It happened a few days ago now, but when great men (and musicians) pass away, you always need some time to digest the news. That happened to us, as we were and still are Oliver Mtukudzi’s mere fans and supporters. However, for the people of Zimbabwe, Tuku’s death has been a proper blow.
Before becoming a remarkable artist (singer/songwriter, guitar player and author of more than 60 albums), Oliver Mtukudzi was an activist. He battled for and with his people until the end, becoming a loudspeaker for his country’s minorities and bringing them into his music all over the world. He always stood up against Zimbabwean society’s weaknesses, like patriarchy and polygamy, next to campaigning to fight HIV and HIV stigma in Africa.
Even if he had his own burden of controversies, Oliver Mtukudzi was one of the greatest Zimbabweans, so much so that, on 24th January (a day after his death), he was granted the national hero status.
We often think that notes are more meaningful than words. For this reason, we asked one of the most inspiring Zimbabwean bands, Mokoomba, to put together a playlist reflecting their musical version of “Tuku”. They compiled a 15-track playlist enabling them to portray the big picture of Oliver Mtukudzi’s exceptional career.
Watch the full playlist:
Listen to it:
Photo ©: Walter Wanyanya