Thevitamindproject - Africa

[Emsie]

Most people I know (actual real life people who are my mates) haven't documented pregnancy on socials for lots of reasons. Consideration for those struggling, past history of loss, things going wrong. It's only insta huns wanting to cash in that do really. I wouldn't describe Africa as a hun...
Coming on tattle to 'out' a pregnancy you know she hasn't documented is weird imo. Like why?

 

[Loopyloo10]

I’m so on the fence with Africa. Some of her content is brilliant and I like that she respects her boundaries but some of it is just too much.
Additionally slated decorations that she previously used in an AD.. I was beyond disappointed in this as she bangs on about authenticity, being true to herself, only advertising things she believes in? Hypocritical

 

[zip]

I think people start this game with good intentions but get consumed by their newfound fame.

I would be happy to see the back on the lifestyle influencer niche. I'm not sure what it adds.

 

[Libertine]

Spoiler: I find Africa smug and unlikeable.

At what point does controlling the aesthetic of your home, children and husband, just become controlling and/or abusive?

Africa is another one with a screw loose from her ‘boundaries’ highlight to her ‘All DMs are public’ - she’s even trying to control her audience.

Here’s the thing: she’s just another grubby Instagram shiller exploiting her children and private home life to earn an income. And if she expects that level of control in everyday life it’s absolutely no wonder she doesn’t have a profession or trade and has had to resort to influencing.

Africa simply isn’t as special as wishes she was. It’s a theme amongst Instagram shillers: overinflated egos. And if you exploit your children, maybe you should be the one examining bOuNdArIeS.

 

[itscoldoutside]

I'd forgotten about this series. I too love Medina, I just feel she's very true to herself.
Re the interview, this reminded me of why I originally thought she was poor. She mentions that social housing is for underprivileged people (but later in conversations got annoyed about this and said she didn't like people saying/thinking this).
She obviously knows nothing about private renting at all, so many private renters are backed into a crappy corner where they have to take the house where the landlord will accept them. I applied for about 20 houses before I got accepted, I certainly could not be fussy about area, decor or even street safety. I simply had to put a roof over my children's head. Social housing is a massive privilege, especially in cities where rent is extortionate and the fair price rents mean you can have a bit of money left over to heat your house adequately. Africa and her husband both had decent jobs, they certainly weren't on the breadline.
I agree the interview hasn't aged well, this was the Africa that I loved and couldn't wait to see in an IG story. "I hate consumerism" and the irony of now sharing very expensive household items and "shop my home" with books per meter not for the reading but just the aesthetic.

 

[Tattylifeconvos]

When she first said they were moving to Thanet my gut reaction was her and MOD having mum lunches

Planet Thanet!

She was asked once if she moved there because of other influencers/instagrammers and she was so very offended and went on and on about it. Like she goes on and on about anything that annoys her like the buses, who knew a small town wouldn't operate at the same capacity as TFL! Then someone suggested she learns to drive and she was offended because 'she doesn't like to be told what to'.

You moved to a small town with crappy buses and you don't drive. What did she think would happen. Moan moan moan about the 20 minute walk. Moan moan moan about the colour of the plaster, moan moan moan about the builders. Imagine the builder is watching her stories. I would love to hear his version of events.

 

[itscoldoutside]

I loved the inventive way she used space in their small flat, she's very clever at interiors however I find her very worthy, this whole insta trend of all wooden natural toys and no fisher price plastic crap floating around very unrelatable and her kids must be impossible to buy for as you'd have to make sure any gift is going to fit the *aesthetic*. Puke.

I actually find that very controlling. Not allowing your child to have a toy that they enjoy because it doesn't fit in your aesthetic is really odd. Now you mention it there was a pink plastic pram that they were given or something (maybe from a friend?) and Africa said ordinarily she'd get rid of it immediately, but because her daughter really liked it she'd allow it temporarily before getting rid. The same with clothing, once the child gets to a certain age you'd think they should have some autonomy over what they wear. The idea that it has to fit the family colour palette is so bizarre.

 

[Eurgh]

I stopped following her a while back but I went to Ramsgate and Margate at the last bank holiday and saw her with her kids on the beach. If I recognise your kids and they’re not in Eastenders or Hollywood films you’re exploiting them in my opinion. I also kind of think child actors/models are being exploited tbh.

ETA I sadly did not bump into any sellers of daughters.

 

[Henryscat]

What was her issue with the decorations?

I imagine it was the racial stereotyping. She chose the style of decoration from their range that she liked (and she does have a very clear design aesthetic) but they sent her totally tropical parrots and pineapples instead. I don't blame her for being annoyed.

 

[Mochalatte]

Wow, social media pays!!!!

Which is why I find it a bit shit that she’s really turned her back on what she was? I used to love her stories. Can’t stand anything she does now and I know that would be her just saying well you aren’t an ally - but I’m not in a way, I followed her because I liked her style and how lovely she was. She’s just become a bit of a cow and shares nothing of worth anymore, just pops up with the odd you’re all terrible people if you’re not out matching for Palestine. I get that she’s gone to patreon but I used to love her stuff and can’t see what I’d be paying for if it’s annoying like her grid stuff?

 

[rainbowlemon]

She could be raising blue kids, it still wouldn't matter in that particular situation.

