Online Reporter
Forward Nyanyiwa in CARLOW, Ireland
THOMAS “Mukanya” Mapfumo says Kurai Makore is an “arrogant” and “lazy” musician and lacks the talent needed to succeed in this very tough industry.
He said Kurai was so obsessed with riding on Mukanya’s name, and music, that he even once hinted that he wanted to change his surname from Makore to Mapfumo.
“Akandifonera akati baba ndatanga zve music saka ndakuchinja zita kuti ndinzi Kurai Mapfumo,” said Mukanya.
“Ini ndikati hiwe mukomana, zita rine varidzi kairi.
“Izita ra stepfather wakandichengeta saka wakuda kuita futi mwana wa stepfather wangu?
“This goes to show the level of his character which people don’t know about.
“He is trying to copy everything from the hairstyle to the dances.
“Ari kukopa zvese zvino manje munguva pfupi inotevera ndikati mhuri yangu nditengerei wheelchair yekufambisa achaita sei?
“Hameno asi anogona kutotengawo yake.”
It’s the first time that Mukanya has spoken since his music company barred Kurai, who is his nephew, from playing the legend’s music.
The Chimurenga Music Company issued a ‘cease and desist” notice which bars Kurai from playing Mukanya’s songs.
It also warned promoters, who arrange Kurai’s live shows, that they will face the music should the singer continue singing Mukanya’s songs at his shows.
The owners of venues, where the live shows will be held, were also warned that they will also face the music should Kurai play Mukanya’s music at his shows.
Yesterday, Mukanya spoke to H-Metro in an exclusive interview.
Mukanya said Kurai has shown little interest in recording a lot of the music he gave him and it is evident that he lacks composing talent.
“Kurai doesn’t know how to compose songs, talent chairo haana and he seems lazy,” said Mukanya.
“I gave him a lot of stuff to work on but he is doing nothing with it.
“There is an almost complete song called ‘Zvinonetsa’ which l just wanted him to add guitars because the mbira part is already there but the boy hasn’t done anything.”
The Chimurenga music legend said there was also an element of arrogance, from Kurai and his handlers, and this is the reason why things have become messy between the two.
He attributed what he termed the “social media fallout” to those who are now handling Kurai’s affairs.
“The boy has become so arrogant and that is why we are having these issues.
“After l told him to stop playing my music, he said he was relocating back to Guruve, trying to make me feel bad about it, but l told him to do whatever he wanted.
“I blame his handlers, the likes of Blessing (Vava) who are influencing him badly.”
However, Mukanya says he is still willing to help to groom him to become an independent and successful Chimurenga music star.
“I want the whole of Zimbabwe to know that there is no bad blood between me and Kurai,” said Mukanya.
“He still remains family but the truth remains stubborn, he must grow out of my music and make an identity for himself.
“It was me who took him from Guruve and it is disturbing for people to think that l am hurting on the boy, no.
“I want to even share a stage with him, assist him in every turn but I just want him to start his own act and stop playing my music.”
Mukanya said his music remains an estate for his wife and children and their rights should be respected.
He added that some of the guitar works on his music belong to members of the Blacks Unlimited and they were also not happy with another musician enjoying the fruits of their art.
“My music is a result of a combined effort of the Blacks Unlimited and the saxophone, guitar, drum and congas works belong to members of the band.
“This is their art, something they spent time perfecting in the studio and they are not happy with him reaping from their sweat.
“Some of the Blacks Unlimited members, who have gone to start their own projects, don’t even play my music at their concerts but they are the owners of this sound.
“How do you think they feel about Kurai playing their tunes?”
The Chimurenga legend said his children are the reason why he was working all these years and today it’s worrying that a simple Google search on Thomas Mapfumo is bringing out Kurai’s pictures.
He said Kurai stands to benefit more than his kids.
“All what l did in my life was for my children and what worries me in this digital era is that if you search for my name and music on internet, the results show Kurai.
“Is this what l worked for?
“No, let it be known that my music is for my children and Kurai should work for his children with his own music.”
On Sunday, Mukanya’s daughter, Chiedza, told H-Metro that the family’s decision to come out in the open, with the directive to bar Makore, was the culmination of a lengthy period in which they had tried to settle the dispute within the family.
Chiedza also revealed that she last spoke to Makore “years ago.”
And, given that they are relatives, it probably casts a spotlight on the fractured nature of this family.
“I never spoke to Kurai about his music. I last spoke to him years ago,” she told H-Metro.
“He has been in direct communication with Mr Mapfumo, who has told him on numerous occasions to compose his own music and make his own path. “Kurai’s relationship to Mr Mapfumo is irrelevant to me.
“I have never spoken about that to him or anyone.
“What matters is Mr Mapfumo’s intellectual property and how it is affected when people perform his music without obtaining licensing.
“We are in a digital era and musicians like Mr Mapfumo make their money from royalties mostly collected from the digital space.
“We are also concerned with preserving his catalogue so as to avoid confusion on what songs are actually his.”
H-Metro has been inundated with sensational accusations and counter accusations of dishonesty, jealousy, cheating and “copyright robbery” which have resulted in cracks within the Chimurenga music empire.
