By Marshall Shonhai
Today marks the fifth anniversary of the passing on of the late legend Dr Oliver Mtukudzi. Oh man, what a wordsmith, what a lyricist.
We grew up on Tuku’s music, way before it became Tuku Music, the 1970s to the early 1990s but more so for some of us, the 1980s to the 1990s.
As per custom now, I play nothing but Tuku all day on this day. This is my personal way of honoring and celebrating the legend the man was. I ordinarily drifted to the “new” Tuku and started with a song called “Yekunwa” mainly because it’s one of my favorite from Tuku but also because we had been discussing the depth of the song and the word play in it with his former guitarist Zivanai Masango. From there I went to the 2009 Album Daira which has tracks like “Kumawere”, “Meso Piriviri”, “Panyatso”, Mhiripiri” amongst others.
Then I decided to go back to when I was young and got immersed in some true Tuku classics like; Tindike, Yanhopi, Sugar Pie, Kufurirwa – Dzvene, Chirimupoto, Right Direction, Ziwere, Mutavara, Ghetto Boy, Andinzwi, Pss Pss Hello, Strange isn’t it, Shungu, Dzaamai, Dai Ndiine Mukoma, Kuvhaira, Chisuwo, Hwema Handirase, Haungadaro, Dzandimomotera, Munoshusha, Zuva Rekufa kwangu, Makanganwa and Kuvhaira.
Mtukudzi had an incredible discography which spanned over four decades and he released over 60 albums in his career.
One of the remarkable aspects of Mtukudzi’s discography is how he fearlessly tackled issues such as HIV/AIDS, gender equality, and the importance of family and community, all while maintaining a catchy and uplifting sound that resonated with people from all walks of life.
His song “Todii” is a poignant reflection on the complexities of life, while “Neria” became an anthem for women’s empowerment. Tuku’s music was not only about entertainment but also about spreading messages of hope, love, and unity.
This man needs to be a whole study!
Rest well legend, thank you for the music.
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