Pretoria - The late Bacardi music legend Itumeleng Mosoeu, popularly known as Vusi Ma R5, has continued to impress even after his death last month.
Vusi Ma R5 has been nominated for an Artist of the Year award by Great Times Magazine. The winners will be announced in May.
The 35-year-old hitmaker from Boekenhout, Mabopane in Pretoria, was killed in a hail of bullets outside a tavern in Soshanguve.
He rose to international fame when pictures and footage from his memorial service and funeral went viral showing scantily-dressed people dancing at his well-attended funeral.
Vusi Ma R5 was killed assassination-style on January 30; Amapiano musician and businessman DJ Sumbody in the same manner last year. Multi-award-winning musician Kiernan “AKA” Forbes was buried a week ago after being shot dead in Durban.
The founder of the magazine, Mpho Gift Tharaga, said Ma R5 would be competing for the award alongside five other deserving artists, including Mukololo, Zany K and Killerbeezbeatz.
“Great Times Magazine Awards is a campaign that was created by a digital magazine called Great Times Magazine and consists of five categories – artist of the year, best upcoming artist, best actor, producer of the year and hustler of the year,” he said.
Tharaga said they shared their excitement about Vusi Ma R5’s nomination on various social media platforms.
The awards will be hosted at the Soshanguve community hall on May 27 from noon.
A friend and family representative, Tebogo Molelekeng, said: “This comes as a great surprise; we are all honoured – both the family and TeamR5. It might help us also celebrate him in his absence, and also heal.”
He said the family felt honoured by the nomination and recognition. “We are dedicating it to the family, TeamR5, his fans and community at large.”
He said they would be hosting Vusi Ma R5’s final tribute around April, through a Bacardi Festival.
Pretoria News