Ashley Titus
Encyclopedia
Ashley Titus better known as Mr Fat, was a South Africa
n rapper
, musician and television
presenter
.
Titus was born in Bonteheuwel, Cape Flats
, South Africa
. He started making hip hop
in the 1980s, as well as hosting a hip hop show on Bush Radio. In the 1990s he rapped for Cape Flats-based hip hop group Brasse vannie Kaap
, who won an audience that crossed both musical and racial boundaries, attracting hip hop and rock
fans of various ethnic backgrounds; they were also noted for their prominent use of the Afrikaans
language in their music. With BVK, he also became known for his strong community involvement, musical focus on Cape Flats issues, and attempts to reach out to youth imprisoned in local jails.
The 1990s also saw Titus present a magazine
show simply named Hip Hop for the MK89
music channel. This focussed on the South African hip hop scene while also playing videos by international artists.
in Cape Town
, South Africa. He was survived by his mother and grandmother. His funeral took place on December 3 at the Methodist
church in Bonteheuwel.
South Africa
The Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans...
n rapper
Rapping
Rapping refers to "spoken or chanted rhyming lyrics". The art form can be broken down into different components, as in the book How to Rap where it is separated into “content”, “flow” , and “delivery”...
, musician and television
Television
Television is a telecommunication medium for transmitting and receiving moving images that can be monochrome or colored, with accompanying sound...
presenter
Presenter
A presenter, or host , is a person or organization responsible for running an event. A museum or university, for example, may be the presenter or host of an exhibit. Likewise, a master of ceremonies is a person that hosts or presents a show...
.
Titus was born in Bonteheuwel, Cape Flats
Cape Flats
The Cape Flats is an expansive, low-lying, flat area situated to the southeast of the central business district of Cape Town. To many people in Cape Town, the area is known simply as 'The Flats'....
, South Africa
South Africa
The Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans...
. He started making hip hop
Hip hop music
Hip hop music, also called hip-hop, rap music or hip-hop music, is a musical genre consisting of a stylized rhythmic music that commonly accompanies rapping, a rhythmic and rhyming speech that is chanted...
in the 1980s, as well as hosting a hip hop show on Bush Radio. In the 1990s he rapped for Cape Flats-based hip hop group Brasse vannie Kaap
Brasse Vannie Kaap
"Brasse Vannie Kaap" a.k.a was a hip hop group that hailed from the Cape Flats in Cape Town, South Africa. They rapped in predominantly Cape Flats Afrikaans slang....
, who won an audience that crossed both musical and racial boundaries, attracting hip hop and rock
Rock music
Rock music is a genre of popular music that developed during and after the 1960s, particularly in the United Kingdom and the United States. It has its roots in 1940s and 1950s rock and roll, itself heavily influenced by rhythm and blues and country music...
fans of various ethnic backgrounds; they were also noted for their prominent use of the Afrikaans
Afrikaans
Afrikaans is a West Germanic language, spoken natively in South Africa and Namibia. It is a daughter language of Dutch, originating in its 17th century dialects, collectively referred to as Cape Dutch .Afrikaans is a daughter language of Dutch; see , , , , , .Afrikaans was historically called Cape...
language in their music. With BVK, he also became known for his strong community involvement, musical focus on Cape Flats issues, and attempts to reach out to youth imprisoned in local jails.
The 1990s also saw Titus present a magazine
Magazine
Magazines, periodicals, glossies or serials are publications, generally published on a regular schedule, containing a variety of articles. They are generally financed by advertising, by a purchase price, by pre-paid magazine subscriptions, or all three...
show simply named Hip Hop for the MK89
MK89
MK is a mostly Afrikaans music channel, launched in mid 2005, as MK89, that is part of the DStv bouquet of satellite channels owned by MultiChoice/M-Net, based in South Africa. MK is for Musiek Kanaal and 89 was the original channel number on DStv satellite decoders...
music channel. This focussed on the South African hip hop scene while also playing videos by international artists.
Death
Titus was hospitalized in October 2007 with a heart complaint brought on by his weight, but was discharged after two weeks. The following month, he was rushed back into hospital with a recurrence of the illness, but died on the morning of November 28 at Groote Schuur HospitalGroote Schuur Hospital
Groote Schuur Hospital is a large, government-funded, teaching hospital situated on the slopes of Devil's Peak in the city of Cape Town, South Africa...
in Cape Town
Cape Town
Cape Town is the second-most populous city in South Africa, and the provincial capital and primate city of the Western Cape. As the seat of the National Parliament, it is also the legislative capital of the country. It forms part of the City of Cape Town metropolitan municipality...
, South Africa. He was survived by his mother and grandmother. His funeral took place on December 3 at the Methodist
Methodism
Methodism is a movement of Protestant Christianity represented by a number of denominations and organizations, claiming a total of approximately seventy million adherents worldwide. The movement traces its roots to John Wesley's evangelistic revival movement within Anglicanism. His younger brother...
church in Bonteheuwel.