Years later, and this song still cranks. I'd put it up there with Michael Jackson's "Off The Wall" as one of the greatest pop songs of all time. It has the same joyful and infectious feel of Jackson's best work.
Read more...got kinda a Wayne Wonder feel to it....
A very special thanks to Ari B. and Sis. S. Yasin who did most of the work on translating this song.
"JITOLEE" – Volunteer
Uchumi unashangaza / The economy is amazing/astonishing/ strange.
Wengine wanao wengine hawana / Some have it, some don’t
Wewe tajiri sikiliza mara moja / You rich man listen immediately
Usingekuwepo bila mama yako/ You wouldn’t exist without your mama
Nani aliamua awe mama yako / Who decided she should be your mama?
Hu ndiyo uamuzi wa dunia / Yeah that’s a decision the world made
Kwahiyo lazima uyaheshimu / Because of that you must respect it
Pamoja na akina mama wote / Together with all mothers
Chorus
Mikono juu / Hands up!
Jitolee na usaidie / volunteer and help somebody
Ombi kwa binadamu / Ask humanity (so that they)
Upendo usipotee / Don't lose love
PROF JAY
Heshima kwa baba heshima kwa mama / Respect to father, respect to mother
Heshimu kitu cha bure kila mtu anastaili / Respect is free, every person deserves it
Ila dunia sasa imejaa kitendawili / Yet the world now is filled with riddles/puzzles.
Unyama na ufedhuli sasa umeshika hatamu / Brutality and insolence have now taken over
Viliyo vya kinamama imekuwa kama salaam / The cries of the mothers have become like greetings
Jiulize ungekuwa nani kama asingekuwepo mzazi / Ask yourself who you would have been without someone to a parent (to you)
Ubinadaamu kazi, dunia inapata radhi / being humane/citizenship is demanding, the world is getting cursed.
Kila ninapopita matajiri hawana utu / Everywhere I pass rich people have no humanity
Roho za umasikini zimetawaliwa na kutu / Their impoverished souls are ruled by rust
Wanataka maisha bora wavivu wakuthubutu / They want a better life, lazy to attempt it
Waliyokatatama sasa wanashika mtutu / Those who have given up now reach for the barrel of a gun
Bajana ananiambia twenzetu ado ado / Bajana tells me to go/ move slowly .
Rusha mikono juu kama uko kamalikado / Throw your arms up ???[ANYONE KNOW PORTUGUESE?]
Espen obrigado / Thanks, Espen! (this is Mzungu Kichaa's "government" name)
CHORUS
Kuna watu tofauti katika dunia yetu / There are different people in our world
Mmoja anajaribu kusaidia jamii / One person tries to help the community
Wakati mwengine hajali kitu kuliko dola na senti / while another doesn’t care about anything more than cents and dollars.
Maendeleo hayana muelekeo / Progress doesn’t have direction
Kama tama inadumu kwenye kichwa chako / if greed remains in your head
Hautakuwa na umoja na dunia / then you won’t be in unison (unity) with the world
Binadamu baado wanalia / Human beings are still crying!
Umaskini unawabania / Poverty is limiting them
MWASITI
Kwanini hautaki kuwasaidia? / Why don't you want to help them?
Kwenye kaburi hautatumia / In the grave you wont be spending it.
Sababu ya kuletwa kwenye hii dunia / The reason you been brought into this world
Bado haitafanyikiwa / Still wont be reached.
Wewe ndiyo maskini / You are indeed the poor
Na hakuna mwengine /And there is no other.
The Kiswahili cyberworld is growing!
Now even bongo flava stars have their own blogs. Keep up with Lady Jaydee aka Binti Machozi via her blog.
Lady Jaydee, in case you are wondering is a really dope singer from Tanzania who sings in Kiswahili, Lingala, Zulu, Kinyarwanda, French and English. Don't believe me? Check out the video below!
You can find her bios at Museke and at Bab Kubwa
International Developer, Hip Hop Activist, and Social Entrepeneur Michael Henderson Reflects on Hip Hop in Oman
Dear Readers, a dispatch is a report We are very pleased and honored to have as a guest blogger Mr. Michael Henderson, a dynamic young social entrepreneur and a recent graduate of Howard University. Among other things, Mr. Henderson was the brains behind a series of conferences at Howard exploring China’s relationship with Africa. Recently he returned from a research trip to Oman and the United Arab Emirates. He has agreed to share with us his thoughts on the Omani hip hop movement, a subject that is near and dear to me. Please welcome him to the Azanian Sea.
