Thursday, June 27, 2019
Selected Comments From The Discussion Thread For The 2016 Official Video Of The Nigerian Song "Foreign" by Simi & Falz
Edited by Azizi Powell
This is Part II of a two part pancocojams series about the Nigerian Afropop/Hip Hop song "Foreign" by Simi & Falz.
Part II showcases the official video of "Foreign" by Simi & Falz and presents some comments from that video's discussion thread. I'm particularly interested in comments that about the song's lyrics and the video's concept and/or comments that include Nigerian Pidgin English or African American Vernacular English.
Click https://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2019/06/nigerian-singer-simi-nigerian.html for Part I of this series. Part I showcases the official video for the Nigerian song "Foreign" by Simi & Falz. The song's lyrics are included in this post along with standard English translations of some of this song's Yoruba or Nigerian Pidgin words. Information about Simi and information about Falz is also included in this post.
The content of this post is presented for cultural, linguistic, entertainment, and aesthetic purposes.
All copyrights remain with their owners.
Thanks to for their creative legacies. Thanks to all those who are quoted in this post, thanks also to all those who are associated with this embedded video and thanks to the publisher of this video on YouTube.
****
SHOWCASE VIDEO: Simi & Falz - Foreign - Official Video โ YouTube
X3M Music, Published on May 4, 2018
-snip-
Here's my (very unofficial) summary of this song [Additions and corrections are welcome] :
Simi & Falz's song "Foreign" is a comedic/serious take on Nigerians who exaggerate or completely lie about their experiences with foreign cultures, particularly American cultures, and change their natural accents, fashion sense and food preferences to support those exaggerations and lies.
****
SELECTED COMMENTS FROM THIS VIDEO'S DISCUSSION THREAD
(I've added numbers for referencing purposes only; I've also added a few explanations about some of these words/references.)
2018
1. James Oyugi
"Simi can sing for days o... shaaa! Issa hit o!"
**
2. Melvin King
"What in God's name is Simi wearing? ๐๐๐๐"
**
3. Onomma dax
"Lol, the lie battle ....hilarious"
**
4. Abby Oba
"I 've been waiting patiently for the video. Thank God the video is wonderful. I love the collaboration of these two artists. Kudos to you two great guys"
**
5. Phrankleen
"lmfao Falz is mad funny... catchy tune ๐๐พ ๐
-snip-
This comment was written in bold font.
"mad funny" = African American Vernacular English, with "mad" here meaning "very".
**
6. Imagbe Cynthia92
"Wow what more can I say..... dopest"
**
7. Tangi
"This song is more than dope๐ฅ๐ฅ๐ฅ๐ฅ๐ฅ"
**
8. Damilola Adedeji
"lmaooo ewa agoyin is not my style im into burger"
**
9. lentina lum
"The funny or sad thing is that pepo still lie like this and actually think we don't know say one kobo no dey pocket๐๐. Plix aunty and uncle,don't come and kill urself"
**
10. Vincent Sarah
"simi dress non be here ooh๐๐๐๐๐๐"
**
11. Francisca De Souza Darmanie
"I love you two!!!! ๐And Falz your accent gets me all the time๐๐"
**
12. Udom Dennis
"......but I can't go because of 'jet slack'. Fall is hilariously insane"
**
REPLY
13. Udom Dennis
"*falz"
**
14. HorizonTee King
"Lmfao..๐๐๐!!! This video just made me love Simi for once๐๐๐๐ and Falz is just another breed of a clown. What a song to relieve the day stress. Keep it up G'"
**
15. favour okunbi
"Old song tho. Should have released the video since. But anyways sha. The video still deserve some accolades. Its nice๐ฅ๐ฅ"
**
16. Wilson Masuku
"funny brilliant and creative song.. champagne(shampagine).lol"
**
17. Zaza Hazza
"The falz i dey feel u baba"
**
18. Slim Ted
"2:25 Simi: You know I don't believe in downfall....
Her tail-pimp trousers: Hold my beer ๐น๐น๐น"
**
REPLY
19. Now now
"You know I don't believe in danfo na helicopter dey carry me go
means I don't believe in bus rides, I fly in private jets."
-snip-
"Hold my beer" is a short cut American saying that means that the person is (or in this case the long pants are) literally asking someone to hold the beer that he or she is drinking to show that he (or she) can do what the other person said couldn't be done or can do it better.
**
20. Paul Egbele
"Falz! Criminally underrated and 1 of the best emcees in Naija... and with a voice like that Simi could sing me the damn phone book and I'll still be like ๐๐๐"
**
21. Afri Media
"Who directed this vid??? Kudos to them! I loved all the activities of the โwaka passโ in the background, they made the setting lit!"
**
22. En Ehron
"Simi killed the jam ๐ฅ๐ฅ๐ฅ"
**
23. BookSeatNG
"Nice track. LOL.... Simi ran for her Life leaving Falz behind. Wicked Geh!!!"
**
24. Sana Iqbal
"Eyyy this is fire ๐ฅ"
**
25. anuoluwa adewale
"Ha Simi must you stole all of me? your voice is giving me joy.God bless your hustling and a big shout out to mr Falz the bad guy.Respect"
**
26. Iyare Joy
"Simi falz always on point"
**
27. Stephen Chibuzom
"This music shouldn't've ended abeg๐"
**
28. Khafi Kareem
""Emi ti mo ti de Mexico baby!" oh my gosh whoever wrote these lyrics is a genius!!!! ๐๐พ"
-snip-
Google translate from Yoruba to English: "emi ti mo ti" - Yoruba = I am
"De" = Spanish = from
**
29. MaryClare Aroh
"Yaaaass great job guys"
**
30. Lena lea Sebastian
"Los Akheli. Pizzard. Hazzent. Champagni. This dude is funny. But i love Simi flow."
**
31. Edward Campbele
"Simi lies was the best, na really 5-2 win against falz, that shows how women lie more than men...nice video..."
**
32. Hopeof Glory
"All this false life men/women, that fooling some people's with lies. Always be wise of those people that talk too much about themselves. Thanks bro for your message!"
**
33. Tunbie temi
"The message in this jam is now clearer with this video. More than just comic, it's the story of two local alakadas topping their lying games. Mesef foreign, lool. theratels.com"
**
REPLY
34. Ndubuisi Gideon
"Tunbie temi true talk"
**
REPLY
35. Nsong Antoine, 2019
"what is alakada?"
**
REPLY
36. Naija guy, 2019
"@Nsong Antoine liars lol. People who live fake lives"
**
37. Mr Jenaz
"I love so much Simi, alongside ur man this song is a bomb"
-snip-
"a bomb" is from African American Vernacular English (meaning "very good"), although African Americans would say "the bomb" and not "a bomb".
**
38. Tess Oluchi Ume
"Where is tha location of this Amala joint๐ข"
-snip-
"Amala"
From https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Amala_(food)
รmร lร is a Nigerian food made out of yam and/or cassava flour.[1] Yams are peeled, sliced, cleaned, dried and then blended into a flour, also called elubo. Yams are white in colour but turn brown when dried; this gives ร mร lร its colour.[2][3] รmร lร is from Western Africa and eaten mostly by the Yoruba people in Nigeria.[4] It could be served with a variety of แปbแบน (soups), such as แบนfแป, ilรก, ewรฉdรบ, ogbono or gbegiri (black-eyed beans soup)[5].
-snip-
Amala joint (presumably) a "roadside" place that sells amala and other traditional Nigerian food
**
REPLY
39. Kenneth Uyabeme
"You know the funniest thing, after Nigerians stay abroad for a while they no dey take eye see Nigerian good. At a Nigerian party aboard they will pack all the amala, pounded yam and rice to take home. ๐๐"
-snip-
What does "no dey take eye see Nigerian good" mean? They now consider Nigerian (food/culture) much better than they did before?
**
40. FK 2nd
" "This is Nigeria" brought me here.
We'll always have our dilemmas, but I'm so proud to be Nigerian at this moment. This is so litttt. You guys are awesome.
Yoruba for the win! AHahah.
Falz killed it,and Simi brought that melody.damn!!!
BTW, someone put subtitles on. I already understand it, but for those who have trouble, this will grant wider exposure."
**
41. Chris Vino
"( falz) islike this people dont really know my true character (simi) am foreign baby"
**
42. Slim Ted
"Hehehe Falz made me believe everything was english sung in a dialect 0:20 Excuse me what is all dis emba-rize-ment? Why will you give me pounded yam, its for razz men. Are u guys not having la-sag-ne then i can wash it down with cham-pag-ne" so oga +Now now What of Shynist rize or pizzard, i don't do mainlinde only FeeHi.."
-snip-
The words written in bold were written that way in the original comment
**
43. Usman Ayobami
"I like this video... Very nice concept...
As usual, I'm expecting concluding part o... @falsimi"
**
44. TheRealist
"๐๐๐๐ the sad part is that we likely all actually know people like these..."
**
45. Khadijah Bala
"" I travel so much am building a airport ""
**
46. Tono. S
"Asking for Chinese rice in mama put"
-snip-
Is a "mama put" the same as an "amala joint" that was referred to by an earlier commenter?
**
46. coco hustler
"That pot of stew mehn I miss Nigerian food with their pepper....Nice song very funny๐๐๐๐๐"
**
47. Bessem Ashu Mbeng
"I die here for simi outfit,am a foreigner tho"
**
48. Prosney Clock
"everything is on point ...excluding fashion
...... shutdown their stylist"
**
REPLY
49. Azizi Powell, 2019
"@prosney clock, I'm African American (so I really am foreign) but I think Fatz's & Simi's outfits are that way on purpose to emphasize their wannabe foreigness- as if non-Nigerians/non-Africans coming to Nigeria or Nigerians pretending to be foreign think we'd wear clothes like fake fur in Africa or those outrageously styled pants ...but I think the clothes are extra because they are part of the comedy/serious points the video is making."
-snip-
"extra" = (probably African American slang origin) meaning being "over the top", "excessive", (doing or acting) way too much (this is at least mildly negative) https://www.bustle.com/p/what-does-extra-mean-this-slang-term-is-for-the-drama-queens-in-your-life-34530
**
REPLY
50. Azizi Powell, 2019
"BTW, I'm not sure how I happened upon this video. This is my first time watching a video of Simi or Fatz and they've both got a new fan. I plan to check out more of their music and tell others in the states about them."
**
51. Azizi Powell, 2019
"Sorry correction: Falz"
**
52. Yomi Mosbol
"Simi dey lie menh! "I no too like winter, so I dey travel for December" Lmao! Gotta love simi tho :)"
**
53. Precious Nwachukwu
""They Simi rolling, they hatin' " I'm ded๐๐๐๐๐๐๐"
-snip-
This is a clever play on the first line of the hit 2005 American Hip Hop song "Ridin" by Chamillionaire". That line says "They see me rollin'". https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ridin%27
-snip-
"I'm ded" ("I'm dead") = probably African American Vernacular English origin, from "I'm dying" meaning you're laughing so much (so hard) that you feel like you're dying (from laughter).
**
54. Jenrola Monisola
"this video is on point. Love you Simi"
**
55. Joanna Aderibigbe
"The lyrics (including the hilarious rapping (awi) by Falz) is absolutely killing it. Very well done guys!"
**
56. Ronny Injeni
"I can't go becauase of jestlag (
jet lag)"
**
57. oLeKo
"2:51 Last last after d foreign dem nor fit pay bill she say na "I wee pay it" ๐ nice job guys"
**
58. onaolapo lawal
"Ewa goyin's not my type oh I'm into Burger."
From https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ewa_Agoyin "Ewa Agoyin [1] (also spelled Ewa Aganyin) is a street food commonly eaten in Lagos and other southern states of Nigeria.[2] The beans are made to be extremely soft or mashed.[3] It is commonly eaten with barely ground pepper and tomato sauce which is very spicy,[4] but peppery."...
**
59. FK 2nd
"lasag-nay
Cham-pag-nay
I'm dead ! XD
This intro was tha bomb meen!"
