In the wake of digital connectivity, the internet has become a high-speed highway where every content creator is rushing to get likes, views and followers and monetize their platforms to earn income.
A single viral video can change someone’s life, turn them into a star or help them get brand gigs within a short time but can also bring the pressure to chase fame and sustain it, a test that has proven hard to many creators.
From filming content on busy highways to faking drama, sharing indecent skits to risky stunts that toy with disaster, the creators face a tough balancing act. How much is too much and to what extent would one go to remain relevant and what happens when the chase for clout overshadows creativity and ethics?
Last month, a video of a young content creator, dressed in a sweatshirt and grey jeans, hit by a Matatu while filming content in the middle of the busy Muthaiga underpass went viral, eliciting mixed reactions on creators endangering their lives for viral content.
It was later established that the young man was part of a group of Tiktokers who shoot content on busy roads including places where pedestrians are not allowed to cross and mainly use traffic provocation as the baseline for their entertainment.
Andrew Kibe and Mungai Eve’s stories are some of the perfect illustrations how clout-chasing can backfire, severe one’s reputation, cause an emotional drain and public backlash.
After a stint as a radio presenter at NRG Radio and Kiss FM, Kibe relocated to the United States in 2020 and got into digital content creation where he built a huge online following with his provocative and controversial rants and comments especially on women, relationships and lifestyle.
Two years ago in September 2023, his YouTube account with 750, 000 subscribers and a cumulative 160 million views was terminated for contravening community guidelines, resulting in loss of advertisement.
And while his brand still exists, it has much lower mainstream impact.
Mungai Eve also bore the brunt of building fame using relationship-based content after a break-up with her former lover Director Trevor in February last year.
She lost access to their jointly-owned digital platforms including a YouTube channel and Facebook page that had 754, 000 subscribers and 874, 000 followers at the time, which Trevor later rebranded.
Their break-up which was among Kenya’s biggest digital drama in 2024 laid bare the risk of tying digital brands to relationships as well as content creators’ struggle with sudden fame and public scrutiny.
Eve sunk into depression and overcame, re-built her brand from scratch and currently has over 180, 000 subscribers on her YouTube channel.
Kenya’s popular prankster Elvis Mushila says fame comes with public scrutiny in the unforgiving social media space and if not well managed, one could sink into depression.
Currently among the top three most followed Kenyans on Tiktok, Elvis is well too aware what losing an account means- it happened to him in June last year when Tiktok banned his, with 1.4 million followers then.
Undeterred Elvis, who has built a brand for giving people a scare of their lives, opened a new account which currently has 4.4 million followers.
“It is all about creativity, consistency and doing decent content that anyone can watch at any time. I have also learnt that humility is paramount for one to build a stable brand,” he shared during a recent interview with Culex Media.
A huge following and many viral videos, Elvis said, do not necessarily translate to longevity as every content is guided by community guidelines which is flouted, result to account suspension.
There are countless other content creators who have proven one can build a brand without drama, controversy or trouble, who believe in patience, consistency, creativity and decency and who earn good income, attract sponsors and maintain their reputation without algorithm temptations.
From featuring in traditional TV comedy, a decade ago, to turning own live comedy show “Thick N Thin” into one of Kenya’s biggest entertainment franchises, Timothy Kimani, popularly known as Njugush has illustrated that being consistent can offer one long-term viability.
The comedian, actor and content creator started his career at “Hapa Kule” a satirical program that aired on KTN and the popular ‘Real Househelps of Kawangware’ before later shifting into digital content creation.
Erastus Otieno, who stage name is Flaqo Raz and is popular with Mama Otis relatable family drama, had initially ventured into music before shifting to comedy.
Currently one of the top YouTube earners in the country, Flaqo is quoted on various media platforms saying he had deliberately chosen not to chase short-lived hype by focusing on “creative and consistent” comedy.
His ability to play several characters as well as portray Kenyan parents, many say, has given him an edge over other content creators.
Also in the list is Crazy Kennar as well as Azziad Nasenya, popularly known as “Tiktok Queen” and who leveraged on virality on Tiktok to build her presence beyond the viral clips.
With the rising culture of clout-chasing driven by instant fame and the slow but sturdy path of creators building ethical brands, questions emerge on safety, moral decadence, ethical safeguards and the cost of going viral amid a thin line between creativity and recklessness.
