View source for Ashley Titus

{{Short description|South African rapper, musician and television presenter}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=June 2023}}
{{Use South African English|date=November 2012}}
{{Infobox person
| name        = Ashley Titus
| image       =
| caption     =
| birth_name  =
| birth_date  = {{Birth date|df=yes|1970|12|28}}
| birth_place = [[Bonteheuwel]], [[South Africa]]
| death_date  = {{Death date and age|df=yes|2007|11|28|1970|12|28}}
| death_place = [[Cape Town]], South Africa
| occupation  = [[rapping|Rapper]], musician and [[television presenter]]
| years_active = 1980s–2007
}}
'''Ashley Titus''' (28 December 1970 &ndash; 28 November 2007), better known as '''Mr Fat''', was a South African [[rapping|rapper]], musician and [[television presenter]].<ref name="mailandguardian">[http://www.mg.co.za/articlepage.aspx?area=/breaking_news/breaking_news__national/&articleid=326267 S.A. Mail & Guardian]</ref>
Titus was born in [[Bonteheuwel]], [[Cape Flats]], [[South Africa]]. He started making [[Hip hop music|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 music|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.<ref name="news24">[http://www.news24.com/News24/Entertainment/Local/0,,2-1225-1242_2229574,00.html SA News 24]  {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071201133011/http://www.news24.com/News24/Entertainment/Local/0%2C%2C2-1225-1242_2229574%2C00.html |date=1 December 2007 }}</ref>
In the early to mid-2000s, 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.
== 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 28 November at [[Groote Schuur Hospital]] in [[Cape Town]], South Africa.<ref name="mailandguardian"/> He was survived by his mother and grandmother.<ref name="news24"/> His funeral took place on 3 December<ref name="sabc">[http://www.sabcnews.com/south_africa/general/0,2172,160301,00.html SABC News]{{Dead link|date=October 2019 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref> at the [[Methodism|Methodist]] church in Bonteheuwel.<ref name="news24"/>
== References ==
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[[Category:1970 births]]
[[Category:2007 deaths]]
[[Category:South African rappers]]
[[Category:South African television presenters]]
[[Category:Afrikaans-language singers of  South Africa]]
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