My mom loves music so much that we grew up in a household where music was part of our everyday routine. Music would be playing on the radio -- yes cassette era!! from morning to evening. At the time (back in the 90's) the kind of music that my parents listened to was never the type of music that I saw myself listening to in the future. Pop music, Rn'B and Bongo flava were my primary and secondary options when it came to music.
As my clubbing days wore off, I found myself falling in love with the music that I never imagined myself ever listening to unless I was in my mom's car or house.
Even though there were some songs that I enjoyed listening to such as Neria by the late Oliver Mtukudzi, which became an automatic favorite for everyone because it was a soundtrack to the movie Neria, and WE ALL fell in love with that movie, if I can speak for everyone. I still never saw myself listening to African oldies. But little did I know what I was missing.
My sister and I would have nostalgia moments of our childhood days and we'd play some of mom's favorite songs and other random songs that were a hit back in the day, for memory sake.
There is so much gem in old African music. The lyrics were meaningful and educational. They gave hope, rebuked certain habits or actions, and expressed emotions that would otherwise not be publicly spoken due to cultural or political reasons.
As the continent mourns the loss of yet another great African music legend, Oliver Mtukudzi who passed away on January 23rd. I want to remember the time when hearing his music was the time that life was simpler and full of love...pure love for me, because I was young enough to believe in the goodness in this world.
Enjoy a video of Oliver Mtukudzi's live performance in Dar es Salaam during his visit in 2016. For those tourists who'd visit Tanzania during that time and got to watch him perform, I hope you have a wonderful memory of this legend. Rest in Peace Mr. Mtukudzi.
No comments:
Post a Comment