Hugh Masekela

The 73 year-old South African Jazz maestro and internationally-acclaimed trumpeter shows no signs of slowing down. Started out playing the Trumpet at the age of 14; used his music to protest against apartheid, slavery, and socio-economic exploitation. In 2004 he published his autobiography: Still Grazing: The Musical Journey of Hugh Masekela. Masekela sits on the board of the Lunchbox Fund, a charity which provides a daily meal to students of township schools in the sprawling slums of Soweto.

Source: Forbes 40 most powerful Africans