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WHAT DO YOU THINK?
What role do musicians and artists play in political and social change?
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Good artists think and, speak out unlike vested interests. "Most people would sooner die than think and in fact they do"...to quote someone. I think artists are about the only people who can change the world for the better because they are the only people who feel compelled to. eg Lunig who is national treasure.
Many musicians and artists have taken a critical view of political and social change. It is this important role in contemporary art and music that provides a challenging, though often ignored comment, to those in power. Artists and musicians, by contrast, have little power to influence governments.
Thomas Mapfumo is our good musician.What bothers me most is why he doesn\'t walk the talk.What is he doing in America if he loves Zimbabwe?I am one Zimbabwean who is tired of people who just talk and expect someone to help their country.It is your responsibility too Thomas to help Zimbabwe.You pocket the money you make from your shows and don\'t think of the starving children in Zimbabwe.I don\'t think you are a good ambassador.
part 2: given those few highlights.. Mapfumo then was in the centre of this social dynamic as a singing commentator. and that role of muso's in influencing society has not gone away ( eg Peter Garrett used to sing for the environment, bob marley - resistance and emancipation), Tupac and the host of american songs constantly played on our airwaves even has politicians concerned about the influence they have on a range of social issues which inevitably become political issues.
i reckon in order to understand Thomas Mapfumo's influence on the zimbabwean society, one has to look at the period within which he rose to musical prominence. A few highlights of that era are:- 1: there were very few African musos broadcast in Rhodesia at that stage 2: his songs identified with the ongoing "opression" (the severity of which one could argue was not worse than what zimbabwe faces now)3: he had a traditional sound and use of traditional instruments which identified with the pple's norms and cultural heritage that they felt was under from the sitting regime 4: Radio Mozambique, which was the main propaganda mouthpiece for the guerilla opposition formation, was widely listened to in the country side and they used the strenght of the resistance lyrics in Mapfumo's songs to reinforce the justification of the war. 5: his music was branded Chimurenga ..which was the social dynamic of that era and the name of the war that had been fought earlier by ancestral icons such as Mbuya nehand and 2nd version of which was underway when mapfumo was rising as a muso. his music was played repeatedly. 6: even the Rhosdesian government apprecitated the fact that certain music was demmed political and could influence people in a certain political way
What role? Hopefully none!
Because artists and musicians are generally not tied to the usual routines and rituals of life and are able to therefore develop a clearer \'overview\' of what\'s happening around us, they are able to form more true impressions of what happens. Consequently these impressions can develop into new ideas which may challenge the status quo.
Firstly, Thomas Mapfumo is a legend! Check out his stuff on YouTube. I think with regards to this particular musician, he holds A LOT of influence over how people see the world and in terms of Zimbabwe has a lot of influence over ppl who just believe anything they hear (ie from Mugabe)
i love thomas mapfumo, his sounds are raw and his music speaks to me! even if i can't understand what he's actually singing about