Lala Shishi : Shatta Wale – Ayoo

Lala Shishi : Shatta Wale – Ayoo

AYOO is a sarcastic song composed by talented and controversial dancehall artist Shatta wale.
Once again he uses his lyrics to express his displease and happenings in the Ghana music industry and media, he used three languages Ga, Ewe and Pidgin to convey his message which is very rear and can only be done by someone with great talent like Shatta wale.

INTRO
Possigee
Nan3 gborna
Nan3 gborna Ghana
Nyade dzordzorm hei
He starts by mentioning the producer’s name Possigee as if he’s having a conversation with him
Something is coming
Something is coming to Ghana
Its already happening.
VERSE 1
Dem dey waste dem’ah time
When you talk about me ago shine
Ma paddy no be only me weh you dey try
Ona ak3shi Shatta Wale be some different guy
Possi Gee make i tell’em mi life
Weh we dey live for street no be lies
Even your woman seh she love my style
Its about time you for dey stop dis guy guy guy guy ma guy
He starts by expressing his grievances towards a group of people, by telling
Them they should stop wasting their time talking about him because its wont stop is shine.
He also talks about a person who tried to bring someone “ a musician” down but that person couldn’t try that on him because his different and had also been a street boy before.
Its about time the suppose person should stop been guy guy (a term used in Ghana if someone is showing off)
CHORUS
Ayoo
Ayigbe nyo ba k3, k3 sane ba moko moko n33 wie
Ayoo
Obia suro nobody go fit talk we dey kill our future
Ayoo o o
Ayigbe nyo ba k3, k3 sane ba moko moko n33 wie
Ayoo
Dem never talk seh Shatta bi good always abi bad
Ayoo
Ayoo in ewe(a language spoken by people from the Volta region in Ghana) means its Okay
Musicians are afraid to talk and some people in the music industry and media a killing their talents and future.
He will just be like an ewe person by saying Ayo
VERSE 2
I for win award for just being me
No be today weh we start dis thing
Dem dey die when i seh abi de dancehall king
But i know seh dem dey like my thing hei hei
Make i repeat am again
Nobody can stop me
Ma mind adey use high time key
Inna your blood face weh mi just save, nobody can never tie me
Onerr o’usu juju
Try mor ya bi tutu y3 east legon m’enkyi oh vudoo
Onerr o’usu juju
Am3 fee bibioo tumor akutu
K3’nwie b3 am3 nfutu Mawu
Mer da kpe na Mawu
Mer da kpe na Mawu
Wale
Mer da kpe na Mawu
Mer da kpe na Mawu
Agbavitor
He deserves an award for been real and he has been consistence.
Haters die when he says he’s the dancehall king but they like what he’s doing
Nobody can stop him with juju or voodoo.
Those haters are like oranges.
If he talks the media changes what he says Oh God
He thank God

CHORUS
Ayoo
Ayigbe no ba k3, k3 sane ba moko moko n33 wie
Ayoo
Obia suro nobody go fit talk we dey kill our future
Ayoo o o
Ayigbe no ba k3, k3 sane ba moko moko n33 wie
Ayoo
Dem never talk seh Shatta bi good always abi bad
Ayoo
The media never speaks or say good things about him.
He’s always tagged as been bad
Its okay

VERSE 1
Dem dey waste dem’ah time
When you talk about me ago shine
Ma paddy no be only me weh you dey try
Ona ak3shi Shatta Wale be some different guy
Possi Gee make i tell’em mi life
Weh we dey live for street no be lies
Even your woman seh she love my style
Its about time you for dey stop dis guy guy guy guy ma guy
CHORUS
Ayoo
Ayigbe nyo ba k3, k3 sane ba moko moko n33 wie
Ayoo
Obia suro nobody go fit talk we dey kill our future
Ayoo o o
Ayigbe nyo ba k3, k3 sane ba moko moko n33 wie
Ayoo
Dem never talk seh Shatta bi good always abi bad
Ayoo

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!

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  Music on the Road was shot by Daniel Kwabena Marmo of The 3 Suns.  According to Solid K, " The video tries to capture how I feel about music, it depicts how hard it is to explain with words. It shows what a surreal feeling it brings to me.  As can be seen, I walk...

