The recent passing of South African musician Pops Mohamed marks the loss of a visionary artist who dedicated his life to dismantling boundaries. Born in 1949 under apartheid, his eclectic upbringing exposed him to diverse sounds, from migrant workers’ traditional instruments to American soul and local jazz. This fusion became his revolutionary tool. With his band Black Disco, Pops crafted a defiant, genre-blending sound that openly challenged racial segregation. Never confined to one style, he later mastered traditional instruments like the kora, weaving ancient Khoisan melodies with contemporary ideas. Pops’s prolific career was a constant, beautiful rebellion—a mission to take the old, mix it with the new, and create a uniquely South African musical identity for future generations. Through his recordings, that powerful voice endures.
The Conversation