**
60. Ann-Marie K
"I can wash it down with "sham pag ne" lol and he meant champagne ๐พ"
**
REPLY
61. Kazeem Tunde, 2019
"Ann-Marie K thanks for that. I never knew thatโs what he meant."
**
62. Ogechi Omorhienrhien
"I no too like winter, so I travel for winter. Loool๐๐๐๐ and December is actually winter"
**
REPLY
63. hez tope
"Oh! Why did you explain it na?!"
****
64. Obey Always
"Everything is funny!.....What is Los Angeli???"
**
REPLY
65. Ms Namkuru
"Obey Always you didn't here champagne ๐ฅ and lasagne"
**
66. Michael Douglas
"Los Angeles ๐๐"
**
67. I might need security
""Im into burger" hahahahah too funny"
**
68. j kish
"Whenever Falz and simi team up, it's always lit ๐ฅ... Funny video(Nice concept)"
-snip-
"lit" African American Vernacular English term meaning "very good" (hot, the bomb, fire)
**
69. P. T. Asare
"The hand sanitizer on SIMI killed me. hahaha nice one guys"
**
70. Dodoandyam forever
"Haters will say its photoshop๐๐๐๐"
**
71. Fehintola Da-Silva
"Whoโs Simiโs tailor, please you need to be arrested ๐ญ๐ญ๐ญ๐ญ.."
**
72. Glorypink Esther
"You guys are really funny"
**
73. F W
"Simi won the fake foreign competition. Her BS got her food. then she ran off at the end. lol...Falz still foreign and hungry"
**
74. Lateefah Sanni
"I just love these two they are one of the best collaboration artist in Nigeria seriously. They have such a great musical chemistry seriously and this song is really awesome ๐๐๐"
**
75. flaviah kayose
"Whoever wrote those lyrics deserves all the accolades....leme go die,,,,lol...Simi and Fals combo issa goal..."
**
76. Toyosi Akerele
"loooolll especially at 2:57 d girl in red holding her amala TIGHT and watchin feem show"
**
77.
Stephanie Amanda
"The video and lyrics are so funny. Falz and Simi at it again ๐๐. BTW I'm also foreign."
**
78. Ese Ibane
"I was almost concluding that Nigerian music these days is all about booty, money and weed until i watched this song. This is the true African setting. Love everybit. Awesome music!"
**
79. Tolu merlin
"Am i the only one whose eyes were on the Red Buka Stew....Roundabout...Shaki and Amala๐๐๐๐๐๐...from the beginning to the end๐๐๐๐.....Salivating af๐๐๐"
**
REPLY
80. okoli Joseph
"Tolu merlin chai bro u like food oo lol ๐"
**
REPLY
81. DJ Mannie ENtw
"Tolu merlin I promised, my mouth was watering, i don't even listen to the music ๐คฃ๐คฃ"
**
REPLY
82. Kemi Jibril
"Tolu merlin lol ๐"
**
REPLY
83. TheRealist
"Tolu merlin ๐๐๐ na u sabi better bro"
**
REPLY
84. Sisi Royale
"AS IN, ME TOO, I NO GO LIE!!!"
**
REPLY
85. Hand Drew
"Tolu merlin guy that stew was on point"
**
REPLY
86. id s, 2019
"Bro I miss dose food i swear๐"
**
87. Mayokun
"1. What is that tie that Falz is wearing lmaooo
2. Falz is always eating buka food and running away"
-snip-
Here's information about the word โbukaโ
From https://www.voanews.com/usa/nigerian-restaurateur-nyc-buka-taste-home
For Nigerian Restaurateur in NYC, Buka is a Taste of Home
By Carolyn Weaver
June 16, 2015
[Restaurant owner Lookman Afolayan Mashood ]โ called [the restaurantโs name] Buka an "ironic" name. "Itโs a Hausa word, and it means on the side of the road, or local joint, where you can take friends, where everybody knows you can get good food.โ...
**
88. Lekan
"And why are this guys not getting huge views๐ฌ๐ฌ๐ฌNigerians like quantity pass quality ooo๐คฃ๐คฃ๐คฃ๐คฃ๐คฃ"
**
REPLY
89. Ojaix, 2019
"Nothing to do with quantity or quality, except you are saying Nigerian videos are low in quality. Nigerians are not very big on streaming videos. We have very weak piracy controls in Nigeria and somewhat expensive data, so many people only watch a youtube video a couple of times and find ways to download the audio or video for free. However, if you attend any of their shows then you'll see how popular these guys really are. Simi is becoming the leading female voice because her songs are not only awesome, they are also very relatable"
**
90. Butterfly Heart
"Cham....pag...ne and pizzatttttt๐๐๐๐๐คฃ๐คฃ๐คฃ๐คฃ๐คฃ๐คฃ
**
REPLY
91. lolly Parkside
"Fake nigerians that travel and become americanized (with the fake accent) overnight...too good for ordinary nigerians."
**
92. AdemolaVictorTv
"0:19 Pipu didn't really understand my Hazent ๐๐๐๐"
**
REPLY
93. emmanuel chukwudi
"lol...that line got me"
**
REPLY
94. Akinkoye Ayode
"AdemolaVictorTv what is your hazzent"
**
REPLY
95. Godwin Ojukwu
"Hahahahaha"
****
2019
96. Martina Silver
"Hahaha, I love this... too many people act like that."
**
97. Leo A
"He took out a credit card to pay for pounded yam...she was like, wetin be dis?"
**
98. Seun Elesaodo
"The best clowns I know
Very creative and hilarious
...embarraisment, azdent
I no too like winter
So I travel for December"
**
99. Sotonye Chukwu
"I am not sure if non naija will get this, other Africans perhaps. Very sarcastic!!!"
**
100. Giovane Rasta 2kc
"I travel so much am living in airport ๐๐๐"
**
101. Lauren Oelambom
"Simi pant cleaned ๐งน the whole city of Lagos ๐๐๐"
****
This concludes Part II of this pancocojams series.
Thanks for visiting pancocojams.
Visitor comments are welcome.
(Nigerian singer) Simi & (Nigerian rapper/actor ) Falz- "Foreign" (video, lyrics, & information)
Edited by Azizi Powell
This is Part I of a two part pancocojams series about the Nigerian Afropop/Hip Hop song "Foreign" by Simi & Falz.
This post showcases the official video for the Nigerian song "Foreign" by Simi & Falz. The song's lyrics are included in this post along with standard English translations of some of this song's Yoruba or Nigerian Pidgin words. Information about Simi and information about Falz is also included in this post.
Click https://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2019/06/selected-comments-from-discussion.html for Part II of this pancocojams series. Part II showcases the official video of "Foreign" by Simi & Falz and presents some comments from that video's discussion thread.
The content of this post is presented for cultural, linguistic, entertainment, and aesthetic purposes.
All copyrights remain with their owners.
Thanks to for their creative legacies. Thanks to all those who are quoted in this post, thanks also to all those who are associated with this embedded video and thanks to the publisher of this video on YouTube.
****
SHOWCASE VIDEO: Simi & Falz - Foreign - Official Video โ YouTube
X3M Music, Published on May 4, 2018
-snip-
Here's my (very unofficial) summary of this song [Additions and corrections are welcome] :
Simi & Falz's song "Foreign" is a comedic/serious take on Nigerians who exaggerate or completely lie about their experiences with foreign cultures, particularly American cultures, and change their natural accents, fashion sense and food preferences to support those exaggerations and lies.
****
LYRICS: FOREIGN
(performed by Simi & Falz)
can you just imagine
itโs like these people didnโt really know my true character
mtchew
ahn
[verse 1 โ falz]
yaah, foreign affairs, thatโs my department
you get to meet me only by accident
people donโt really understand my accent
iโm so janded, look at all my garment
excuse me whatโs all this embarrassment
why will you give me pounded yam
itโs for razz men
are you guys not having lasagna
them i can wash it down with champagne
what of chinese rice or pizza
i donโt do mainlazd, only v.i
iโm the man and that the babe wey go catch early
itโs because i based in los angeles
so mo cameron
iyen boda david
heโs a close friend, i used to drive his helicopter
in your whole life, do you get to seme border
billionaire boy, to ba femi, o te dollar
[chorus โ falz & simi]
iโm foreignโฆโฆiโm so janded
iโm foreignโฆโฆiโm from abroad oh
iโm foreign, just call me foreign baby ohโฆโฆinternational
foreign baby, just call me foreign baby ohโฆโฆiโm international
foreign baby, just call me foreign baby ohโฆโฆinternational
foreign
[verse 2 โ simi]
ewa agoyin is not my type oh, iโm into burger
and if you can check my bank oh, iโm into dollar
ah ah
if i call your phone, you know na foreign number
you know me and you know dey the same category
ma lo ro bo ya pako
ma lo ro bo ya pako nimi oh baby
ma be re mi ni sabo
emi ti mo ti de mexico baby
mo de mo harry potter,
shey be you see the way how iโm boiling baby
forever is nothing oh baby oh
[Chorus]
Source: https://musikplug.wordpress.com/2016/10/30/lyrics-falz-x-simi-foreign/
posted in Lyrics: by Musikplug 30 Oct 2016
****
STANDARD ENGLISH TRANSLATION OF SOME NON-ENGLISH WORDS IN THIS SONG
(numbers given for referencing purposes only)
1. ahn
[Probably from] Ah-ahn!
"Definition: my goodness! Example: ah -ahn, why did you do that!" ; http://naijalingo.com/words/ah-ahn
**
2. Ewa agoyin
"Ewa Agoyin [1] (also spelled Ewa Aganyin) is a street food commonly eaten in Lagos and other southern states of Nigeria.[2] The beans are made to be extremely soft or mashed.[3] It is commonly eaten with barely ground pepper and tomato sauce which is very spicy,[4] but peppery. It has a local name of 'Ewa G'. Additional ingredients can include palm oil, onion and crayfish.
It is commonly eaten with bread which makes it very satisfying. A common slang phrases is "ewa G go block belle", meaning ewa aganyin will fill your stomach. It is a popular food for Nigerians as it is both delicious and very filling.โ
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ewa_Agoyin
**
3. ma be re mi ni sabo = do not miss me anymore
Google translate from Yoruba to English
**
4. ma lo ro bo ya pako = But I'm gonna go to bed
Google translate from Yoruba to English
**
5. ma lo ro bo ya pako nimi = But I'm sorry
Google translate from Yoruba to English
**
6. mo de mo = for me
Google translate from Yoruba to English
**
7. Mitcheew
"Definition: a popular sigh of disapproval in Nigeria, (maybe West Africa). The sound can be heard when one sticks his tongue to the roof of the mouth and ties to suck in air. Just like germans use 'Scheiss' Example: Mtcheew... poor man, I even think say you carry money come."
http://naijalingo.com/words/mtcheew
**
8. Na = is
http://naijalingo.com/words/n/alphabet
**
9. Shey
"Definition: Right? Or is Example: Shey your mama day for house? Means is your mum home?"
http://naijalingo.com/
****
INFORMATION ABOUT SIMI
From https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Simi_(singer)
Simisola "Simi" Ogunleye (born April 19, 1988) is a Nigerian singer and songwriter.[1][2] Simi started her career as a gospel singer, releasing her debut studio album in 2008, titled Ogaju.[3] She gained prominence in 2014 after releasing "Tiff", a song that was nominated for Best Alternative Song at The Headies 2015.[4] Simi signed a record deal with X3M Music in 2014, but left the label in May 2019 following the expiration of her contract. [5] She released her second studio album Simisola on September 8, 2017.[6][7] Her third studio album Omo Charlie Champagne, Vol. 1 was released to coincide with her thirty-first birthday on April 19, 2019.[8] She launched her recording company "Studio Brat" in June 2019.[9]
[...]
Later in 2015, Simi won the Most Promising Act to Watch category at the 2015 Nigeria Entertainment Awards. In an interview with Leadership newspaper, Simi said she is working on her second album scheduled to be released in 2016.[19] Upon the release of "Jamb Question", Simi was listed as one of the artistes to watch out for in 2016 by NotJustOk.[20] The remix of "Jamb Question" features Nigerian rapper Falz.
