Kenyan-born internet comedian Elsa Majimbo says she will never go back to Kenya due to her “complicated relationship” with Kenyans.
In an interview with Forbes, the 21-year-old said she fell out with Kenyans when she became a global internet sensation at the height of the Covid-19 lockdowns in 2020 through her funny videos.
The entertainer claims that Kenyans on social media were quick to bully her with colorist remarks and that they were praying for her downfall.
“I have a very complicated relationship with Nairobi. When things started going on well for me there was a lot of backlash against me and there were a lot of colorist things said towards me and surprisingly it’s people from Kenya who were doing that and they were bullying me on the internet,” she told Forbes.
“They were hell-bent on my failure and it was so absurd. When the whole world was cheering me on Kenya was praying for my downfall so when I got the chance I packed my bags and I left. I’ll go to see my family but I left and I’m never going back.”
Majimbo, who currently resides in the US after initially relocating to South Africa from Kenya, claims that Kenyans prefer female comedians to base their craft “on self-hatred and to call themselves ugly because they are darker and to say that they don’t deserve anything in this world.”
She says she has over time developed a thick skin to criticism and has learned to ignore haters.
“I just ignore it; I’m making my bag so I’m living my life.”
Her satirical monologues usually feature her eating potato crisps, leaning back to a pillow, and using a pair of tiny 1990s sunglasses as a prop.
Since she became a celebrity, the Strathmore University alumnus has been featured on international media platforms such as The Guardian, New York Times, CNN, BBC, Forbes, among others.
In November 2020, she won the prestigious E! People’s Choice Awards in the African Social Star category. She also became a Fenty beauty ambassador, partnered with MAC, and appeared on Comedy Central.
She was also featured in Forbes Africa’s 2022 list of the top 30 under 30 individuals for her creativity as a social media influencer.
East or West: HOME is Best.?
East or West: HOME is Best.?
She is a comedian, anyway…
She is a comedian, anyway. So, nothing serious here people!
Ms. Majimbo. Your greatest…
Ms. Majimbo. Your greatest Enemies are those Kenyans abroad. Hao ndio Watakukula Nguoni Mwako (Na hizo Wivu, Chuki, na Fitina zao).
Dubious. Kenyans abroad won…
Dubious. Kenyans abroad won’t jack you or try to separate you from your money. They don’t have time to come up with investment schemes to rob you blind. The only Kenyan’s who ever asked me to invest have always been in the 254. Wishing her success and prosperity and yeah vigilance too. She’ll get over the bitter feelings but will be wiser.
Precisely! Those around you…
Precisely! Those around you where you are will devour you like crocodiles and just keep on moving like nothing ever happened. I have seen happen so often…
Great. I don’t think that is…
Great. I don’t think that is an agenda in the minds of wanachi who are trying to survive. One less headache and mouth for kenya to worry. Girl grow up!!!
Nobody is crying or worried…
Nobody is crying or worried about your decision. Good luck.
Young woman u try n make…
Young woman u try n make yourself important like Kenya needs u, fuck off as even in the USA u still ain’t funny n mention ur name n it’s like who that.
Lady, we celebrate you. I…
Lady, we celebrate you. I like your comedy and how you present it. I would advise you to get a hold of Lupita Nyongo and get advice on how to deal with fame in the USA. Don’t get carried away. Kenya is still your Motherland. Don’t paint us all with one brush just because of a few bad apples.
I’m curious about the…
I’m curious about the colorist claim. Is doubt that’s really a thing for most Kenyans excluding influencers and media (social and otherwise) types?
Bye Felicia!
Bye Felicia!
There is no place like home!…
There is no place like home! Take it from me baby girl! The eyes of a frog cant keep cows from drinking water down the stream, and the cries of humanity is not equal to the cries of a hyena. You are just 21, and soon you will find that life must go on…., and you should keep moving on. Kenya is a beautiful country and you must desire to inherit your country.