Lala Shishi : Shatta Wale – Ayoo

AYOO is a sarcastic song composed by talented and controversial dancehall artist Shatta wale.
Once again he uses his lyrics to express his displease and happenings in the Ghana music industry and media, he used three languages Ga, Ewe and Pidgin to convey his message which is very rear and can only be done by someone with great talent like Shatta wale.

INTRO
Possigee
Nan3 gborna
Nan3 gborna Ghana
Nyade dzordzorm hei
He starts by mentioning the producer’s name Possigee as if he’s having a conversation with him
Something is coming
Something is coming to Ghana
Its already happening.
VERSE 1
Dem dey waste dem’ah time
When you talk about me ago shine
Ma paddy no be only me weh you dey try
Ona ak3shi Shatta Wale be some different guy
Possi Gee make i tell’em mi life
Weh we dey live for street no be lies
Even your woman seh she love my style
Its about time you for dey stop dis guy guy guy guy ma guy
He starts by expressing his grievances towards a group of people, by telling
Them they should stop wasting their time talking about him because its wont stop is shine.
He also talks about a person who tried to bring someone “ a musician” down but that person couldn’t try that on him because his different and had also been a street boy before.
Its about time the suppose person should stop been guy guy (a term used in Ghana if someone is showing off)
CHORUS
Ayoo
Ayigbe nyo ba k3, k3 sane ba moko moko n33 wie
Ayoo
Obia suro nobody go fit talk we dey kill our future
Ayoo o o
Ayigbe nyo ba k3, k3 sane ba moko moko n33 wie
Ayoo
Dem never talk seh Shatta bi good always abi bad
Ayoo
Ayoo in ewe(a language spoken by people from the Volta region in Ghana) means its Okay
Musicians are afraid to talk and some people in the music industry and media a killing their talents and future.
He will just be like an ewe person by saying Ayo
VERSE 2
I for win award for just being me
No be today weh we start dis thing
Dem dey die when i seh abi de dancehall king
But i know seh dem dey like my thing hei hei
Make i repeat am again
Nobody can stop me
Ma mind adey use high time key
Inna your blood face weh mi just save, nobody can never tie me
Onerr o’usu juju
Try mor ya bi tutu y3 east legon m’enkyi oh vudoo
Onerr o’usu juju
Am3 fee bibioo tumor akutu
K3’nwie b3 am3 nfutu Mawu
Mer da kpe na Mawu
Mer da kpe na Mawu
Wale
Mer da kpe na Mawu
Mer da kpe na Mawu
Agbavitor
He deserves an award for been real and he has been consistence.
Haters die when he says he’s the dancehall king but they like what he’s doing
Nobody can stop him with juju or voodoo.
Those haters are like oranges.
If he talks the media changes what he says Oh God
He thank God

CHORUS
Ayoo
Ayigbe no ba k3, k3 sane ba moko moko n33 wie
Ayoo
Obia suro nobody go fit talk we dey kill our future
Ayoo o o
Ayigbe no ba k3, k3 sane ba moko moko n33 wie
Ayoo
Dem never talk seh Shatta bi good always abi bad
Ayoo
The media never speaks or say good things about him.
He’s always tagged as been bad
Its okay

VERSE 1
Dem dey waste dem’ah time
When you talk about me ago shine
Ma paddy no be only me weh you dey try
Ona ak3shi Shatta Wale be some different guy
Possi Gee make i tell’em mi life
Weh we dey live for street no be lies
Even your woman seh she love my style
Its about time you for dey stop dis guy guy guy guy ma guy
CHORUS
Ayoo
Ayigbe nyo ba k3, k3 sane ba moko moko n33 wie
Ayoo
Obia suro nobody go fit talk we dey kill our future
Ayoo o o
Ayigbe nyo ba k3, k3 sane ba moko moko n33 wie
Ayoo
Dem never talk seh Shatta bi good always abi bad
Ayoo

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!

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Music Video: Solid K – Music on the Road

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  Music on the Road was shot by Daniel Kwabena Marmo of The 3 Suns.  According to Solid K, " The video tries to capture how I feel about music, it depicts how hard it is to explain with words. It shows what a surreal feeling it brings to me.  As can be seen, I walk...

