Sixto Diaz Rodriguez, better known by his stage name Rodriguez, passed away at the age of 81.

His granddaughter, Amanda Kennedy, announced his passing on Wednesday (08/9) in Detroit, Michigan in the United States.

In South Africa, where his songs against the Vietnam War, societal mores, the mistreatment of women, and racial inequality were hits, the singer, who was barely recognized in his home nation, became a star.

The Apartheid state outlawed some of them, leading to the production of numerous bootleg copies on tapes and eventually CDs.

Although Rodriguez’s records were a commercial failure in the United States, he enjoyed tremendous success there in the 1970s and again with the 2012 release of a documentary.

The Academy Award-winning film Searching for Sugar Man tells the story of two South Africans’ quest to learn what became of their musical idol.

Rodriguez focused on raising a family when his music career collapsed and ran a number of unsuccessful political campaigns. The underground folk performer relied on manual work for a living.

His distinctive brand of psychedelic folk rock and socially minded lyrics helped him gain fame in Australia and New Zealand as well.