Popular rap singer and anti-piracyREAD activist Poxi Presha is dead.

  Poxi Presha, whose real name is Prechard Pouka Olang', died yesterday at the St Mary's Hospital, Nairobi, where he was admitted two weeks ago. He was 34.

  According to his brother, Mr Edward Olang', the controversial singer was suffering from tuberculosis.

  Poxi swept into the Kenyan music scene in the 1990s with his popular single Otonglo Time, which enjoyed good airtime in local radio stations and clubs and popularised the catch phrase, "but do I say".

  Edward said his brother died at about 3 pm after experiencing breathing problems most of the day.

  "Poxi fought very hard with illness and he has been on and off medicine... truly I have lost a close brother who inspired me to pursue music as a career," said the budding musician.

  Fans and colleagues in the entertainment industry received the news with shock and said Kenya's music scene had lost a dedicated member. They sent condolences to the musician's family.

  Reggae singer Mighty King Kong described Poxi as a close friend who inspired him to take music seriously.

  "Poxi was a flashy musician who loved forceful and hard hitting lyrics. I have lost a brother who helped to me to reach where I am today," he said.

  He added: "As a tribute to him musicians left behind should continue fighting piracy as he did." Papa Chally (Charles Efchika) of King Lions Sound and a resident DJ at Club Monte Carlo in Nairobi said Poxi was a talented singer and he was destined to succeed in his war against piracy.

  DJ Stone (Samwuel Owiny) who knew Poxi in the 90s in Diani, South Coast, said Poxi's death was a big blow to the music industry as he was determined to wipe out piracy locally and ensure musicians enjoyed the fruits of their labour.

  Born in Mombasa, Poxi kicked of his career on a controversial note with the release of Otonglo Time.

  He released other controversial numbers earning himself the tag of the "bad boy of Kenya's music".

  The songs included Jaluo Jeuri Fullstop, Jamriambo ( a Luo folk song), Mummy and Lunchtime, a rework of Gabbriel Omollo's track released in 1970.

  His encounters with music pirates in shops countrywide saw him spend days in police cells. He had cases pending before the courts.

  Unknown to many people, for close to two years, Poxi, who was known a few years ago for spats with his producers before he disappeared from the music scene, has been committed to the battle for musicians' royalties.

  As a result, nothing substantive has been heard from him — musically speaking. Hence many tended to write him off or dismiss him as a footnote in the local music scene.

  He formed a company, Talent Works and Rights Enforcement Ltd, to advocate the rights of artists.READ

  "I took a break from active music when I realized that despite the massive airplay my songs were enjoying, I was not profiting from them. I realized that the true beneficiaries were a few people who deny us our royalties," he said two years ago.

  He had visited various government offices and held discussions with fellow artists to make them aware of the need to work together at claiming their royalties.

Sources: Nation Newspapers - NationMedia