The nepo babies of Mzansi

2022 was the year of the nepo baby. Well, at least that’s according to New York Magazine’s pop culture vertical Vulture, which caused a stir on social media after publishing a deep dive on how nepotism courses through the veins of Hollywood.

But are nepo babies a concept limited to Tinseltown or does a similar trend exist right here in Mzansi?Nepo babies (short for nepotism babies) are the offspring of famous parents who climb the showbiz ladder by benefitting from the privilege and connections that come with their last name.

The implication of the term is that their success is not based on merit but rather a result of their inside access. Locally, media personality Somizi Mhlongo (son of acting couple Mary Twala and Ndaba Mhlongo), singer-songwriter Rethabile Khumalo (daughter of singer Winnie Khumalo), actor and singer Phila Madlingozi (son of musician Ringo Madlingozi), TV presenter Vusi Twala (son of radio DJ Shado Twala), actor Atandwa Kani (son of acting legend John Kani), and singer Bongi Dube (daughter of reggae musician Lucky Dube) are notable nepo babies.

Thanks to their distinct last names they are often closely associated with their parents throughout their careers, for better or worse.While there’s undoubtedly an advantage to being the progeny of someone successful, particularly in the same industry, it’s worth noting that many have charted their own paths and earned their reputations on merit.

One such example is YFM DJ Lula Odiba. Despite her dad being late radio legend Eddie Zondi, Odiba made a conscious effort to use her own smarts to get ahead. She recalls how in grade 11, during Life Orientation, she was tasked with shadowing someone in the field she wanted to get into, which turned out to be radio.

She then went to 5FM, pretended to have an appointment, and found an opportune moment to convince DJ Fresh to allow her to shadow him for a few days. “He gave me solid advice. He told me to join a small campus radio station if I went to university or a community radio station if I chose not to.”

She ended up going to Wits, where she made it onto the university’s station, Voice of Wits. Three years later, having won her first radio award for best daytime show, she was scouted by YFM.

She’s been there for four years and is developing a reputation as a star in the making. Odiba says she’s never felt pressure to fill her famous father’s shoes. “Not many people knew, and even now not many people know, unless you really look me up. I still have friends with whom I went to high school who are like, ‘There’s no f***** way dude, I just saw this tweet, is he really your dad?’ So, because nobody really knows there is no pressure. When I started doing radio he had just passed,” she says. “He died a month after I went to go and shadow Fresh. So, it’s not like I was put on by him or I’ve been moving with a legacy notion.”

She adds that it is important to her to succeed on merit. “You know, I’m going to sound like a typical legacy child, but I’m not my dad. I just wanted to do my own thing because my dad and I are different as broadcasters — his was a Sunday-afternoon, very romantic, and very different kind of broadcasting than mine.

Mine is more fast-paced, high tempo, and high energy. It’s about culture, it’s about the now.”For Nirvana Nokwe, a multi-hyphenate artist who dabbles in film, music, and modelling, her family legacy has loomed large over her career from the start. Her mother is musician Tu Nokwe and her family is littered with high-profile figures across the entertainment space.

When I ask her how challenging it’s been making her own name, she notes that she’s often asked about this very topic, which she hates, and declines to comment further. Former SMag cover star Gaisang K Noge (The Wife and House of Zwide actor), daughter of veteran Selimathunzi presenter Dosto Noge, also declines to respond to our request for comment. So too does Uzalo star Gugu Gumede, the daughter of politician Zanele kaMagwaza-Msibi. TikToker Primo Baloyi, son of former Bafana Bafana captain Lucas Radebe, chuckles the moment I ask him about he navigates being a nepo baby.

Then he pauses for a moment and says he’ll seek some advice on whether or not to speak on the topic. He never calls back. While the term nepo may annoy many of those given the label, there’s an argument to be made that those who really earned their success on merit don’t have a problem with being labelled nepo babies and acknowledging the privilege that gave them a foot in the door.

Early in his career, musician and producer Bongani Fassie struggled to escape the burden of expectation that came with being the son of legendary singer Brenda Fassie. But his undeniable talent has helped him chart his own path. In an interview a few years ago, the late rapper AKA described Bongani as one of the two most talented people he’d ever met (alongside Burna Boy) — high praise from an artist who worked with and interacted with countless stars across the globe.

Elsewhere, social media often questions the merit behind the fame of the likes of media personalities Bahumi Mhlongo (daughter of Somizi Mhlongo) and Shamiso Mosaka (daughter of radio personality Azania Mosaka). Shamiso addresses the topic head-on on page 18.

A casting director who has worked on various local shows spoke to us on the condition of anonymity. He says that for him the status of the actor doesn’t matter.

"How good a job I’ve done is judged based on how well the talent that I cast performs in front of the camera. Perhaps smaller shows or platforms looking to gain social traction would have that approach, but on a grand scale, it’s talent that matters most.