Legendary Chimurenga musician Thomas Mapfumo is set to perform his last ever show in the United Kingdom on August 23 at the New Bingley Hall in Birmingham.
Promoters Joab Mugugu of Phab Entertainment Promotions have promised a memorable finale for Mapfumo's loyal UK fans.
The iconic musician, affectionately known as Mukanya, will share the stage with his protégé, Kurai Makore.
Mapfumo has previously indicated his readiness to retire from live performances, expressing a desire to pass the torch to a new generation of musicians who will carry forward his legacy and the rich musical heritage of Zimbabwe.
This upcoming concert could be a significant moment for Kurai Makore, potentially marking his “crouning moment” as he steps further into Mapfumo's influential footsteps.
Born in Marondera in 1945, Mapfumo's musical journey began at a young age.
He was exposed to traditional Shona music, particularly the mbira, through his grandparents.
His early career, starting at age 16 with bands like the Cyclones and the Cosmic Dots, primarily involved covering American and British rock and soul tunes from artists like Elvis Presley and Otis Redding.
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However, Mapfumo soon embarked on a revolutionary path.
In the early 1970s, with the Hallelujah Chicken Run Band, he began to fuse traditional Shona melodies and rhythms with modern rock instrumentation, notably adapting the mbira's intricate sounds to the electric guitar.
Crucially, he shifted from singing in English to his native Shona, a powerful political statement in a country under white minority rule.
His music became increasingly overtly political, directly addressing the struggles of the black majority against the Rhodesian government.
He coined the term “Chimurenga music”, derived from the Shona word for “struggle” or “liberation,” to describe this new, politically charged genre.
Songs like Hokoyo directly challenged the regime, leading to his music being banned from state-controlled radio and even his imprisonment in 1977.
Upon his release, Mapfumo formed his band, The Blacks Unlimited, in 1978.
Their music became the soundtrack to Zimbabwe’s liberation struggle, inspiring and mobilising the masses. In 1980, following Zimbabwe's independence, Mapfumo and The Blacks Unlimited famously shared the stage with Bob Marley and The Wailers at the national celebration at Rufaro Stadium in Harare.
Even after independence, Mapfumo continued to be a fearless social commentator, using his music to decry corruption, poverty, and injustices in the new government, notably criticizing Robert Mugabe’s regime in the late 1980s.
This led to his songs being banned again and ultimately, his self-imposed exile in the United States in the late 1990s.
