I know that my focus in rap, but today I think it is time to change it up a bit and get into different genres (because I know you guys listen to other genres as well). Today’s song comes from Wizkid, who is one of the biggest (if not) musicians on the African continent. Wizkid is a musician from Nigeria who emphasizes in Afrobeat (R.I.P Fela Kuti) while blending a mix of his native tongue – Yoruba (which is spoken in my home).
“Jaiye Jaiye” (“Jai-yea”) is the introductory track to his sophomore album Ayo (“eye-yoh”) (which means joy in Yoruba).
Lyrics and Literal Interpretation:
(Intro)Arararara –
Ororororo
Yah
As you can see (oh yes) —
You are all very welcome (very very welcome) ——
VERSE
Mo fe kole fun mama mi —- I want to build a house for my mum
Mo fe rale fun baba mi —— I want to buy a house for my dad
Aiye ni miami – life in miami
Maserati fun iyawo mi —- maserati for my wife
Ferrari for soshi – Ferrari for soschi
Ferragamo Bugatti –
Owo lo dun to yii — money so sweet like this
Mo fe lowo bi Adenuga – I want to be rich like Adenuga
Mo fe fe Esosa – I want to marry Esosa
Ngozi penperenpe —
All of them for me —-
Ati Tee baby now — and Tee baby now
You cannot believe what I have seen with my eyes —-
Say my people it is a beautiful story (na na na) —-
See I fought through defeat now I am living a better life
And I’m thankful for the life that I am living (nuh nuh)
CHORUS
Wizzy baby loke loke
Seb’Oluwa lo se o —- Its God’s blessing
Owo n wole wa —- money keeps coming in
Seb’Oluwa lo se o ah —- Its God’s blessing
Lagos today and London tomorrow
Oluwa lo se o —- Its God’s blessing
Omo jaiye jaiye —– a child of success and joy
Seb’Oluwa lo se oh ah —Its God’s blessing
Wizzy baby loke loke —- Wizzy baby is moving up
Seb’Oluwa lo se o — Its God’s blessing
Owo n wole wa — money keeps coming in
Seb’Oluwa lo se o ah – Its God’s blessing
Lagos today and London tomorrow
Oluwa lo se o – Its God’s blessing
Omo jaiye jaiye — socialising guy
Seb’Oluwa lo se oh ah —Its God’s blessing
VERSE
I’m balling I’m balling..
I’m balling for two
Let nobody do me bad or intrude
I’m balling I’m balling..
I’m balling for two
Let nobody do me bad or intrude
Wizzy bad musician
Sarz bad producer
Ahhh you already know
We run every show
Owo n la wole (amen) – money kepps coming in
A kole mole (amen) —- we keep building more houses
Maserati Ferrari (amen)
Ferragamo Bugatti (amen)
Owo nla wole (amen) — they keeps coming in
A kole mole (amen) – we keep building more houses
Maserati Ferrari (amen)
Ferragamo Bugatti (amen)
(CHORUS)
VERSE
Yaga
If you call am woman
African woman no go gree (she go say i be lady o)
If you call am woman
African woman no go gree (she go say i be lady o)
She go say I be lady
Seb’Oluwa lo se o – its God’s blessing
She go say I be lady
Seb’Oluwa lo se o ah – its God’s blessing
She go say I no be woman
Oluwa lo se o
She go say I be lady
Seb’Oluwa lo se o ah
She go say I be lady
Seb’Oluwa lo se o
She go say I be lady
Seb’Oluwa lo se o ah
She go say I no be woman
Seb’Oluwa lo se o
She go say I be lady
Seb’Oluwa lo se o ah
I loved the Afro influence in the song and the message he was conveying. It is so exciting that you speak this tongue at home! I really enjoyed this song and thanks for sharing his story of going from rags to riches. That is awesome.
I really loved this video. At first I watched without sound and I just think the choreography was beautiful. Connecting it to the ‘rags to riches’ message and I think it makes the video so much more unique. It is so fascinating to watch and listen to the sounds of other cultures.
I am not vary familiar with Afrobeat and Afrobeat influences so I am especially glad to hear about this artist and this song. The lyrics certainly concern a relatively common motif in rap and other music genres. However his story and influences certainly give a unique take on the theme and the song is very unique. I really like his use of lyrics that are both english and some that are not english. I would have never come upon this music on my own, so I really appreciate you writing about it this week. I would love to hear about any other subgeneras you think are unique and have influenced your own work.