Oliver Mtukudzi released 67 albums. The song many people remember first is a question: “Todii?”, Shona for “What shall we do?”
“Todii”, released in 1999, spoke directly about HIV/AIDS at a time when the epidemic was devastating Zimbabwe and southern Africa, and when many people would not talk about it openly. Sung in Shona and English, it asked what to do when the disease entered a family, and it became one of the most important songs of its era in the region.
Tuku music
Mtukudzi, known as Tuku, was born in 1952 in Highfield, a township in Harare. He began performing in the 1970s and joined the Wagon Wheels, a band that also included Thomas Mapfumo. He went on to lead his own group, the Black Spirits.
His sound became known as “Tuku music”: a warm blend of Zimbabwean rhythms, including mbira-inspired guitar patterns, the jit and katekwe styles, and South African mbaqanga, with his husky, expressive voice at the centre. He sang mostly in Shona, with some Ndebele and English.
A storyteller
Mtukudzi’s songs dealt with daily life: love, family, respect, work, community and justice. They often carried lessons, told with gentleness rather than anger. He was sometimes asked about politics in Zimbabwe, and while some songs were read as commentary on the country’s troubles, he preferred to speak through stories that listeners could interpret.
A career of four decades
He toured widely in Africa, Europe and North America, and his albums sold well across southern Africa. He also acted, starring in the Zimbabwean film Neria (1993), whose soundtrack he recorded. He built Pakare Paye, an arts centre in Norton near Harare, to train young musicians and artists.
He was a UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador for the Southern Africa region and was active in campaigns on HIV and children’s rights.
Death and mourning
Mtukudzi died on 23 January 2019 at the Avenues Clinic in Harare, after a long battle with diabetes. He was 66. Tributes came from across Africa. Zimbabwean lawmakers called for him to be declared a national hero, and he was honoured by the state.
The legacy
Younger musicians across southern Africa cite him as an influence, and his songs remain fixtures at weddings, funerals and on radio. “Todii” is still played in discussions about HIV and in health campaigns, a sign of how far one song can travel.
A family loss
Mtukudzi’s son Sam, also a musician, died in a car accident in 2010. Sam had been building his own career as a musician, and fans had seen him as a possible heir to the Tuku sound. The loss hit Mtukudzi hard, and he spoke about it in interviews. He continued to perform and record in the years that followed.
The question in his most famous song was what to do. His answer, in 67 albums, was to keep singing about it until people listened.
