Bra Hugh Masekela's last gift to Don Laka revealed

14 March 2018 - 06:00
By Kyle Zeeman
Don Laka was working on a song with Hugh Masekela before he died.
Image: Via Don Laka's facebook Don Laka was working on a song with Hugh Masekela before he died.

Before his death, music legend Hugh Masekela left Don Laka with a special gift and a song to complete, the star revealed to TshisaLIVE.

It has been nearly two months since Hugh died at his Johannesburg home after a long battle with prostate cancer. 

Prior to his death, Hugh had been excited about a collaboration with producer and musician Don Laka - an idea that was hatched 15 years ago.

"I had an idea 15 years ago of Bra Hugh working with a choir and him not singing but just playing the trumpet. We worked on the idea and eventually I laid down the material. The song was 98 percent done when Hugh died. I feel like it is his gift to me," Don told TshisaLIVE.

He posted a snippet of the song on social media, where Hugh's trumpet can be heard rising triumphantly over the choir.

Inside the last work of Bra HUGH. Catch it before I remove in the next 24 hours.

Posted by Don Laka on Friday, February 16, 2018

Don plans to complete and release the project to fans when he feels both he and Hugh's family are strong enough to hear the final version.

"I am taking a bit of time to work on it. I am giving the family time to heal, and myself as well. It is an incredible project and people will get to hear Bra Hugh in a different setting to what they know him for."

He described Hugh as "an incredible man", who never thought of himself as a superstar.

"He never got in my way. He trusted me as a producer. He would not argue or ask questions. It was humbling that a man who had worked in the industry around the world for decades would trust a young man like me."