Who was Tumi Tladi and why his death has left the SA hip hop industry heartbroken
Image: Instagram/ Tumi Tladi
The death of South African hip hop artist Itumeleng George Tladi, popularly known as Tumi Tladi has sent shock waves through Mzansi.
The family of the hip-hop artist confirmed his untimely death in a statement shared with TshisaLIVE on Sunday.
“Son, brother and uncle, Tumi Tladi (30), sadly passed away in the early hours of this morning (10th July 2022) in Johannesburg. He leaves behind his parents, five siblings, his niece and nephews,” read the statement.
Tladi was a rapper, singer, songwriter, videographer and dancer and will be remembered as a multitalented star, brimming with creativity and bursting with energy.
His big break in the entertainment industry was in 2012, when he shot a music video for American stars Willow and Jaden Smith as a dancer in Los Angeles.
Since then, the artist has shared the stage with rapper Cassper Nyovest as one of his dancers.
In 2014, Tladi released his first song alongside rapper and dancer Costa Titch, titled Punchline. While he’s released several other tracks, he became popular for his hit song Basadi and most recently for his single with Nadia Nakai titled Presidential.
In 2020 Tumi released his six-track EP titled Excuse Me For Being Me.