Ghana’s rap heavyweight Sarkodie decides to give free advice on Hand to Mouth, a song produced by Fortune Dane, where Sark raps in Asanti twi, as he generally does. He’s advising the Ghanaian youth to make good use of the little money they get, instead of wasting it trying to mimmick a life of luxury.

Hook

M’anbɔ me ho mmɔden koraa no, abrabɔ no deɛ m’atwamu eighty

M’atotɔ nsaase asisi adan, joe m’abɔ bra, nti aka me twenty

Na, twenty no a aka no deɛ hand to mouth, hand to mouth

Twenty no a aka no deɛ hand to mouth, joe! hand to mouth

Sarkodie pokes at young men, ironically saying he’s 80 years old, and has achieved lots in life, so he just has to spend his money.

Verse 1

Tie! Yɛwo wo foforɔ a wo da mu hundred

W’anbɔ bra a w’atwa mu fourteen

Wo de jot ne nsaweɛ bɛka ho a na kyerɛ sɛ w’ate so baako ma n’aka wo thirteen

Wonni kaprɛ da wo ho, wonkɔpɛ wiemfoɔ baa, wo pɛ Matilda Hipsy.. yoo

Kofi Boakye, kakra ba wo ho a tɔ nsaase

Champagne four bottles secure cement bag ɔha, wo te club ɛpaape

Secure w’abrabɔ, cars akɛseɛ monngyae tɔ

ɔbaa, nfa w’ani nto wo kunu so oo, pɛ adwuma yɔ, asugya foɔ mpaebɔ

Wo nya sika a na w’ato foundation, w’atoa so ama n’akɔdu lintel

Wo gyae wo ho na cash no firi wo ho nsa a joe wo bɛyiyi nkrampan sɛ pencil

Kɔ pɛ bank papa bi yɛ investment, UT Bank adwuma sɔ ani

Na wo de ɔbra no yɛ boseabɔ, daa wohyia wɔwɔ a animguaseɛ nso bɛda adi

We have 100 years to live on earth, smoking reduces your age by 13 years,  four bottles of champagne can buy five bags of cement. My friend, if you get money try and save it on buying land, investing with UT BANK, stop riding in big cars, you can use those monies to build a house.

Verse 2

ɛnnɛ nɛɛmafoɔ pii nnim nyansa

Monya sika pɛ mo totɔ Range Rover

ɔbɛtotɔ nsaase asisi adan no, ɔbetu afiri fie akɔhyɛ Agboogba

Three bedrooms, kitchen and toilet

W’ato n’adwem mu na wɔagye no two years

Akɛsesɛm ne ayesɛm, mo mbɔ bra papa mo de mo last akɔtam school girls.. yoo

Ebi a wo twi taxi, ebi koraa wo de kube kɔ akyin

Na sɛ ten cedis koraa na ɛda so a mɛnkɔwe apiyo, joe na wo mma enyini

Wo mpenafoɔ yɛ funu a ɛda w’anim fourty

Mɛsan aka no bio, kakra ba wo ho a tɔ nsaase

Lecturer yɛ adwuma na aban betua, w’akatua no ɛnhyɛ nkoraa n’ayaase.. huh!!

Most youth are not sensible, they would rather go and buy a Range Rover, rent a house rather than build their own, they show off and spend money on young girls. Even if you make a profit of 10 Ghana cedis [Ghanaian currency], try and save it, don’t waste your money on parties, secure your future.

Lala Shishi – explain the song, in Ga.

Every week, we will shed some light on the meaning of current hits in and out of Ghana: many bangers have an underlying message or social commentary, carried out using sophisticated and ever evolving wordplay – an aspect that is vastly lost in translation. The music videos don’t always unlock the true meaning or intricacies of hit songs, and lyrics alone are not always enough to understand the numerous double entendre and wordplays, so… here we go!