Lala Shishi : Sarkodie – Glory

Lala Shishi : Sarkodie – Glory

Yeah!! Me kai s3 ber3 a mese me ndamfofc s3 mede Ghana b3kc baabi Mekae
Madamfo bia y3fr3 no Kwame Boadi Ns3m a mekaa3 no 3mu fa k3se3 Kwame woangye manndi Wose me fa kc gye me din Kwame ny3 ni Just believe and dont you ever give up Wo daya soo no so sene mountain Luther koraaa De3 wohiaaa ne s3 brother man for speed up bribi na woofa mua mma no nha wo kraa

Sarkodie talks about his past when he told his friends, especially Kwame Boadi that he will take his music international and make the Ghana name to be recognized. He’s actually reminding his friend Kwame who doubted him.

God is in control Don’t you let your fears pull you down

He’s motivating everyone not to give up but keep working hard and shouldn’t be little our dreams even if they are bigger than that of Martin Luther king.

Yung L (chorus)
Shebi you be same guy wey them dey hate when i wanna share my story Shebi abi same guy wey dem underate now dem want follow me Jhonny oo Shebi abi same guy wey dem dey bold and now them get up on me ooo But eno ma doings o asee giv the God glory oo.

Same people who hate when you want to share story, same people who hate you would love to follow You. Everything he’s achieve is not his doing but Glory be to God

Sarkodie
Wait on God he will wipe away your sorrows, don’t ask of money ask of favor from God.
Haters think he’s done with music but he will still be king sark forever.

 

Lala Shishi – explain the song, in Ga.

Every week, we shed 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!

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Lyrics Video: Jeune Lio – My Love feat. Magasco

Lyrics Video: Jeune Lio – My Love feat. Magasco

Follow up to Abidjan-based Cameroonian DJ and creative director Jeune Lio, here's the lyrics video to his debut single My Love featuring Magasco. Video animation was done  by Ozaki & Tiemo.       RELATED  Follow up to Abidjan-based Cameroonian DJ and...

Music Video: Solid K – Music on the Road

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  Music on the Road was shot by Daniel Kwabena Marmo of The 3 Suns.  According to Solid K, " The video tries to capture how I feel about music, it depicts how hard it is to explain with words. It shows what a surreal feeling it brings to me.  As can be seen, I walk...

Lala Shishi : Sarkodie – Glory

Yeah!! Me kai s3 ber3 a mese me ndamfofc s3 mede Ghana b3kc baabi Mekae
Madamfo bia y3fr3 no Kwame Boadi Ns3m a mekaa3 no 3mu fa k3se3 Kwame woangye manndi Wose me fa kc gye me din Kwame ny3 ni Just believe and dont you ever give up Wo daya soo no so sene mountain Luther koraaa De3 wohiaaa ne s3 brother man for speed up bribi na woofa mua mma no nha wo kraa

Sarkodie talks about his past when he told his friends, especially Kwame Boadi that he will take his music international and make the Ghana name to be recognized. He’s actually reminding his friend Kwame who doubted him.

God is in control Don’t you let your fears pull you down

He’s motivating everyone not to give up but keep working hard and shouldn’t be little our dreams even if they are bigger than that of Martin Luther king.

Yung L (chorus)
Shebi you be same guy wey them dey hate when i wanna share my story Shebi abi same guy wey dem underate now dem want follow me Jhonny oo Shebi abi same guy wey dem dey bold and now them get up on me ooo But eno ma doings o asee giv the God glory oo.

Same people who hate when you want to share story, same people who hate you would love to follow You. Everything he’s achieve is not his doing but Glory be to God

Sarkodie
Wait on God he will wipe away your sorrows, don’t ask of money ask of favor from God.
Haters think he’s done with music but he will still be king sark forever.

 

Lala Shishi – explain the song, in Ga.

Every week, we shed 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!

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Lyrics Video: Jeune Lio – My Love feat. Magasco

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Music Video: Solid K – Music on the Road

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  Music on the Road was shot by Daniel Kwabena Marmo of The 3 Suns.  According to Solid K, " The video tries to capture how I feel about music, it depicts how hard it is to explain with words. It shows what a surreal feeling it brings to me.  As can be seen, I walk...

Lala Shishi : Tekno – Rara

Lala Shishi : Tekno – Rara

Rara Means No.