On February 14, 2016, Simi released the Oscar Heman Ackah-produced love ballad "Love Don't Care". It received frequent radio airplay and was met with positive reviews.[citation needed] "Love Don't Care" effectively addresses tribalism and discrimination in Nigeria.[21][22] The music video of the song was directed by Clarence Peters. In October 2016, she was nominated in the Best Breakthrough Act category at the 2016 edition of the MTV Africa Music Awards.[23] On October 27, Simi collaborated with Falz to release Chemistry, a project Oghene Michael of 360Nobs described as an "experiment of the word art". In December 2016, Simi was nominated in three categories at The Headies 2016, winning one.[24]*โโฆ
-snip-
*She [won] Best R&B single "Smile For Me"
-snip-
Information about the name "Simi"
"Simi" is a nickname for the Yoruba (Nigerian) name "Simisola".
Here's information about that name:
****
INFORMATION ABOUT FALZ
From https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Falz
"Folarin Falana (born October 27, 1990), better known by his stage name Falz, is a Nigerian rapper, songwriter and actor.[1] He began his career while in secondary school after forming a group called "The School Boys" with his friend before his professional career as a music artist began in 2009.[2] Falz became more well-known after his song "Marry Me" (featuring vocals from Poe and Yemi Alade) won him a nomination in the "Best Collaboration of The Year" category at the 2015 Nigeria Entertainment Awards. He was also nominated in the "Best Rap Act of The Year" and "Best New Act to Watch" categories.[3][4]
He currently owns an independent record label called Bahd Guys Records.[5] He released his debut album Wazup Guy in 2014. His second album Stories That Touch was released in 2015. He released 27 as his third studio album in 2017. On January 15, 2019, he released his fourth studio album Moral Instruction.โโฆ
[...]
In May 2018, Falz released a music video titled "This Is Nigeria" which was inspired by Childish Gambino's "This is America". It highlighted Nigerian issues including corruption and bribery.[22]
On September 1, 2018, Falz won "Best Supporting Actor" at the 2018 Africa Magic Viewers' Choice Awards for his role as Quam in Tope Oshin Ogun's movie New Money, becoming the first Nigerian musician to have won the Africa Magic Viewers' Choice Awards twice.
[...]
Falz describes his style of music as "Wahzup music".[23] It is the fusion of comic lyrics with contemporary hip-hop in a faux Yoruba accent.[24]
[...]
Also known as Falz the Bahd Guy
Born: October 27, 1990 (age 28)
Lagos State, Nigeria
Genres: Afropop hip hopโ...
-snip-
From https://www.names.org/n/folarin/about
"A submission from Nigeria says the name Folarin means "Walk with wealth" and is of Yoruba origin"
-snip-
"Falorin" is also found as a surname (last name).
Click https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Folarin for a list of some famous people with the first name or last name "Falorin".
****
This concludes Part I of this two part pancocojams series.
Thanks for visiting pancocojams.
Visitor comments are welcome.
This is Part I of a two part pancocojams series about the Nigerian Afropop/Hip Hop song "Foreign" by Simi & Falz.
This post showcases the official video for the Nigerian song "Foreign" by Simi & Falz. The song's lyrics are included in this post along with standard English translations of some of this song's Yoruba or Nigerian Pidgin words. Information about Simi and information about Falz is also included in this post.
Click https://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2019/06/selected-comments-from-discussion.html for Part II of this pancocojams series. Part II showcases the official video of "Foreign" by Simi & Falz and presents some comments from that video's discussion thread.
The content of this post is presented for cultural, linguistic, entertainment, and aesthetic purposes.
All copyrights remain with their owners.
Thanks to for their creative legacies. Thanks to all those who are quoted in this post, thanks also to all those who are associated with this embedded video and thanks to the publisher of this video on YouTube.
****
SHOWCASE VIDEO: Simi & Falz - Foreign - Official Video โ YouTube
X3M Music, Published on May 4, 2018
-snip-
Here's my (very unofficial) summary of this song [Additions and corrections are welcome] :
Simi & Falz's song "Foreign" is a comedic/serious take on Nigerians who exaggerate or completely lie about their experiences with foreign cultures, particularly American cultures, and change their natural accents, fashion sense and food preferences to support those exaggerations and lies.
****
LYRICS: FOREIGN
(performed by Simi & Falz)
can you just imagine
itโs like these people didnโt really know my true character
mtchew
ahn
[verse 1 โ falz]
yaah, foreign affairs, thatโs my department
you get to meet me only by accident
people donโt really understand my accent
iโm so janded, look at all my garment
excuse me whatโs all this embarrassment
why will you give me pounded yam
itโs for razz men
are you guys not having lasagna
them i can wash it down with champagne
what of chinese rice or pizza
i donโt do mainlazd, only v.i
iโm the man and that the babe wey go catch early
itโs because i based in los angeles
so mo cameron
iyen boda david
heโs a close friend, i used to drive his helicopter
in your whole life, do you get to seme border
billionaire boy, to ba femi, o te dollar
[chorus โ falz & simi]
iโm foreignโฆโฆiโm so janded
iโm foreignโฆโฆiโm from abroad oh
iโm foreign, just call me foreign baby ohโฆโฆinternational
foreign baby, just call me foreign baby ohโฆโฆiโm international
foreign baby, just call me foreign baby ohโฆโฆinternational
foreign
[verse 2 โ simi]
ewa agoyin is not my type oh, iโm into burger
and if you can check my bank oh, iโm into dollar
ah ah
if i call your phone, you know na foreign number
you know me and you know dey the same category
ma lo ro bo ya pako
ma lo ro bo ya pako nimi oh baby
ma be re mi ni sabo
emi ti mo ti de mexico baby
mo de mo harry potter,
shey be you see the way how iโm boiling baby
forever is nothing oh baby oh
[Chorus]
Source: https://musikplug.wordpress.com/2016/10/30/lyrics-falz-x-simi-foreign/
posted in Lyrics: by Musikplug 30 Oct 2016
****
STANDARD ENGLISH TRANSLATION OF SOME NON-ENGLISH WORDS IN THIS SONG
(numbers given for referencing purposes only)
1. ahn
[Probably from] Ah-ahn!
"Definition: my goodness! Example: ah -ahn, why did you do that!" ; http://naijalingo.com/words/ah-ahn
**
2. Ewa agoyin
"Ewa Agoyin [1] (also spelled Ewa Aganyin) is a street food commonly eaten in Lagos and other southern states of Nigeria.[2] The beans are made to be extremely soft or mashed.[3] It is commonly eaten with barely ground pepper and tomato sauce which is very spicy,[4] but peppery. It has a local name of 'Ewa G'. Additional ingredients can include palm oil, onion and crayfish.
It is commonly eaten with bread which makes it very satisfying. A common slang phrases is "ewa G go block belle", meaning ewa aganyin will fill your stomach. It is a popular food for Nigerians as it is both delicious and very filling.โ
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ewa_Agoyin
**
3. ma be re mi ni sabo = do not miss me anymore
Google translate from Yoruba to English
**
4. ma lo ro bo ya pako = But I'm gonna go to bed
Google translate from Yoruba to English
**
5. ma lo ro bo ya pako nimi = But I'm sorry
Google translate from Yoruba to English
**
6. mo de mo = for me
Google translate from Yoruba to English
**
7. Mitcheew
"Definition: a popular sigh of disapproval in Nigeria, (maybe West Africa). The sound can be heard when one sticks his tongue to the roof of the mouth and ties to suck in air. Just like germans use 'Scheiss' Example: Mtcheew... poor man, I even think say you carry money come."
http://naijalingo.com/words/mtcheew
**
8. Na = is
http://naijalingo.com/words/n/alphabet
**
9. Shey
"Definition: Right? Or is Example: Shey your mama day for house? Means is your mum home?"
http://naijalingo.com/
****
INFORMATION ABOUT SIMI
From https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Simi_(singer)
Simisola "Simi" Ogunleye (born April 19, 1988) is a Nigerian singer and songwriter.[1][2] Simi started her career as a gospel singer, releasing her debut studio album in 2008, titled Ogaju.[3] She gained prominence in 2014 after releasing "Tiff", a song that was nominated for Best Alternative Song at The Headies 2015.[4] Simi signed a record deal with X3M Music in 2014, but left the label in May 2019 following the expiration of her contract. [5] She released her second studio album Simisola on September 8, 2017.[6][7] Her third studio album Omo Charlie Champagne, Vol. 1 was released to coincide with her thirty-first birthday on April 19, 2019.[8] She launched her recording company "Studio Brat" in June 2019.[9]
[...]
Later in 2015, Simi won the Most Promising Act to Watch category at the 2015 Nigeria Entertainment Awards. In an interview with Leadership newspaper, Simi said she is working on her second album scheduled to be released in 2016.[19] Upon the release of "Jamb Question", Simi was listed as one of the artistes to watch out for in 2016 by NotJustOk.[20] The remix of "Jamb Question" features Nigerian rapper Falz.
On February 14, 2016, Simi released the Oscar Heman Ackah-produced love ballad "Love Don't Care". It received frequent radio airplay and was met with positive reviews.[citation needed] "Love Don't Care" effectively addresses tribalism and discrimination in Nigeria.[21][22] The music video of the song was directed by Clarence Peters. In October 2016, she was nominated in the Best Breakthrough Act category at the 2016 edition of the MTV Africa Music Awards.[23] On October 27, Simi collaborated with Falz to release Chemistry, a project Oghene Michael of 360Nobs described as an "experiment of the word art". In December 2016, Simi was nominated in three categories at The Headies 2016, winning one.[24]*โโฆ
-snip-
*She [won] Best R&B single "Smile For Me"
-snip-
Information about the name "Simi"
"Simi" is a nickname for the Yoruba (Nigerian) name "Simisola".
Here's information about that name:
****
INFORMATION ABOUT FALZ
From https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Falz
"Folarin Falana (born October 27, 1990), better known by his stage name Falz, is a Nigerian rapper, songwriter and actor.[1] He began his career while in secondary school after forming a group called "The School Boys" with his friend before his professional career as a music artist began in 2009.[2] Falz became more well-known after his song "Marry Me" (featuring vocals from Poe and Yemi Alade) won him a nomination in the "Best Collaboration of The Year" category at the 2015 Nigeria Entertainment Awards. He was also nominated in the "Best Rap Act of The Year" and "Best New Act to Watch" categories.[3][4]
He currently owns an independent record label called Bahd Guys Records.[5] He released his debut album Wazup Guy in 2014. His second album Stories That Touch was released in 2015. He released 27 as his third studio album in 2017. On January 15, 2019, he released his fourth studio album Moral Instruction.โโฆ
[...]
In May 2018, Falz released a music video titled "This Is Nigeria" which was inspired by Childish Gambino's "This is America". It highlighted Nigerian issues including corruption and bribery.[22]
On September 1, 2018, Falz won "Best Supporting Actor" at the 2018 Africa Magic Viewers' Choice Awards for his role as Quam in Tope Oshin Ogun's movie New Money, becoming the first Nigerian musician to have won the Africa Magic Viewers' Choice Awards twice.
[...]
Falz describes his style of music as "Wahzup music".[23] It is the fusion of comic lyrics with contemporary hip-hop in a faux Yoruba accent.[24]
[...]
Also known as Falz the Bahd Guy
Born: October 27, 1990 (age 28)
Lagos State, Nigeria
Genres: Afropop hip hopโ...
-snip-
From https://www.names.org/n/folarin/about
"A submission from Nigeria says the name Folarin means "Walk with wealth" and is of Yoruba origin"
-snip-
"Falorin" is also found as a surname (last name).
Click https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Folarin for a list of some famous people with the first name or last name "Falorin".
****
This concludes Part I of this two part pancocojams series.
Thanks for visiting pancocojams.
Visitor comments are welcome.
Tuesday, June 25, 2019
Seven Videos Of The Ghanaian Children's Game "Ampe"
Edited by Azizi Powell
This is Part II of a two part pancocojams series on the traditional Ghanaian children's game called "Ampe".
Part II provides a general description of the Ghanaian children's game "Ampe" and showcases seven videos of that game.
