Lasizwe recently revealed on Twitter that he has partnered with popular sneaker brand Bathu. Just like Somizi Mhlongo who was the brand’s first Openly gay ambassador , Lasizwe becomes the brand’s second openly gay ambassador.
Lasizwe Dambuza is best known as a digital content creator and influencer. For years, he was regarded as the King of Local YouTube, with over 766k subscribers and over 86 million views on his channel’s content.
However, Lasizwe became more focused on becoming a full-fledged ZAlebs rather than what made him popular. His reign as the King of Local YouTube has arguably waned. Since befriending Dambuza, his friend Moghelingz has also caught strays about their latest content.
Moghelingz is in his Lasizwe era I’m afraid
— masc (@__nqaba) November 1, 2022
😂😂😂😂that was a bit of a reach yes.
— MA LE BO (@Melo_Malebo) November 3, 2022
As such, this could be the reason that Lasizwe is borrowing career moves from frenemy Somizi Mhlongo. This is after his latest post revealed his latest endorsement deal which is on the nose to moves that Somizi has made in recent years.
https://www.instagram.com/p/CmZMgZSjTrR/?utm_source=ig_embed&ig_rid=bcd8040b-3897-442c-8a22-0cdcdac05403
Mhlongo partnered with Bathu during its early days and is arguably integral to the subsequent success of the brand following his endorsement. As such, it does beg the question, “Why would Lasizwe cut-and-paste Somizi’s moves?”
https://www.instagram.com/reel/Ck5pq20o2LA/?utm_source=ig_embed&ig_rid=7430743b-321e-4a38-b60f-b577e745ddda
More so as Lasizwe has been the most vocal about the demise of what was a fledgling friendship between the two. According to Dambuza, the two were initially friendly. However, as Lasizwe began to become the full-fledged ZAlebs he is now considered, Somizi started to sideline him.
https://www.instagram.com/p/B88NTOyjkGp/?utm_source=ig_embed&ig_rid=bafb121c-86e2-4ff6-b6af-6a6462395957
In an act of retaliation, Lasizwe would then not only start to shade Somizi in public. But he would also not only befriend Somizi’s ex partner, Mohale Motaung. But he would make the same social media moves he did with former friend and rumoured sneaky link, Cedric Fourie.
This comes off the back of Lasizwe and Mohale teasing a romantic relationship on social media earlier this year. A media stunt which fell flat as the general public called the two friends out for attempting to create a social media furore over what was blatantly a PR stunt.
https://www.instagram.com/p/CfhCEiNjfDb/?utm_source=ig_embed&ig_rid=b5ff1ba8-9b42-438b-88a5-67cb8fcaaed3
It is then interesting to consider that someone who has been vocal about their dislike for Mhlongo to the general public would appropriate their adversary’s moves when their own fame appears to be on the decline.
As a result, given that Somizi is an integral part of the Bathu sneakers brand. It will be interesting to see if he will also post promotional posts for the company’s upcoming summer campaign, which will feature Lasizwe as more than just a brand ambassador. But arguably even in the styling, with his gold bedazzled moment paying homage to Somizi.
Furthermore, there are no details on when the advertisement will be released, as Lasizwe only recently revealed having shot the ad campaign for the Bathu slides, which comes off the back of Drip also launching their own slides. Slides which were allegedly advised by none other but Sizwe Dhlomo.