Kenyan Gospel Singer Mercy Masika - Nikupendeze (video & lyrics with English translation)

Edited by Azizi Powell

This post showcases a video of the Kenyan Gospel song "Nikupendeze" sung by Mercy Masika. Swahili lyrics and English translations are also included in this post along with information about Mercy Masika.

The content of this post is presented for religious, cultural, and aesthetic purposes.

All copyrights remain with their owners.

Thanks to Mr. Vee for composing this song and thanks to Mercy Masika for her musical legacy. Thanks also to all those who are quoted in this post and thanks to the publisher of this video on YouTube.

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INFORMATION ABOUT MERCY MASIKA
From http://www.ghafla.co.ke/lyrics/z/102-biographies/biographies/378-mercy-masikas-biography Mercy Masika's Biography, Written by Baba Ghafla, Created: 03 November 2009
"Mercy Maskika. She released her debut album at twelve years of age, and had formed a music group at thirteen. Her sophomore album followed in form one, and she was appointed choir director for Machakos Girls High School. Disarmingly shy and soft-spoken but powerfully gifted vocally, Mercy Masika is no ordinary lady.

Mercy speaks of her gift matter-of-factly, pointing out that she has always known that God called her to be a singer. She credits her early interest in music to her parents, especially her mother, Agnes Masika, herself a singer. Agnes was the face of that KBC programme of yore, Sing And Shine. Through this involvement, Mercy and her siblings were introduced early to shows like Joy Bringers, where they performed severally...

But it was not until she joined Daystar University in 2002 that her gift as a worship artist really began to grow, buttressed by the abundance of opportunity and talent in the school. This year saw her meet up with producer Robert “R Kay” Kamanzi for the production of the album that propelled her to national limelight, Wendo Waku. Done largely in Swahili and her native Kamba, the album was quite a challenge for Mercy...

It would be not be an overstatement to say that Mercy’s life is and has all been about music. Now all grown up, Bishop Masika’s daughter has her eyes set on the world music platform (and hints of being a preacher). Says Mercy:

“I believe that Africa has a lot to offer to the world. I want to hear songs of praise rise out of Africa. I want to a voice of praise and worship in this land. I want to be Africa’s own Martha Munizzi.”

There’s no doubt she has every intention of making this dream happen. She can do it, too. "
-snip-
The biographer notes that Mercy Masika's native language is Kamba. Here's information about the Kamba language:
From https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kamba_language
The Kamba... or Kikamba, is a Bantu language spoken by the Kamba people of Kenya. It is also spoken by 5,000 people in Tanzania (Thaisu).

The Kamba language has lexical similarities to other Bantu languages such as Kikuyu, Meru, and Embu.

In Kenya, Kamba is generally spoken in 4 out of the forty-seven Counties of Kenya. These counties are Machakos, Kitui, Makueni, and Kwale. The Machakos variety is considered the standard variety of the three dialects and has been used in the translation of the Bible.[1]"...

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SHOWCASE VIDEO: MERCY MASIKA - NIKUPENDEZE (OFFICIAL VIDEO)



Still Alive Records, Published on Oct 15, 2015

Artist : MERCY MASIKA
Song : NIKUPENDEZE
Song Written By Mr. Vee
Audio Produced By Tim Still Alive Records
Video Directed By Still Alive Videos
Content Administered By Calif Entertainment Africa Ltd

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LYRICS: NIKUPENDEZE
(composer - Mr. Vee)

Ooh ..oooh yeah, oooh yeah..oooh

Verse:
Mienendo yangu na na tabia zangu, zikupendeze.
Kuvaa kwangu na kunena kwangu, kukupendeze x2

Naomba nifanane nawe, yesu niwe jinsi upendavyo.
Nifanane nawe, yesu niwe jinsi upendavyo.

Refrain:
Niguze, nifinyange, unibebe, niunde, nitengeneze niwe kama wewe, (nikupendeze) x4

Verse:
Familia yangu, marafiki zangu tuwe sawa nawe, biashara zangu, kila kitu changu kiwe sawa nawe x2.

Refrain:

Verse 3
Nifanane nawe (Yesu) niwe jinsi upendavyo

Refrain

Verse 4:
Baba x2 kwa kunena kwangu (nikupeneze)

Baba natamani sana (nikupendeze)
Nakupenda sana ( nikupendeze)
Kwa kunena kwangu (nikupendeze)
Kutembea kwangu , ooh niamkapo baba wacha nikupendeze..uuuuuh!!!!

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ENGLISH TRANSLATION: TO IMPRESS YOU
(composer- Mr. Vee)

Ooh ..oooh yeah, oooh yeah..oooh

Verse 1:
My movement and behavior
(to impress you)
My dressing and talking
(to impress you) x2

I pray to be like you
To be how you want, Jesus

Refrain:
Touch me, mold me, carry me
Create me, make me
To be like you
To impress you x4

Verse 2:
My family
My friends to be fine with you
My businesses
Everything to be fine with you x2

Refrain

Verse 3
To resemble you, Jesus
To be the way you want

Refrain

Verse 4
Father through my talking
(to impress you)
Father I wish
(to impress you)
Through my talking
(to impress you)
Through my walking
(to impress you)
And when I wake up, father
(to impress you)


Lyrics & Translation Source: http://gospellyr.blogspot.com/2015/10/nikupendeze-lyrics-by-mercy-masika.html
-snip-
I'm not sure if those Kenyan lyrics are in Swahili or in Kamba, which the biography of Mercy Masika notes is her native language. I'd appreciate any information from those who are familiar with those languages. Thanks!

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