'Drip so hard!' Zari's response to photo of 16-year-old son Raphael vaping

Piece by: Maureen Waruinge

01 January 2023

• Raphael is Zari's son with the late Ivan Ssemwanga.

• The teen lives in South Africa with his mother.

Zari Hassan's son Raphael has turned a year older and his proud mum has wished him well. Taking to her Instagram, Zari shared his pictures looking handsome as girls gushed over the teen.

Raphael has meanwhile wittingly revealed to a fan that she is aware and cool with him vaping.

Zari herself commented on a picture of him vaping on the streets of their hometown about his entire outfit saying 'Drip too hard'.

A fan queried Raphael why he smokes in the Instagram photo of him smoking, "Is that smoke 😮" and he replied, "She knows, chill'.

(According to Wikipedia, vaping occurs with an electronic device that simulates tobacco smoking. It consists of an atomizer, a power source such as a battery, and a container such as a cartridge or tank. Instead of smoke, the user inhales vapour. As such, using an e-cigarette is often called "vaping")

Raphael was entangled in social media rumours about being LGBTQ in 2021 after saying on an Instalive that he finds men more attractive than women.

Raphael said at the time that it is something he has been thinking about for too long and has come to the realisation that he likes gents.

"I took some time, I was thinking every time, and I think I like gents. You guys might judge me, you might think it’s not who I am, but in my heart, I see gents attractive and not females but that’s just what it is," the teen said.

He was cyberbullied for this and Zari had to come to his defense saying that the teenager has been receiving intimate pictures from older women and he decided to rebuff their advances by claiming he was gay.

"He came out to say he is ay because women are after him. Grown women have been sending intimate pictures... He said that to push these people off he has a girlfriend," Zari said.

The mother of 5, added that if her son ever comes out to him as gay she will support him and help him out as any loving parent would do.