Award-winning hip-hop artist Panshak Zamani, popularly known as Ice Prince, has emotionally opened up about his last encounters with the late Nollywood actor Alexx Ekubo, reflecting on the heavy burden the movie star carried in absolute secrecy. Ekubo tragically passed away on May 11, 2026, at the age of 40 following a private, months-long battle with advanced metastatic kidney cancer.
Speaking out during a recent media appearance, Ice Prince shared his profound grief over losing a close friend whom he described as the ultimate life of the party. The rapper noted that like many industry colleagues, he was completely unaware of the severity of the actor’s medical condition due to Ekubo’s deliberate choice to shield his loved ones from his pain. Reflecting on their final conversations, Ice Prince remarked:
“He was fighting his own battle quietly. He never wanted anyone to worry about him or treat him differently. Even when we spoke toward the end of last year before he went completely off the radar, Alexx was still cracking jokes, asking about my music, and lifting everyone else’s spirits. To think he was carrying that kind of diagnosis inside him without uttering a single complaint is deeply heartbreaking. He lived with incredible dignity.”
The “Aboki” crooner added that the tragic loss has served as a sobering wake-up call for the entire entertainment industry regarding private struggles and the importance of looking out for one another beyond social media appearances. Ekubo, widely known as “Chief Ikuku,” had sparked major concern among fans after completely abandoning his digital platforms and missing major industry gatherings like the 2026 AMVCAs. Following his family’s official confirmation of his passing, Ice Prince joins a long, grief-stricken line of prominent Nigerian figures paying tribute to the late actor’s legacy of kindness, resilience, and unparalleled charisma.
