Salt The DJ, Ayra Starr’s Sister, Says Poorer Men Deserve to Be Controlled
Salt, the DJ and younger sister of Nigerian singer Ayra Starr, has stirred fresh conversation online after telling a podcast that she would not disclose her full financial standing to a partner who earns less than she does.
Speaking on the show, she said, “If I date a man who I am richer than, I’ll control him. But even if I’m richer, he’ll still be providing, and I won’t let him know I have a lot of money.”
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Salt, who also goes by Saltiana and performs under the name Salt the DJ or DJ Salt of Life, is one of five children born to the parents of Ayra Starr, born Oyinkansola Sarah Aderibigbe.
She has built her own public identity chiefly as her sister’s personal DJ and backup performer, accompanying Ayra Starr on tour and hyping crowds from the stage, while also appearing frequently in the family’s social media content, including videos highlighting the sisters’ close resemblance and their playful sibling dynamic. Their brother, known as Sainttmilar or Milar, works as a producer and songwriter who has contributed to Ayra Starr’s music through Mavin Records’ in-house academy.
The remarks touch on a debate that resurfaces often in Nigerian pop culture: whether a financially independent woman should be transparent with a partner who earns less than she does.
Salt’s framing, that a man should still be allowed to feel he is providing even when he is not the higher earner, echoes a position that other public figures in similar conversations about wealth and relationships have voiced. It has again split opinion between those who see it as savvy self-protection and those who consider it dishonest.
Salt has found herself the subject of unwanted attention from strangers before because of her resemblance to her famous sister. In August, she said on Instagram that her car had been damaged by suspected street touts in Lagos who mistook her for Ayra Starr and grew hostile when she could not immediately hand over money, an episode she described as distressing and reflective of a broader pattern of harassment faced by motorists driving upscale vehicles in the city.
Ayra Starr, 24, has become one of the most prominent voices in Afrobeats over the past four years, signed to Mavin Records and Roc Nation, with hits including “Rush,” “Commas” and “Sability,” and a third studio album, “Starr Girl,” released in August.
She has spoken in past interviews about her family’s close involvement in her career, including her mother’s role in reviewing her business decisions and her siblings’ behind-the-scenes contributions.