My days in the Sultanate of Oman are triangular. In the morning I wake at 7:00am and an associate and driver take me to (OCIPED) the Omani Center for Investment Promotion and Export Development. My driver who lives a few doors down works in the export division. After work my day shifts from suits and loafers to jeans, shades, and t-shirts. As of spring 2006 I help to manage and consult the growing Omani hip-hop movement. I meet aspiring artist and dancers who wait patiently to hear my advice. Currently, I have a theme track under the auspices of music for Omanis’ made by Omanis’ (which is weird considering, I am American); my role is like the invisible hand.
So the song is about a young guy liking a girl and vice-versa, but the culture makes it rather difficult for the relationship to blossom outside of the internet. Thus, the relationship comes alive through technology i.e., face book, chat rooms, email, and text message. Side note: life does imitate art because we can’t seem to finish the song being that the Omani rapper and singer cannot leave her house to record without her brother. (who is on vacation) On the other hand, the other song is a collaboration of all the best rappers in Oman! We are the world: Arab style! I imagine this is a creative way for 1) to increase the fan base of all involved 2) Encourage the rappers to foster a working relationship and perhaps a structure like an independent record label will flow from this initial introduction.
The third piece of my day is spent relaxing, laughing, making noise, and chimpanzing around with my younger brother Fahad, cousins, and his friends he is about 20 years old or so. Most of his friends are mixed Arab and African, so they, like many Omani Swahilis, tend to be a bit more ‘cosmopolitan’ in their outlook. Sometimes they dance “Zaire” and speak Swahili, break-dance, listen to rap, talk about ladies, watch videos, smoke cigarettes, and play music till 4 or 5 in the morning! I would not trade this experience of all these Omani young people in the same hotel room for the world. It is my base, my ear to the streets, and my way to stay close to the heart beat of pop-culture in Oman. This is my diary of the Omani hip hop movement, from the inside.
Of the many b-boy crews in Oman, Serve and Knock (SNK) was the first, and is currently the most respected and well known. I produced a documentary on them a few years back and helped them to perform in the United States for the Arab Cultural Festival, at the Kennedy Center in 2008. Last night I attended the launching of a new cell phone company called Hala Foni which is one of three main mobile companies in the Oman. Hala Foni’s marketing strategy is toward a youth audience, thus the hip hop movement is a key marketing tool for them. The entertainment industry and marketing in Muscat, Oman is big business; more Omanis work in marketing or entertainment than in the U.S. per capita, although Hala Foni is itself a Lebanese company. SNK performed at Halal Foni’s launch and received a standing ovation.
The day before the show what is called a tech rehearsal. SNK was late because many of the dancers were young and did not have transportation so we carpooled. The assistant stage manager yelled, “Get on stage!” when SNK arrived. While they were warming up and stretching she tells them to perform, so, I told her diplomatically “hey these are professional dancers, they will need 5 minutes to warm-up as to not hurt themselves” she responded: “They are late!”
The event was under the guise of an Omani version of American idol, so the audience was filled with maybe 2000 screaming young Omani fans. My overall goal for attending was to foster a relationship with the cell phone company and to gain sponsorship for the Hip-Hop movement. As a direct result of Arab communications patterns and family like social structure, I was able to meet with the CEO of Hala Foni and several of her colleagues. It was a cool set-up, nice couches, sweets, drinks, a waiter, and tucked back stage. We sat and I informed them that 60% of the population in Oman is under the age of 25 and in a country of 2.8 million people with many years of purchasing power ahead of the any marketing strategy must involve youth, and that’s my network! Sponsorship can come in many forms: money, access to logos, introduction, and in this case access to specific resources that are mobile phone based.
Currently, my good friend and the leader of the SNK reportedly have a list/database of 2000+ names, emails, and cell phone numbers of past show attendees. We plan to send mass text messages to inform them of events and ultimately fill any venue with people at a moment’s notice. The underlying factor is the rapid ability to mobilize large groups of Omanis. This can all happen through instant text messages, being that most every person in country has a mobile phone. This is the next stage of the game of course. We will see.
At the moment there is not a leader, structure, or any real focus to the Hip-Hop music craze in Oman. The idea of an independent record label is a revolutionary idea here. It may be my calling at the moment—like Alain Locke blowing in the wind until he found or bumped into the Harlem Renaissance. Oman is in a renaissance! A renaissance of politics, art, culture, in every way since the ruler Sultan Qaboos took power in coup from his father in Salalah, Oman on 1970 at the age of 35.