[Verse 1]
My Country people
Them dey talku talku
Them just dey perambulate
So so story, story every year oh ah
Nepa no bring light oh ah (x2)
Generator wan tear my ear (x2) oh oh oh
Plenty greedy men (x2) for there oh
Take project oh, forget na the matter

Tekno is talking about his country people (Nigerians), how they like talking and complaining about things but do nothing to change it. He also makes reference to how they walk about aimlessly and don’t like working (perambulate) . When people ask them why are they not working they complain about electricity . Nepa no bring light oh ah . NEPA -National Electric Power Authority – is the electricity provider in Nigeria. The entire line highlights the persistent power outages Nigerians face, which affect the economic life of people. Generator wan tear my ear – Due to power issues the use of generators is very common in Nigeria . Here he says the generators make noise and are tearing his ears. Plenty greedy men – Talking about politicians who are greedy and corrupt.

[Hook]
Forget about the big things oh
Say make we talk about the small things oh
Eh Aye aye oh, aye o pe meji oh
Forget about the big things oh
Say make we talk about the small things oh
Eh Aye aye oh, aye o pe meji oh

” People should forget about the big things and focus on the small things which is very important.”

[Chorus]
Rara oh, Rara oh yeah
Agbada, jangbaja, gbangban molagbada
Rara oh, Rara oh yeah
Agbada, jangbaja, gbangban molagbada

These ones lack meaning. Agbada is a type of dress worn in Nigeria.

[Verse 2]
Oluwa wey dey bless me “amen”
Shey e go bless you too “amen”
Bless your papa oh “amen”
Bless your mama oh “amen”
Oluwa wey dey bless me “amen”
Shey e go bless you too “amen”
Bless your papa oh “amen”
Bless your mama oh “amen”

Highlights his religious side by saying “Oluwa”, which means God, who blesses him, will bless you too and your family.. Amen..

See me I see you
Gbadura fun mi eh
Loke loke oh, baba adeleke oh
International something
Its a big situation
Them pack our money oh
Take to other nation
Invest for your country oh, make it a better place
Spend money for your country oh, make it a better place

Here he says ” Pray For Me” Gbadura fun mi eh. He also talks about how multinational companies exploit Nigeria to make money and take it back to their countries without investing in Nigeria. He also advices Nigerians to spend the money they make in the country.

[Hook]
Forget about the big things oh
Say make we talk about the small things oh
Eh Aye aye oh, aye o pe meji oh
Forget about the big things oh
Say make we talk about the small things oh
Eh Aye aye oh, aye o pe meji oh

[Chorus]
Rara oh, Rara oh yeah
Agbada, jangbaja, gbangban molagbada
Rara oh, Rara oh yeah
Agbada, jangbaja, gbangban molagbada

[Verse 3]
I go obodo oyibo, I go dey hurry to come back oh
And when I come back oh, I go dey hurry to go back oh
I no get charge oh, my phone don die
No fuel for generator oh, everyday situation
Pem pem pem pem pem pem pem pem pem
Pem pem pem pem pem pem pem pem pem
oh no no no no no no no no
oh no no no no no no no no
My Country people
Them dey talku talku
Perambulation
Story story oh, story everyday

Many people leave the country. While others nurse the desire to, those who come back do not spend much time at home. “I go obodo oyibo, I go dey hurry to come back oh. And when I come back oh, I go dey hurry to go back oh. I no get charge oh, my phone don die. No fuel for generator oh, everyday situation.”

 

 

Lala Shishi – explain the song, in Ga.

Every week, we shed 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!

 
 
 

 

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Music Video: Solid K – Music on the Road

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  Music on the Road was shot by Daniel Kwabena Marmo of The 3 Suns.  According to Solid K, " The video tries to capture how I feel about music, it depicts how hard it is to explain with words. It shows what a surreal feeling it brings to me.  As can be seen, I walk...

Lala Shishi : Tekno – Rara

Rara Means No.

