Thomas Mapfumo Essentials

Zimbabwean singer/guitarist Thomas Mapfumo was the key figure in the development of a style called "Chimurenga," which drew on local Shona folk rhythms and the mbira thumb piano for inspiration. As a fierce critic of his homeland's successive regimes, the "Lion of Zimbabwe" has had to live in exile since 2000. This playlist pulls together tracks from his early groups, his long-running band The Blacks Unlimited, and his solo material, most of which convey the message of justice and equality for his countrymen and women.