Click https://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2019/06/information-about-traditional-ghanaian.html for Part I of this series. Part I presents information about the Ghanaian children's game "Ampe".
The content of this post is presented for cultural and recreational purposes.
All copyrights remain with their owners.
Thanks to all those who are featured in these videos, and all those who are quoted in this post. Thanks also to Tim Hull for his short film series of folk games including the film about Ampe and thanks to all the publishers of these YouTube videos.
****
GENERAL DESCRIPTION OF AMPE
Ampe is a traditional Ghanaian children's competitive recreational children's (mostly girls) game that has been described as being similar to the hand game "rock, paper, scissors". Ampe is played by two people or two teams usually without chanting or singing. Two players at a time perform the basic movements of jump, (individual)* hand clap, followed by a jump with either the right or left foot extended. Read the rules of the game in Part I of this series.
-snip-
*individual hand clap (a person claps her or his own hand)
There are at least fifteen YouTube videos from 2009 - 2018 of Ghanaian children playing Ampe, including those videos that are featured in this post. Unfortunately, the comment feature has been disabled for most Ampe videos or those videos have few if any comments as of the time of the publication of this pancocojams post.
The globaltimoto.com short film whose link is given as "video #1" isn't featured on YouTube.
****
SHOWCASE VIDEOS
Video #1: Short & Tight
Kwamoso, Eastern, Ghana
Captured: 2007-01-04 ~ 2007-02-20
Published: 2007-02-24
Duration: 14:55
by globaltimoto.com (Tim Hull)
https://www.globaltimoto.com/africa/ghana/games/ampe/videos/short-and-tight/
-snip-
Description:
"This video shows Ampe, a girls' jumping, dancing, clapping game from Ghana, that helps bring communities together and develop player skills of anticipation.
In this video we hear from young and old generations of Kwamoso to help celebrate 50 years of independence in Ghana."
-snip-
Here's a quote from that same website that explains the meaning of this film's title:
https://www.globaltimoto.com/africa/ghana/games/ampe/
"The style of clothes is very important to the game of Ampe. Most important of all is that each girl should wear a short and tight skirt facilitating the necessary movement of the legs. This style of dress carries with it a chant from spectators "Okpeng" (Short) to which the participating girls would cheer "Odadwee" (Tight). It's obviously not only the game of Ampe that drew young men to these events, but also the girls' daring fashion."
****
Video #2: Ghanaian children playing Ampei in village of Hamdia, near Tamale, Ghana
CrockKneeBoy, Published on Mar 8, 2009
Ghanaian children playing Ampei in village of Hamdia, near Tamale, Ghana
****
Video #3: Ampe (a ghanaian children's game)
Soul Sounds, Published on Sep 6, 2008
Some footage of a very popular game played by little girls in ghana.
-snip-
The narrator indicates that Ampe is similar to the โRock, paper, scissorsโ hand game.
****
Video #4: Ghana trip โฅ : What is Ampe?
MimiOnliine, Published on Sep 6, 2012
Children showing me how Ampe is played. And this video shows that boys can also play Ampe :)
****
Video #5: Childrien playing Ampe. Akwamufie presbyterian school. Ghana.
Karl Holm, Published on Apr 13, 2018
****
Video #6:Ghanian ladies Games
ABAN TV GH
Published on Jun 28, 2017
Playing Ghanaian woman Games
-snip-
I added the following two comments to this video's discussion thread:
Azizi Powell, June 24, 2019
"Hello, Ghanaian sisters. I'm an African American woman who happened upon this video while looking for videos of the children's game Ampe.
Are these traditional Ghanaian children's (mostly girls) games and are they still being played by children nowadays? What are the names of each of these games and explain what is being sung or chanted.
Thanks in advance.
Bless up!"
**
Azizi Powell, June 24, 2019
"I'm asking about the other games beside Ampe which I recognized in this video, although I'm still not sure how to play it :o("
-snip-
Here's a reply to these questions from the video's publisher:
ABAN TV GH, June 25, 2019
"hello sister Azizi yes Ampe still play mostly at small towns and villages Amepe have some words which is not really a song , in this video you saw Ampe and Aso, ( Asษ ) so Asษ is the girls game come with songs . . ...."
**
REPLY
Azizi Powell, June 25, 2019
"@ABAN TV GH, thank you for your quick response.
I featured this video on this post in my pancocojams cultural blog: https://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2019/06/seven-videos-of-ghanaian-childrens-game.html Seven Videos Of The Ghanaian Children's Game "Ampe"
Do I understand you correctly that all the singing clapping games with songs in Ghana are called Aso, ( Asษ )? I'd love to know the names of each individual game with the time it was featured in this video.
I'm very interested in documenting the words to examples of African children's games. Would you or someone else please write the words in Akan and English to at least one of those games (such as the first one in this video)?
I know that I'm asking a lot, but there's so little information about Ghanaian children's games that is know in the USA and the internet is one way to share that information with the world.
Thanks!"
****
Video #7: Ampe Adenta Project
Ottiya, Published on May 22, 2018
This is a video of girls playing ampe in a group in the school yard in Ghana recorded by Yaba Haffar. Yaba wrote an article entitled "Playing and Learning through Rhythm and Song in Ghana", which connects to ampe. You can read her article in the Play Issue of the Ottiya Magazine: http://www.ottiya.com/shop
-snip-
The play issue of that magazine cost $25.00.
****
This concludes Part II of this pancocojams series.
Thanks for visiting pancocojams.
Visitor comments are welcome.
This is Part II of a two part pancocojams series on the traditional Ghanaian children's game called "Ampe".
Part II provides a general description of the Ghanaian children's game "Ampe" and showcases seven videos of that game.
Click https://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2019/06/information-about-traditional-ghanaian.html for Part I of this series. Part I presents information about the Ghanaian children's game "Ampe".
The content of this post is presented for cultural and recreational purposes.
All copyrights remain with their owners.
Thanks to all those who are featured in these videos, and all those who are quoted in this post. Thanks also to Tim Hull for his short film series of folk games including the film about Ampe and thanks to all the publishers of these YouTube videos.
****
GENERAL DESCRIPTION OF AMPE
Ampe is a traditional Ghanaian children's competitive recreational children's (mostly girls) game that has been described as being similar to the hand game "rock, paper, scissors". Ampe is played by two people or two teams usually without chanting or singing. Two players at a time perform the basic movements of jump, (individual)* hand clap, followed by a jump with either the right or left foot extended. Read the rules of the game in Part I of this series.
-snip-
*individual hand clap (a person claps her or his own hand)
There are at least fifteen YouTube videos from 2009 - 2018 of Ghanaian children playing Ampe, including those videos that are featured in this post. Unfortunately, the comment feature has been disabled for most Ampe videos or those videos have few if any comments as of the time of the publication of this pancocojams post.
The globaltimoto.com short film whose link is given as "video #1" isn't featured on YouTube.
****
SHOWCASE VIDEOS
Video #1: Short & Tight
Kwamoso, Eastern, Ghana
Captured: 2007-01-04 ~ 2007-02-20
Published: 2007-02-24
Duration: 14:55
by globaltimoto.com (Tim Hull)
https://www.globaltimoto.com/africa/ghana/games/ampe/videos/short-and-tight/
-snip-
Description:
"This video shows Ampe, a girls' jumping, dancing, clapping game from Ghana, that helps bring communities together and develop player skills of anticipation.
In this video we hear from young and old generations of Kwamoso to help celebrate 50 years of independence in Ghana."
-snip-
Here's a quote from that same website that explains the meaning of this film's title:
https://www.globaltimoto.com/africa/ghana/games/ampe/
"The style of clothes is very important to the game of Ampe. Most important of all is that each girl should wear a short and tight skirt facilitating the necessary movement of the legs. This style of dress carries with it a chant from spectators "Okpeng" (Short) to which the participating girls would cheer "Odadwee" (Tight). It's obviously not only the game of Ampe that drew young men to these events, but also the girls' daring fashion."
****
Video #2: Ghanaian children playing Ampei in village of Hamdia, near Tamale, Ghana
CrockKneeBoy, Published on Mar 8, 2009
Ghanaian children playing Ampei in village of Hamdia, near Tamale, Ghana
****
Video #3: Ampe (a ghanaian children's game)
Soul Sounds, Published on Sep 6, 2008
Some footage of a very popular game played by little girls in ghana.
-snip-
The narrator indicates that Ampe is similar to the โRock, paper, scissorsโ hand game.
****
Video #4: Ghana trip โฅ : What is Ampe?
MimiOnliine, Published on Sep 6, 2012
Children showing me how Ampe is played. And this video shows that boys can also play Ampe :)
****
Video #5: Childrien playing Ampe. Akwamufie presbyterian school. Ghana.
Karl Holm, Published on Apr 13, 2018
****
Video #6:Ghanian ladies Games
ABAN TV GH
Published on Jun 28, 2017
Playing Ghanaian woman Games
-snip-
I added the following two comments to this video's discussion thread:
Azizi Powell, June 24, 2019
"Hello, Ghanaian sisters. I'm an African American woman who happened upon this video while looking for videos of the children's game Ampe.
Are these traditional Ghanaian children's (mostly girls) games and are they still being played by children nowadays? What are the names of each of these games and explain what is being sung or chanted.
Thanks in advance.
Bless up!"
**
Azizi Powell, June 24, 2019
"I'm asking about the other games beside Ampe which I recognized in this video, although I'm still not sure how to play it :o("
-snip-
Here's a reply to these questions from the video's publisher:
ABAN TV GH, June 25, 2019
"hello sister Azizi yes Ampe still play mostly at small towns and villages Amepe have some words which is not really a song , in this video you saw Ampe and Aso, ( Asษ ) so Asษ is the girls game come with songs . . ...."
**
REPLY
Azizi Powell, June 25, 2019
"@ABAN TV GH, thank you for your quick response.
I featured this video on this post in my pancocojams cultural blog: https://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2019/06/seven-videos-of-ghanaian-childrens-game.html Seven Videos Of The Ghanaian Children's Game "Ampe"
Do I understand you correctly that all the singing clapping games with songs in Ghana are called Aso, ( Asษ )? I'd love to know the names of each individual game with the time it was featured in this video.
I'm very interested in documenting the words to examples of African children's games. Would you or someone else please write the words in Akan and English to at least one of those games (such as the first one in this video)?
I know that I'm asking a lot, but there's so little information about Ghanaian children's games that is know in the USA and the internet is one way to share that information with the world.
Thanks!"
****
Video #7: Ampe Adenta Project
Ottiya, Published on May 22, 2018
This is a video of girls playing ampe in a group in the school yard in Ghana recorded by Yaba Haffar. Yaba wrote an article entitled "Playing and Learning through Rhythm and Song in Ghana", which connects to ampe. You can read her article in the Play Issue of the Ottiya Magazine: http://www.ottiya.com/shop
-snip-
The play issue of that magazine cost $25.00.
****
This concludes Part II of this pancocojams series.
Thanks for visiting pancocojams.
Visitor comments are welcome.
Information About The Traditional Ghanaian Children's Game Called "Ampe"
Edited by Azizi Powell
This is Part I of a two part pancocojams series on the traditional Ghanaian children's game called "Ampe".
Part I presents information about the Ghanaian children's game "Ampe".
Click https://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2019/06/seven-videos-of-ghanaian-childrens-game.html for Part II of this series. Part II showcases seven videos of the Ghanaian children's game "Ampe".
The content of this post is presented for cultural and recreational purposes.
All copyrights remain with their owners.
Thanks to all those who are quoted in this post.
****
ARTICLE EXCERPTS THAT INCLUDE COMMENTS ABOUT THE HISTORY OF AMPE
(These excerpts are numbered for referencing purposes only).
EXCERPT #1
From https://rafiufishbone.blogspot.com/2015/08/ampe-beautiful-african-game.html AMPE '' A BEAUTIFUL AFRICAN GAME By Unknown - August 18, 2015
"Ampe is a game played long before anyone can remember,Since African history has not been put on paper and pen due to lack of formal education back in the centuries no one can really tell the exact origin of ampe. So its history remains a mystry but ampe is still the game little girls love to play when they have nothing to do...The game has been in existence for more Than 200years.