The unique aspect in reference to the Hip-Hop movement is that it seems to evolve organically from one person’s passion, to small groups, then the underground and finally widespread/mainstream acceptance. The movement started with a vacation trip to Malaysia where an Omani martial artist was amazed at this thing called b-boying, and brought footage from b-boy performances back to Oman. In four years, b-boying has spread like wild fire along with other elements of hip hop culture. I personally met 20 rappers who produce and share their own beats, write songs daily about subjects like reaching one’s goals, their mothers, and tributes to Michael Jackson.
This movement is impressive because it is currently mostly organic and not corporate driven. The growing music scene here mirrors that of both Bongo Flava from Tanzania and Chopped & Screwed from the great state of Texas. In reference to Bongo Flava music, while doing research on Tanzania, I met a television personality who worked in the Embassy in Washington D.C. She explained the history of the movement and how many street kids would sit on wooden logs all day and smoke marijuana, just wasting their lives. So she convinced the television and radio stations to host talent contests. At the talent showcases, Mr. Nice and other musicians where discovered and became internationally acclaimed artists. Ironically, the artists only sing and or rap in Swahili, but sell out concert halls in the United Kingdom!
When I grew up, the most popular rappers either hailed from New York, (Wu-Tang Clan, Busta Rhymes, Notorious BIG, and NAS) or California (Snoop Dog, Tupac, Dr. Dre, Ice Cube) and being from Texas we did not have any Hip-Hop artist other than the Ghetto Boyz go nationwide. Many of our local artists worked in grocery stores and car washes, were high school or college students, or sold drugs. Many did not work. They would ride around the neighborhoods day and night playing their music loud, shaking hands, showing love, and free styling. These artists sold music out of their car trunks. They came with their own slang, car modifications, Styrofoam cups, and bald-fade haircuts. When out-of towners came we played our music. Now many famous rappers are nation/world wide (Chamillionare, Pow-Wow, Lil Flip, Slim Thug, and of course Pimp-C and Bun-B).
Oman has the same potential to develop its own unique regional cultural scene, rooted in the diverse cultures and languages of Oman’s past and present. Lastly, some artist to watch out for are “AKD” Alwayz Keep It Deep, “NBS” Natural Born Singer—Joey Jo, SG, and Dan Zak.
It was a long taxi ride from Dar es Salaam center to the Steers hamburger restaurant outside town, and we were already late. What seemed to be a disastrous start to an interview turned out to be the beginning of a very exciting journey through the lively Tanzanian hip-hop scene. I was curious to meet them, Tanzania's Top of the Hip-hops. As it turned out it was all very easy; the hip-hop community in Dar es Salaam is small and friendly. Different from what I expected, most artists do not have a manager or agent who deals with the media. From the first contact it was a very personal encounter. In just one week, photographer Lydia Martin and I went to see more then ten of the hottest artists and groups in the hip-hop scene, producers and promoters. I was amazed how ambitious and professional the artists are. It was my second time in East Africa, and not knowing much about Tanzania's music industry I had not expected to find hip-hop such a big business. Most of the artists have been working successfully in the music scene for more than five years, and Tanzanian hip-hop, better known as Bongo Flava, continues to grow in popularity. TV and radio programs are dedicated to Bong Flava, which is also reflected in the sales figures of some of hip-hop albums, eg. T.I.D's album Sauti ya Dhahabu sold over 200,000 copies in Tanzania alone.
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Ok, I'm an about-to-be-Georgetown alum and I finally had time to finish this project of translating one of Professor Jay's best songs from Swahili. Its a bit rough, but its all there. The words which I didn't know I left in the original Kiswahili. Thanks to Mwalimu Lusweti for the consultation.
