JOHANNESBURG (AP) — Globally celebrated South African jazz icon Abdullah Ibrahim, who performed at Nelson Mandela ’s 1994 presidential inauguration, has died at age 91, his family announced in a statement Monday.
Ibrahim, formerly known as Dollar Brand, passed away peacefully in Germany following a short illness, surrounded by loved ones, the statement issued on behalf of his family said.
Born in Cape Town, Ibrahim rose to international prominence as a pianist, composer and bandleader. With a career spanning more than seven decades, he forged a unique blend of jazz and South African musical traditions, making him a cultural ambassador whose music struck a chord with listeners worldwide.
As one of South Africa’s most respected jazz figures, he famously played at Nelson Mandela ’s 1994 presidential inauguration.
His final public concert in South Africa took place at the Cape Town International Jazz Festival in March, when he once again captivated audiences with the musical skill that defined his career.
Paying tribute to her partner, Dr. Marina Umari said he “passed away peacefully with South Africa and its people in his heart.”
“His love for his country never wavered, no matter where in the world he found himself,” she said.
His family said that even though his life is over, his influence and voice would continue to resonate around the world.
President Cyril Ramaphosa paid tribute to the musician, praising his contribution to the anti-apartheid struggle and acknowledging his lasting impact through music.
“Today our nation mourns the passing of an international icon and global citizen whose profound creations honored the South Africa that shaped his political commitment and musical brilliance,” said Ramaphosa.
In 2009, Ibrahim received an Honorary Doctorate in Music from Wits University and the Order of Ikhamanga, a prestigious civilian award, from former President Jacob Zuma in the same year.
Alan Winde, the mayor of the Western Cape, where Ibrahim’s hometown is located, honored the performer and commended him for capturing South Africa’s cultural richness and history in his music.
“South Africa has lost a legend,” Winde said. “Abdullah Ibrahim represented everything that makes South Africa and the Western Cape so remarkable. His music told the story of our unique cultural diversity and past.”
According to his family, Ibrahim will be laid to rest in the German state of Bavaria, where he lived.
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FILE - Musician Abdullah Ibrahim plays on a grand piano during the Adolf-Grimme awards gala in Marl, western Germany, March 18, 2005. (AP Photo/Martin Meissner, File)
Fox Corp. has agreed to buy the streaming pioneer Roku in a cash-and-stock deal valued at approximately $22 billion, including debt.
Roku will continue to be run as an open, partner-friendly platform, the companies said Monday, and there appears to be no immediate changes that customers will see. Fox and Roku said that the combined company will become the third-largest player in U.S. television by share of viewing.
Media reports had surfaced on Friday that Roku was looking at its strategic options, including a possible sale. Speculation was rampant as to which companies might be interested in an acquisition. Aside from Fox, names being tossed about as potential buyers included Netflix, Amazon, Comcast and Disney.
The deal will give Fox access to more than 100 million global households, along with the Roku channel and its first-party data. Fox oversees a massive sports, news and entertainment network, as well as Tubi, which it acquired in 2020.
Roku founder Anthony Wood had initially worked within Netflix in the early 2000s as that company attempted to make the seismic shift from renting DVDs, to streaming.
Roku was spun off by Netflix, however, and the company released its first set-top box in 2008.
Wood, who is Roku's chairman and CEO, said his motivation in pursuing the technology was his desire to record and play his favorite show, “Star Trek.”
Fox Corp. CEO Lachlan Murdoch said in a statement that combining the businesses will bring together Fox's live news and sports content with a streaming platform with large viewership. It will also give Fox more exposure to advertising and streaming subscriptions.
“The combination with FOX is an extraordinary opportunity to accelerate our vision, scale faster and innovate more aggressively for viewers, partners and advertisers,” Wood said in prepared remarks.
Mike Proulx, research director at Forrester, said in an emailed statement that advertising revenue is a critical component of the deal.
“The bigger play here is advertising revenue, something all the major streamers are now jockeying for," he said. "This deal accelerates Fox into that shift with built-in audience scale. With 2026 shaping up as a defining year of streaming consolidation, the market shift is that streaming is no longer just about quality content slates. It’s about controlling the full stack. If this deal closes, Fox will control more of what viewers watch, how they discover it, and how it gets monetized.”
Wood will have an ongoing role at the company and will join the Fox board of directors after the transaction closes.
Murdoch said during a conference call that the combined company will be better positioned for the next decade of video than either company would've been alone.
“We are confident this is the right transaction, at the right moment, for all the right reasons,” he said.
Fox will pay $96 in cash and 0.9693 shares of its Class A common stock for each Roku Class A and Class B share outstanding. The transaction is valued at $160 per Roku share.
Existing Fox shareholders are expected to own approximately 73% of the combined company and Roku shareholders will own about 27%, once the deal closes.
The deal is expected to close in the first half of next year. It still needs approval from Fox and Roku shareholders and also regulatory approval.
Fox's shares tumbled 15% on Monday and Roku declined nearly 2%.
FILE - A person walks past the Fox News Headquarters in New York on April 12, 2023. (AP Photo/Yuki Iwamura, File)
FILE - This Aug. 13, 2020 file photo shows a logo for Roku on a remote control in Portland, Ore. (AP Photo/Jenny Kane, file)
