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Costa Titch, a rising star in South African rap, died this weekend after collapsing onstage at a music festival. He was 28.<\/p>\n
Titch, whose legal name was Constantinos Tsobanoglou, was performing Saturday at Ultra South Africa in Johannesburg when he suddenly fell. Social media videos showed him briefly standing up before collapsing a second time.<\/p>\n
\u201cDeath has tragically knocked at our door,\u201d the Tsobanoglou family wrote Sunday in an Instagram post. \u201cRobbing us of our beloved son, brother and grandson, Constantinos Tsobanoglou, who South Africa had some to love and idolize under the stage name \u2018Costa Titch.\u2019\u201d<\/p>\n
The family did not announce Titch\u2019s cause of death.<\/p>\n
Titch had recently signed a record deal with Senegalese-American artist and producer Akon, following the breakthrough success of his single \u201cBig Flexa\u201d across Africa. The song initially blew up on TikTok.<\/p>\n
\u201cCosta was a galvanizing voice amongst South Africa\u2019s amapiano scene \u2014 a talented rapper, dancer, songwriter, collaborator, and friend to the festival,\u201d Ultra South Africa said in a statement.<\/p>\n
Born in the east South Africa city of Nelspruit, Titch entered the country\u2019s pop culture scene as a dancer. But Titch\u2019s true passion was making music and, later, performing it.<\/p>\n
\u201cI realized that my passion lay more within the artist than within the dance industry,\u201d he said in a 2020 promotional interview. \u201cIt was never easy, especially when you\u2019ve achieved a lot in one field.\u201d<\/p>\n
Titch initially struggled to gain mainstream musical success, but earned recognition in South Africa with his 2019 single \u201cNkalakatha,\u201d which came after a series of, in his words, \u201cwack drops.\u201d Titch said collaboration was what changed the course of his career.<\/p>\n
\u201cI feel like a lot of artists are so focused on trying to do everything themselves,\u201d he said in 2020. \u201cThey let their ego block the fact that with a bit of assistance, and more people\u2019s ears listening to their music and being involved in the creative process, they could actually make their product go a lot further.\u201d<\/p>\n
One of Titch\u2019s many collaborators was South African rapper AKA, who was fatally shot last month.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe Tsobanoglou family thanks you for the love and support you have given to our son and may you continue to uplift him even in a spirit,\u201d Titch\u2019s family said Sunday.<\/p>\n