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Hugh Masekela Quotes

Powerful Hugh Masekela for Daily Growth

About Hugh Masekela

Hugh Ramopo Masekela, affectionately known as "Bra Hugh" in his native South Africa, was a renowned trumpeter, flugelhornist, cornetist, composer, and singer who made significant contributions to jazz music. Born on April 4, 1939, in Witbank (now eMalahleni), Mpumalanga, South Africa, Masekela grew up immersed in the vibrant African and Western musical traditions. His father, a Methodist lay preacher, was an amateur musician who played multiple instruments, inspiring his son's early musical interests. At the age of 14, Masekela received a trumpet as a gift from Archbishop Trevor Huddleston. He attended the Alfonso de Lara School in Johannesburg and later the art school in London, where he met Dizzy Gillespie, Charlie Parker, and Louis Armstrong, who influenced his jazz style significantly. In 1960, Masekela returned to South Africa to participate in the anti-apartheid movement. He was detained without trial under the Emergency Regulations for nine months due to his political activism. During this period, he composed "The Horn" as a protest against the detentions. In 1968, Masekela achieved international acclaim with the release of his album "Grazing in the Grass," which featured the titular single that reached number one on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100. His music, a fusion of jazz, traditional African rhythms, and Afro-pop, continued to resonate globally for decades. Masekela was diagnosed with prostate cancer in 2008 but continued to perform until his death on January 23, 2018. His music remains a powerful testament to his activism, his love for Africa, and his commitment to social justice.

Interpretations of Popular Quotes

"Music is the language of the spirit."

This quote suggests that music, much like any form of artistic expression, has a profound spiritual dimension. It's not just sound or melody, but an embodiment of human emotion, culture, and spirit. Just as speech allows us to communicate our thoughts and feelings, music does the same, tapping into our emotions in ways words sometimes can't. Music transcends barriers, connecting people across time, cultures, and languages, creating a universal language that resonates with the essence of who we are.

"My music is the autobiography of a spirit that was born free and died in captivity."

This quote by Hugh Masekela encapsulates the essence of his life as a musician, reflecting on both his personal journey and the socio-political context of South Africa during his lifetime. The phrase "born free" suggests that his spirit was unbound in creativity and expression, while "died in captivity" symbolizes the struggle against oppressive systems that he experienced throughout his life. His music served as a powerful medium for telling the story of his people's fight for freedom, as well as expressing his own feelings of hope, pain, and defiance in the face of adversity. This poignant quote highlights the profound impact that his music had not only on South African culture but also on the global consciousness during the anti-apartheid movement.

"To be young, gifted and black... I've never seen a sweeter sight than that." (inspired by Lorraine Hansberry's play "A Raisin in the Sun")

This quote is a celebration of youth, talent, and Black identity as a powerful and beautiful combination. It expresses admiration for individuals who embody these qualities, suggesting they represent hope, promise, and resilience in the face of adversity. The sentiment is drawn from Lorraine Hansberry's play "A Raisin in the Sun," which portrays the experiences of a young, gifted Black family striving for success amidst social and racial challenges in 1950s America.

"Art is a mirror held up to humanity."

This quote by Hugh Masekela suggests that art serves as a reflection of humanity, capturing our emotions, experiences, and aspects of our society. It mirrors the depths and diversity of human existence, from joy and love to pain and conflict. Art is a powerful tool for self-expression and communication, allowing us to understand one another better, empathize with different perspectives, and foster connections across cultures and time periods.

"I have fought against white domination, and I have fought against black domination. I have cherished the ideal of a democratic and free society in which all persons live together in harmony and with equal opportunities. It is an ideal which I hope to live for and to see realized. But if needs be, it is an ideal for which I am prepared to die." (taken from Masekela's speech upon being released from imprisonment)

This quote by Hugh Masekela highlights his unwavering commitment to the pursuit of equality, democracy, and freedom in South Africa. He fought against both white and black domination, signifying his rejection of oppressive systems regardless of their origin. His ideal was a harmonious society where all individuals have equal opportunities. This quote reflects his strong convictions and courage, as he expresses his readiness to give his life for this ideal, demonstrating an unyielding resolve in the face of adversity.

I'm very interested in heritage restoration, and I'm working with a group of people to create a number of academies and performance spaces to encourage native arts and crafts and to explore African history.

- Hugh Masekela

Explore, Heritage, Very, Native

If I don't make heritage visible and the strength of mother tongue important for my grandchildren, it scares me that they might say in 20 years from now, 'Well, it is rumoured that we used to be Africans long ago.' And in many urban areas, it's already happening.

- Hugh Masekela

Strength, Tongue, Used, Heritage

Watching a Kirk Douglas movie, 'Young Man With A Horn,' made me want to be a trumpet player.

- Hugh Masekela

Young, Movie, Made, Kirk

I've always stood on one fact - that all over the world, there are only two things, the Establishment and the poor people. The poor people are a massive majority and across the world they are exploited in different kinds of ways. The Establishment depends on exploiting raw materials and the poor.

- Hugh Masekela

Fact, Raw Materials, Stood, Materials

I think the most difficult thing that has had to happen in South Africa for the previously disadvantaged communities is they had to reconcile that the oppressor has been enriched and the establishment is now making five or 10 times more profit than they were during the time the economic embargo was on them.

