Rodriguez was bigger than The Beatles in 1970s apartheid South Africa. In this special tribute to the Mexican-American singer-songwriter who died recently, the Mail & Guardian explores the politics, mores and sounds that made him massive then, and also what makes him still relevant today.
Playlist:
Rodriguez – Sugar Man
Large Professor – The Man
The BossHoss – Sugarman
Karni Postel – Sugar Man
Rodriguez – This Is Not A Song, It’s An Outburst: Or, The Establishment Blues
The Temptations – Cloud Nine
Gladys Knight & The Pips – Midnight Train to Georgia
Rodriguez – Cause
Delroy Wilson – Half Way Up the Stairs
Dio – Tijd Is Geweest (feat. Willy)
Bliss n Eso – Home Is Where The Heart Is
Rodriguez – I wonder
Release: Friday 18 August 2023
Title: Ampersand Mixtape: The Sixto Special
Host: Charles Leonard
Guest: Darryl Accone
Photograph: Charles Leonard
Production: Reframe