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HHP memorial to be held in Mahikeng

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The North West government, colleagues and friends of the Hip-Hop star, Jabulani Tsambo, who is affectionately known as HHP, have organised a memorial service for him to be held at the Mmabatho Convention Centre in Mahikeng on Thursday.

The memorial service is expected to start at midday. HHP died at his home in Randpark Ridge in Johannesburg on Wednesday last week, at the age of 38.

It is the return of Motswako,  back home in the North West capital, Mahikeng but at this point in a sombre mood. Friends, fans and colleagues in the music fraternity, will converge on Mahikeng to honour a star who is regarded as the king of Motswako Jabulani “HHP” Tsambo.

HHP is being remembered for the role he played in grooming many artists, particularly from his home town of Mahikeng who are now successful; they include Casper Nyovest and Fify Cooper.

Fellow musicians have described HHP as the biggest thing to happen to the music industry. They say he did not only play an important role in the South Africa’s music industry, but also popularised the Motswako genre of hip-hop in neighbouring Botswana.

Meanwhile, a political party, Forum 4 Service Delivery, has called on the provincial government to rename the Mmabana Arts and Culture Foundation after “HHP”.

The foundation produced several artists including musicians and television stars particularly from the North West.  “We are of the view that since Mmabana is there as our only arts centre in the province how about honouring our own HHP we rename Mmabana by Jabulani Tsambo arts centre,” says The forum’s spokesperson Katlego Motlagodisa.

The North West government says Tsambo has been granted a civic funeral, which is a public ceremony held to honour important people.

“We acknowledge and appreciate his role in the South African pop culture. The mark he made in hip hop through his Motswako genre of music that managed to put our little town Mahikeng and our little province on a national and international map as having produced a man of his calibre and talent,” says spokesperson in the office of the premier  Vuyi Ngesi.

HPP completed his high school at St. Alban’s College in Pretoria. He was initially part of a group called Verbal Assassins. In 1997, HHP and his school friends met with musician Chicco Twala who produced their debut album, ‘Party’. However, the band split soon after the release of the album.

HHP later released an album called ‘Introduction’ which was produced by singer Isaac Mthethwa.

Thursday‘s memorial service will be the third to be held this week. The first one was held in Johannesburg on Tuesday while the second one was in Gaborone, Botswana, on Wednesday.

HHP will be laid to rest in Mahikeng on Saturday. Author- Bafedile Moerane 



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