African children play this game during their childhood to teen age. Some believe it originate in Ghana. Elders in the northern part of Ghana believe that people of the ashanti region developed/created ampe. They say the game was played by old women, when they had nothing doing. They form a round circle, then pick a leader to be in the middle. They jump and clap their hands at the same time and put forward their legs. If both the leader and the one she picks to begin the game put forward their right leg at the same time then the leader has lost, if she loses for the second and third then she joins the circle and the winner becomes the new leader. But if the leader put forward her right leg and the other put forward her left leg that means the leader has won. Even though 10 pple can play ampe But its been play by two persons at a time. The game is been played by girls but sometimes boys do join because is very interesting and entertaining. Moreover is a form of exercise and keeps the brain and eyes sharp and active. Mostly is a game played at home but because it has been the most loved games among little girls, ampe is seen played in primary schools across Ghana and the world."
****
EXCERPT #2
From https://mmofraghana.org/interesting-finds/world-games-ampe/ World Games โ Ampe!
Posted by: Adwoa on 30 November 2011
โTim Hullโs wonderful videos on childrenโs games from different countries were made to support the work of the international play organization Right To Play.
Ampe is still a very popular game for girls (and a few boys too) everywhere in Ghana. Itโs a combination of a good physical workout, social bonding and strategy.
In addition to his short film (about 15 minutes) on the energetic Ghanaian game of ampe (AM-pay), Timโs Globaltimoto journey in search of games around the world showcases children at play in other African countries like Morocco, Namibia and Mali.
Detailed notes on the game are here. The film is particularly interesting because it includes an oral history of the game....
It includes an explanation of the rules, some strategies for winning, and a demonstration which ends with 15 year-old Sandra Ampofoah of Mampong-Akuapem emerging as the excited overall champion.
Sandra explains that itโs a matter of studying patterns of play, anticipating your opponent, making snap decisions and having very quick reflexes.
100 year-old Madam Rose Animah and 88 year-old Madam Elizabeth Kyei are the real stars of the film. They relive their glory days as champions of the game when it was a serious competitive sport between the ampe โcompaniesโ of several villages.
In the โold daysโ, crowds of spectators would come to watch the tournaments, which could go on for as long as two or three days. There was even a special dress code, designed to give plenty of room for jumping and throwing out your feet!*
Today ampe is a schoolyard and childrenโs playground activity rather than a community event, but it has survived, unlike many of the โancient gamesโ lamented by Rose Animah and Elizabeth Kyei."
-snip-
A link to Tim Hull's short film about Ampe is given as Video #1 in Part II of this series.
Here's a quote about the style of dress that was used for Ampe from Tim Hull's globaltimoto.com site that is mentioned in the above article: https://www.globaltimoto.com/africa/ghana/games/ampe/
"The style of clothes is very important to the game of Ampe. Most important of all is that each girl should wear a short and tight skirt facilitating the necessary movement of the legs. This style of dress carries with it a chant from spectators "Okpeng" (Short) to which the participating girls would cheer "Odadwee" (Tight). It's obviously not only the game of Ampe that drew young men to these events, but also the girls' daring fashion."
-snip-
The statement about "studying patterns of play, anticipating your opponent, etc. made me think of the comment from a narrator of "Ampe (a ghanaian children's game)", one of the video's that is showcased in Part II of this pancocojams series. In that video the narrator indicated that Ampe is similar to the hand game "rock, paper, scissors". Here's an excerpt from the Wikipedia article for this game: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rock%E2%80%93paper%E2%80%93scissors
****
EXCERPT #3
From https://gijonlinenews.com/?p=3086
The Decline of Traditional Games BY: OWUSU OFOSU-HEMAA EFUA ZION, July 19, 2016
โOnce in Ghana were ampe, pampanaa, oware, pempenaa, pi lolo, alikoto, Zanzama, sansankroma, kyemper, Adwoa Ata and many others so dear to our hearts. Traditional games, in past times were held in high esteem by both the aged and the young in our society. These games, one would note, are gradually on the decline.
Attributed to civilization or modernization, these global phenomenon play a fundamental role in seperating our traditional society from its traditional games. These games gave us a sense of identification and belonging. Aside the eductative aspect these games offered, they also played the role of reuniting familes.
They were a great source of entertainment, self-expression and cooperation.
These same games since time immemorial have developed skills in solving real world problems while providing the opportunity to communicate face-to-face with team players. Helping to hone social skills, individuals were able to familiarize themselves with their environment and interact properly with others.
Pampanaa for instance helped us develop our navigational skills as one either searched for or hid from his/her opponent. Police and thief, imbibed in us a sense of accepted moral standards in society by shaming crime, and on the other hand celebrating justice.
Countless people may argue on the importance of modern games. In a way, it is understandable in the sense that, times have changed unlike the past where murder, kidnap, rape, rituals etc. were not common in our Ghanaian society. Parents would not like to take chances letting their children out to play with friends but rather stick to modern games on consoles, computers or other devices right at home. The security of children is essential to parents.
Modern games such as Clash of Clans, candy crush, pokรฉmon, criminal case, temple run, fruit ninja and many others are the order of the day. The disadvantages are also countless. Children are exposed to unacceptable social vices and acts such as sexual abuses, crime, deceit and violence.
Parents should be mindful of how they go about blending modern games with traditional ones bearing in mind the role to media plays in shaping human behaviour and perception.โ
Nine commenters shared their memories of some of the traditional Ghanaian games that are mentioned in this article, including this comment about ampe:
EUNICE OSEI [no date given]
"I enjoyed Ampe but sadly we donโt see it any more. It was best played with a group of four and more or just two people. It requires very active players with much jumping, singing and clapping. Two leaders are chosen for each group and the rest of the members split into groups of two and play against each other. Points are earned depending on the right or left leg, but always meet the opposite leg of your opponent first. I wish we could still maintain our traditional games instead of modern games."
-snip-
The only โmodernโ games that Iโve* heard of that are mentioned in this article are โcandy crushโ and โPokรฉmonโ. Iโm African American and these other โmodern gamesโ may not be from the USA or known in the USA
****
OTHER ARTICLE EXCERPTS ABOUT AMPE
(These excerpts are numbered for referencing purposes only).
EXCERPT #1
From https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ampe_(game)
Ampe is a simple but energy-driven game played by school-age children. It originated from Ghana and also played in other neighbouring countries. It is played by two or more people and requires no equipment.[1][2]
Gameplay
The leader and another player jump up at the same time, clap, and thrust one foot forward when they jump up. If the leader and the other player have the same foot forward the leader wins a point. If they are different than the other player becomes "it" and plays against the remaining players. If the players are in a circle, the leader moves along the inside of the circle, playing against others in turn. If they are in a line, the leader moves on down the line. If only two players are playing, they keep score until a certain number of points determines a winner.[3]โ...
****
EXCERPT #2:
From https://aroundtheworldactivities.wordpress.com/2013/01/27/ampe-ghana/ Ampe โ Ghana
27, JAN, 2013 by aroundtheworldactivities
"Name of Game: Ampe
Age Required to Play Game: 8 to 12
Country Origin: Ghana
Fun Facts: Itโs a game that helps with coordination and agility.
Materials Needed: Body
Rules:
Chose one player to be the leader and the others to stand in a semicircle, with the leader facing the player at either end of the group.
The leader and the player both clap hands. Then they jump in place at the same time. They then jump and thrust one foot forward.
If the two have the same foot forward, the leader is out and the player takes their place. If they thrust a different foot forward, the leader moves on to the next player and the same routine begins.
A point is scored every time the leader is successful. Every player takes a turn as leader. The one who scores the most points wins."
****
EXCERPT #3:
From http://www.gameskidsplay.net/games/other_games/ampe.htm
"This challenging game is from Ghana
Usually two people are involved. It could also be two teams of more than two in a team. The players or teams are identified as โOhyiwaโ and โopareโ. "Ohyiwa" scores a point when a playerโs left leg meets the right leg or right leg meets the left leg of "opare". "Opare" also scores a point when the left leg meets the left or the right leg meets the right leg of "ohyiwa". The first to get ten points wins the game or contest. The game: Two contestants at a time, one from each team start clapping their hands while singing and jumping. As they land each manipulates the legs and places one leg forward. As explained above, 'ohyiwa' wins by the left leg meeting the right leg or right leg meeting the left leg of "opare". "Opare" scores by the left leg meeting the left leg or right leg meeting the right leg of "ohyiwa". There is no referee but every team counts its scores as the game progresses. The first to get ten points wins. A set of games is played and the higher scorer determines the winner.
Contributed by D.A. Akuoko - Thank you!"
****
This concludes Part I of this two part series.
Thanks for visiting pancocojams.
Visitor comments are welcome.
This is Part I of a two part pancocojams series on the traditional Ghanaian children's game called "Ampe".
Part I presents information about the Ghanaian children's game "Ampe".
Click https://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2019/06/seven-videos-of-ghanaian-childrens-game.html for Part II of this series. Part II showcases seven videos of the Ghanaian children's game "Ampe".
The content of this post is presented for cultural and recreational purposes.
All copyrights remain with their owners.
Thanks to all those who are quoted in this post.
****
ARTICLE EXCERPTS THAT INCLUDE COMMENTS ABOUT THE HISTORY OF AMPE
(These excerpts are numbered for referencing purposes only).
EXCERPT #1
From https://rafiufishbone.blogspot.com/2015/08/ampe-beautiful-african-game.html AMPE '' A BEAUTIFUL AFRICAN GAME By Unknown - August 18, 2015
"Ampe is a game played long before anyone can remember,Since African history has not been put on paper and pen due to lack of formal education back in the centuries no one can really tell the exact origin of ampe. So its history remains a mystry but ampe is still the game little girls love to play when they have nothing to do...The game has been in existence for more Than 200years.
African children play this game during their childhood to teen age. Some believe it originate in Ghana. Elders in the northern part of Ghana believe that people of the ashanti region developed/created ampe. They say the game was played by old women, when they had nothing doing. They form a round circle, then pick a leader to be in the middle. They jump and clap their hands at the same time and put forward their legs. If both the leader and the one she picks to begin the game put forward their right leg at the same time then the leader has lost, if she loses for the second and third then she joins the circle and the winner becomes the new leader. But if the leader put forward her right leg and the other put forward her left leg that means the leader has won. Even though 10 pple can play ampe But its been play by two persons at a time. The game is been played by girls but sometimes boys do join because is very interesting and entertaining. Moreover is a form of exercise and keeps the brain and eyes sharp and active. Mostly is a game played at home but because it has been the most loved games among little girls, ampe is seen played in primary schools across Ghana and the world."
****
EXCERPT #2
From https://mmofraghana.org/interesting-finds/world-games-ampe/ World Games โ Ampe!
Posted by: Adwoa on 30 November 2011
โTim Hullโs wonderful videos on childrenโs games from different countries were made to support the work of the international play organization Right To Play.
Ampe is still a very popular game for girls (and a few boys too) everywhere in Ghana. Itโs a combination of a good physical workout, social bonding and strategy.
In addition to his short film (about 15 minutes) on the energetic Ghanaian game of ampe (AM-pay), Timโs Globaltimoto journey in search of games around the world showcases children at play in other African countries like Morocco, Namibia and Mali.
Detailed notes on the game are here. The film is particularly interesting because it includes an oral history of the game....
It includes an explanation of the rules, some strategies for winning, and a demonstration which ends with 15 year-old Sandra Ampofoah of Mampong-Akuapem emerging as the excited overall champion.
Sandra explains that itโs a matter of studying patterns of play, anticipating your opponent, making snap decisions and having very quick reflexes.
100 year-old Madam Rose Animah and 88 year-old Madam Elizabeth Kyei are the real stars of the film. They relive their glory days as champions of the game when it was a serious competitive sport between the ampe โcompaniesโ of several villages.
