Legendary South African jazz musician Hugh Masekela has passed away. Masekela lost the battle to prostate cancer which he has been battling since 2008.
Confirming his demise, Masekela’s family in a press statement stated, “After a protracted and courageous battle with prostate cancer, he passed peacefully in Johannesburg, South Africa surrounded by his family."
Born on April 4, 1939, Masekela was the recipient of two Grammy Award nominations for his two albums Grazin’ in the Grass and Jabulani, awarded in 1968 and 2011.
In 1964, Masekela married African queen of song Miriam Makeba. The two, however, divorced two years later.
In a 2017 article in The Nairobian, renowned jazz music critique Eston Murimi describe the Sarafina soundtrack composer as “a highly-respected artiste whose music transcends any real or perceived boundaries.”
Masekela was in Kenya in 2016 where he headlined the Safaricom Jazz Festival held at Uhuru Gardens.
