In honour of what would’ve been music icon Robbie Malinga’s 53rd birthday, his widow Ann Malinga launched a tribute book in his remembrance at an intimate gathering in Rosebank, northern Johannesburg, on Monday night.

The intimate launch was attended by the late music icon’s industry associates, family and friends who gathered at Universal Music offices where Malinga worked as A&R manager.

Titled Robbie Malinga, the coffee-table style book edited by renowned journalist, author and media specialist Lesley Mofokeng, takes a journey back in time to the life of the music legend and what life is like for the loved ones he left behind.

In the book, Robbie first tells his own story from birth to the ravages of the cancer that claimed his life on Christmas Day in 2017. It is followed by the second part, where Ann gets candid about widowhood and the challenges it has presented to her as a young woman. The tribute book lastly features many tributes, starting with an emotional love letter Robbie Junior penned to his sister Zanokuhle who was just two years old when their father died.

The book also consists of tributes from the likes of Thuso Motaung, Yvonne Chaka Chaka, Loyiso Mangena, Kaizer Kganyago and MEC Vusi Shongwe from Mpumalanga, who fondly speak of the legend and the legacy he left behind.

“Honouring the legacy of my husband has been uppermost on my mind since his passing away. My heart is full that Robbie Malinga [book] has finally materialised,” the late icon’s wife says.

“When you have a book you don’t need a statue because the story will survive time and be told over and over again for generations.

“The world should never forget the talent and genius of Robbie Malinga and his children will have something to hold on to, a repository of stories and priceless photographs archived for eternity,” Ann explains.

The memorable evening also featured performances by Malinga’s collaborators such as Musa Sukwene, who rendered a spiritually uplifting tribute.