South African veteran actor Dumisani Dlamini and his American rapper daughter, Doja Cat, are in the spotlight once again for their rocky relationship.
While the Grammy-award-winning musician has repeatedly accused her father of being a deadbeat, the Isibaya has said the opposite — recently proudly revealing her full Zulu names in an interview on Ikwekwezi FM.
THE ‘SARAFINA!’ ACTOR ON GOING TO AMERICA
During the interview, Dlamini opened up about going to America during apartheid as an actor on Sarafina! – produced and created by the late Mbongeni Ngema. Due to the contents of the 1992 blockbuster film, Dlamini said they were prohibited from coming back home therefore spending seven to nine years in the United States.
“We could not return home [SA] because I think we were exiled. We were told only two people could go back home at a time.
“Mbongeni lied about sending a gospel choir to sing in America so we would be allowed to go. Back home we’d sing gospel music, but when we got overseas we changed and sang about the struggle… ‘bring back Nelson Mandela!’… and that’s how we got into trouble [with the apartheid government]. I didn’t even get the opportunity to bury my mother, ” he explained.
After 1994, they were free to come back home, however, Dlamini said he stayed in the US for better opportunities.
DUMISANI DLAMINI SPEAKS ABOUT HIS DAUGHTER DOJA CAT
During the interview, Dlamini also spoke fondly about Doja Cat, saying he named her Ntombizandile Zamadlamini. However, the Woman hitmaker is known as Amala Ratna Zandile Dlamini. He also shared that she has an older brother named Daluthando Dlamini.
@djnelzab
#SibuyaNaweExpressLane #ExpressLaneCruise #DumisaniDlamini #actor #ndebeletiktok #ikwekwezifm
♬ original sound – DjNelzaB
THE MUSICIAN’S RELATIONSHIP WITH HER FATHER
In an interview last year with US broadcaster Ebro Darden on his Apple Music 1 show, Doja Cat opened up about her father.
“No, I’ve never met my dad,” she said.
When Ebro asked if she’s been to South Africa and whether she has any plans of visiting, Doja Cat responded: “I still haven’t [been]. I rely on my career to just throw me out to places. I don’t find pockets of time in my life. I can fly but I don’t like flying, especially long flights like that.”
DOJA CAT INSULTS HER FATHER, LATER APOLOGISES
Earlier this month, Doja Cat updated her X bio with the words: “My dad’s a deadbeat but I did well.”
Most recently, the Paint The Town Red hitmaker shot up trends lists after she took to her Instagram account to write: “Dad, let me know when/if you need me to re-up your makeup cabinet because you are a b*tch.”
The 28-year-old doubled down on her remarks in the comments section, saying: “[He] gave me a lazy eye and dipped.”
However, before the day was up, she seemingly had a change of heart and changed her caption to: “JK [Just Kidding] Love you, I was mad.”