[Verse 1]
My Country people
Them dey talku talku
Them just dey perambulate
So so story, story every year oh ah
Nepa no bring light oh ah (x2)
Generator wan tear my ear (x2) oh oh oh
Plenty greedy men (x2) for there oh
Take project oh, forget na the matter

Tekno is talking about his country people (Nigerians), how they like talking and complaining about things but do nothing to change it. He also makes reference to how they walk about aimlessly and don’t like working (perambulate) . When people ask them why are they not working they complain about electricity . Nepa no bring light oh ah . NEPA -National Electric Power Authority – is the electricity provider in Nigeria. The entire line highlights the persistent power outages Nigerians face, which affect the economic life of people. Generator wan tear my ear – Due to power issues the use of generators is very common in Nigeria . Here he says the generators make noise and are tearing his ears. Plenty greedy men – Talking about politicians who are greedy and corrupt.

[Hook]
Forget about the big things oh
Say make we talk about the small things oh
Eh Aye aye oh, aye o pe meji oh
Forget about the big things oh
Say make we talk about the small things oh
Eh Aye aye oh, aye o pe meji oh

” People should forget about the big things and focus on the small things which is very important.”

[Chorus]
Rara oh, Rara oh yeah
Agbada, jangbaja, gbangban molagbada
Rara oh, Rara oh yeah
Agbada, jangbaja, gbangban molagbada

These ones lack meaning. Agbada is a type of dress worn in Nigeria.

[Verse 2]
Oluwa wey dey bless me “amen”
Shey e go bless you too “amen”
Bless your papa oh “amen”
Bless your mama oh “amen”
Oluwa wey dey bless me “amen”
Shey e go bless you too “amen”
Bless your papa oh “amen”
Bless your mama oh “amen”

Highlights his religious side by saying “Oluwa”, which means God, who blesses him, will bless you too and your family.. Amen..

See me I see you
Gbadura fun mi eh
Loke loke oh, baba adeleke oh
International something
Its a big situation
Them pack our money oh
Take to other nation
Invest for your country oh, make it a better place
Spend money for your country oh, make it a better place

Here he says ” Pray For Me” Gbadura fun mi eh. He also talks about how multinational companies exploit Nigeria to make money and take it back to their countries without investing in Nigeria. He also advices Nigerians to spend the money they make in the country.

[Hook]
Forget about the big things oh
Say make we talk about the small things oh
Eh Aye aye oh, aye o pe meji oh
Forget about the big things oh
Say make we talk about the small things oh
Eh Aye aye oh, aye o pe meji oh

[Chorus]
Rara oh, Rara oh yeah
Agbada, jangbaja, gbangban molagbada
Rara oh, Rara oh yeah
Agbada, jangbaja, gbangban molagbada

[Verse 3]
I go obodo oyibo, I go dey hurry to come back oh
And when I come back oh, I go dey hurry to go back oh
I no get charge oh, my phone don die
No fuel for generator oh, everyday situation
Pem pem pem pem pem pem pem pem pem
Pem pem pem pem pem pem pem pem pem
oh no no no no no no no no
oh no no no no no no no no
My Country people
Them dey talku talku
Perambulation
Story story oh, story everyday

Many people leave the country. While others nurse the desire to, those who come back do not spend much time at home. “I go obodo oyibo, I go dey hurry to come back oh. And when I come back oh, I go dey hurry to go back oh. I no get charge oh, my phone don die. No fuel for generator oh, everyday situation.”

 

 

Lala Shishi – explain the song, in Ga.

Every week, we shed 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!

 
 
 

 

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Lyrics Video: Jeune Lio – My Love feat. Magasco

Lyrics Video: Jeune Lio – My Love feat. Magasco

Follow up to Abidjan-based Cameroonian DJ and creative director Jeune Lio, here's the lyrics video to his debut single My Love featuring Magasco. Video animation was done  by Ozaki & Tiemo.       RELATED  Follow up to Abidjan-based Cameroonian DJ and...

Music Video: Solid K – Music on the Road

Music Video: Solid K – Music on the Road

  Music on the Road was shot by Daniel Kwabena Marmo of The 3 Suns.  According to Solid K, " The video tries to capture how I feel about music, it depicts how hard it is to explain with words. It shows what a surreal feeling it brings to me.  As can be seen, I walk...

Double – Tatali Remix EP Exclusive Preview…

Well well… we’ve been keeping it kinda hush hush, but it’s about time we let the world know who won the Double “Tatali” remix contest! And the winners are…

DJ Los Carlos (Netherlands / Surinam)

Kosta Kostov (Germany / Bulgaria)

DJ Reaganomics (USA)

Bigote (Spain)

An eclectic bunch, who’s tracks are featured along with a remastered version of the original mix. EP drops exclusively on Beatport March 1, and if you wait patiently you will find it everywhere else 2 weeks later. In the meantime… check out this downloadable minimix to whet your appetite. Enjoy the week end oooo!

