Joseph Shabalala: Ladysmith Black Mambazo founder don die for di age of 78

Joseph Shabalala, wey help introduce di sound of traditional Zulu music to di world, don die for di age of 78.

Di musician dey popular all ova di world as di founder and director of choral group Ladysmith Black Mambazo, wey don win five Grammy awards and featured well-well for Paul Simon Graceland album.

Di group also reach number 15 for di UK charts with one cover of Swing Low Sweet Chariot, for di 1995 Rugby World Cup.

Shabalala die for hospital inside Pretoria, South Africa, di band manager tok.

"Yes na true. Mr Shabalala die dis morning," Xolani Majozi tell tori pipo South Africa Times.

"Di group dey on tour for US, but dem don hear di news and e affect dia mood well-well becos di group na family."

For one statement, di band tok say: "We celebrate and honour your kind heart and your extraordinary life. Through your music and di millions wey you come in contact with, you shall live forever."

South African goment don pay tribute to di musicianfor one tweet wey say "Wego like to extend our condolences concerning di death of Joseph Shabalala wey be di founder of di group Ladysmith Black Mambazo.

Dem add for Xhosa language, "Ulale ngoxolo Tata ugqatso lwakho ulufezile." (Rest in peace, fada, your race don complete.)

Who be Joseph Shabalala?

Dem born Joseph Shabalala for 1941 and e be di eldest of eight children wey dey live for one farm inside Tugela, near di town of Ladysmith inside South Africa.

"Wen I be young boy, I dream of becoming pesin wey dey educated; maybe teacher, doctor or something like dat," Shabalala tell tori pipo, The Citizen for 2014.

But e come dey forced to leave school for di age of 12 wen im papa die. E begin work for di family farm and later, for one local factory.

During im spare time, e go sing with friends for one local group wey dem call di Blacks.

"Wen di young boys get togeda, dem go start to dey sing di songs, until di mamas and di neighbours go tok say, 'Hey, do am again,'" Shabalala tell BBC.

"E just dey like dat. Dem go dey call, 'Do am again, do am again'."

Shabalala come finally become di leader and main composer for di choir, e mix indigenous Zulu songs and dances with South African isicathamiya singing style -dat na acapella tradition wey involve soft, shuffling style of dance.

Dem re-christened di group name to Ladysmith Black Mambazo- Ladysmith represent dia hometown, Black refer to di black oxen wey be di strongest for di farm, and Mambazo na Zulu word for axe, wey symbolize di group ability to cut down competition.

One radio performance wey dem do for 1970 lead to one recording contract, and for 1973 dem release Africa first gold-selling album, Amabutho.

Pipo all ova di world come know dem afta dia recruitment to sing for Paul Simon multi-million-selling Graceland album, most popular of di song na Homeless, one music wey Shabalala co-wrote with Simon, based on di melody for one traditional Zulu wedding song.

Di band join Simon for im world tour and in return, Simon produce dia next three albums - with 1987 Shaka Zulu wey win Grammy for best traditional folk recording.

Shabalala retire from active performance for 2014 shortly afta im perform for one memorial concert for Nelson Mandela.

E continue to dey teach traditional choral music, while four of im sons (and one grandson) continue im legacy within Ladysmith Black Mambazo.

Di musician dey with im wife Thokozile Shabalala, for im final moments, according toXolani Majozi.

As di news of im death spread, pipo around di world don begin pay tributes to am.

"My friend, wey be giant humble man, Joseph Shabalala, don pass away dis morning," South Africa Singer, Sipho "Hotstix" Mabuse write for twitter. "My sincere condolences to im family and friends."

"I dey deeply sad," former mayor of Johannesburg, Herman Mashaba write "we go remember you as giant of South African music and pioneer of di industry."