In the โold daysโ, crowds of spectators would come to watch the tournaments, which could go on for as long as two or three days. There was even a special dress code, designed to give plenty of room for jumping and throwing out your feet!*
Today ampe is a schoolyard and childrenโs playground activity rather than a community event, but it has survived, unlike many of the โancient gamesโ lamented by Rose Animah and Elizabeth Kyei."
-snip-
A link to Tim Hull's short film about Ampe is given as Video #1 in Part II of this series.
Here's a quote about the style of dress that was used for Ampe from Tim Hull's globaltimoto.com site that is mentioned in the above article: https://www.globaltimoto.com/africa/ghana/games/ampe/
"The style of clothes is very important to the game of Ampe. Most important of all is that each girl should wear a short and tight skirt facilitating the necessary movement of the legs. This style of dress carries with it a chant from spectators "Okpeng" (Short) to which the participating girls would cheer "Odadwee" (Tight). It's obviously not only the game of Ampe that drew young men to these events, but also the girls' daring fashion."
-snip-
The statement about "studying patterns of play, anticipating your opponent, etc. made me think of the comment from a narrator of "Ampe (a ghanaian children's game)", one of the video's that is showcased in Part II of this pancocojams series. In that video the narrator indicated that Ampe is similar to the hand game "rock, paper, scissors". Here's an excerpt from the Wikipedia article for this game: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rock%E2%80%93paper%E2%80%93scissors
"Rockโpaperโscissors (also known as scissorsโrockโpaper or other variants) is a hand game usually played between two people, in which each player simultaneously forms one of three shapes with an outstretched hand. These shapes are "rock" (a closed fist), "paper" (a flat hand), and "scissors" (a fist with the index finger and middle finger extended, forming a V). "Scissors" is identical to the two-fingered V sign (also indicating "victory" or "peace") except that it is pointed horizontally instead of being held upright in the air. A simultaneous, zero-sum game, it has only two possible outcomes: a draw, or a win for one player and a loss for the other.
[...] [explanations about which formations win over others]
[...]
Unlike truly random selection methods, however, rockโpaperโscissors can be played with a degree of skill by recognizing and exploiting non-random behavior in opponents.[5][6]"
****
EXCERPT #3
From https://gijonlinenews.com/?p=3086
The Decline of Traditional Games BY: OWUSU OFOSU-HEMAA EFUA ZION, July 19, 2016
โOnce in Ghana were ampe, pampanaa, oware, pempenaa, pi lolo, alikoto, Zanzama, sansankroma, kyemper, Adwoa Ata and many others so dear to our hearts. Traditional games, in past times were held in high esteem by both the aged and the young in our society. These games, one would note, are gradually on the decline.
Attributed to civilization or modernization, these global phenomenon play a fundamental role in seperating our traditional society from its traditional games. These games gave us a sense of identification and belonging. Aside the eductative aspect these games offered, they also played the role of reuniting familes.
They were a great source of entertainment, self-expression and cooperation.
These same games since time immemorial have developed skills in solving real world problems while providing the opportunity to communicate face-to-face with team players. Helping to hone social skills, individuals were able to familiarize themselves with their environment and interact properly with others.
Pampanaa for instance helped us develop our navigational skills as one either searched for or hid from his/her opponent. Police and thief, imbibed in us a sense of accepted moral standards in society by shaming crime, and on the other hand celebrating justice.
Countless people may argue on the importance of modern games. In a way, it is understandable in the sense that, times have changed unlike the past where murder, kidnap, rape, rituals etc. were not common in our Ghanaian society. Parents would not like to take chances letting their children out to play with friends but rather stick to modern games on consoles, computers or other devices right at home. The security of children is essential to parents.
Modern games such as Clash of Clans, candy crush, pokรฉmon, criminal case, temple run, fruit ninja and many others are the order of the day. The disadvantages are also countless. Children are exposed to unacceptable social vices and acts such as sexual abuses, crime, deceit and violence.
Parents should be mindful of how they go about blending modern games with traditional ones bearing in mind the role to media plays in shaping human behaviour and perception.โ
Nine commenters shared their memories of some of the traditional Ghanaian games that are mentioned in this article, including this comment about ampe:
EUNICE OSEI [no date given]
"I enjoyed Ampe but sadly we donโt see it any more. It was best played with a group of four and more or just two people. It requires very active players with much jumping, singing and clapping. Two leaders are chosen for each group and the rest of the members split into groups of two and play against each other. Points are earned depending on the right or left leg, but always meet the opposite leg of your opponent first. I wish we could still maintain our traditional games instead of modern games."
-snip-
The only โmodernโ games that Iโve* heard of that are mentioned in this article are โcandy crushโ and โPokรฉmonโ. Iโm African American and these other โmodern gamesโ may not be from the USA or known in the USA
****
OTHER ARTICLE EXCERPTS ABOUT AMPE
(These excerpts are numbered for referencing purposes only).
EXCERPT #1
From https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ampe_(game)
Ampe is a simple but energy-driven game played by school-age children. It originated from Ghana and also played in other neighbouring countries. It is played by two or more people and requires no equipment.[1][2]
Gameplay
The leader and another player jump up at the same time, clap, and thrust one foot forward when they jump up. If the leader and the other player have the same foot forward the leader wins a point. If they are different than the other player becomes "it" and plays against the remaining players. If the players are in a circle, the leader moves along the inside of the circle, playing against others in turn. If they are in a line, the leader moves on down the line. If only two players are playing, they keep score until a certain number of points determines a winner.[3]โ...
****
EXCERPT #2:
From https://aroundtheworldactivities.wordpress.com/2013/01/27/ampe-ghana/ Ampe โ Ghana
27, JAN, 2013 by aroundtheworldactivities
"Name of Game: Ampe
Age Required to Play Game: 8 to 12
Country Origin: Ghana
Fun Facts: Itโs a game that helps with coordination and agility.
Materials Needed: Body
Rules:
Chose one player to be the leader and the others to stand in a semicircle, with the leader facing the player at either end of the group.
The leader and the player both clap hands. Then they jump in place at the same time. They then jump and thrust one foot forward.
If the two have the same foot forward, the leader is out and the player takes their place. If they thrust a different foot forward, the leader moves on to the next player and the same routine begins.
A point is scored every time the leader is successful. Every player takes a turn as leader. The one who scores the most points wins."
****
EXCERPT #3:
From http://www.gameskidsplay.net/games/other_games/ampe.htm
"This challenging game is from Ghana
Usually two people are involved. It could also be two teams of more than two in a team. The players or teams are identified as โOhyiwaโ and โopareโ. "Ohyiwa" scores a point when a playerโs left leg meets the right leg or right leg meets the left leg of "opare". "Opare" also scores a point when the left leg meets the left or the right leg meets the right leg of "ohyiwa". The first to get ten points wins the game or contest. The game: Two contestants at a time, one from each team start clapping their hands while singing and jumping. As they land each manipulates the legs and places one leg forward. As explained above, 'ohyiwa' wins by the left leg meeting the right leg or right leg meeting the left leg of "opare". "Opare" scores by the left leg meeting the left leg or right leg meeting the right leg of "ohyiwa". There is no referee but every team counts its scores as the game progresses. The first to get ten points wins. A set of games is played and the higher scorer determines the winner.
Contributed by D.A. Akuoko - Thank you!"
****
This concludes Part I of this two part series.
Thanks for visiting pancocojams.
Visitor comments are welcome.
Sunday, June 23, 2019
Songs For Haitian Loa Papa Elegba (information, YouTube sound files, and comments)
Edited by Azizi Powell
This pancocojams post presents information about Haitian Vodoun and an explanation about the term "loa". This post also showcases three YouTube sound files with information about the Haitian loa Papa Legba along with some comments from some of these sound files' discussion threads.
The content of this post is presented for religious, cultural, and aesthetic purposes.
All copyrights remain with their owners.
Thanks to all those who are quoted in this post and all those who contributed to these embedded YouTube sound files. Thanks also to all the publishers of these examples on YouTube.
****
INFORMATION ABOUT HAITIAN VODOUN
From https://www.britannica.com/topic/Vodou
"Vodou
HAITIAN RELIGION
Alternative Titles: Vaudou, Vodun, Voodoo, Voudou, vodon
Vodou, also spelled Voodoo, Voudou, Vodun, or French Vaudou, a religion practiced in Haiti. Vodou is a creolized religion forged by descendents of Dahomean, Kongo, Yoruba, and other African ethnic groups who had been enslaved and brought to colonial Saint-Domingue (as Haiti was known then) and Christianized by Roman Catholic missionaries in the 16th and 17th centuries. The word Vodou means โspiritโ or โdeityโ in the Fon language of the African kingdom of Dahomey (now Benin).
Vodou, a traditional Afro-Haitian religion, is a worldview encompassing philosophy, medicine, justice, and religion. Its fundamental principle is that everything is spirit. Humans are spirits who inhabit the visible world. The unseen world is populated by lwa (spirits), mystรจ (mysteries), anvizib (the invisibles), zanj (angels), and the spirits of ancestors and the recently deceased. All these spirits are believed to live in a mythic land called Ginen, a cosmic โAfrica.โ The God of the Christian Bible is understood to be the creator of both the universe and the spirits; the spirits were made by God to help him govern humanity and the natural world.โ...
****
INFORMATION ABOUT THE TERM "LOA"
From https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Loa
"Loa (also spelled lwa) are the spirits of Haitian Vodou and Louisiana Voodoo.[1]:229 They are also referred to as "mystรจres" and "the invisibles" and are intermediaries between Bondye (from French Bon Dieu, meaning "good God")โthe Supreme Creator, who is distant from the worldโand humanity. Unlike saints or angels, however, they are not simply prayed to, they are served. They are each distinct beings with their own personal likes and dislikes, distinct sacred rhythms, songs, dances, ritual symbols, and special modes of service. Contrary to popular belief, the loa are not deities in and of themselves; they are intermediaries for, and dependent on, a distant Bondye.[1]:"
****
INFORMATION ABOUT PAPA LEGBA
From https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Papa_Legba
"Papa Legba is a loa in Haitian Vodou, who serves as the intermediary between the loa and humanity. He stands at a spiritual crossroads and gives (or denies) permission to speak with the spirits of Guinee, and is believed to speak all human languages. In Haiti, he is the great elocutioner. Legba facilitates communication, speech, and understanding.
Appearance
He usually appears as an old man on a crutch or with a cane, wearing a broad brimmed straw hat and smoking a pipe, or sparkling water. The dog is sacred to him. Legba is syncretized with Saint Peter, Saint Lazarus,[1] and Saint Anthony.[2]
Alternative views
In Benin, Nigeria and Togo, Legba is viewed as young and virile trickster deity,[3] often horned and phallic, and his shrine is usually located at the gate of the village in the countryside. Alternatively, he is addressed as Legba Atibon, Atibon Legba, or Ati-Gbon Legba.
In popular culture
[...]
In his study of the Delta blues, Robert Palmer discusses the appearance of Legba in blues lyrics and lore. Palmer notes that Legba can be referred to/identified as "the Devil", "Papa Legba", and "The Black Man" throughout the history of the blues.[5] This is also made clear in ethnomusicologist Bruno Blum's text for the CD box set Voodoo in America (scroll for English version),[6] where reference to Papa Legba, deity of roads and crossroads, in Robert Johnson's iconic song "Crossroads" is explained.
[...]
In the 1986 film Crossroads, blues musicians Robert Johnson and Willie Brown sell their souls to a "Mr. Legba" at a Mississippi crossroads. Later in the film Legba takes the name "Scratch".[citation needed] In this movie, however, Legba is mistaken for the Christian devil (or the popular notion of the devil), who takes the main character's soul in exchange for a successful musical career in blues.โ...
-snip-
Additional information about Papa Legba is found in the YouTube sound file summaries and comments that are given below.
****
SHOWCASE YOUTUBE SOUND FILES
Example #1: Papa Legba
Vodouspirit, Published on Feb 18, 2009
In honour of Papa Legba, the great Voodoo spirit who opens the way so that we may pass.
