Things are heating up between two popular TikTok stars, Nara Smith and chef Onezwa Mbola.
Over the past week, a dispute over whose content is original and if Smith was stealing ideas from Mbola gained attention from social media users worldwide. The disagreement kicked off after Smith shared a video of herself making Boba tea from scratch, just one day after Mbola posted a similar video.
Initially, Mbola ignored the videos and kept quiet about Smith “stealing” her content. But recently, the South African chef has been speaking up and voicing her opinions about the situation.
Shortly after the video went viral, Smith allegedly sent Mbola a letter, which was shared on X (formerly known as Twitter), revealing that she is proceeding with legal actions.
“I am writing to address a serious matter regarding your recent statements accusing me of stealing your content. You have publicly claimed that I stole your videos related to Boba tea and mozzarella cheese, which is untrue and damaging to my reputation,” Smith wrote. “These allegations are entirely false. The videos in question are not my original creations, and I have all the necessary proof of this on the social media platform TikTok. Your false accusations have caused significant harm to my personal and professional reputation.”
https://twitter.com/onezwambola/status/1803456765842841980
The letter continued, “This email serves as a formal notice that if you don’t retract your statements and cease making defamatory claims immediately, I will have no choice but to pursue legal action against you for defamation of character. I strongly urge you to take this matter seriously and to address it promptly to avoid further legal consequences.”
Both Smith and Mbola have been active on social media for quite some time now and have similar content niches. On one hand, Mbola focuses on foraging, harvesting, and hunting her ingredients, making every dish entirely from scratch. Meanwhile, Smith makes simple home meals from scratch. Although their content isn’t that unique, social media users have found major similarities between their videos. Additionally, fans also noticed a shift in Smith’s video style as she used to more lively but has transitioned into a calm demeanor, which is what Mbola was known for. While it is possible that Smith has unknowingly mimicked Mbola’s style, the similarities are very clear. However, the controversy has done some good, with Mbola gaining more attention and increasing the following for both women. See what social media users had to say below:
https://twitter.com/chescaleigh/status/1803912546694689116
