It wasn’t very common for music and sports to be intertwined, but in recent times, we have seen a lot of people who manage to do both seamlessly. An example is Pabi Cooper.
Cooper grew up being very passionate about football and even studied to be a professional in the field. However, when the unfortunate COVID-19 pandemic struck and all sporting activity was put on hold, Pabi found comfort in music.
Not only was music and entertainment the getaway for the South African musician, but she also made her first hit upon her first trial and has grown to be one of the youngest artists to achieve a few strides, including selling out a multipurpose venue and going platinum on her first single.
Here are 10 Great Facts about Pabi Cooper You Should Know
1. South African Entertainer, Pabi Cooper is 23 Years Old
Pabi Cooper was born Paballo Basetsana Mothapo on March 4, 2001, in Soshanguve, South Africa.
She was born into a close-knit family and grew up close to her grandmother and uncles. These people helped shape Pabi’s mind and, by extension, her passion for sports.
According to the entertainer, her grandmother and uncles were all lovers of football, and they rubbed off on her.
What initially started as an interest soon turned out to be a full-blown passion and, eventually, a career.
2. She was a Footballer and Referee Before Delving into Entertainment
South African Amapiano singer Cooper played soccer and was even the head of sports in her high school days. She studied and eyed a qualification to become a professional soccer referee. As of 2019, she was doing her matriculation and had plans to study sports communication at the University of Johannesburg.
Apart from being interested in playing soccer, Pabi’s love for sports also made her want to be a presenter of sports.
As an amateur soccer player, she was a goalkeeper and admitted that if she had continued with sports and gone professional, she would have played as a goalkeeper.
3. Pabi Cooper was a Social Media Entertainer
When things began to take a route different from sports, it was when the COVID-19 pandemic struck and most activities halted. As she could no longer play sports, Pabi had to find something to keep herself busy.
Being a social media entertainer was not so difficult for her. She joined most mediapreneurs to jump on TikTok trends involving Amapiano dance challenges.
She and a lot of other people soon found fame during that period, including the likes of Kenyan comedian Elsa Majimbo.
4. Pabi Cooper Shut Down Comments about Her Incompetence in Sports Presenting
Cooper soon found fame on social media and entertainment, and people didn’t know about her first interest in sports. When she got a gig to be a sports presenter on ‘Good Morning Qatar’ during the 2022 World Cup, Networks came for her.
A lot of people believed that SABC could have done better by seeking other qualified presenters for the role. Being oblivious to the fact that Pabi Cooper has a sporting background, social media users were quick to bash her happy announcement.
The 23-year-old didn’t let her shine be dulled by the negative comments, though. She quickly shut down the talks by reassuring people of her qualification as a referee. She added that she had been playing sports since she was 4 years old and even provided receipts to further allay their doubts.
5. Her Music Career Started During the Covid-19 Pandemic
Pabi Cooper shut into the limelight through another channel during the COVID-19 shutdown. In addition to being an entertainer on social media, she also found that she had a talent for music, so she decided to explore it.
Cooper tried writing and making music back in 2021, and she recorded the song ‘Isphithiphithi’. She featured Reece Madlisa, Busta 929, and Joocy on the song, and it was an instant hit as soon as it was released.
She soon became the youngest South African singer to hit platinum with her first single. The video for the song was also widely viewed and loved.
The Amapiano singer and dancer has gone on to release more songs, such as:
- Uyangi’Jabulisa ft Yumbs (2021)
- Nice ft Tony Duardo (2022)
- Mama ft Khanyisa, Yumbs & Liebah (2022)
- Fresh ft Focalistic, Costa Titch (2022)
- Bayana Ke Bafana ft LuuDadeejay 7 Focalistic (2022)
6. She Hosts a Birthday Celebration Themed ‘Cooper FC Shutdown’
For her 21st birthday, held on March 4, 2022, Pabi hosted a lot of people, numbering 3200, to a Cooper FC Shutdown event. The event was held at the Zone 6 venue in Soweto, and she sold out the arena.
With this feat under her belt, Cooper eyed a bigger audience and something better. She went all out for her 22nd birthday and even had herself suspended mid-air at the Sun Arena in Pretoria. She also became the youngest artist to host such musical activity at the large, multipurpose venue.
The idea behind the Cooper FC Shutdown is to incorporate the two things she loves: football and music.
On the show, artists are called players, referees, and coaches.
7. Pabi Cooper Launched Her Own Record Label on November 7, 2022
On November 7, 2022, ‘congratulations’ began to pour in for the host of Cooper FC Shutdown. This was in response to her achievement of owning her own record label.
Pabi’s fans were introduced to a record label named Cooper Entertainment. The artist also took the time to explain what her brand’s logo meant.
With the success of the launch of her own record label at just 21 years old, Cooper went on to release the single ‘Bayana ke Bafana’ under the new label.
8. The Amapiano Singer Hosts a Camp for Fellow Artists
Following her widely accepted fame and status in the South African entertainment industry, Pabi has gone on to host camps for other artists.
She first hosted her industry friends at the rented Airbnb where she had bought and kept musical instruments. These industry friends happened to be people the singer hoped to collaborate with eventually.
To Pabi, it is a way of getting different artists in the same room to allow them to create as much magic as possible. One important criterion for being part of the camp is to come with great energy.
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9. Is Pabi Cooper in a Relationship?
Popular news making the rounds is that Pabi Cooper has been in a relationship with Benny Afroe. Per briefly.co.za, the conclusion that they were an item came after Benny posted a loved-up image with Pabi on Instagram, and the singer responded with love emojis.
10. She is a BET Nominee
Cooper Pabi was nominated for the BET Award’s Best International Act Viewer’s Choice Award category.
The award show was held on June 26, 2023, and even though the Amapiano artist did not win, she was excited to have been nominated for the show. The award was won by Cameroonian artist Libianca.
Upon the announcement of her nomination, the South African entertainer took to her social media to excitedly make the announcement.
