admin“The board, management, staff of the National Arts Council of Zimbabwe and indeed the whole arts and culture fraternity has learnt with great sorrow and sadness the passing on of Prince Tendai Mupfurutsa.
“NACZ wishes to register its sincere condolences to the Mupfurutsa family, friends and fellow artistes, as we join them in mourning a talented music promoter and producer, musician, arts administrator and businessman,” said Mari.
He described Prince Tendai as one of the few artistes who was multi-talented and assisted a number of budding artistes in the industry. “Tendai was one of the few musicians who demonstrated that arts is business and that artistes can assist the less privileged.
“Many musicians came through Tendai’s hands, either by being helped financially, through his Hi-Density Recording Studio and Promotion Company or through support from Zimbabwe Music Rights Association
(ZIMURA) that he led with distinction as chairman for many years,” he said.
Mari said Prince Tendai was also known for recording internationally acclaimed music and videos that have over the years been nominatedand won national and international awards.
He said the arts industry had been robbed of a key figure who was instrumental in uplifting the welfare of artistes in the country.
“The arts and culture industry especially the music sector has lost an icon and an all rounder in the music sector. Tendai did not only win NAMA awards but has been one of the partners of the awards ceremony through his Ekhaya Petroleum Company.
He was one of the artistes who worked so hard with NACZ to improve the welfare of artistes,” he said.
Mari said NACZ will always remember Prince Tendai as a chairman of ZIMURA who was supportive of the concept of Cell-rity Funeral cover that strives to ensure that artistes who die are given a decent burial. “We had hoped to benefit from his business skills as we develop the medical as well as the insurance cover for artistes’ equipment and properties. Indeed we are saddened by his passing on. The National Arts Council of Zimbabwe will forever cherish the manner in which he held high the music sector,” said Mari.
Among Prince Tendai’s achievements was the hosting of the Akon-Sean Paul Real Deal Concert at the National Sports Stadium on 4 September 2010.
His life took a turn after he was involved in a car accident in September last year, which affected his mobility and speech. Speculation was rife that the dramatic decline in his health in recent months was triggered by the huge loss he had incurred after hosting the international stars. He vehemently denied this.
Prince Tendai’s smash hits included From Zambezi to Limpopo, November Rain, Zimbolicious, Character, Chipo Babe Kuyaura Mapere Nemazizi, Zambara, a Nyanja song and Forward Zimbabwe.
He is survived by a wife and six children.
He was buried at the Mupfurutsa homestead at Magunje in Hurungwe, Mashonaland West at the weekend.
Online Reporter