By Sindiso Dube
Afro-fusion musician Ashton Tapiwa Nyahora, popularly known as Mbeu, says working with the late Oliver Tuku Mtukudzi will propel his works to greater heights.
Mbeu featured on Tuku’s first posthumous song titled My Better Half, released by Gallo Record Company and Tuku Music last week.
The song is from Tuku’s upcoming project titled Abiangu2, which loosely translates to “Friends” in Shona (Chikorekore dialect).
It’s a follow up to Abiangu (Duets of My Time) released in 2011, the duet is a ballad that celebrates finding “the one”.
“The song was recorded a year before Tuku died,” Mbeu told Standard Style.
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“I was invited to the studio by the legend and I laid parts and it was then released by Gallo Records who distributes Tuku’s music.
“I am excited about the project because Tuku is an African icon and working with him, you get more recognition and we hope that the works we have done with him will take the brand far.
“We are also grateful for the gesture from Tuku for giving us an opportunity to work with him, it’s not everyone who had that opportunity and we appreciate him.
“We now have a collaboration with many Zimbabwean artistes such as Freeman (Shamwari), Mambo Dhuterere (Ndoringaimi) and Jah Prayzah (Temera).”
Mbeu is riding high with his latest album Manera which was released late last year.
The album carries tracks such as Bira, I Don’t Know, Ndabvuma, Pfumo Richauya, Temera featuring Jah Prayzah and Drinks On Me which hed did with Jamaican Glen Washington.
Speaking on the new song and the Tuku legacy, Mtukudzi’s daughter Samantha in a media report said: “It’s important to keep his legacy alive because his music is life lessons.”
“Every song has a relevant meaning for society.
“The legacy should and must be an academy for our daily lives.
“I would like people to remember my father not only as a music legend, but as a unifier.
“He wanted us to live, love and uplift each other.
“I want him to be remembered as a hard worker who pushed to reach out to the world through his music.”
Samantha added: “Even if you don’t understand the language, somehow you are drawn to the music. I want people to always remember the Tuku music sound.”