South African rapper Costa Titch died suddenly this weekend, his family said on Instagram, hours after performing at a music festival.
The musician, whose real name is Constantinos Tsobanoglou, was 28.
Footage circulating on social media appeared to show Tsobanoglou fall over on stage before being lifted up by someone beside him. Tsobanoglou then gets up for several seconds before apparently collapsing.
“It is with deep pain that we find ourselves having to acknowledge his passing at this time,” Tsobanoglou’s family said in a post on his Instagram. “We are thankful for those emergency responders and all those present in his last hours.”
The statement did not mention a cause of death.
The festival where he was performing, Ultra South Africa, said it was “devastated” by the young rapper’s death.
“Costa was a galvanizing voice amongst South Africa’s amapiano scene – a talented rapper, dancer, singer, songwriter, collaborator and friend to the festival,” the statement read.
Tsobanoglou was a growing sensation in South Africa and one of the biggest stars of amapiano, a style of music characterized by deep house, log-drum driven basslines and soulful piano melodies. His rap style combines South Africa’s culture, style and indigenous languages with international rap sub-genres like trap music, which originated in Atlanta’s thriving hip hop scene.
Tsobanoglou was born in Nelspruit in northeastern South Africa and had already had a successful career in dance before becoming a rapper.
Tsobanoglou’s song “Big Flexa” made him a star across Africa after it became successful on TikTok. The rapper had recently partnered with a music label started by Senegalese-American musician Akon, who was featured featured on a remix of “Big Flexa.”
Tsobanoglou’s death comes a month after his friend and collaborator, fellow rapper AKA, was killed in a shooting.
인기많은 래퍼가 갑작스럽게 무대에서 사망하다니.... 이런 글을 보면 삶이 너무나 허무하다고 느껴진다. 가끔은 우리 한명한명이 일개미떼의 한마리, 한마리와 크게 다르지 않음을 느낀다. 우리의 삶은 유한하여 반드시 끝이 있다는 것을 다시한번 되새겨본다. 그럼에도 불구하고, 인간의 숙명은, 항상 고민하고 발전하기위해 노력한다는 것이다. 죽음을 거스르고자 해도 답은 없다. 오직 어떻게 주어진 시간을 더 행복하고, 즐겁게살지 고민하는 것이 최선일뿐.
<Reference>
https://edition.cnn.com/2023/03/12/africa/costa-titch-death-intl
