HARARE, Zimbabwe (CelebrityAccess) — Oliver Mtukudzi, the Afro-jazz legend and one of Zimbabwe’s most renowned musicians with a career that spans four decades, has died. He was 66.
According to the South African media outlet Times Live, Gallo Records, a label associated with Mtukudzi revealed that he died on Wednesday afternoon but did not provide details surrounding his passing.
Another outlet, the Mirror Masvingo, reported via social media that the singer died at around noon in an intensive care unit in a hospital in Harare.
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Oliver Mtukudzi is dead
Music icon Oliver Mtukudzi has passed on. The Mirror has it on good authority that he died in the last 40 minutes in the ICU at the Avenues Clinic in Harare.— The Mirror Masvingo (@TheMirrorMasv) January 23, 2019
Mtukudzi was known fusing of different musical styles to create a unique sound that came to be known to his fans as “Tuku Music.”
Over the course of his long career, he toured the world and went on to release more than 60 albums.
He also was known for his crossing of music and politics and rose to prominence in the 1970s when his music became a vehicle of protest against minority-white rule.
In 2001, he song Wasakara, meaning “You Are Too Old” when it was perceived as an oblique criticism of African dictator Robert Mugabe, who remained in power for another 16 years.
In addition to his work as a performing artist, Mtukudzi was also philanthropist, human rights activist and served as a UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador for Southern Africa Region.
His most recent album Hanya’Ga, which translated to ‘Concern’ was released in February.
