The man who was shot together with AKA has been identified as his former manager and a close friend Tebello “Tibz” Motsoane.
He was 39 years old. Tibz was a former basketball player who turned into an events organizer. He started events organizing events in early 2000.
Affectionately known as Tibz to his friends, Motsoane was a cofounder of the clothing brand Head Honco.
Tibz was AKA’s manager during his early days in the music industry. He was also the founder of Showlove Consulting.
In an interview recorded on YouTubeMarketing Fridays Tibz said he produced AKA’s first album.
“I started managing talents, I started managing DJs, a young guy by the name AKA, I executive produced his first album,” he said.
Speaking about his journey in the arts industry, Tibz said it came naturally.
“I started throwing parties when I was 19 years old. I started throwing parties when I was at Wits. I had a basket scholarship to study at Wits.
“Basically basketball paid for my education. I had no plans of being educated at all, I had no interest in education. It was just a great place to hang out and to play hoops,” said.
He said he was good at fundraising, and he would put plans together to fundraise for basketball uniforms and other things. He said at the time he didn’t realise that he was developing into an event planner.
WATCH: AKA last moments before shooting
He threw a big 20th birthday that shocked Johannesburg and club owners.
“Club owners came after me saying I must work for them, at 21 years old I was dealing with DJs, dealing with artists, dealing with big brands onset, on the job. I didn’t go to school for that,” he said.
Tibz was a self-confessing Hip Hop lover. Tibz said as he was spending more time in clubs, he didn’t enjoy the music played in clubs.
“I really like hip-hop, the girls I like enjoy Hip Hop so I was like I’m going to create something for the girls I like,” he said.
He created a show called Showlove that was strictly for Hip-Hop artists. That is when he met AKA.