 

[heretoreaditall2019]

Can I ask what is scary about it? If Africa is pregnant, it's very likely people local to her will see her who know she's on the Internet. If you want it really to be kept a secret you'd have to stay at home incase someone posted it.

I’m actually a lil stunned and have no idea what to say here

Firstly the original comment was chilling someone coming on speaking directly to Africa and mentioning seeing her in person & her kids, sorry but that’s some se7en Kevin spacey shit whichever way you cut it.

Secondly Africa has under 100k followers and you’re really suggesting she stays indoors for 9 months ala Kylie Jenner? Give over pls it’s a heat wave and she’s got kids, someone should be allowed to go on the beach without a ~dweller~ coming on here with another zodiac killer cypher.

 

[itscoldoutside]

Yes she openly said they spent £5.5k making changes. I find her to be a bit dramatic at times, referring to the "horrific" original kitchen. It was a very standard but fine kitchen that you'd find in a SH property. There was nothing horrific about it, she needed to own her privilege there. Most people do not have the money to put in a new kitchen in a rented property, especially not underprileged people!

 

[heretoreaditall2019]

Out of interest who are the contempories who are in gifted homes in London?

All of them, tbh. But the worst offender IMO is Alexandra Stedman/the frugality who fawns over these new accounts talking about personal finance whilst not disclosing her 30% LTV (someone worked it out on her thread) home that was enabled through family money. Pretty much all the Insta mamas have benefitted from the bank of mum and dad, none of them were working real world PAYE jobs that would have allowed them to afford the properties they were in - that’s why I really love that Africa speaks about this, she’s building something the majority of people we see on Insta just got given. And whilst they’re sorted for life they’ve got the cheek to tell us to spend xyz on a load of old shit?

I am a fan so will be rightly told to go to a rave thread but I think the fact people know she’s actually doing this all herself and not sat on swathes of family cash makes her points/recommendations more credible and is why she’s booking jobs and the other girls are promoting frozen fish and reconstituted baked beans?

 

[AutumnDays]

I think Africa was more authentic before her career took off financially. A few years ago, she would have spoken out about about the privilege of others sending their children to private schools, buying a house and starting on an extensive renovation straight away, being able to move into rented accommodation during the building works, expecting to walk back into a house as clean as they left it after builders being in for weeks.

But now that she has all that herself, she justifies it all quite easily.

BTW I don’t begrudge her financial success at all, it’s great how her career has taken off and herself and her husband have worked hard to be home-owners.

 

[LividLalji]

She literally has a rainbow and a lemon in her bio and people are saying awww no that’s not about this thread. What. The. Fuck.

 

[Figgy Fig]

For what it’s worth, I thought the interior of her flat was divine. I think the house is bare and bleak.

 

[Xyzabc1234]

Wow, the baby has arrived! Fair play for keeping the pregnancy under wraps and maintaining her privacy. Her and baby look lovely.

 

[heretoreaditall2019]

I'm not saying she's exploiting them BTW and nowhere near FOD territory (does his account still exist?!) but still it has to be said that her children were central to her account growth. Their personal details were not integral but their images very much were. There were a lot of staged photoshoot type ones too, it's not as if they were just playing and random pics taken. FWIW I'm not vehemently anti influencers showing their children, as ultimately as parents we consent on our children's behalf for many things. I'm mentioning this within the context that many claim their children have nothing to do with their accounts, when really it was the children that got them noticed in the first place. Even knowing a child's name and age can pull things up on Google searches. One of the reasons I didn't sign up to her patreon was that I would have been doing it for more info on her unusual-to-me background/life (which all came from stuff she shared) which felt voyeuristic and I felt she wouldn't have liked that.

I stopped following his thread cos he actually made me angry and their life is so tragic. He’s still going, even if his content is him crying in a B&Q car park cos they can’t afford to finish the house and go on holiday cos his missus loved racism so much. He’s only getting casa amore reject level freebies now, flogging CBD discount codes and rechargeable batteries off Ali express. Despite this fall from grace he still overshares about the girls, which is just sad as one of them has an illness now. He has nothing left to give and looks older than Father Time, hopefully someone comes out with a CBD SPF to help him out.

Anyway on topic - weirdly I’m vehemently against any child sharing and still don’t mind hers?! But agree, they have been monetised in as much as they’re part of her overall package. I don’t find it problematic tho cos Africa herself is the draw and they’re part of her story, lightly and respectfully referenced, but it’s not their day to day shenanigans that maintains engagement/the audience? Like look at FOD’s comments it’s all n*nces asking after the girls and how much they miss them, a truly worrying level of intimacy to have with a stranger’s kids. That’s not the same here cos they’ve not been spun up into characters their narc parent exploits for #content and #ads?

The whole children on social media & monetised content is a minefield so sorry I’m arguably derailing this thread but it’s nice to talk about it to likeminded people!

 

[heretoreaditall2019]

Now he’s People Operations - Growth and Support. Is that like HR?

Yeah idk why HR has seemingly rebranded to People over the last few years, it’s more common in startups (ime!).

Not @ you mustard, new comment: but I’m so confused (or am I…..) as to why ppl are looking for secret intentions or means to a very normal family move from someone who has continuously been open about her family’s background and financial circumstances? I wish I saw this level of deep dive on any white Insta mama’s threads. Does anyone want to fully out Victoria Emes as a racist instead of Thanet hate