South African rapper Costa Titch dies after collapsing during music festival performance

This past weekend, South African rap star Costa Titch was performing at a music event when he suddenly seemed to fall onstage.

Rapper Constantinos Tsobanoglou was just 28 years old.

Tsobanoglou had a performance at Ultra South Africa in Johannesburg on Saturday. It was said that he seemed to collapse onstage in a video of his performance that went viral. Someone stepped in to help him up, but he looked to fall again within seconds and slumped offstage.

His family shared a tribute on his Instagram page Sunday, writing: “Death has tragically knocked at our door. Robbing us of our beloved son, brother, and grandson, Constantinos Tsobanoglou, who South Africa had come to love and idolize under his stage name Costa Titch.

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A post shared by COSTA TITCH LEGACY | 🇿🇦 | (@costatitch)

The family is divided on the cause of his death, “We’re thankful for the emergency responders and all those present in his last hours on this earth. As a family we are faced with a difficult time as we try to make sense of what has befallen us and ask that we be afforded the time and space to gather ourselves,” the statement said.

“The Tsobanoglou family thanks you for the love and support you have given to our son and may you continue to uplift him even in spirit,” the tribute continued. “Please keep us in your prayers and uplifted in the Lord.”

Ultra South Africa said in a statement Sunday: “We are devastated by the sudden loss of the beloved South African artist Costa Titch, who tragically passed away this weekend.”

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— Ultra South Africa (@UltraSA) March 12, 2023

“a superb rap star, performer, composer, musician,” and “a galvanizing voice within South Africa’s amapiano scene” were all descriptions Tsobanoglou used to describe him during the event.

“Our deepest thoughts and most sincere sympathies are with his family, friends, and our entire community who are together mourning this heartbreaking loss,” the statement said.