NPR: Oliver ‘Tuku’ Mtukudzi dies at 66
Famed Zimbabwean musician’s “praise songs” were a sonic symbol celebrating his nation’s drive for independence
Frank Chikowore | NPR
Born on Sept. 22, 1952 in Zimbabwe’s populous Highfield suburb, Oliver Mtukudzi, known as “Tuku” to his legion of fans, died Wednesday at a clinic in Harare from complications related to diabetes. The news was confirmed by Walter Wanyanya, the late superstar’s spokesperson. Mtukudzi was 66.
Mtukudzi began his music career in 1977, singing alongside another Zimbabwean superstar, Thomas Mapfumo, in the band Wagon Wheels. In a tweet on the news of Mtukudzi’s death, Mapfumo writes that “a dark cloud hovers above Zimbabwe.” Zimbabwe’s current president memorialized Mtukudzi as well, writing that his country “said goodbye to a true patriot” and that Mtukudzi’s voice “gave us comfort during difficult times.”
But Mtukudzi’s patriotism was not always considered a given.
Mtukudzi came to prominence at a time — the late ’70s — when black Zimbabweans were waging an armed resistance against white minority rule. After Zimbabwe attained its independence from Britain in 1980, Mtukudzi and his peers penned many songs — his own “Zimbabwe” among them — celebrating the country’s independence. Mtukudzi’s first album, Africa — credited to Oliver and the Black Spirits — was released shortly after Zimbabwe’s independence, yielded two hits in the country: “Madzongonyedze” and “Zimbabwe.”
“I did praise songs just like most of the artists during that era because it was justifiably celebration time,” Mtukudzi said in 2009 of his work at the time. …
