Didi Kempot

Didi Kempot was a legendary Javanese singer who was known for his signature music style, inspired by traditional Javanese music and pop music. He was born in Surakarta, Indonesia in 1966. His father, Ranto Edi Gudel, was a comedian and singer-songwriter who often performed at the traditional ketoprak tobong theatrical stage. His brother Mamiek Prakoso was also a comedian. Didi started his career as a street performer in his hometown between 1984 and 1986 before moving to Jakarta. He released his debut album in 1988 and had his breakthrough with the singles "Stasiun Balapan" and "Sewu Kutho". He wrote some 700 songs, mainly in his native Javanese language. He was popular not only in Indonesia but also in Suriname and the Netherlands, both of which have significant Javanese diaspora populations. He was known as "The Godfather of the Broken-Hearted" because his songs often expressed the sorrow of losing love. He also had a philanthropic side, as he donated to various causes and raised funds for the fight against COVID-19. He wrote the song "Ojo Mudik" and gave a concert livestreamed from his house in 2020. He died of cardiac arrest on 5 May 2020 in Surakarta, aged 53. He was buried in his hometown with full honors. He left behind a legacy of music that touched the hearts of millions of people.