E.L.’s Azonto Beats Are Crazy Chale!

E.L.’s Azonto Beats Are Crazy Chale!

Originally published in The Fader:

It seems the word you hear the most in Accra is no longer “akwaaba” or even “chale”, but “azonto”. The azonto dance has taken Ghana by storm, and although everybody seems to know the dance here, nobody is really able to say where it came from or how it started.

What is certain however is that one song blew up here and revealed azonto to the masses: “U Go Kill Me” by Sarkodie and E.L. Sarkodie is one of the top artists in Ghana, named rapper of the year in 2010 and known for his razor sharp, extra-fast delivery in twi, the Ashanti language that’s the lingua franca in most of Ghana. E.L. is both a rapper and a producer who spent a decade climbing out of the underground until he created the infectious “U Go Kill Me” beat, which has finally put him at the helm of Ghana’s music game.

Last December I saw popular rapper M.anifest bringing E.L. to the stage and introducing him as the “tallest rapper in Ghana.” When I met E.L., he instantly corrected me: “probably in all of Africa.” Height aside, in the last year E.L. has become one of the inescapable names on any major music show here. Besides “U Go Kill Me,” he is responsible for a few major azonto hits, such as Keche’s “Sokode”, one of my favorites, and his latest single, “Obuu Mo”:

E.L., “Obuu Mo” by The FADER

Bo d3n ts3 obuu mor ona—or “you don’t respect yourself”—is a saying in Ga, the language historically spoken in and around Accra. “It doesn’t really translate, it’s much funnier in Ga,” E.L. says. Then he lets me in on a secret. The key to success, he says, is to come up with a simple hook that people will want to repeat over and over, especially in the clubs. “People in Ghana don’t want to be told lessons, when they listen to music they want to forget and have fun.” Which is why E.L. is making highly danceable pop songs. He says this is the only way to capture people’s attention, but that, “once you have them, you can feed them anything you want.” And I see what he means as I listen to the few songs he shared with me. Not all of them are Ghanaian club anthem material, some are much deeper, with more subtle lyrics.

About ten years ago, E.L. started as a rapper, and quickly adopted pidgin English, a language (or dialect, depending on who you ask) particularly popular among teens and twenty-somethings, but still poorly recognized by the powers that be. For instance there are still no radio shows broadcasting in pidgin and no billboards with pidgin slogans, as you may see in Nigeria. But this is also what makes pidgin feel more underground or irreverent, and perhaps more appealing to the youth. For more about pidgen rap check out my previous column about Kay-Ara’s track “Me Dough”.

E.L. was a founding member of the Skillions crew, pidgen rap pioneers, along with Jayso, Lil’ Shaker, J-Town, Gemini and a bunch of others. Eventually he chose to go solo and set up his own studio. He created the beat for “U Go Kill Me” in his studio in Osu, a very central part of Accra. “The studio was GHE-TTO!!!!,” he tells me, rain falling through and all. But that didn’t prevent Sarkodie from passing through early in 2011, when he heard the “U Go Kill Me” beat. It was initially made for another artist, but Sarkodie went nuts for it, so E.L. immediately recorded the two verses Sarkodie was spitting.

Days later, as the song supposedly sat safely in his hard drive inside the studio, E.L. started hearing crazy feedback about the song, which was already getting airplay in Accra. Turns out it had been leaked. At a time when most artists in Ghana struggle to get their music out, this song came out without anybody even trying. “The song promoted itself,” as E.L. puts it.

The song’s beat is irresistibly familiar for anybody who’s spent time in Accra. Its rhythm pattern, like most of E.L.’s beats, is largely inspired by traditional Ga drumming, especially jama and kpanlogo drumming. These are the types of sounds Accra residents have heard since they were kids, which in turn give E.L.’s music an instantaneous familiarity. Probably a good thing for a hit maker. That and E.L.’s trademark soundbite: “This is crazy chale!” I’ve seen this familiarity at work—the second a song plays long enough for its rhythmic pattern to show, people get off their chairs. In less dorky terms: “Obuu Mo” WILL make your ass shake. Start practicing your azonto moves.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SR5ItzlDhJc

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E.L.’s Azonto Beats Are Crazy Chale!