Naamka asubuhi nipo chwiri tena mapema
Nautoa mkeka sakafuni kisha naukunja vyema
Nawaza nitakula nini mentali kisha naguna
Naanza kujikongoja kichwa chini mikono nyuma
Naelekea kilingeni nilikopaki mkokoteni
Nasaga na rumba kimshazali nyie acheni
Nawapa 'Hi' machizi wananipa peace tunafurahi
Tunapiga stori nyingi walah bila maslahi
Mara napata zali napeleka kago uswahili
Wananipa bukumbili dangaa chee nazisunda chini
Wakati natoka huku kijasho chembamba kikinitoka
Nikaona toto ya nguvu nikajikuta nimeropoka
"Dada habari samahani naomba niulize swali"
Akajibu "maskini koma tafadhali hii ngoma ya gari"
"Ehee unajua dada", "we vipi hebu nipishe"
"Dada mbona mkali", "wee kinyago kubali yaishe"
Nikasema Inshala sawa hiyo yote kwa sababu ya fukara
Nisije nikakubaka nitupwe selo nikawe kafara
Nikaachana nae sehemu za nyuma akizitingsha
Nilikula kwa macho hali yangu haikuridhisha
Nageuza mkokoteni nakuelekea maskani
Nikawapa stori machizi wakanicheka ikawa utani
Siku moja nililemaa maskani sikuwa na tenda
Na nilikuwa nikitafakari ni vipi siku itakwenda
Kumbe kuna gari ilikuja na kupaki karibu yangu
Sikuweza kuisikia labda sababu ya njaa yangu
Nilishtushwa ghafla na mlio mkali wa honi
Nilipatwa na mshtuko na hofu kubwa moyoni
Kuangalia pembeni ilikuwa imepaki Toyota Surf
Kulikuwa na sura ngeni ya malaika akaomba tafu
Nilisita kunyanyuka kwa sababu nilikuwa mchafu
Na alitoa elfu kumi na alikuwa akitaka dafu
Nilipokea hela alichotaka nilimletea akakipokea
Tabasamu zito akanitolea nilimpa chenji
"Ohh no keep chenji, una mawazo mengi itakufariji week end"
Alikunywa maji ya dafu alitupa na kunikonyeza
Niliganda kama nyamafu nikahisi alinibeza
Alinipa busu la huba shavuni akanichombeza
"I love You"
Akawasha gari akateleza
Chorus - Kiitikio
Zali la mentali limetokea wakati mimi n'njaa
Nikapendwa na demu mkali
Na kuwaacha watu wote wakinishangaa 'katika mitaaa'
Verse 2
Zilipita siku mbili nikiwaza kilichotokea
Nikawaza yule ni mtu au jini amenitokea
Potelea mbali uchawi hauendi kwa mentali
Narudi nanyonya napuliza mentali nakuwa shwari
Nabeba rumbesa nakatiza Samora Avenue
Mara kwa ghafla mbele yangu inapaki Toyota mark II
Ohh napata ghadhabu mara nyingi sipendi dharau
Naifuata gari kuanza kupaka mara nahema juu juuu "Aaa" ni yule mrembo"
"Maskini pole sana mzigo mbona mzito kweli utafika nao salama"
Natabasamu "Oh nimeshazoea mama na namshukuru Mwenyezi Mungu kwani hii ni kama karama"
Anakuwa mnyonge anakata kucha anantazama anaaza kulia anatoa leso anainama
"Namwambia bibie ni mara ya pili tunaonana
na sidhani kama ni mbaya iwapo tutafahamiana"
"Naitwa Vicki, nina miaka 22 ni mtoto wa kipekee kwenye familia ya kitajiri"
'Oh naitwa Jay ukiniita fukara haukosei
Na naishi kwa nguvu za macho siku zenyewe hazisogei
Alishuka toka garini na kusema
"Jay nakupenda"
Akaruka kwangu mdomoni nakuanza kupata denda
Nilichomoka kwake na kuanza kurudi nyuma
"Tafadhali mpenzi Jay jamani nionee huruma
Acha kubeba mizigo panda ndani kwenye mchuna
Twende Mbezi Beach kwangu upepo unapovuma"
Sikiliza Vick napenda tuwe marafiki
Lakini hadhi yako hutakiwi kuwa na mtu wa dhiki
Hata wazazi wako naaamini hawataafiki
Tajiri na tajiri maskini thithaminiki
Tafuta kibopa mwenzio ili usishushe hadhi yako
Mimi sistahili hata kuwa kijakazi wako
"Tafadhali Jay usitamke maneno hayo
Naomba unielewe haya machache niyasemayo
Hadi huu wakati mimi nimekupenda kwa dhati
Ukikubali niwe wako nitajiita mwenye bahati"
Nimeelewa Vicki naomba niwahishe mzigo
Tajiri ni mkorofi anan'subiri migomigo
Na kila nikichelewa mwenzako napata kipigo
Nasaga na rumba jua na mvua kwa mpigo
Tuliongea mengi akanipa hela za matumizi
Sikuwahi hata kuziona nilikuwa kama chizi
Niliacha kubeba mizigo penzi letu likaota mizizi
Watu wa uswahili wakasema natumia kizizi
