SA hip hop artist HHP is no more

The artist's wife and publicist Lerato Sengadi confirmed the news to local media. Details surrounding HHP's death are still uncertain, though local media reports suggest that he committed suicide. 

"In an interview in 2016, [HHP] revealed that he had tried to commit suicide three times in 2015 alone," local media sources outlined. "He said the first of those two suicide attempts came as he was struggling to get gigs and radio stations were not playing his music any more.

"The third and last time he tried suicide in 2015 was after he had had a 'silly' fight with his then-girlfriend. He waited for her to leave the house and tried helium poisoning, which also failed."

News about HHP's death surfaced on social media, with government officials, musicians and fans paying their condolences to the motswako artist.

“We would like to extend our heartfelt condolences to the family, friends and fans of the legendary Motswako rapper HHP. RIP,” the South African Government wrote on Twitter.

Rapper AKA wrote: “Just heard the most terrible news, another icon gone too soon.”

Cassper Nyovest said: “This can’t be true. No ways,” while Da L.E.S also wrote, “Bad News for hip hop today. This has been the saddest year for hip hop.”

Born Jabulani Tsambo on 14 September 1980, HHP shot to fame in the 1990s when he and his bandmates hooked up with producer Chicco Twala, who produced their debut album Party. This was followed by Introduction, an album that was produced by Isaac Mthethwa and recorded in multiple South African languages such as Setswana, isiZulu and Sesotho.

His 2004 album O Mang, which featured the song ‘On My Own’, earned him critical acclaim. Other releases include YBA 2 NW, Acceptance Speech, Dumela and Motswafrika.

HHP worked with artists such as Proverb and Tebogo Rameetse, and he is credited for kick-starting the motswako hip hop subgenre, which saw such artists as Khuli Chana, Cassper Nyovest and Fifi Cooper follow in his footsteps.