Leon Botha, South African Musician and Die Antwoord Collaborator, Dead at 26

Posted on Jun 6th 2011 4:30PM by Jason MacNeil
Comments

Courtesy of Myspace.com/solarize_liquidswords

Musician Leon Botha, perhaps best known for his work with Die Antwoord, died Sunday, June 5, from complications of the rapidly aging disease progeria. He had celebrated his 26th birthday a day before.

According to Exclaim, the musician and visual artist toured under the moniker DJ Solarize before joining forces with Cape Town electro-rap outfit Die Antwoord. Botha appeared in the band's video for the song 'Enter the Ninja' as well as opening several of the group's shows with a solo DJ set.

In 2007, Botha staged his first solo art exhibition, 'Liquid Sword; I Am HipHop,' which centered on the genre's culture.

"Goodbye Leon, you and your art will be missed," read a brief message on his website.

According to South Africa's Mail & Guardian, Botha was the oldest known person with the disease. However, the artist didn't seem to worry much about the disease.

"I am too focused on living my life as it is, to constantly draw my energy or focus towards my physical 'state,'" he once said. "Just like any other human being, I don't like to be reduced to a condition or a statistic & I sure as hell won't end up on one of the photos to be paraded on websites to inspire pity & s--- ... wrong guy."

Botha also collaborated in 2009 with photographer Gordon Clark for a photo series called 'Who Am I? Transgression' featuring theatrical projections of how society saw the artist.

Watch Die Antwood's Video for 'Enter the Ninja'
Follow @Spinner on Twitter | Like Spinner on Facebook