Christina Milian says ‘sharp fede magenge’ after encounter with SA brand manager (VIDEO)
· Citizen
American singer, actress and entrepreneur Christina Milian has become the latest international star to get a crash course in South African slang, courtesy of local brand manager and creative entrepreneur Itu Khubeka.
The pair crossed paths while shopping in early June, during a trip that saw Khubeka travelling through Dubai and China. In a video shared to social media, Khubeka and a friend can be heard teaching Milian to say “sharp fede magenge” – a popular colloquial greeting used across various parts of South Africa.
Visit syntagm.co.za for more information.
Milian, game as ever, gave the phrase a go, much to the delight of South African social media users who flooded the comments section in reaction.
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Mzansi celebs join in the fun
The clip quickly caught the attention of local personalities, with sports broadcaster Andile Ncube, TV presenter Zanele Potelwa and actor Michelle Mosalakae among those who interacted positively with the post. Their engagement helped push the video further into the timelines of everyday Instagram users, many of whom expressed pride at seeing South African slang travel internationally.
Who is Christina Milian?
Born Christina Flores in 1981, Milian is an American singer, songwriter and actress of Cuban descent. She broke into the mainstream in the early 2000s with her self-titled debut album, which spawned hits including AM to PM and the breakout single Dip It Low in 2004. She also built a name for herself on screen, starring in films like Love Don’t Cost a Thing, and collaborated with artists such as Ja Rule during the height of her music career.
More recently, Milian has continued acting, taking on the role of María LaGuerta in the Dexter prequel series Dexter: Original Sin. Beyond music and acting, she has established herself as a serial entrepreneur, co-owning the popular dessert brand Beignet Box, and regularly works as a host and producer.
Why Milian was in China
Her trip to China formed part of a bigger personal project: sourcing materials for the remodel and rebuild of a home she purchased at just 21 years old.
Sharing glimpses of the journey with her followers on Instagram, Milian explained that the renovation is driven by a desire to turn the property into a genuine hub for her community of friends and family.
@christinamilianSo I’m doing a thing I’m rebuilding my house and I had to find out if the hype in real in China. Follow my story and I’ll show you what I’ve learned so far #homeimprovement #remodel #chinatiktok #chinatravel @𝐕𝐈𝐎𝐋𝐄𝐓ꨄ
♬ Tonight, Just Us – Cuisine Culture
For Khubeka, the encounter offered an unexpected but welcome opportunity to fly the South African flag abroad, one local slang term at a time.