Once in a while comes a person that HHP was.
Once in a while comes a person who could just be an everybody's and anybody's person. Both funny and profound. Silly and serious but above all a pioneer.
I could lie and say "the dust has settled" and all those other "comforting clichés" that we forever say.
But with death, the going on's of life stay reminding, poking, tapping us in the shoulder.
Telling and reminding us of a soul we've lost.
When I found out that HHP had passed away last month, I was genuinely in disbelief!
I was sad and shocked. I then watched as everything unfolded on the socials and media.
I watched as people expressed their sadness, their best and fondest moments,how some made the death about themselves and how some were just straight up foul and being assholes about it.
I wanted to write a piece sooner, commemorating him, I really wanted to.
With all that surrounded his passing (and still do), there's a lot of things I couldn't stand, mostly the legacy of him being reduced to him being the "face of depression."
As important as it is to speak openly about this illness and not hide it, I know, we all know that HHP was more than just "a man who battled with depression"
The man was a legend, pioneer, creative, genius, maestro, bosso, thee GOAT! The ultimate people's person. The original plug. Jabba ticked the boxes man!
A few weeks into his death is still surreal.
In a perfect world, the saying "Do not speak ill of the dead" would swiftly apply but some people will just be those people.
I think we need to mostly use his passing (as we still mourn) to immerse ourselves in the history of HHP, in the becoming of HHP, the music, the impact, the artistry, the genius.
Let's have discussions and celebrate his bars,his hooks,his music videos, that almost always had sechaba sa batho on them. Celebrate his brand, his moves , his heritage,his passions and desires, his thinking. Coz these are the things he spoke about, the gifts he left us with.
I'd like to believe his moves were big enough to not be over shadowed by negativity.
We mostly need to take lessons. We need to take away from his life these and run with them. Because there's more than one lesson we all can take from HHP and use in our lives.
How a Motswako rapper from Mafikeng infiltrated even internationally, in the mist of all South African American sounding artists.
How this big guy with a raspy voice managed in an industry that's so demanding and hard, to be loved,understood and taken as seriously as he was.
I know there's more of us who loved him, who were shattered, who celebrated him, respected his memory and laughed( and loved) his signature dance move.
At a certain time, period the man was running the show. He was accomplished. He was the most, the first, the one! Maybe the downside about this industry is that ones success is almost a momentarily thing.
Its definitely a downside. (This is a topic for another day)
Maybe you have asked yourself this question, or maybe you haven't.
What does loosing HHP mean to you?
Farah Fortune of African Stars said "Jabba's passing is a loss to music and a loss to the future of music. He wasn't done and we weren't ready to let him go. To me personally, his loss is beyond sadness. I knew a happy go lucky man, with a heart of Gold, it's so unfortunate so many people will never know his soul."
Because, once the accolades and pioneer moves are spoken of, what's left is the impact he made in peoples lives. What he was to them and that will live longer for as long as people express and narrate the HHP legacy.
What will Rap be without Jabba? What will the culture be without him? What will Motswako be without Motswa'Afrika?
It felt good to have him back, even though it was a brief comeback that was actually a goodbye.
We let him rest, we let him be. Here on earth we continue on. We buy and play his music, watch his videos. And remember him for the legendary humanitarian he was because truly, he was the ultimate man of the people!
*All images from Facebook
Connect with us across all socials @Tan89Media
Once in a while comes a person who could just be an everybody's and anybody's person. Both funny and profound. Silly and serious but above all a pioneer.
But with death, the going on's of life stay reminding, poking, tapping us in the shoulder.
Telling and reminding us of a soul we've lost.
When I found out that HHP had passed away last month, I was genuinely in disbelief!
I was sad and shocked. I then watched as everything unfolded on the socials and media.
I watched as people expressed their sadness, their best and fondest moments,how some made the death about themselves and how some were just straight up foul and being assholes about it.
With all that surrounded his passing (and still do), there's a lot of things I couldn't stand, mostly the legacy of him being reduced to him being the "face of depression."
As important as it is to speak openly about this illness and not hide it, I know, we all know that HHP was more than just "a man who battled with depression"
The man was a legend, pioneer, creative, genius, maestro, bosso, thee GOAT! The ultimate people's person. The original plug. Jabba ticked the boxes man!
A few weeks into his death is still surreal.
 |
| @ShottaZee |
 |
| @ShottaZee |
I think we need to mostly use his passing (as we still mourn) to immerse ourselves in the history of HHP, in the becoming of HHP, the music, the impact, the artistry, the genius.
Let's have discussions and celebrate his bars,his hooks,his music videos, that almost always had sechaba sa batho on them. Celebrate his brand, his moves , his heritage,his passions and desires, his thinking. Coz these are the things he spoke about, the gifts he left us with.
I'd like to believe his moves were big enough to not be over shadowed by negativity.
We mostly need to take lessons. We need to take away from his life these and run with them. Because there's more than one lesson we all can take from HHP and use in our lives.
How a Motswako rapper from Mafikeng infiltrated even internationally, in the mist of all South African American sounding artists.
How this big guy with a raspy voice managed in an industry that's so demanding and hard, to be loved,understood and taken as seriously as he was.
At a certain time, period the man was running the show. He was accomplished. He was the most, the first, the one! Maybe the downside about this industry is that ones success is almost a momentarily thing.
Its definitely a downside. (This is a topic for another day)
Maybe you have asked yourself this question, or maybe you haven't.
What does loosing HHP mean to you?
Farah Fortune of African Stars said "Jabba's passing is a loss to music and a loss to the future of music. He wasn't done and we weren't ready to let him go. To me personally, his loss is beyond sadness. I knew a happy go lucky man, with a heart of Gold, it's so unfortunate so many people will never know his soul."
Because, once the accolades and pioneer moves are spoken of, what's left is the impact he made in peoples lives. What he was to them and that will live longer for as long as people express and narrate the HHP legacy.
What will Rap be without Jabba? What will the culture be without him? What will Motswako be without Motswa'Afrika?
It felt good to have him back, even though it was a brief comeback that was actually a goodbye.
 |
 |
| #artbyennock |
We let him rest, we let him be. Here on earth we continue on. We buy and play his music, watch his videos. And remember him for the legendary humanitarian he was because truly, he was the ultimate man of the people!
*All images from Facebook
Connect with us across all socials @Tan89Media
Comments
Post a Comment