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Tendai was always a snappy dresser, humble, soft-spoken, pleasant to all and generous to a fault, qualities that he kept for the rest of his life.
Tendai and his Midnight Magic outfit were just getting set on the musical scene with his barbed wire sounds which together with the productions of the likes of Newman Chipeni and Raiders were the harbingers of what has evolved into Urban Grooves.
“From Zimbabwe to Limpopo” struck a chord with us teens as it was Zimbabwean music that we could identify with unlike the other sounds popular with the older generations.
“Six O’Clock AM” became a national anthem although there are some who will say that “Chipo Baby” was the song that defined Prince Tendai.
A side of Prince Tendai that many never understood was revealed in his early offerings in the song “Mai Tendi” which speaks of a neglected wife who is relegated to the rural areas while the husband lives it up in the city.
Relatively recent songs like “Zimbolicious” and “Naked Fire” proved that in spite of advancing age the man could still appeal to the swag youth. But there was more to him than just enjoyable music.
Tendai Mupfurutsa was a man who did not talk about the empowerment in the language of those who call themselves activists but he helped multitudes find their way out of difficult circumstances.
Many people, especially women, famous and unknown will testify that Tendai touched their lives with a noble gesture. He was a true prince.
Tendai Mupfurutsa was always ready to reach into his pocket to help a person in need especially if he believed in the cause. On a visit to his offices on any day you would find several people lined up to ask for his help.
On the musical scene people will recall how he worked with Small Bones and Afrika Revenge, adding the stamp of his established brand to help the youngsters climb to the top.
But for me the greatest monument to Tendai’s memory is the establishment of Sokhaya – the soccer tournament for women living with HIV. The tournament played a huge part in removing stigma from those living with HIV and opened the minds of some of the most marginalised women in the country to possibilities of what they could be.
I worked as a volunteer on the programme which was administrated by Chris Sambo on behalf of Prince Tendai. On the final day of the tournament which had been dogged by negative coverage Tendai opened up to me on why he was determined to see it through even though he was undergoing financial challenges at the time:
“Many people have been saying that I am using these women to make money, but you know the truth is I have spent over US$30 000 on this tournament and have not received a single cent from anyone.
“I lost my sisters to HIV. This tournament is in their memory and meant to bring hope to all living with HIV. I chose to sponsor women because I have experienced first hand how they suffer the most. They have to look after the ill and then hope that when they themselves succumb to the disease someone else will care enough to look after them.”
The idea was adopted by Medecins Sans Frontieres and they went on to produce a documentary in which sadly they took all the credit for the project and did not even mention the Prince whose vision and money had brought the whole thing to fruition.
I was indignant on his behalf but Tendai said to let it be. He had not done it for accolades but for the women and all that mattered was that others were reaching out to help them because of his initiative. That was the man he was.
Prince Tendai is gone but he is immortalised in his music and all the good deeds that will continue to outlive him.