From https://hermitsjourney.wordpress.com/2012/08/22/a-song-for-legba
-snip-
Here's the lyrics to the song that is given on that page:
"A song for Legba
Here is an easy song for Legba that anyone can learn, even if you donโt speak Kreyol. Itโs pretty repetitive, so once you get it down itโs not difficult to remember. I sing this one regularly when I give him offerings.
Legba nan baye-a
Legba nan baye-a
Legba nan baye-a
se ou ki pote drapo
se ou ki pare soley pou lwas yo
Translation:
Legba in the gate
Legba in the gate
Legba in the gate
it is you who carries the flag
it is you who shades the sun for the lwa
-snip-
Here's one comment about that article:
Velvetbehr, 2012
"Ayibobo Papa Legba!"
-snip-
From https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ayibobo
Ayibobo is one spelling of a Haitian Creole word that means "amen" or "hallelujah". However, the majority of mainstream Christian Haitians refrain from using the word Ayibobo as it is more commonly used among Vodou practitioners. Therefore, "Amen" and Hallejujah or "Alelouya", in its creole spelling, are used by mainstream Christians and "Ayibobo" are for those that practice Vodou
****
Example #2: Papa Legba Haitian Meditation Music ( Very Powerful )
Darklordism, Published on May 26, 2016
Papa Legba Ritual Meditation Music
Papa Legba is a mighty Loa (God) from the New Orleans and Haitian Vodou Traditions. He is seen as an elderly black man with a cane, wearing a straw hat and either smoking a pipe or sprinkling water upon the ground. He is sometimes accompanied by a black dog or a rooster.
His colors are black and red and his number is 3. His day of the week is Monday and he is associated with St. Lazarus and St. Peter. Papa Legba governs over choice and the paths that we all walk. He presents us with opportunities and also tests our progress with challenges as we travel through earth life. This responsibility has given him the title of being the ultimate trickster god. He challenges us to step out of ourselves and to examine the habits and beliefs that we identify with. The choice is to either examine our lives or continue to fail the tests that Papa Legba sends to us over and over again. To Papa Legba, choice is of the utmost
importance for it is choice that displays the maturity of the heart and mind.
Papa Legba is one of the very oldest Loa and has been around since the beginning of time. He has seen everything which is why he is the Master Story Teller and the keeper of manโs history. He is like the Kemetic/Egyptian record keeping God Tehuti in this light for he has an unimaginable amount of data stored in his memory. He is the griot with the tales of heroes and the origins of all things. He can speak these stories to anyone on the planet for he is King of all linguists and therefore knows all languages.
Papa Legba: Keeper of the Crossroads
-snip-
Here are some comments from this sound file's discussion thread (with numbers added for referencing purposes only)
1. Nadime Miller,2016
"I love this lovely song to my father Papa Legba.Since i was a little girl I felt love to the culture ,songs ,dance and Voodoo in Haiti...I used to hear so many lovely songs from the Haitian coconut cutters in the Dominican Republic...I sensed very early how they put down voodoo....I never knew why?...if voodoo to me as a child was a very suiting and pleasant experience.....I grow up respecting Voodoo, even that the nuns in catholic school considered it "witchcraft ".When I arrived toThe United State I encounter Voodoo in my dreams, and since then I fallow my intuition and my heart!!!..This song is "MARAVILLOSA". It brings me to my African Ancestors where I dance in the realm of the Magical world of The Spirits!!!...Thank you !!"
**
REPLY
2. Mr LMMO, 2016
"Nadime Miller I think your referring to houdo from Haiti."
**
REPLY
3. Nadime Miller, 2016
"Well in Haiti is voodoo???...a very ancient Religion from Dahomey...West Africa ???? HAITI Its the country that preserved all these rituals in the caribbean Haiti is the neighbor of The Dominican Republic.... Thank God for Haiti!!!"
**
REPLY
4. Mr LMMO, 2016
"Nadime Miller hatian voodoo isn't houdo? voodoo being the new Orleans style?"
**
REPLY
5. Nadime Miller, 2016
"I know...Haitian voodoo is unique in Haiti....new orlean s voodoo is commercial ..i saw many references to hoodoo"
**
REPLY
6. Dave Lopes, 2017
"Perry, Hoodoo is black magic from Louisiana. Vaudou is the religion practiced in Haiti. There is no houdo in Haiti."
**
REPLY
7. Dave Lopes, 2017
"Also the name is Vaudou or Vaudoun. Voodoo is the American bastardization of the word."
**
REPLY
8. IyaEarthseeds, 2017
"Actually it's Vodoun or Vodou or Vodun... No "a"..."
**
9. Amen Ra, 2016
"Yall know this is an African spiritual system that's inherited right?"
**
REPLY
10. A I, 2016
"Yoruba to be precise. its been spread by trans Atlantic slavery"
**
REPLY
11. Reza Z, 2017
"Omo Ogun it's not Yoruba. Yoruba is Santeria religion not Vodou. Vodou spread by West African Fon and Ewe people"
-snip-
"Omo Ogun" was the screen name for another commenter.
**
REPLY
12. IyaEarthseeds, 2017
"Young Brotha! Ogun is an Orisa from Yoruba Ancestral/Cultural Tradition and it's actually called IFA. Not Yoruba. Yoruba are the people, a language and culture... IFA is the name of our spiritual/religious and cosmological system.
Santeria, Lucumi, Candomblรฉ, Sango (and many other versions throughout the world) are Diaspora "bi-products" of the IFA. Vodoun has many IFA influences and synchronizations as well as its own very distinct cultural/spiritual elements. Dude, Ogun is an Orisa from IFA โ Yorubaland!!!
-snip-
"Orisa" ["orisha"] is the same concept as the Haitian "loa"
From https://www.collinsdictionary.com/us/dictionary/english/orisha
"any of the minor gods or spirits of traditional Yoruba religion and its S American and Caribbean offshoots such as Santeria and Candomblรฉ
**
REPLY
13. Stanley Dougรฉ, 2017
"Sango is known as Sogbo and Heviosso us Haรฏtians inherited the vodun from our Gbรฉ ancestors the Adja,mina,Goun,Fon,ewe and also the Nago a Yoruba speaking people were among the people sent to Haรฏti and of course other tribes as well such as the Igbo,Bakongo,Fulbe,Wolof etc"
**
REPLY
14. Stanley Dougรฉ, 2017
"Fun fact Legba is the Fa version of the Ifa Orisha Elegbara."
**
REPLY
15. Stanley Dougรฉ, 2017
"Vodun is Fa Orisha is Ifa."
**
REPLY
16. Naija guy, 2018
"Let me clear this debate by saying legba is a yoruba diety just as it's fon's."
**
REPLY
17. Namie Namie, 2019
"@Stanley Dougรฉ i believe Elegbara is the son of Esu and there are many Esus or papa Legbas."
**
REPLY
18. Papa Sรจpan, 2019
"Namie Namie they are not the same entity. The Fon/Ewe did not get influenced by the Yoruba. The Yoruba are nomads from those predating tribes. Thatโs why Isese and Vodun share so many similarities. And the Yoruba people can be traced back to coming from the line of the Fon/Ewe people or the Dahomean kingdom. Also Ifร is an Oracle which is the Vodun Fa and since Iโm African Spirituality Animism is a very loud principle. The way the Orisa are like the Vodun of the Land the Yoruba moved to and inherited. Why you think you will see there water spirit is Oshun because they have the oshun River but in Benin they donโt have Oshun they have Azili(Ezili) . But in Ghana in their Vodun they donโt have Azili because they donโt have that River. We have to remember where these spirits manifested as and from on earth. Oshun physical body is her River same for the Azili. No they arenโt the same entity they may manifest from the same energy or similise energies and principle but are not the same . Same with Eshu Elegbara and Elegba and Papa Legba."
****
19. D. Roulie, 2016
"that's Haitian Creole they are speaking I'm Haitian"
**
REPLY
20. A I, 2016
"D. Roulie sounds similar to Yoruba.
**
21. Eloรฏ Jacques-wood, 2017
"The image in the video are so wrong... Thanks anyway"
**
22. Susan Sheppard, 2018
"Nice but Legba is not scary looking. He appears as an older men in a straw hat, wearing overalls and smoking a corn cob pipe. People are confusing him with Papa Samedi..."
**
REPLY
22. acres homes, 2018
"Ok what makes it wrong?communicate with your people.."
**
REPLY
23. subsystem101, 2018
"the images are Baron not Legba and other image are just wrong"
**
REPLY
24. yiehom, 2018
"There is no "baron" without naming which one you mean. There is no wrong whithout showing the right."
**
REPLY
25. EazyHelper, 2018
"@yiehom baron samedi......as some have already pointed out legba is an elderly man"
**
REPLY
26. Stanley Dougรฉ, 2019
"Exactly Baron Samedi isn't Legba but they seem to confuse it in Louisiana though for some reason Vodun Legba doesn't dress like that."
****
Example #3: Papa Legba
Blokis Mizik 509, Published on Oct 28, 2016
When one says the word Vodou, the first spirit that comes to mind is Legba. Legba is undoubtedly the most important spirits in the hierarchy of Vodou; he is the guardian of the gates, crossroads, courtyards and all Vodou temples (Peristil). He is the necessary intermediary between the livings and the spiritual world, his powers are absolutely a must for any kind of interaction with the Loas. No Vodou ceremony of any sort can take place without his permission. Because of this important privilege Legba is always the first invoked in all Vodou ceremony.
Although his possession are extremely violent, his caring nature and politeness earned him the affectionate nickname "Papa Legba" He is a small, crooked lovable old man, his body covered with sores and his crutch or cane is always presented to him for support , old age prevents him from standing on his own. He wears a straw hat and carries his djakout (straw bag) full with rare herbs and plants that he uses and, his favorite drink clairin.
During his celebration, either a goat or a grey rooster, with yam and other roots vegetables are prepared for him as offerings, put inside the djakout, then hung on trees. In Haitian Vodou, the image of Saint Lazarus for the crutch that he uses for support or St Peter for the keys that he holds, are used to represent Papa Legba.
If you are a non initiate, you MUST acknowledge Legba and ask for his permission and guidance when addressing other Loa(s), by lighting a yellow candle and place it at the entrance of the door.
Alternatives: Atibon Legba, Alegba, Legba Sanyan, Legba Zankliyan, Legba Mizรจ ba.
Color: Yellow.
-snip-
Here are some comments from this sound file's discussion thread (with numbers added for referencing purposes only)
1. Cel Middleton, 2017
"Can you put the creole words to the song as well! Please and thank you!!!!"
**
REPLY
2. Peace & Love, 2017
"Cel Middleton im Haitian born and raised. Hard to understand the whole thing. A lot of West African stuff in it"
**
3. AlexanderMccarthey87, 2017
"Does anyone know the lyrics?"
**
REPLY
4. Jah E, 2017
"AlexanderMccarthey87 it is not hard have someone who speaks creyol write them down for u as u play the song..."
**
REPLY
5. margine louis, 2018
"@Jah E it involves some old African words that the typical Haitian will not recognize"
**
REPLY
6. Jah E, 2018
"@margine louis lol u right ..i dont even understand some of the words sometimes"
****
Thanks for visiting pancocojams.
Visitor comments are welcome.
This pancocojams post presents information about Haitian Vodoun and an explanation about the term "loa". This post also showcases three YouTube sound files with information about the Haitian loa Papa Legba along with some comments from some of these sound files' discussion threads.
The content of this post is presented for religious, cultural, and aesthetic purposes.
All copyrights remain with their owners.
Thanks to all those who are quoted in this post and all those who contributed to these embedded YouTube sound files. Thanks also to all the publishers of these examples on YouTube.
****
INFORMATION ABOUT HAITIAN VODOUN
From https://www.britannica.com/topic/Vodou
"Vodou
HAITIAN RELIGION
Alternative Titles: Vaudou, Vodun, Voodoo, Voudou, vodon
Vodou, also spelled Voodoo, Voudou, Vodun, or French Vaudou, a religion practiced in Haiti. Vodou is a creolized religion forged by descendents of Dahomean, Kongo, Yoruba, and other African ethnic groups who had been enslaved and brought to colonial Saint-Domingue (as Haiti was known then) and Christianized by Roman Catholic missionaries in the 16th and 17th centuries. The word Vodou means โspiritโ or โdeityโ in the Fon language of the African kingdom of Dahomey (now Benin).
