Influence Profile
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Running out of Time
Released Sep 27, 2022
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Story
Quick Facts
Born
1981
1981
From
South Africa
South Africa
Journey
Linda Mkhize, immortalized in music history as PRO (formerly ProKid), was a visionary South African rapper and producer widely crowned as the "King of Kasi Rap." Born on June 22, 1981, in the historic township of Soweto, Mkhize used his upbringing to reshape the artistic identity of African hip-hop. At a time when local hip-hop heavily mirrored American styles, he pioneered a raw, localized movement by fusing township street dialect (Tsotsitaal), native isiZulu, and English.
PRO initially gained widespread recognition through fierce, unparalleled freestyle battles on YFM’s legendary Rap Activity Jam. His prominent 2005 debut album, “Heads & Tales,” which was led by the unique single "Soweto," shattered industry doubts regarding the viability of vernacular rap. He followed this success with his 2007 masterwork, Dankie San, an album containing timeless street anthems like "Bhampa" that firmly cemented his status as a cultural icon.
Throughout his career, PRO remained an exceptional storyteller who documented the struggles, triumphs, and realities of working-class South Africans. His tragic passing in August 2018 due to a severe seizure sent shockwaves through the nation. Today, he is celebrated as a foundational architect of South African music whose fearless linguistic pride opened the floodgates for generation after generation of successful African hip-hop artists.