South African anti-apartheid icon Nelson Mandela has sadly passed away today at the age of 95. The revered statesman was imprisoned for 27 years, eventually released in 1990 after an international campaign fueled by many prominent musicians. Mandela was elected the first black president of South Africa in 1994, and won the Nobel Peace Prize in 1993. His lifelong dream of ending racial segregation made him an inspiration to musicians across the globe. Here are a few of those songs he inspired:
Lou Reed, one of the most influential artists of our time, has sadly passed away today at the age of 71. Cause of death has not yet been reported, however Reed underwent a liver transplant earlier this year.
