Kriti Mehrotra
As the star of the aptly entitled ‘Young, Famous & African,’ Zari Hassan has now gone from being a successful businesswoman, a social media star, and a dedicated mother to an utter global phenomenon. After all, by letting her personality shine through in the Netflix original, she proved time and time again that she is, in fact, a “boss lady” who works hard to “acquire everything” her heart desires. So, if you’re curious to learn a bit more about her background, along with her current personal as well as professional standing, don’t worry; we’ve got the details for you.
Who is Zari Hassan?
Born in Jinja, southern Uganda, back in 1980 to mixed parents (her dad – also Burundi-Somalia mixed – is Indian), Zari Hassan was just a little girl when she started dreaming of fame. That’s why she has always been a keen hustler, which was aided by the people skills she’d naturally garnered while growing up alongside her five sisters and two brothers. Thus, after graduation, she spent around two years learning cosmetology in the United Kingdom before relocating to South Africa to study human resources, only to soon follow her passion and evolve into a musician as well.
In the coastline nation, Zari met and married socialite Ivan Semwanga (with whom she welcomed three sons), yet they divorced in 2013 following her accusations of him being both mentally and physically abusive. Her subsequent long-term relationship was with Tanzanian artist Diamond Platnumz (the father of her two younger children), but even that fell apart a few years ago owing to his infidelities, as per the series. From what we can tell, Ivan passed away in 2017, leaving behind a fair share of his business and assets for Zari, which she combined with her own to reach where she is today.
Where is Zari Hassan Now? Who Is She Dating?
Apart from being an influencer, musician, renowned host, and reality star (with not only the Netflix original but also her 2012 show ‘Zari, Bosslady’), Zari Hassan is also an entrepreneur and a philanthropist. She’s the proud CEO of Brooklyn City College (a diverse academic institution with several campuses), and she currently owns/operates a 5-star hotel in Kampala, Uganda, plus the successful real estate company she obtained from her late ex-husband. In other words, aside from her five children, Zari’s work (as well as the assets and stability she has managed to attain thanks to the same) give her true joy.
“It’s so beautiful being a mom because there’s no dull moment in one’s life… If there’s one thing that I love in this life, it’s being a mom because there’s so much responsibility, and I’m grateful,” Zari once said in an interview with KTN News Kenya. Her social media platforms further evidence that she cares about her entire family, not just equally but also wholeheartedly. Honestly, all we can say is that she wasn’t kidding in ‘Young, Famous & African’ when she said, “I have dealt with numerous heartbreaks and challenges, but I always fight back.”
Coming to her relationship status, although Zari seemed to have a little something going on with co-star Andile Ncube in the series, that never really came to fruition. It could’ve been because of their own dynamic or because he’d formed a good friendship with Diamond – with whom Zari is still close to for the sake of their children – yet nothing is clear. However, from their Instagram accounts, we do know that the reality star is currently romantically involved with GK Choppa (also a Ugandan businessman based in South Africa) and happier than ever.
Read More: Are Diamond and Andile Still Friends?