Baada ya miezi mitano Vick alipata ujauzito
Tulifurahi sana mambo yakawa mpwito-mpwito
Swala la kwenda kwa wazazi wake halikuwa zito
Walifurahi sana kuniona tukafanya tambiko
Walisema Jay maisha ya Vick yapo chini yako
Tumefurahi mmpendana kumlea ni jukumu lako
Ilipangwa mikakati kamambe ya kufunga ndoa
Watu hawakuamini kama mimi vipi nitamuoa
Ilifika siku ya siku mentali Jay ndani ya jumba
Na Vick ndani ya shela hakuna uchawi wala ndumba
Tulishikana mikono ni nderemo na vifijo
Tukafunga pingu za maisha kanisani bila ya fujo
Furaha isiyo kifani lilifanyika bonge la party
Watoto wa uswahili walibeba wali kwenye mashati (du)
Zawadi zilizagaa zilikuwa nyingi tena kemkem
Baba mkwe alitupa benzi, kiwanda nyumba na bm
Acha zawadi nyingi kutoka kila sehemu
Nilikumbuka nikacheka nilivyoteswa na wale mademu
Mambo swadakta nipo na Vick ndio my wife
Kidume nang'aa wanajigonga shenzi tipe (shenzi tipe)
Nilipokuwa arosto mlinikwepa kama ukoma
Mambo juu ya mstari kunisalimu mnaona noma
Sasa hivi napeta nabadili gari full kipupwe
Mlio nicheka wanataka ardhi ipasuke
Naelekea kilingeni kuwapa dili machizi wangu
Tena mara kwa mara siwezi kuwacha asili yangu
Vick ni Jay, Jay ni Vick mustarehe kutoka ndani ya dhiki
Sasa kila siku sherehe ahaaaa!
AND NOW THE TRANSLATION:
I woke up early in the morning weary again,
I took the mat from the floor and I folded it neatly.
I’m dreaming of what I’ll eat (my mentality is food) and then I grumble
I began to stagger, head and hands down
Facing the bar, where I parked my handcart
I grind the dance (rumba) out of wack/you all stop.
I say hi to my friends they say ‘peace’ we are happy.
We tell a lot of stories, trading them freely.
Once I get good luck, I am taking one of those Swahili charms.
My peoples give me 2000 shillings
While doing this I’m sweating so much I’m losing weight
I saw this big girl and found myself talking without thinking
“Hey girl, excuse me, I’d like to ask you a question.”
She answered ‘poor man’, please stop this ‘ngoma ya gari’ (worthless talk)
“Hey, you know sis!” “Well, YOU, I need to pass!”
“Sis, why are you being so harsh?”
“You are a clown, and I agree you will always be one.”
I said, “Inshallah, ok, that’s all cuz I’m a beggar. Lest I rape you and be thrown in jail where I may become a sacrifice!
I left her, watching her backside bounce and shake
I feasted with my eyes, but the feeling didn’t return
I turned the cart over and pointed it towards home
I told my mates the story and they laughed like it was a joke.
One day, I was paralyzed at home, not doing anything and I was thinking of how my day would go.
Well then a car comes up to park near my place
I wasn’t able to hear it, maybe cuz of my hunger
I was suddenly surprised by the loud blast of its horn.
I was shocked, and fear came over my heart to look to the corner post; there was parked a Toyota Surf
There was a strange picture of an angel she begged me to spread (?)
I hesitated to get up because I was so dirty; she gave me 10,000 shillings and wanted an unripe coconut to drink
I took the money and gave her what she wanted, she smiled mysteriously as I passed it to her.
She removed the change I gave her: “Oh no, keep change. You’ve got lots of dreams to make your weekend happy!” She drank the coconut water and gave me a wink;
I was petrified with silence, thinking she was making fun of me.
Then she gave me a loving kiss, with her arms enticing me, “I love you.”
She started the car and slipped away.
V 2
2 days passed with me thinking about what happened
I pondered, trying to decide whether that girl was a person or a djinn
I got lost in different charms, it wasn’t coming from my mentality?
I returned, nursed, and blew into my mentality; I was peaceful.
