‘A reality show is the realest thing I've ever done’: five minutes with AJ Mafokate

Arthur Mafokate’s firstborn child AJ says being on Showmax's new reality TV show Born into Fame has been an opportunity for reflection. 

The show, which follows the lives of youngsters growing up with famous parents, includes his younger sister Owamie Mafokate, Ringo Madlingozi’s son Phila, Azania Mosaka’s daughter Shamiso and DJ Tira’s son Tank The Rockstar. 

Though he's lost some friendships since filming the show, AJ said he left with many lessons learned. 

What is your favourite part about being born into fame?

My favourite thing is that you are a part of a legacy, you’re a part of something bigger than you, you are born into something established and there are so many opportunities that come with it, specially for someone in my industry. However, there are also things that are not as great, like being overshadowed by your parent's success. 

How does your dad’s success overshadow you? 

It is with the things that are sometimes in the news. It has a direct impact on my career because, most of the time, people overlook us and focus on the things said about our father. 

Do you feel pressure to continue the legacy?

There is a lot of pressure to continue the legacy my dad built. He started things from scratch that have lived for years and years and it is his wish for me to continue his legacy. There are big shoes to fill and it makes me a little nervous.

On the show, you said you weren’t sure if music was your passion or if it was something you are doing because of your dad. What is your passion?

I have not thought about that fully because music is a big part of my life, but if I was not a musician, I would probably be a businessman and entrepreneur. I also have interests in psychology and engineering so it would be something along those lines. 

What role do you play in your siblings’ lives?

As the oldest child in my family, I have many roles I play. I have sisters and I am the only boy so they look to me for a lot of guidance and leadership. If my dad is not there, I step in and fulfil the role as best as I can. 

How do you handle hard conversations in your family? 

It is different for all of us. We all have different relationships with our dad. From my end, we don’t usually talk about the hard stuff in the media. I leave it to him to talk about it and then I’ll take the lead from him. 

As someone with a famous parent, what is the biggest lesson you have learned from watching him navigate the industry you are in?

The biggest lesson I have learned from my dad is to keep trying. Even when you fail, it’s an accomplishment. He is not shy of failure. I learned you have to do what you want to do and that in itself is success and I will pass it on to my child. 

What have you learned about yourself from filming the show?

Doing a reality show is the realest thing I have ever done because it forces you to look at yourself. You have to have a lot of hard conversations with yourself. You go there with an idea of who you are and when you get there, who you are is challenged and judged, so it makes you take a step back and look at yourself from different perspectives. Since shooting the show, I have discovered more of who I am, the good parts, the bad parts. It has given me the opportunity to question a lot of things I do and to challenge myself to be a better version of myself.