Zimbabwean musician
Kireni Zulu has become a household name thanks to his distinctive style called
"Marabi" -- which could be defined as acoustic jazz. The guitarist
grew up in the town of Kadoma and worked as a street photographer before he
launched his musical career. Now he sings about social issues that impact
Zimbabweans' lives on a daily basis. Voice of America English to Africa
Service reporter Derek Moyo in Johannesburg, South Africa, says the musician is known
for his story-telling and sense of humor as reflected in his lyrics. He's
released his 6th album titled "Sekuru", meaning “Grandfather.”
The album's opening track is called "Ndoendepi". It's about a husband
who's lost all affection for his wife. But his spouse insists she's staying put
because she doesn't know what's gone wrong. The wife asks the father of her
child to explain what she's
done to alter his feelings.
In the song Muzvibate, Zulu urges men to be faithful to their partners, warning
that if they're not, they'll die of HIV/AIDS. The musician acknowledges being faithful isn't always easy. But he
concludes if we all stray our families will die of hunger.
One of the CD's most popular tracks receiving a lot of airplay on Zimbabwean
radio is Gadzirisai. Zulu sings about an adulterous man who takes advantage of
widows in the pretext of helping or comforting them.
Other songs on the album include Mari,Vakadzi,
Usandikanganwe and Munyama -- a song about problems in a relationship.
The musician says he's been inspired by the late Zimbabwan comedian Safirio Madzikatire, popularly known as Mukadota.
Sekuru is available at most music stores in Zimbabwe, and is marketed and distributed by Record and Tape Promotions (RTP.)