I carried and shortcutted across Samora Avenue, when all of a sudden in front of me parked a Toyota Mark II.
I have dignity, and I don’t like to insulted; I followed the car as it began to park. I was out of breath and very excited: aha, its that DIME!
“Maskini, sorry that load is so heavy, I hope you arrive with it safely.”
She smiled, “I have already told my mother and thanked God for an honor like this.”
She was humble, she wanted to watch me all night; she began to cry, folding her leso.
“I am telling Bibi, this is the second time we have met, and I don’t think its wrong if we get to know each other. I am Vicky, 22 years old, from a rich family.”
“And I’m Jay, if you called me a beggar you wouldn’t be wrong. I live by the power of my eyes and sometimes the days themselves go by so slowly.”
She got out from her car and said “Jay, I love you”, jumping into my arms, teeth began to get French kissed.
I was freeing myself from her grip and began to return back.
“Please Jay, lets go, I should be decent. Stop carrying loads and climbing in cars.
Lets go to Mbezi Beach (my place) when the wind is rough.”
“Listen Vicky, I’d love for us to be friends but your honor will be spoiled by me, an cursed (or unfortunate) person.
Your parents, especially, I believe they won't agree.
The rich and rich wannabes don’t respect each other.
Look for a person who is rich like you so that you don’t lower your status.
I am not even worthy to be your slave.”
“Please Jay, don’t tell me this, I beg you understand me, there is no shame in what I say. The feeling of loving you it is indescribable and genuine, if you agree that I should be yours I will call myself lucky.”
“I understand Vicky, and beg that I may deliver the package on time. The rich are cruel and he is waiting in Magomeni. We talked a lot, she gave me cash to carry, I was not on time to feel like I was one of the boys. I stopped carrying loads, our love gave me roots, The Swahili said, I use kizizi.
V 3
After 5 months, Vicky got pregnant, we very happy, the news was pandemonium.
The question of going to her parents wasn’t an issue;
They were very happy to see me and they made offerings for my health and safety.
They said “Jay, Vicky’s life is in your care. We were very happy that you all love each other, and to care for her is your responsibility.
Plans commenced quickly and intensively to set a wedding date.
People didn’t believe me that I would marry Vicky.
The day arrived, the day I had been dreaming of; I was inside the mansion and Vicky inside her wedding veil.
There was no witchcraft nor ndumba. We held hands to joyful shouts of applause, opening the pingu of life in the church with no disruption.
Happinness which has no equal, our wedding party was gigantic.
The kids carried rice in their shirt, gifts glittered and were plentiful.
The father of the bride gave us a Benz, a house with a yard, and a BMW, leaving many gifts from every place. I laughingly remembered how I was tortured by my old working clothes. Things are cool, and Vicky is my wife.
My glittering manliness collided with some ‘shenzi. (??)
I was broke, She used to avoid me like leprosy, now my conditions are the top like a ruler, greeting me, she saw my status.
Now I bend and turn the car cool season. They laughed at me before and now they want the earth to split (and swallow her up).
I am headed to a mystery place to give my people a deal!
And from time to time I cant abandon my origins.
Vicky and Jay, Jay and Vicky celebrate coming from misfortune.
Now every day celebrate!
What's the offense of the poor?
All my people
East Africa
Tanzania, Uganda and Kenya
Dar es Salaam, A town
Wherever you are
Kneel and pray to God
Is this politics, religion, tyranny, slavery, judgement day, Sodom and Gomorrah?
Hold on strong, take a look around each corner
Left, right, front, back, make sure you look everywhere
And if you persist, just listen and be patient, so that you won’t regret later on
This goes out to my people
The cripple, blind, albinos and the insane
Street children, beggars, the poor and those who are mentally sane
This is a thick rope
You should know that we are pulling it against those in power
Fat bellies and cheeks
It’s no longer a fair game
The referee is biased
The field itself is dry
Work is hard to find, payment is little
What’s left is to play the hard way
We’re tired of the upper class, capitalism and dictatorship
This is the time
This is the redemption
And I order that those who are down must get that wine
I tighten the strap of your opponents
I pour poison over them
So that they will scratch themselves without shame
First of all, a salute to those who passed away before us
Second, let’s pray to God
Our father, please give us our daily bread
Fill us with strength
So that we can succeed in the game
When we pass away, the day of judgement
Give us the chance to regret
Because we know that we act evil
We eat forbidden fruits
We use every possible method
Juju or crime...
