South African jazz icon Abdullah Ibrahim dies in Germany at age 91 after a brief illness

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South African jazz legend Abdullah Ibrahim, whose piano work soundtracked the anti-apartheid struggle and graced Nelson Mandela's 1994 presidential inauguration, died Monday in Germany at 91. Ibrahim spent decades in exile during apartheid, developing a distinctive style that wove together jazz, Cape Town street music, and African rhythms. He became one of the continent's most internationally renowned musicians, performing across Europe and America while maintaining deep ties to South Africa's liberation movement. His family announced the death after a brief illness, though the specific cause wasn't disclosed. Ibrahim's music served as both artistic expression and political resistance, a sonic argument against the regime that had forced him to flee his homeland.