Names such as the late Leonard Dembo, Marshal Munhumumwe, James Chimombe, Simon Chimbetu and the living music greats Thomas Mapfumo, Oliver Mtukudzi and Leonard Zhakata have constantly come up as suggestions.
The debate touches sensitive nerves, with some critics becoming emotional due to the hypersensitivity of the topic. New names such as Alick Macheso and the late Tongai Moyo have been thrown into the pool, but some say they can never be equated with the real greats.
The main reason why those in the first pool of artists are regarded as the greatest is their ability to articulate social ills afflicting the daily lives of ordinary people in complex and simple terms to which they can easily relate. They are prolific wordsmiths made from a rare fabric that has touched the hearts of many, woven into a lyrical artistry that has withstood the test of time.
In as much as it is hard for some to agree, Mapfumo aka Mukanya is widely considered the supremo of Zimbabwean music.
Various questionable and reputable websites have held online polls to see who would
amass the most votes, with varying results, but Mukanya remains the mouthpiece of the people.
His music has become the epitome of Zimbabwe’s voice of freedom. He has refused to be deterred by the love of a few pieces of silver as he soldiered on in his brutal journey to stand for the oppressed and at the same time fight to emancipate the oppressed minds of his fellow countrymen.
Through his battle for justice, evidently depicted in his music, Mukanya has the scars to show for it.
As they say, you can kill a man but not his idea and this is applicable to Mukanya’s music. Yes, there are some lyrically gifted wordsmiths such as Zhakata and Hosiah Chipanga, but Mukanya stands head and shoulders above them.
With a history tracing back to the colonial era, Mukanya is a tried and tested cadre who kept the spirit of the struggle alive through his music despite the consequences that came along with it.
When you listen to tracks such as “Chigwindiri,” “Mhamo,” “Hurombo,” and the masterpiece album “Exile,” you can hear Mukanya’s heartbeat for his beloved nation, and listeners can put themselves in his shoes, feel his pain and envision the imagery he paints with his carefully selected diction.
He is now and internationally renowned musician who commands a huge following of mixed races abroad.
Post published in: Entertainment