So that we can get food & clothing
But that shouldn’t be a reason for other people to be robbed of their rights
To prevent us from fulfilling our destiny
To call us infidels and insult us
Because what’s the offense?
Chorus:
What’s the offense of the poor
What’s wrong, what is right
Everyone just wants his destiny
Riddle: stir up the match
You can’t look into the future
Why? Ask the question, if we would all be intellectuals and rich
Who would do the dirty and dangerous work like working in the mortuary
Everyone here in town came for a ‘business’
Everything and everywhere
And even a human skin is for sale
Others are fake witches and wizards
Conmen, illegal travellers
While others are gentle-mannered like the Born-again Christians
In the afternoon offices are buzzing
While the night is hard, prostitutes,
Sugar daddies, criminals, and other things to be covered up
There are those who died when fighting for their lives
Their memories have remained in the graveyard
And there’s those who lost the hope that they will ever win
You’d think they have taken their souls out of mortgage
When they stop you in the road
You have to give them your last remaining salary for this month
(Chorus)
Really, in Tanzania it’s a matter of finding your way
You will regret when you find out that you don’t even have a pair of shorts
Your decision, just hold it like a goalkeeper
And those who you’d depend on until the end will let you drown
You’re not educated, don’t have any special talent
But strength, tongue, economy you have it, you sit on it
Remember
To gain and to loose, it’s all normal
Sometimes you sleep and dream and eat
You drink, you French kiss
And make love to a lovely girl
To your surprise you find that the place is empty
There’s nothing
X Plastaz
In recent years the X Plastaz have become known for being the first hiphop crew to use Maasai music and culture in their performance. Maasai singer Yamat (also known as Merege) is now a full member of the group who has joined on tour and in the recording studio.
X Plastaz grew up up in Arusha, a city in the heart of Maasai land surrounded by steppe, savannah and other climates, most famous for its wild reserves like the Ngorongoro crater. There are many different peoples living in Arusha, and some of them have chosen to preserve their traditional cultures. The Maasai, nomadic cattle herders, live in scattered settlements around the plains surrounding Arusha, while their territory reaches deep into Kenya and south towards Dodoma.
The rappers (themselves of Haya and Pare origin) had been familiar with Maasai culture, but in 1997 when they were invited to stay in a Maasai boma (kraal or settlement) 60 kilometers south of Arusha, they first experienced the uniqueness of the Maasai ways of life. It was in this boma that they noticed the similarities between rap and traditional Tanzanian music, and they decided to look for a way to merge the two.
Yamat & Lesikar
Now that their eyes were opened to the incorporation of local music, X Plastaz teamed up with Lesikar and Yamat (artist name: Merege), two brothers who had enrolled in the Aang Serian cultural conservation project (also see the links page). Lesikar and Yamat are from a small Maasai village to the west of Arusha, quite isolated from the bustling city life. Both grew up in the traditional nomadic way lof life. Yamat is the champion singer of his age group, knowledgeable of all aspects of Maasai singing.
After some practice sessions in which X Plastaz and Yamat tuned in to each other's musical experience, Gsann and Yamat started performing together on a number of occasions around Arusha and Moshi. By January 2001 they had composed two songs which for the first time in history linked up hiphop and Maasai vocal music. Yamat sings exclusively in Maa, a language which sounds quite different from the Swahili and Haya that X Plastaz use.
Lakini kwa nini huyu amevalia nguo kama danguro? I guess thats a marketing trick. It worked on me, I can't even front.
I can't get enough of TZ music. You really need to hear Dar mpaka Moro in the club! Here are some of the best songs from TZ giants like Professor Jay, TMK Wanaume, Dully Sykes, Lady Jay Dee, TID, and Kassim. The last video is a must see for any hiphop heads...hiphop didn't die, it just went on permanent vacation to the continent. Much respect to these artists and others representing Tanzanian music.
Dar Mpaka Moro TMK Wanaume
Zeze TID
Haiwezekani Kassim
Dhababu Dully Sykes
Hapo Vipi? Hapo Sawa Professor Jay
Usiusemee Moyo Lady Jay Dee
Anita Matonya ft. Lady Jay Dee
Nikusaidiaje? Professor Jay
And finally, Professor Jay rips it in Swahili..this track is bananas. He's telling a real story and his cadence is...remarkable. He's definitely taking it to another level artistically.
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