Music lovers will tomorrow converge at Springs Park in Mzuzu to celebrate the life of departed hip-hop music favourite Martse.
This will be the third edition of the Martse Memorial Show since his tragic death in a fire accident on May 23 2022 in Mangochi. The memorial shows are organised by the Martse Foundation, a charity organisation formed in honour of the artist.
The show will feature performances from artists such as Lulu, Fredokiss, Malinga, Chizmo, Wikise, Veda, Blaze, Mzuzu Mafia, Fly p, Merlam, Christabel, Spaz, Lexina, Jamie Set, Troy Mob, Naya and S Khrizzy.
Speaking in an interview yesterday, Martse Foundation board member Noreen Chimaliro said the organising team has been working hard to ensure that everything comes together successfully.
“So far there has been progress in areas such as sponsorship engagement, artist coordination, venue planning, publicity and logistics. The support from the partners and well-wishers has also been encouraging,” she said.
Chimaliro said despite the strides made, there is still more work to be done to ensure that the event truly honours the legacy being celebrated and delivers a meaningful experience for everyone attending.
On Wednesday, Martse Foundation representatives made a courtesy call to the Minister of Sports, Youth and Culture Alfred Gangata where they briefed the minister about the upcoming event and the initiatives being carried out by the foundation.
“As minister responsible for youth affairs, his support and awareness for the initiative are important,” said Chimaliro.
The foundation uses the Martse Memorial shows to fund its initiatives which focus on education and youth empowerment. Through the Desk Initiative, inspired by Martse’s vision before his passing, the foundation has donated desks to schools in Mangochi, Lilongwe and Mzuzu.
“The initiatives have been positively received and are making a meaningful social impact. We are planning to do another show in Blantyre whose proceedings will go towards assisting schools in the Southern Region,” said Chimaliro.
In a separate interview, Lulu said what was inspiring about Martse was the passion he had for school despite his music talent.
“He was immensely talented. He would have done anything as an artist. But he never let his talent distract him from his academic pursuits. That is a lesson most of us artists must not overlook,” he said.
Martse was born Martin Nkhata and he rose to establish himself as one of the prominent hip-hop artists in Malawi.
