Lilongwe hip-hop fans remember Martse

On Saturday, Civo Stadium in Lilongwe turned into a sea of happy emotions and memories as fans of the late musician Martse gathered to pay their tributes to the fallen artist.

Dubbed Martse’s Memorial Show, the Martse Foundation team and the organisers of the event wanted to raise funds to buy school desks as part of an initiative which Martse started.

The event saw a big turnout. The lush green field, usually reserved for football, transformed into a lively hub of music and tribute, filled with patrons who came to honour the legacy of one of Malawi’s finest hip-hop artists.

Set to start at 10am, the show faced delays and only kicked off at 6pm.

Soon after kick-off, the event was spoiled by frequent power outages, leaving the stadium in darkness three times as the standby generator experienced technical issues.

This forced the host, Annie Matumbi, to rush the programme, resulting in each artist having a mere two minutes on stage.

The fans did not see this coming as many had hoped for extended sets from their favourite performers.

Despite the expectation of nearly 30 artists gracing the stage, only a select few performed, including Lulu, Dan Lu, Wikise, Nepman, Provoice, Skappa, Bee Jay and Ace Jeezy, Kellie Divine, Barry Uno and Mwanache.

The absence of other notable artists who appeared on the poster like Hyphen and Onesimus was felt by the crowd and one could tell from conversations that they were eager to see them perform.

During the event, which also had Mary Chilima, wife to Vice-President Saulos Chilima in attendance, tributes to Martse poured in with Lulu, reflecting on his friend and fellow musician saying: “Martse was one artist who liked to have a good time with others, that is why we are here today remembering him and just have a good time while honouring him.”

On his part, Wikise also added, saying: “He was more than just a musician; he was a friend and his legacy will live on through his music and the lives he touched and we hope to continue remembering him through this way.”

Fans, some of them wearing ‘Too Ghetto, Too Gutter’ merchandise Martse clothing brand, shared their personal connections to his music.

One fan, Thom Saudi from Kawale, said: “Martse’s music spoke to us on a personal level. He represented our struggles and our hopes.”

 Another fan, Christobel Mwale, said: “We came here to honour his memory and to celebrate the impact he had on all of us and the continued impact of the Martse Foundation which was started by him.”

 Born Martin Nkhata, Martse was a celebrated figure in Malawian hip-hop who rose to fame with hits like Go Deeper, Mwapindulanji, Mwano and Addidas.

His music often highlighted pressing social issues and his personal experiences, earning him a dedicated following.

Martse’s untimely death was a profound loss for the Malawian music industry. He succumbed to injuries following a fire accident in Mangochi. He died days after the accident on May 23 2022 at Queen Elizabeth Hospital in Blantyre.