Like or hate him, Chimerenga Music legend Dr Thomas Mapfumo has carved a niche for himself for straight talk and dry jokes.
Last week, in a televised interview, Mapfumo, known by his legion of fans the world over as Mukanya, pulled a fast one that left viewers in stitches, others awestruck and others equally angry.
He described national hero Dr Oliver Mtukudzi and himself as the only internationally-acclaimed music exponents from this country, while belittling sungura musician Alick Macheso and those of his ilk.
“…vasati vamutumidza (Dr Mtukudzi) kuti hero, isu taitozviziva kuti ihero nekuti akachengetedza tsika nemagariro emuno. Tikaenda mhiri overseas kwamunonzwa kwatinobva vanhu vanozivikanwa ndini naOliver, vamwe ava ana Macheso vanogumira muEngland. (…before they conferred him (Dr Mtukudzi) hero status, we already knew he was one and started calling him a hero because he preserved the culture and heritage of our country. When we go overseas, it’s only me and Oliver who are known, the rest such as Macheso simply end their tours in England)”.
Call it a dry joke but it made a difference. Social media went agog with it across the platforms.
This was not well received by a section of social media users who called on the yesteryear hero to introspect on his standing in the music industry.
Again, Mapfumo who some described as “myopic”, is not new to such controversy as he once described himself as the only Zimbabwean artiste worth mentioning after he came up with a list that had his name only with the second best on number 5.
To the contrary, Macheso never seemed fazed by the travesty and chose to ignore everything.
theherald
