rapper - The African Mirror

Mar

2023

Costa Titch: the rising white South African rap star who embraced black hip-hop culture

RISING 28-year-old South African dancer and rapper Costa Titch (born Costa Tsobanoglou) died after collapsing on stage on 11 March while performing in Johannesburg. Costa Titch entered the entertainment world as a dancer with Cassper Nyovest, another South African hip-hop megastar, before trying his luck as a rapper, often dabbling in the country’s amapiano dance music genre. He had a huge hit with his track Big Flexa and was destined to shine bright on the country’s music scene. Author SANYA OSHA, Senior Research Fellow, Institute for Humanities in Africa, University of Cape Town Being white, Nelspruit-born Costa Titch brought new…

Oct

2022

By The African Mirror

Rapper Cardi B wins California trial over explicit album cover art

ARTS AND ENTERTAINMENT

BLAKE BRITTAIN A California federal jury rejected claims that musician Cardi B misused a man's image on the cover of her first 2016 mixtape album. The cover of "Gangsta Bitch Music, Vol. 1" did not violate plaintiff Kevin Michael Brophy's publicity or privacy rights by depicting an altered photo of another man with Brophy's unique back tattoo performing oral sex on the popular rapper, the Santa Ana jury found after a four-day trial and an afternoon of deliberations. Brophy's 2017 lawsuit sought at least $5 million in damages from Cardi B and her ex-manager Klenord Raphael, as well as an…

Jun

2021

By The African Mirror

Lil Nas X’s onstage kiss earns massive praise

ARTS AND ENTERTAINMENT

MPHO RANTAO US rapper Lil Nas X made fans’ jaws drop with his onstage performance where he kissed a male dancer. In a Michael Jackson ‘Remember The Time’-inspired performance for his homoerotic hit “Montero (Call Me By Your Name)” at the 2021 edition of the Black Entertainment Awards (BET), ending it by passionately kissing one of his male backup dancers. https://twitter.com/BET/status/1409337682392752132?s=20 Instead of the expected mass scorn on social media, Nas’ performance was met with major praise, with big names in the hip-hop industry like Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs expressing said support on Twitter. Combs tweeted: “Lil Nas X did that!!…

Jun

2021

By The African Mirror

Cardi B reveals pregnancy no.2

ARTS AND ENTERTAINMENT

AFRICAN MIRROR REPORTER RAPPERS Cardi B and Offset are expecting again. Cardi B made the announcement during her featured performance with her husband and his group Migos’ on stage at the Black Entertainment Awards (BET). The rapper wore a black jeweled jumpsuit with the crystals designed to surround her swollen belly as the rapper performed. Cardi B at the 2020 BET Awards. Picture: Twitter The announcement during a live show makes it the second time that Cardi has announced her pregnancy to the world. While expecting the couple’s first child, Kulture, Cardi made the announcement while performing on US comedy…

Jul

2020

By The African Mirror

Rapper Nicki Minaj expecting her first child

ARTS AND ENTERTAINMENT

AFRICAN MIRROR REPORTER TRINIDADIAN rapper Nicki Minaj is expecting her first child. Minaj announced her pregnancy on Instagram. She is expecting her first child with her husband Kenneth Petty. The ‘Yikes’ singer posted four pictures of herself cradling her expectant belly taken by American photographer Dave LaChapelle, with the first caption written “#Preggers”, while wearing a two-piece with a jewelled bra and cradling her prominent baby bump. https://www.instagram.com/p/CC3ffwbDEM5/ In her second post, Minaj wore the same bra and wrote: “Love. Marriage. Baby carriage. Overflowing with excitement and gratitude. Thank you for all the well wishes”. Minaj married Kenneth Petty, a…