She is young and…
She is young and inexperienced.Good for her that USA welcomes all persons who think they have talent and dream big.However, there is a good reason why african music,and comedy has “no market” in the western world. It has nothing to do with racism ;to a large part, but the appeal of the product,and its quality, plus the target market. Let me clarify; African entertainment is for the most part “localized”.Kenyan jokes,and music may not actually make it to USA’s large audience. Kenyan comedians and musicians have no international appear.They appeal to Kenyans in particular.Iam not saying that it is impossible for them to hit it internationally,but it is a very tall order.When the likes of Omondi come to USA,the are “localized”that is his target audience is pretty much Kenyans.
It is hard to crack the international stage,You have to be good.You have to excel. Like Kenyans excel in track,especially in middle and long distances.Talking of excelling, let’s join together in congratulating Mary Moraa, Emanuel Korir, Beautrice Chebet,and Faith Kipyegon for winning diamond league finals in Zurich today. I believe Kenya won the most”diamonds” this year.Folks, that is how you get noticed…mmmm in a positive way.
Anadhani amefika……
Anadhani amefika….. hayaaaaaaa
KKK, red-neck, white…
KKK, red-neck, white supremacist & Oath Keeper welcome you with both hands.
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????
The young lady has issues,…
The young lady has issues, yah, issues!
Yep. These are just the…
Yep. These are just the lamentations of confused girl crying for attention,while trying to find her self. In away, she is still nursing the growing pains of teen-age.
It is very unfortunate if she was bullied.I would also like to know if the bullying crossed the line,and why. We all know kids bullying each other within some permissible range.It’s part of growing up.Yes, they dare and challenge each other in various ways.And yes, we certainly can tell when bullying is “really bullying”. Without her giving examples of what she calls bullying, I may just believe that she has not really grown a think skin as she claims.
Finally, bullying is not exclusive to Kenya,Who knows why she left south africa… When you go to another country and hang a shingle long enough you ,will realize that people are pretty much the same.That is, in every human society, there are good,and bad people.And laws are there to protect the good people from the bad ones,and sometimes there is success.
Unfortunately despite how far we have come, human beings are still evolving. Especially in the areas of human relations and interactions,as exemplified by divorce, wars,hunger,corrupt…ect.We are still animals,but better than warthogs…I think.
Yep. These are just the…
Yep. These are just the lamentations of confused girl crying for attention,while trying to find her self. In away, she is still nursing the growing pains of teen-age.
It is very unfortunate if she was bullied.I would also like to know if the bullying crossed the line,and why. We all know kids bullying each other within some permissible range.It’s part of growing up.Yes, they dare and challenge each other in various ways.And yes, we certainly can tell when bullying is “really bullying”. Without her giving examples of what she calls bullying, I may just believe that she has not really grown a think skin as she claims.
Finally, bullying is not exclusive to Kenya,Who knows why she left south africa… When you go to another country and hang a shingle long enough you ,will realize that people are pretty much the same.That is, in every human society, there are good,and bad people.And laws are there to protect the good people from the bad ones,and sometimes there is success.
Unfortunately despite how far we have come, human beings are still evolving. Especially in the areas of human relations and interactions,as exemplified by divorce, wars,hunger,corrupt…ect.We are still animals,but better than warthogs…I think.
Please atleast be funny then…
Please atleast be funny then you can talk.Non entity keep faking it till you make it for now as someone aptly put it bye felicia.
That’s how you waste an…
That’s how you waste an Vogue-moment to sell yourself…. Hating on your motherland, in the US especially, makes you look daft. You should have nice things to say about where you come from…not everything goes wrong…unless you have a problem yourself. Grow up..you said the same thing years ago and Kenyans tried to educate you…surely you don’t learn. The world will teach you.
Uhuru was bullied off of…
Uhuru was bullied off of social media who do she think she is? She’s 21, will learn soon enough.
we wish her well. All we are…
we wish her well. All we are going to ask for is that she tells her family this so that when she dies in the States tusipate gofundme ati ” it was her strong wish to be buried in Kenya.”.
Tuko pamoja?
Girl sit down!
Girl sit down!
Never heard of her
But I …
Never heard of her
But I understand where she’s coming from? Trolls and bullies everywhere on the internet.
Good for her. Smart girl.
Good for her. Smart girl.