South African pioneering rapper HHP (Hip Hop Pantsula) aka Jabba has been reported dead at the age of 38.
Lerato Sengadi, the rapper’s wife and well known publicist confirmed the death to TimesLive.
“Yes, yes it’s true. I am with the family at the moment,” the paper quoted Lerato as saying.
The cause of death hasn’t been confirmed yet.
HHP is one of the pioneering artists of the successful SA hip-hop subgenre motswako (Khuli Chana, Cassper Nyovest, Fifi Cooper etc.). He is also one of the first rappers to successfully mix hip-hop and kwaito, and was one of the first SA rappers to achieve mainstream success.
He has gifted us with hits such as “Tswaka,” “Bosso,” “Music and Lights,” “Lekoko La Lekoko,” and countless others, and released several gold-selling albums.
Jabba had just released a new EP aptly titled Feels Good To Be Back after a short hiatus from releasing solo music.