#RIPJohnnyClegg: 7 epic songs to celebrate the life of SA's 'White Zulu'

Johnny Clegg died of pancreatic cancer on Tuesday. Picture: Instagram

Johnny Clegg died of pancreatic cancer on Tuesday. Picture: Instagram

Published Jul 17, 2019

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The death of legendary musician and anthropologist Johnny Clegg sent waves of sorrow across South Africa and the world.

The "White Zulu" as he was fondly known died of pancreatic cancer at the age of 66 in Johannesburg on Tuesday.

He was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer in 2015. In spite of his diagnosis, Clegg continued to tour and perform around the world. He embarked on his final world tour, dubbed "Johnny Clegg: The Final Journey", in 2017.

Clegg exploded on to the international music scene, breaking boundaries in South Africa, defying apartheid with two interracial bands, Juluka and Savuka. In the late 1970s, Clegg and Sipho Mchunu formed Juluka, South Africa's first mixed-race band, resulting in two platinum and five gold albums. 

In 1986, Clegg formed Savuka, whose debut album, "Third World Child", went double platinum with sales of over two million. 

The second album, "Shadow Man", was Grammy-nominated for Best World Music Album in 1993, shortly before Savuka disbanded.

With a musical career spanning over four decades, the musician’s life is celebrated across all musical spheres. Leading tributes for the icon is, Yvonne Chaka Chaka.

“He could have stayed a privileged white man but he went out there and befriended a gardner, learnt the art of Zulu, learnt the African dance and he did that with so much ease," said Chaka Chaka on 702 on Wednesday morning.

"We don’t think we honour our musicians enough, from Miriam Makeba, Hugh Masekela, even the young ones like Mandoza... it becomes very sad that when our people are gone, we show them love, we appreciate them, we want to play them (their music) more, we really need to change that," said Chaka Chaka during "Breakfast with Bongani Bingwa".

Here are some of the songs that Clegg will be remembered for.

Impi

Asimbonanga 

Kilimanjaro

Giyani

Scatterlings Of Africa

Cruel Crazy Beautiful World

The Crossing (Osiyeza) Tribute

IOL

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