Interview: Hugh Masekela

Hugh Masekela is a lion of a man.

At 70-odd years of age, the man has seen more than most of us would even consider possible. Exiled from his homeland of South Africa aged just 21, Masekela spent the next thirty years playing, recording and/or touring with the likes of Harry Belafonte, Fela Kuti, Marvin Gaye, Paul Simon, Bob Marley, U2 and many, many, many more. He has recorded more than forty albums under his own name, topped the US charts, played the infamous Monterey Pop Festival of 1967, toured the globe countless times and (with longtime friend Stewart Levine) put together Zaire '74, the concert in Kinshasa held at the time of the 'Rumble In The Jungle' boxing fight between Muhammed Ali and George Foreman. He is a recipient of the coveted 'Keepers Of The Flame' award and a consistently strong voice for the rights of Africans and indigenous peoples.

And he spent fifteen minutes of his time speaking with me on Radio Ponsonby.

Have a listen here, or in the player below...