Oliver ‘Tuku’ Mtukudzi would be celebrating his 69th birthday today and there’s no doubt that he’d celebrate the occasion in a big way – maybe with a new album?
With an astounding 68 projects and a string of accolades and awards it’s no wonder he earned global recognition for his contribution to music.
During his 42 year-long career he released socially conscious music that spoke to the plight of his people and tackled issues such as women’s rights.
This is evident in one of his biggest hits “Neria” (1993) – written for the soundtrack of a movie of the same title which is about a rural Zimbabwean woman who lost her husband and her home to her husband’s relatives.
Some of his other unforgettable songs that earned him his iconic status in Zimbabwe and beyond include “Ndipeiwo Zano” (1978), “Street Kid” (1995) “Dzoka Uyamwe” (1999), “Into Yami” featuring Ringo Madlingozi (2006) and “Tapera” featuring close friend Hugh Masekela among many others.
To mark this momentous occasion, South Africa’s oldest record label, Gallo Records, which has been home to his music for decades, is officially launching his YouTube channel – a platform for Tuku’s fans to enjoy his timeless catalogue.
The channel will launch with the video of his popular hit, “Todi”.
It will also be accompanied by a Gallo Records curated playlist titled Salute Oliver Mtukudzi – celebrating his definitive songs, messages of hope, love, freedom and guidance.
“As a company we’re honoured to be working on the legacy of Oliver Mtukudzi’s music. We are excited to for the new upcoming music project to be released in a few weeks. At Gallo, we believe that it is important to keep his legacy alive,”
says Gallo Marketing Manager, Caroline Morabe.
Stream the playlist here: https://lnk.to/salutetuku Watch/Subscribe to her YouTube channel here: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC-K797_lLK1QjhkXsWzMXNQ