- Hugh Masekela

Been, I Think, Disadvantaged, Most Difficult Thing

For me to want to play the trumpet was a very, very odd thing for my clan as a whole. One of my uncles was a high school principal, and he referred to my trumpet as a bugle, which really hurt me.

- Hugh Masekela

Play, Very, Which, Hurt

I started playing the piano when I was 6 years old 'cause my folks tried to get me away from the gramophone. And I just - I lived for music since I could think. And they got me piano lessons. So by the time I was 13, I was quite an accomplished piano player and musician.

- Hugh Masekela

Away, Cause, By The Time, Piano Player

What people don't know about oppression is that the oppressor works much harder. You always grew up being told you were not smart enough or not fast enough, but we all lived from the time we were children to beat the system.

- Hugh Masekela

Smart, About, Works, Oppressor

I couldn't get away from the gramophone. It was the only thing that I ever really liked, and I was singing along by the time I was five years old - to the Modernaires and Billie Holiday and Frank Sinatra and Nat King Cole.

- Hugh Masekela

Away, Frank, By The Time, None

Not only in Africa but in much of the world, most leaders' pockets are lined by industrial business. And industrial business is never going to stop aiming at profit.

- Hugh Masekela

Business, Africa, Going, Profit

I grew up with protests, marches, demonstrations, struggle. But I come from a clan of community workers.

- Hugh Masekela

Demonstrations, Marches, Protests

The thing that is being lost is heritage. In Africa, religion and advertisement and television and media hype have gotten Africans to where they are convinced psychologically that their own heritage is heathen, pagan, barbaric, savage, primitive.

- Hugh Masekela

Africa, Primitive, Gotten, Barbaric

I want to see Nelson walking down the streets of South Africa; I want to see him walking hand-in-hand with Winnie Mandela.

- Hugh Masekela

Africa, South Africa, South, Mandela

Mandela was chosen as a symbol of the South African struggle, and he did that great. But I wasn't just happy for him. I was happy for the people.

- Hugh Masekela

Happy, Symbol, South, Mandela

Just because Nelson has been released doesn't mean the government has done us any favors. We have nothing to be grateful for. The government destroyed our country, destroyed our people. If anybody needs amnesty, it is the government.

- Hugh Masekela

Country, Been, Anybody, Nelson

In my view, Africa's real problems are cultural.

- Hugh Masekela

View, Cultural, Africa, Real Problems

The apartheid people were actors, and they had to act out their part in their beliefs every day. That's why we always saw them as being comedic.

- Hugh Masekela

Every Day, Always, Apartheid, Comedic

Whatever you go into, you have to go in there to be the best. There's no formulas. It's all about passion and honesty and hard work. It might look glamorous, but it takes a lot of hard work. The blessing with the arts is that you can do it forever.

- Hugh Masekela

Work, Might, Formulas, Blessing

I'm not a Christian. My participation in music is so full blast, 24 hours a day. And that's my religion. I think I'm as spiritual as the pope, because I spend as much time in my spirituality as he does.

- Hugh Masekela

Participation, I Think, Pope, Blast

Once in a while, I treat myself to a cheesecake or carrot cake.

- Hugh Masekela

Cake, Treat, Once, Cheesecake

I have a major respect for nature. I'm an environmentalist.

- Hugh Masekela

Nature, Respect, Major, Environmentalist

Twenty years ago, I was part of a movement of millions of people who were going after freedom. But today, they look and they say, 'What are the advantages of freedom?' So far, it's the vote and maybe, in certain places, lack of police harassment. You can live anywhere you want and do anything you want - if you have the means.

- Hugh Masekela

Maybe, Part, Anywhere, Twenty

In some townships, political parties are run by thugs financed from Cape Town. If we don't have support of the police, we can not have the ability to organize and to gain even a slight semblance of power.

- Hugh Masekela

Some, Semblance, Slight, Organize

I just came from South Africa, a place that had been in a perpetual uprising since 1653, so the uprising had become a way of life in our culture and we grew up with rallies and strikes and marches and boycotts.

- Hugh Masekela

Been, South, Uprising, Marches

I don't criticise anybody, but I just don't understand religion. Like I don't understand nationalism. These are the two things that cause wars. I don't understand why they are supposed to be good things.

- Hugh Masekela

Understand, Like, Anybody, Good Things

To tell you the truth, man, we spend most of the time travelling in hotels, in festivals, in concert halls, clubs, airports. The most unenjoyable part is all the security at airports.

- Hugh Masekela

Tell, Festivals, Travelling, Hotels

One of the greatest things that could really happen to Africa is for us to get rid of the borders and for the leadership not to think that the countries belong to them... We didn't create the borders to start with.

- Hugh Masekela

Think, Happen, Africa, Greatest Things

When I left South Africa there were 10 million people - when I came back there were more than 40 million. I had to learn how to get to the highways because when I left where there were no highways.

- Hugh Masekela

Africa, South Africa, South, Highways

I think it is incumbent on all human beings to oppose injustice in every form.

- Hugh Masekela

Injustice, Think, I Think, Incumbent

I don't think what I do is influenced by suffering. I come from a talented people who are prolific in music and dance.

- Hugh Masekela

Think, Influenced, Prolific, Talented

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