Hugh Masekela’s son, Selema, opens up about father’s addiction and estrangement

Picture: Gallo Images/Roy Rochlin

Selema Masekela recently opened up about the relationship he had with his father, legendary musician Hugh Masekela, and the impact the artist’s addiction had on his life and their relationship.

Selema appeared on the podcast One54Africa, where he spoke about the difficult phase he and his father went through.

Also see: Zuluboy speaks out after Mzansi reacts to viral Hugh Masekela cover.

Selema Masekela’s experience with his father’s addiction

The late artist’s son spoke on how consuming Masekela’s addiction was. He states that in his mid-20s, he decided to emotionally withdraw from the relationship altogether. Selema explained that Masekela’s addiction got so bad that he felt the need to treat him as though he were dead, so when the news inevitably came, he had an emotional head start.

The two then became estranged for five years.

Also see: A Week with a Legend: How Hugh Masekela Inspired J’Something’s ‘Heaven In You’

The life-changing intervention

The estrangement was then interrupted by Selema’s uncle, who organised an intervention for the trumpeter.

Selema explained that his uncle practically “kidnapped” Masekela and took him to London, where he was taken to a rehabilitation centre that one of the Beatles members owned. This was the rehabilitation that changed his life.

The sports commentator further explained that it was because of the foreign land, where Masekela could not rely on his charisma and charm, that helped him focus on his rehabilitation and heal his addiction.

However, Masekela stirred up conflicting emotions within his son. Selema shared that Masekela’s success made him angry because he had to deal with the false hope of Masekela recovering and subsequently relapsing more than once. Watching his father actually succeed kept him on his toes, waiting for the other shoe to drop.

The reunion

Selema, born in the United States, recounted knocking on his father’s hotel room door in New York after rehab. He shared that upon seeing him after the five years of estrangement, instead of old wounds reopening, the two found their way back to the relationship they once shared.

Their once distant relationship blossomed into one of the best for Selema.

Also see: South Africans remember Hugh Masekela.