Entertainment Africa
South African musical icon Hugh Masekela was this morning conferred with an Honorary Doctorate in Music degree by the University of Witwatersrand. In April, the University of KwaZulu-Natal had also conferred on him an honorary doctoral degree. Congrats to Bra Hugh on the award.
Hugh Ramopolo Masekela was conferred with an Honorary Doctorate in Music degree by the University of Witswatersrand this morning. Photo: Twitter/Wits_News
Hugh Masekela is not a new name to the ears of ardent music listeners across Africa, with a long and successful Afro-Jazz career. In recognition of his remarkable talent and contribution, the University of Witwatersrand (Wits) announced it would honour the Afro-Jazz musician with an honorary degree.
Since coming to the music scene in the 1950s, and getting married to one of Africa’s leading voices for a brief period in the 1960s, Masekela wowed fans across the world, cementing his reputation as one of the Afro-Jazz greats.
The iconic Masekela has remained as relevant now as he was nearly half a century ago. The trumpeter, composer, and singer remains deeply connected to home, while his international career continues to sparkle. The Afro-Jazz was awarded an honorary Doctor of Music degree in April this year by the University of KwaZulu-Natal for his enormous contribution to the music industry.
The University of Witwatersrand this week announced it would also honour the Afro-Jazz musician with an honorary degree. In a statement on its Facebook page it said, “Wits will confer an Honorary Doctorate in Music degree on global music icon and struggle activist Bra Hugh Masekela tomorrow morning at the start of the July Graduations Cluster. We are honoured to have the opportunity to pay tribute to one of the true greats in South Africa’s music and struggle history.” The award was given this morning.
Masekela’s solo career has spanned five decades, with over 40 albums released, working with numerous musicians including Fela Kuti, Marvin Gaye, Stevie Wonder and the late Miriam Makeba.
Masekela who is 77 was honoured with highest order in South Africa: The Order of Ikhamanga in 2010 by President Jacob Zuma. In 2011 he received a Lifetime Achievement award at the WOMEX World Music Expo in Copenhagen.
This year, during the inauguration of Ghana’s president Nana Akufo-Addo, Masekela performed. He’d met Akufo-Addo through Fela Kuti in the 70s as Fela’s lawyer.
Hugh Ramopolo Masekela the trumpeter, bandleader, flugelhornist, compser, singer and defiant political voice remains deeply connected to home Photo: Twitter/Wits_News
In the last South African Music Awards (SAMA23) on May this year, Masekela’s album No Borders won the Best Adult Contemporary category. In an interview with Lesley Mofokeng he says, “I’m very obsessed with cancelling the borders in people’s minds and let them get a sense of who they are. . . Cancelling borders in our heads and nationalism will help us to get rid of xenophobia, especially if we knew our history because most of us re makwerekwere (we are foreigners) historically. I tell people when I’m on stage that us, the Masekelas taught the Batlokwa how to till the land, but originally we are the Munyepawu and come from Zimbabwe.”
It was therefore not surprising when Masekela, while receiving the honorary degree from the University of KwaZulu-Natal said, “many things must fall in South Africa not just fees, many things because I think that we have to recapture what was fought for and what many people died for in this country.”
Masekela will turn 78 in a few months.
