Thomas Tafirenyika Mapfumo, born in 1945 in Marondera, Mashonaland East, Zimbabwe, began his musical career playing covers of American rock and soul music before joining Hallelujah Chicken Run Band, where he began adapting traditional music of the Shona to modern instrumentation and techniques. This process included transcribing the scales and sounds of the mbira to electric guitar.
He invented and popularized Chimurenga music - literally "struggle" in Shona - which was often overtly political. In addition to his modern incarnation of traditional music, his lyrics were sung in Shona. In the late 1970s singing in Shona instead of English was a political statement in and of itself. In Mapfumo's case, it was specifically critical of the white ruling class of Rhodesia. The government, underestimating his popularity, eventually banned his records and imprisoned Mapfumo without charges in 1979. After a series of large protests demanding his release, he was set free three months later.
Though he initially celebrated the independence of Zimbabwe in 1980, he became increasingly disillusioned with the regime of Robert Mugabe. This was, again, reflected in the music he produced throughout the 1980s; mostly as Thomas Mapfumo And The Blacks Unlimited. His lyrics often addressed issues of poverty and social development. After a campaign of government-sponsored harassment, he emigrated to the United States, where he continues to live.
Links To Peel[]
Peel first heard Mapfumo's music in the early 80's through the Earthworks record label and saw him perform live under the name Thomas Mapfumo & The Blacks Unlimited in Zimbabwe when he visited the country with his wife, the Pig, in 1988, as part of the work for the BBC World Service. On his show from 10 December 1993 (BFBS), Peel described the gig in Zimbabwe:
"I've only been to Zimbabwe once, but if I wasn't so frightened of flying, I'd be there on an annual basis. ... I went to see Thomas Mapfumo and the Blacks Unlimited, the Pig and myself, to see them playing away out in the bush somewhere, and we were the only white people who were there. And we could not have been treated more generously. We walked in there and they didn't make us pay or anything. No guest list, just walked straight in, a fella came up to me and said "You've not been here before. Here, you have this beer and I'll go and get myself another one". And I thought, that would not happen to you if you turned up in a venue in London, I very much regret."
In 1998, Peel curated Meltdown and invited Thomas Mapfumo And The Blacks Unlimited to perform for the festival on 30th June 1998.
Sessions[]
1. Recorded: 1998-07-07. Broadcast: 11 August 1998
- Dai Pasina Satani / Chickende / Mukadzi Wemukoma / Usatambe Nenyoka
Other Shows Played[]
Thomas Mapfumo - Hanzvadzi.wmv
- 1983
- 05 November 1983 (BFBS) (and Blacks Unlimited): Kambiri Kaenda (album - Ndangariro) Earthworks ELP 2005
- 29 November 1983: Nyoka Musango (LP - Ndangariro) Earthworks
- 03 December 1983 (BFBS) (and Blacks Unlimited): Nyoka Musango (album - Ndangariro) Earthworks ELP 2005
- 1984
- 07 April 1984 (BFBS): Chauya Chirizevha (Rural Life Is Back) (album - The Chimurenga Singles 1976-80) Earthworks – ELP 2004
- 13 November 1984: Ndanzwa Ngoma Kurira (I Hear The Sounds Of Drumming) (album - Mabasa) Earthworks ERT 1007
- 05 December 1984: Usatambe Nenyoka (album - Mabasa) Earthworks ERT 1007
- 09 December 1984 (BFBS): Muchoni (The Self-Exile) (album - Mabasa) Earthworks ERT 1007
- 30 December 1984 (BFBS): Usatambe Nenyoka (album - Mabasa) Earthworks ERT 1007
- 1985
- 14 January 1985: Muchoni (The Self-Exile) (album - Mabasa) Earthworks ERT 1007
- 29 January 1985: Usatambe Nenyoka (album - Mabasa) Earthworks ERT 1007
- 22 July 1985: Tondobayana (album - Mr Africa (Music)) Earthworks
- 05 August 1985: Maria (LP - Mr Music) Earthworks
- 1986
- 01 April 1986: Shumba (LP - Gwindingwi Rine Shumba) Earthworks
- 08 April 1986: Hupenyu Wangu (All My Life) (v/a LP - Here's Egg On Your Face) Rough Trade
- 09 April 1986: Mhondoro (LP - Gwindingwi Rine Shumba) Earthworks
- 14 April 1986: Hwahwa (LP - Gwindingwi Rine Shumba) Earthworks
- June 1986 (Radio Bremen): Tambazuma Nashe (Dance With The King) (album - Chimurenga For Justice) Rough Trade
- October 1986 (Radio Bremen): Tambazuma Nashe (Dance With The King) (album - Chimurenga For Justice) Rough Trade
- 1987
- 28 January 1987: Usatambe Nenyoka (Don't Play With A Snake) (LP - Mabasa) Earthworks
- 09 February 1987: Chauya Chirizevha (Rural Life Is Back) (LP - The Chimurenga Singles 1976-80) Earthworks
- 1988
- 10 May 1988 (BFBS): Pidigori (12" - Hupenyu Wangu (All My Life)) Rough Trade – RTT 190
- 1989
- 21 February 1989: Corruption (album - Corruption) Mango
- 29 November 1989: Moyo Wangu (My Heart) (album - Corruption) Mango
- 19 December 1989: Muchadura (album - Corruption) Mango
- 1990
- 22 March 1990: Nyamutamba Ne Mombe (v/a CD - Spirit Of The Eagle (Zimbabwe Frontline Vol. 2)) Earthworks
- 26 March 1990: Nyamutamba Ne Mombe (v/a LP - Spirit Of The Eagle (Zimbabwe Frontline Vol. 2)) Earthworks
- 07 April 1990 (BFBS): Nyamutamba Ne Mombe (v/a CD - Spirit Of The Eagle (Zimbabwe Frontline Vol. 2)) Earthworks
- 01 December 1990: Taireva (album - Shumba (Vital Hits Of Zimbabwe)) Earthworks
- 1991
- 06 April 1991: Hwahwa (LP - Gwindingwe Rine Shumba) Earthworks
- 1993
- 10 December 1993 (BFBS): Buko Tiende (album - Hondo) Zimbob
- 1994
- 26 February 1994: ‘Magariro (LP – Hondo)’ (Zimbob)
- 26 March 1994: ‘Buka Tiende (LP – Hondo)’ (Zimbob)
- 1995
- 11 August 1995: 'Hanzvadzi (CD-Froots #5)' (Folk Roots) (JP: 'What a nice noise that is.')
- 1997
- 04 December 1997 (BFBS): 'Buka Tiende (Compilation CD-The Rough Guide To The Music Of Zimbabwe)' (World Music Network)
- 11 December 1997 (BFBS): 'Buka Tiende (Compilation CD-The Rough Guide To The Music Of Zimbabwe)' (World Music Network)
- 1998
- 15 April 1998 (BBC World Service): Hwahwa (LP - Gwindingwi Rine Shumba) Earthworks
- 12 May 1998: Hwahwa (album - Chmunorwa) Chimurenga Music TML 117
- 16 June 1998: Hwahwa (LP - Gwindingwi Rine Shumba) Earthworks
- 24 June 1998 (BFBS): 'Temerina (LP-Ndangariro)' (Afro Soul)
- 30 June 1998: Mhondoro
- 08 July 1998: Soccer Lions (LP - Football Africa) Realworld
- 2000
- 01 August 2000: Mamvemne (LP - Chimurenga Explosion) Anonymous Web