Originally published in The Fader:

It seems the word you hear the most in Accra is no longer “akwaaba” or even “chale”, but “azonto”. The azonto dance has taken Ghana by storm, and although everybody seems to know the dance here, nobody is really able to say where it came from or how it started.

What is certain however is that one song blew up here and revealed azonto to the masses: “U Go Kill Me” by Sarkodie and E.L. Sarkodie is one of the top artists in Ghana, named rapper of the year in 2010 and known for his razor sharp, extra-fast delivery in twi, the Ashanti language that’s the lingua franca in most of Ghana. E.L. is both a rapper and a producer who spent a decade climbing out of the underground until he created the infectious “U Go Kill Me” beat, which has finally put him at the helm of Ghana’s music game.

Last December I saw popular rapper M.anifest bringing E.L. to the stage and introducing him as the “tallest rapper in Ghana.” When I met E.L., he instantly corrected me: “probably in all of Africa.” Height aside, in the last year E.L. has become one of the inescapable names on any major music show here. Besides “U Go Kill Me,” he is responsible for a few major azonto hits, such as Keche’s “Sokode”, one of my favorites, and his latest single, “Obuu Mo”:

E.L., “Obuu Mo” by The FADER

Bo d3n ts3 obuu mor ona—or “you don’t respect yourself”—is a saying in Ga, the language historically spoken in and around Accra. “It doesn’t really translate, it’s much funnier in Ga,” E.L. says. Then he lets me in on a secret. The key to success, he says, is to come up with a simple hook that people will want to repeat over and over, especially in the clubs. “People in Ghana don’t want to be told lessons, when they listen to music they want to forget and have fun.” Which is why E.L. is making highly danceable pop songs. He says this is the only way to capture people’s attention, but that, “once you have them, you can feed them anything you want.” And I see what he means as I listen to the few songs he shared with me. Not all of them are Ghanaian club anthem material, some are much deeper, with more subtle lyrics.

About ten years ago, E.L. started as a rapper, and quickly adopted pidgin English, a language (or dialect, depending on who you ask) particularly popular among teens and twenty-somethings, but still poorly recognized by the powers that be. For instance there are still no radio shows broadcasting in pidgin and no billboards with pidgin slogans, as you may see in Nigeria. But this is also what makes pidgin feel more underground or irreverent, and perhaps more appealing to the youth. For more about pidgen rap check out my previous column about Kay-Ara’s track “Me Dough”.

E.L. was a founding member of the Skillions crew, pidgen rap pioneers, along with Jayso, Lil’ Shaker, J-Town, Gemini and a bunch of others. Eventually he chose to go solo and set up his own studio. He created the beat for “U Go Kill Me” in his studio in Osu, a very central part of Accra. “The studio was GHE-TTO!!!!,” he tells me, rain falling through and all. But that didn’t prevent Sarkodie from passing through early in 2011, when he heard the “U Go Kill Me” beat. It was initially made for another artist, but Sarkodie went nuts for it, so E.L. immediately recorded the two verses Sarkodie was spitting.

Days later, as the song supposedly sat safely in his hard drive inside the studio, E.L. started hearing crazy feedback about the song, which was already getting airplay in Accra. Turns out it had been leaked. At a time when most artists in Ghana struggle to get their music out, this song came out without anybody even trying. “The song promoted itself,” as E.L. puts it.

The song’s beat is irresistibly familiar for anybody who’s spent time in Accra. Its rhythm pattern, like most of E.L.’s beats, is largely inspired by traditional Ga drumming, especially jama and kpanlogo drumming. These are the types of sounds Accra residents have heard since they were kids, which in turn give E.L.’s music an instantaneous familiarity. Probably a good thing for a hit maker. That and E.L.’s trademark soundbite: “This is crazy chale!” I’ve seen this familiarity at work—the second a song plays long enough for its rhythmic pattern to show, people get off their chairs. In less dorky terms: “Obuu Mo” WILL make your ass shake. Start practicing your azonto moves.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SR5ItzlDhJc

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