Popular urban Music in Zimbabwe

               ♡   MUSIC IN ZIMBABWE ♡

Chimurenga

This was the famous prior to independence and just after independence. Chimurenga is a Shona word which means a struggle. Zimbabwe’s wars against the settler regime are called Chimurenga. Prior to independence Chimurenga was sung as a morale booster to the liberation fighters. Following independence, Chimurenga music usually delves on the social injustices perpetrated by the government. The music was pioneered by Thomas Mapfumo who now stays in United States of America. Thomas Mapfumo remains one of the best protest singers to ever come out of Zimbabwe. Some of Thomas Mpapfumo’s album has been banned on government radio stations. These are Toi Toi (2004), Rise Up (2006), The Long Walk (2007) and Exile (2010). Thomas Mapfumo has never returned to Zimbabwe since he relocated to United States of America more than a decade ago though he has performed in neighbouring South Africa a couple of times.

Other musicians to follow in Thomas Mapfumo’s footsteps are the late Pio Farai Macheka and human rights adctivist Raymond Majongwe. Unfortunatley, Raymond Majongwe’s music has been banned on all radio stations. Another musician who is currently doing well singing the Chimurenga genre is Jairos Chabvonga. Chabvonga who fronts the group Ngorimba Afro Fusion is slgowly finding his footing attracting sizeable crowd at  his shows

By:Claudia Gómez