WINDHOEK- Fans and music lovers who wants to know the memorial and burial service of their favourire artists and one of Namibia’s foremost Hip Hop artists, can keep on looking surfing the internet as such arrangements will be communicated to the public by close relatives on social networks.
On Monday the music industry lost one of its best stars, when Namibian Hip-hop artist, Curtis Popyeni Yearwood, better known as Catty Catt or Big Catt died after losing battle against a brain tumour.
His death on Monday came as a surprise to the local Hip-Hop community, leaving fans, friends and those closest to the rapper in disbelieve. Some of his closest friends and fellow musicians took a moment to pay tribute and reflect on the rapper. Fellow Hip-hop star, Shilongo ‘Kanibal’ Ashipala, who is one of his closest friends for eleven years, says he was shattered when he heard the news on Monday morning. “I was told by the mother of my child, very early in the morning just as I was arriving at work. I was devastated. To be honest I’m still kind of getting panic attacks as I type this,” says Kanibal. He adds that they connected on many levels and he was like a brother. “He was one of my closest friends for years now. We’re born a week apart, and we connected on many levels. We built our whole music thing side by side, carrying each other. We don’t share DNA, but we were closer than most biological brothers. Those that know him will have millions of funny, silly, crazy stories to tell. Those that didn’t will have great music. I hope one day I have a legacy such as his,” he reminisces.
Kanibal describes Catt as supremely confident. “He never doubted himself for a second. He believed he could do absolutely anything better than anyone, and that inspired people around him that are not so confident. His words always got me going, set me on a mission, even the negative ones. Other than that he was charming and funny. You had to like him.” He goes on that Catt entered the music scene when the local music scene was mostly dominated by other genres, but Catt found a companion to build the local hip/hop scene. “Music wise his legacy speaks for itself. He came in at a time where music was completely dominated by other genres, and rather than feel sorry for himself and quit or change genres like so many others of our peers, he was stuck to his guns and helped force Hip Hop into the mainstream. He had a natural rhyming talent and a knack for coming up with catchy songs. He was a legend long before he passed,” says he.
RnB singer, Bertholdt Mbinda, who received the news through a phone call early in the morning from a close relative, says he was dumbstruck because Catt was like a mentor. “Big Catt was my mentor, both musically and mentally, he knew how to tell you something straight forward and still made you feel good about what he said. That was my boy we use to argue about whose musical influence and background was stronger than the other. He had the courage to be able to put his mind to something and still make that something into something big. He was a realist, who always kept his word, those who know him knew if the Big Catt is in the building then there’s only the truth and nothing but the truth.” Bertholdt adds that he had an honour of working with him on his upcoming album. “He was a fun dude musically. He always knew what he wanted. His kicks to bases or 808s should always be on point. Percussions to strings always had to be catchy. I had the honour of working with him on my much and highly anticipated album that’s coming out soon this month,” He remembers.
Jesaja Angula better known as J-Bentley got introduced to Catt eight years ago when he came from England, and since then been close friends. “I’m still in disbelieve and I think this will take me some time to believe that he is really gone. He was a great guy, quiet and a simple person but at the same time very straight forward. He always greeted me saying I’m his mom’s child and called me his brother. Even though we weren’t always together we still have that respect for each other,” says J-Bentley. He adds that they had future plans of working together earlier this year. “Few months ago we spoke about doing a show together with Kanibal and Q-base. The show was to be called ‘Namibia king of the Mic’ which was about promoting Hip Hop artists. We always spoke about doing songs together but never really got chance to. My Biggest regret in music is not being able to do a song with Catty Catt, even though we always spoke about it. Whenever we met it never happened. I’m now left to do a song for him in respect of his Legacy.”
Catt entered the rap game years ago when he was just a teenager in a group called Black Market. He won Hip Hop Artist of the Year at the Namibian Annual Music Awards (NAMAs) in 2012. He recently formed a campaign ‘Destroy and Rebuild’ that aim at upgrading the local Hip Hop scene and that protested against poor quality songs by rappers. Catt believed that local Hip Hop artists are not working hard to put Namibia on the map, and that the industry was failing but the truth is his campaign was a wakeup call for many artists. Catt was working on his new album called ‘Big Cat which was his second solo release, after his first album ‘Independence Avenue’.
He was born in Zambia from a Jamaican father and Namibian mother and grew up in Windhoek. Catt is the rapper behind 061 music and clothing line. He is known for his eagerness to uplift the local music scene as well as hit singles such as City on My Chest, Let’s Play, 2 Kul, The Hood and Click song.