Hundreds of hip hop fans gathered in Newtown, Johannesburg for the memorial service of celebrity artist Linda “Prokid” Mkhize. The 37-year-old has been hailed as one of Soweto’s best and a pioneer in kasi-style hip hop.
Prokid has also been remembered countrywide for his humility.
Family, friends and fans celebrated his life and music.
Fellow musicians described him as an agile artist with rhythmic flows and incredible wordplay.
@akaworldwide pays tribute to Pro-Kid at the #ProkidMemorial #RIPPro pic.twitter.com/q6Snq9qaah
— SABC News Online (@SABCNewsOnline) August 16, 2018
Senzo “Kwesta” Vilakazi, also an artist, says Prokid, who was dubbed No.: 1 Soweto Boy, was his inspiration.
“What I loved about grootman is that … you see, that smile … he was the same. What I try to embody also, he was the same in real life as he was in the past. He never took off the fact that he is Linda for the township. Until this day, I try to embody that everywhere. But I want you to really understand that whatever I do from here now, to whatever I have done, the blueprint of why how I do it was laid down by Pro Linda Mkhize.”
And even those in the political spectrum, appreciated his sound. EFF leader Julius Malema and the ANC’s Zizi Kodwa also paid tribute.
“I hear about Pro’s contribution and you keep on saying Soweto. It is not Soweto he contributed to, because it is a synonym for black space. But he contributed to the whole South Africa.”
Prokid will be laid to rest on Sunday and his funeral service would be held at UJ’s Soweto Campus.
