show.
The most glaring problem with Young, Famous and African is the cast isn’t famous.
Season 1’s lineup was okay, with the potential to add some A-listers after the premiere. Unfortunately, things just regressed.
“Shantay (you stay)”
The stars of the current cast. 2baba is a very well known Nigerian singer-songwriter. His marriage to Annie Idibia is filled with love, children and infidelity(alleged). I would love to see solo scenes of Annie filming in their Lagos home, and the dynamic between the different mothers of 2baba’s children. Even having one of the mothers guest star (similar to Real Housewives’ “friend of”), providing a fuller prescriptive on the marriage.
Khanyi Mbau is very interesting, but producers aren’t utilizing her enough in season 2. Her relationship with her daughter is refreshing. The rumors circulating about her hypergamy conquests are alluring. Can get messy within the group, and hold her solo scenes.
I love everything about Swanky. He brings the luxury aspect to the show since his job is very much real and credited. He was a stylist for our fellow African sister Porsha William’s wedding to Nigerian multi-millionaire Simon Guobadia. That wedding was amazing to watch online.
He has other notable clients too, and really seems to be building a name for himself.
The Queen. When she was first introduced I wasn’t sure, but she won me over as season 1 progressed. Opinionated and willing to stand her ground. Also, I heard she got married again?
Thank you for your time.
Nadia, Andile, Diamond, Naked, Kayleigh and all the newcomers in season 2.
My biggest frustration with the show is the waste of potential. Reality tv can be so influential in popular culture. Netflix is a global streaming powerhouse, widening the breadth of content reach. Young, Famous and African has the opportunity to create major waves in popular media consumed within the diaspora, but instead is giving us forced storylines and meetups.
Several watchers have mentioned the possibility of Netflix not having the budget to film throughout the continent or at least in other key cities such as Lagos, Nairobi, or Accra.
I’m not convinced. Budget is not an obstacle for Indian Matchmaking which sees Sima Aunty traveling around the globe for her matchmaking duties since season 1.