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Ali Kiba on arrogance: 'I may be a public figure, but I'm still human.'
Tanzanian musician Ali Kiba.
Bongo Flava heavyweight Ali Kiba has hit back at journalists who have labelled him ‘arrogant’, making it clear that he sees no reason to be humble, especially when faced with disrespectful lines of questioning.
The celebrated singer says he’s well aware that some media personalities perceive him as arrogant and full of himself. He believes this reputation stems from a handful of uncomfortable interviews.
“Some say I don’t know how to respond to questions; that I’m arrogant. But let's get one thing straight: I may be a public figure, but I’m also human. I go through life just like everyone else,” he explained in an interview with Crown FM.
He says that, although celebrities are often expected to respond to everything with a smile, journalists sometimes cross the line with inappropriate or overly invasive questions.
‘Sometimes you’re dealing with personal struggles, and then you meet a journalist who starts asking questions that have nothing to do with your art or the present moment. When that happens, it’s only natural to react. You might seem defensive or even rude, but that doesn’t mean you’re arrogant. It just means you’re human.” He added.
Kiba went on to say that being in the limelight shouldn’t mean surrendering one's dignity for the sake of public perception.
‘I don’t believe any artist should be forced to be “too humble”. We already carry so much pressure from how society views us; that doesn't mean we stop being human. We bleed, we break, and we bounce back, just like everyone else.’
He also criticised the rise of untrained online journalists, attributing much of the problem to the low entry barrier to media in the digital era.
'There’s a reason journalists go to school. But now, with the internet, anyone with a smartphone and a microphone thinks they’re a journalist. Some of these people aren’t even trained, yet they feel entitled to ask anything, no matter how inappropriate.”
