Noxolo Miya
Pretoria - Fans across the country are mourning the loss of 40-year-old Bacardi musician Sammy “DJ Pencil” Moripe, who died on Friday following an apparent battle with cancer.
The DJ was part of the Barcadi duo Pencil & Zing Master. Details surrounding his death have not been revealed by his family, but reports on social media said the DJ died on Friday in hospital, where he was receiving treatment after he had been fighting cancer for more than three years.
DJ Pencil was born in Atteridgeville, Pretoria, and began his music career in 2010. He later became famous for his hits songs Suna Papa, Tshwara Tshwara, and Serope Ko Ntle.
Until his death, he was regarded as one of Bacardi’s greatest assets, and it was his efforts that contributed to the development of many other young upcoming artists.
He was also widely recognised in the music industry in South Africa for his contributions that gave birth to the amapiano genre.
His colleagues in the music industry and loved ones shared tributes, sympathies and expressions of grief on social media all weekend.
Deejay Dadaman wrote on Facebook: “Don’t even know what to say … this is heartbreaking.”
Fanicar Bila Bila King wrote: “Until his death, he was regarded as one of the greatest Bacardi assets, whose contributions gave birth to the amapiano sound.”
Evans Bangane wrote: “It’s been an honour to have been part of your journey, bro. RIP Pencil Sammy Moripe.”
Yesterday, it was also announced that rapper Costa Tsobanoglou, known by his moniker Costa Titch, collapsed on Saturday night while performing on stage at the Ultra SA music festival in Nasrec.
The 28-year-old from Nelspruit, Mpumalanga, was later confirmed dead.
DJ Pencil and Titch’s deaths are yet another blow to the local music scene as it follows the recent passing of Pretoria DJ and producer Vusi Ma R5, who was shot dead in January.
His death was followed closely by that of Kiernan “AKA” Forbes, who was affectionately known as Supa Mega to his fans. The 35-year-old hip pop star was killed alongside his close friend businessman and chef Tebello “Tibz” Motsoane in Durban.
These deaths were also not too long after the murder of renowned artist and musician DJ Sumbody from Pretoria, whose management said the artist, born Oupa John Sefoka, allegedly “ran into an unfortunate incident that led to his passing in the early hours of Sunday morning” on November 20.
Saying the music industry was being wiped out, social users called up the names of others who had died, among them Killer Kau, Mpura, Lil Meri, Riky Rick and Mampintsha. Some added DJ Citi and DJ Dimplez, speculating as to why they were dying at such a rate.
Pretoria News