Last post for legendary Bra Hugh
HUGH MASEKELA’S love for Africa clearly flowed and rippled through every song he composed.
His lyrics told stories of yesteryear, the present day and the future he wished for.
A Struggle icon and true activist of the continent’s rich culture and talent, Bra Hugh will be sorely missed.
News of his death yesterday, after his battle with prostate cancer came to an end, shocked many people.
Tributes and condolences poured in through social media from people from all walks of life.
Many shared the last pictures they took with the legend and their last memories of him.
In his final interview with Azania Mosaka, Masekela had asked that people, wherever they were, continue to pray with him and for him.
His last public appearance was at the DStv Mzansi Magic Viewer’s Choice Awards where he received a Lifetime Achievement Award.
Though frail, he managed to put on a performance that only Bra Hugh could, singing Marketplace for the audience that had gathered on the night.
Masekela’s son Selema, popularly known as Sal, wrote a heartfelt tribute to his father and posted it on his social media pages:
“It is difficult to comprehend that this moment is real. To me, my father has always been both ageless and immortal. Of the countless shows I had the honour of watching my dad perform, each felt like the first, each felt brand new.
“When I was five he first introduced me to the late night halls of Manhattan’s The Village Gate and Mikell’s, where he would steal the hearts and souls of innocents with a musical storytelling all his own, passionately and relentlessly transporting them to the farthest reaches of Africa with both voice and trumpet.
“It was these moments and his choosing to take me around the globe any chance he got that would come to shape my entire world view.
“He was beautifully obsessed with showcasing the endless magic and pageantry of African peoples to a Western-obsessed world.”
On her Instagram page, Ugandan-American singer Somi shared an image of Masekela sitting with her.
She posted: “The last thing he wrote to me was, ‘Be strong’. I will try my best, but today I’m only full of heartache. Rest, Uncle Hugh. I love you and I thank you for your giant heart, your genius and your courage.”
The entertainment industry, Minister of Arts and Culture Nathi Mthethwa, international stars and political parties also sent words of comfort to the Masekela family.
America’s Reverend Jesse Jackson sent his condolences, posting: “Freedom fighter, anti-apartheid advocate, gifted musician and good friend. May his Soul Rest In Peace. #HughMasekela.”
Many musicians said they had no words to express their grief and instead used pictures to speak for them.
Basetsana Kumalo remembered a quote Masekela related to her the last time she saw him. “May the God of music and ancestors forever smile on all your wildest dreams and sing for you their sweetest and most beautiful songs. May you have an enchanted life.”
The ANC said they were shocked at the news of Masekela’s passing. “Bra Hugh, through his music, became of the voice and conscience of countless generations of South Africans.
“His Bring Him Back Home, among his many works, spoke of the yearning the South African people had for freedom and liberation.”
Johannesburg mayor Herman Mashaba said: “Considered the ‘father of South African jazz,’ we can scarce tell the story of South Africa without speaking of his immense contributions to the liberation of black people through his jazz compositions.
“He was a personal favourite of mine.”
He was beautifully obsessed with showcasing the endless magic and pageantry of African peoples
See Leader, Page 8