Vodou, a traditional Afro-Haitian religion, is a worldview encompassing philosophy, medicine, justice, and religion. Its fundamental principle is that everything is spirit. Humans are spirits who inhabit the visible world. The unseen world is populated by lwa (spirits), mystรจ (mysteries), anvizib (the invisibles), zanj (angels), and the spirits of ancestors and the recently deceased. All these spirits are believed to live in a mythic land called Ginen, a cosmic โAfrica.โ The God of the Christian Bible is understood to be the creator of both the universe and the spirits; the spirits were made by God to help him govern humanity and the natural world.โ...
****
INFORMATION ABOUT THE TERM "LOA"
From https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Loa
"Loa (also spelled lwa) are the spirits of Haitian Vodou and Louisiana Voodoo.[1]:229 They are also referred to as "mystรจres" and "the invisibles" and are intermediaries between Bondye (from French Bon Dieu, meaning "good God")โthe Supreme Creator, who is distant from the worldโand humanity. Unlike saints or angels, however, they are not simply prayed to, they are served. They are each distinct beings with their own personal likes and dislikes, distinct sacred rhythms, songs, dances, ritual symbols, and special modes of service. Contrary to popular belief, the loa are not deities in and of themselves; they are intermediaries for, and dependent on, a distant Bondye.[1]:"
****
INFORMATION ABOUT PAPA LEGBA
From https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Papa_Legba
"Papa Legba is a loa in Haitian Vodou, who serves as the intermediary between the loa and humanity. He stands at a spiritual crossroads and gives (or denies) permission to speak with the spirits of Guinee, and is believed to speak all human languages. In Haiti, he is the great elocutioner. Legba facilitates communication, speech, and understanding.
Appearance
He usually appears as an old man on a crutch or with a cane, wearing a broad brimmed straw hat and smoking a pipe, or sparkling water. The dog is sacred to him. Legba is syncretized with Saint Peter, Saint Lazarus,[1] and Saint Anthony.[2]
Alternative views
In Benin, Nigeria and Togo, Legba is viewed as young and virile trickster deity,[3] often horned and phallic, and his shrine is usually located at the gate of the village in the countryside. Alternatively, he is addressed as Legba Atibon, Atibon Legba, or Ati-Gbon Legba.
In popular culture
[...]
In his study of the Delta blues, Robert Palmer discusses the appearance of Legba in blues lyrics and lore. Palmer notes that Legba can be referred to/identified as "the Devil", "Papa Legba", and "The Black Man" throughout the history of the blues.[5] This is also made clear in ethnomusicologist Bruno Blum's text for the CD box set Voodoo in America (scroll for English version),[6] where reference to Papa Legba, deity of roads and crossroads, in Robert Johnson's iconic song "Crossroads" is explained.
[...]
In the 1986 film Crossroads, blues musicians Robert Johnson and Willie Brown sell their souls to a "Mr. Legba" at a Mississippi crossroads. Later in the film Legba takes the name "Scratch".[citation needed] In this movie, however, Legba is mistaken for the Christian devil (or the popular notion of the devil), who takes the main character's soul in exchange for a successful musical career in blues.โ...
-snip-
Additional information about Papa Legba is found in the YouTube sound file summaries and comments that are given below.
****
SHOWCASE YOUTUBE SOUND FILES
Example #1: Papa Legba
Vodouspirit, Published on Feb 18, 2009
In honour of Papa Legba, the great Voodoo spirit who opens the way so that we may pass.
From https://hermitsjourney.wordpress.com/2012/08/22/a-song-for-legba
-snip-
Here's the lyrics to the song that is given on that page:
"A song for Legba
Here is an easy song for Legba that anyone can learn, even if you donโt speak Kreyol. Itโs pretty repetitive, so once you get it down itโs not difficult to remember. I sing this one regularly when I give him offerings.
Legba nan baye-a
Legba nan baye-a
Legba nan baye-a
se ou ki pote drapo
se ou ki pare soley pou lwas yo
Translation:
Legba in the gate
Legba in the gate
Legba in the gate
it is you who carries the flag
it is you who shades the sun for the lwa
-snip-
Here's one comment about that article:
Velvetbehr, 2012
"Ayibobo Papa Legba!"
-snip-
From https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ayibobo
Ayibobo is one spelling of a Haitian Creole word that means "amen" or "hallelujah". However, the majority of mainstream Christian Haitians refrain from using the word Ayibobo as it is more commonly used among Vodou practitioners. Therefore, "Amen" and Hallejujah or "Alelouya", in its creole spelling, are used by mainstream Christians and "Ayibobo" are for those that practice Vodou
****
Example #2: Papa Legba Haitian Meditation Music ( Very Powerful )
Darklordism, Published on May 26, 2016
Papa Legba Ritual Meditation Music
Papa Legba is a mighty Loa (God) from the New Orleans and Haitian Vodou Traditions. He is seen as an elderly black man with a cane, wearing a straw hat and either smoking a pipe or sprinkling water upon the ground. He is sometimes accompanied by a black dog or a rooster.
His colors are black and red and his number is 3. His day of the week is Monday and he is associated with St. Lazarus and St. Peter. Papa Legba governs over choice and the paths that we all walk. He presents us with opportunities and also tests our progress with challenges as we travel through earth life. This responsibility has given him the title of being the ultimate trickster god. He challenges us to step out of ourselves and to examine the habits and beliefs that we identify with. The choice is to either examine our lives or continue to fail the tests that Papa Legba sends to us over and over again. To Papa Legba, choice is of the utmost
importance for it is choice that displays the maturity of the heart and mind.
Papa Legba is one of the very oldest Loa and has been around since the beginning of time. He has seen everything which is why he is the Master Story Teller and the keeper of manโs history. He is like the Kemetic/Egyptian record keeping God Tehuti in this light for he has an unimaginable amount of data stored in his memory. He is the griot with the tales of heroes and the origins of all things. He can speak these stories to anyone on the planet for he is King of all linguists and therefore knows all languages.
Papa Legba: Keeper of the Crossroads
-snip-
Here are some comments from this sound file's discussion thread (with numbers added for referencing purposes only)
1. Nadime Miller,2016
"I love this lovely song to my father Papa Legba.Since i was a little girl I felt love to the culture ,songs ,dance and Voodoo in Haiti...I used to hear so many lovely songs from the Haitian coconut cutters in the Dominican Republic...I sensed very early how they put down voodoo....I never knew why?...if voodoo to me as a child was a very suiting and pleasant experience.....I grow up respecting Voodoo, even that the nuns in catholic school considered it "witchcraft ".When I arrived toThe United State I encounter Voodoo in my dreams, and since then I fallow my intuition and my heart!!!..This song is "MARAVILLOSA". It brings me to my African Ancestors where I dance in the realm of the Magical world of The Spirits!!!...Thank you !!"
**
REPLY
2. Mr LMMO, 2016
"Nadime Miller I think your referring to houdo from Haiti."
**
REPLY
3. Nadime Miller, 2016
"Well in Haiti is voodoo???...a very ancient Religion from Dahomey...West Africa ???? HAITI Its the country that preserved all these rituals in the caribbean Haiti is the neighbor of The Dominican Republic.... Thank God for Haiti!!!"
**
REPLY
4. Mr LMMO, 2016
"Nadime Miller hatian voodoo isn't houdo? voodoo being the new Orleans style?"
**
REPLY
5. Nadime Miller, 2016
"I know...Haitian voodoo is unique in Haiti....new orlean s voodoo is commercial ..i saw many references to hoodoo"
**
REPLY
6. Dave Lopes, 2017
"Perry, Hoodoo is black magic from Louisiana. Vaudou is the religion practiced in Haiti. There is no houdo in Haiti."
**
REPLY
7. Dave Lopes, 2017
"Also the name is Vaudou or Vaudoun. Voodoo is the American bastardization of the word."
**
REPLY
8. IyaEarthseeds, 2017
"Actually it's Vodoun or Vodou or Vodun... No "a"..."
**
9. Amen Ra, 2016
"Yall know this is an African spiritual system that's inherited right?"
**
REPLY
10. A I, 2016
"Yoruba to be precise. its been spread by trans Atlantic slavery"
**
REPLY
11. Reza Z, 2017
"Omo Ogun it's not Yoruba. Yoruba is Santeria religion not Vodou. Vodou spread by West African Fon and Ewe people"
-snip-
"Omo Ogun" was the screen name for another commenter.
**
REPLY
12. IyaEarthseeds, 2017
"Young Brotha! Ogun is an Orisa from Yoruba Ancestral/Cultural Tradition and it's actually called IFA. Not Yoruba. Yoruba are the people, a language and culture... IFA is the name of our spiritual/religious and cosmological system.
Santeria, Lucumi, Candomblรฉ, Sango (and many other versions throughout the world) are Diaspora "bi-products" of the IFA. Vodoun has many IFA influences and synchronizations as well as its own very distinct cultural/spiritual elements. Dude, Ogun is an Orisa from IFA โ Yorubaland!!!
-snip-
"Orisa" ["orisha"] is the same concept as the Haitian "loa"
From https://www.collinsdictionary.com/us/dictionary/english/orisha
"any of the minor gods or spirits of traditional Yoruba religion and its S American and Caribbean offshoots such as Santeria and Candomblรฉ
**
REPLY
13. Stanley Dougรฉ, 2017
"Sango is known as Sogbo and Heviosso us Haรฏtians inherited the vodun from our Gbรฉ ancestors the Adja,mina,Goun,Fon,ewe and also the Nago a Yoruba speaking people were among the people sent to Haรฏti and of course other tribes as well such as the Igbo,Bakongo,Fulbe,Wolof etc"
**
REPLY
14. Stanley Dougรฉ, 2017
"Fun fact Legba is the Fa version of the Ifa Orisha Elegbara."
**
REPLY
15. Stanley Dougรฉ, 2017
"Vodun is Fa Orisha is Ifa."
**
REPLY
16. Naija guy, 2018
"Let me clear this debate by saying legba is a yoruba diety just as it's fon's."
**
REPLY
17. Namie Namie, 2019
"@Stanley Dougรฉ i believe Elegbara is the son of Esu and there are many Esus or papa Legbas."
**
REPLY
18. Papa Sรจpan, 2019
"Namie Namie they are not the same entity. The Fon/Ewe did not get influenced by the Yoruba. The Yoruba are nomads from those predating tribes. Thatโs why Isese and Vodun share so many similarities. And the Yoruba people can be traced back to coming from the line of the Fon/Ewe people or the Dahomean kingdom. Also Ifร is an Oracle which is the Vodun Fa and since Iโm African Spirituality Animism is a very loud principle. The way the Orisa are like the Vodun of the Land the Yoruba moved to and inherited. Why you think you will see there water spirit is Oshun because they have the oshun River but in Benin they donโt have Oshun they have Azili(Ezili) . But in Ghana in their Vodun they donโt have Azili because they donโt have that River. We have to remember where these spirits manifested as and from on earth. Oshun physical body is her River same for the Azili. No they arenโt the same entity they may manifest from the same energy or similise energies and principle but are not the same . Same with Eshu Elegbara and Elegba and Papa Legba."
****
19. D. Roulie, 2016
"that's Haitian Creole they are speaking I'm Haitian"
**
REPLY
20. A I, 2016
"D. Roulie sounds similar to Yoruba.
**
21. Eloรฏ Jacques-wood, 2017
"The image in the video are so wrong... Thanks anyway"
**
22. Susan Sheppard, 2018
"Nice but Legba is not scary looking. He appears as an older men in a straw hat, wearing overalls and smoking a corn cob pipe. People are confusing him with Papa Samedi..."
**
REPLY
22. acres homes, 2018
"Ok what makes it wrong?communicate with your people.."
**
REPLY
23. subsystem101, 2018
"the images are Baron not Legba and other image are just wrong"
**
REPLY
24. yiehom, 2018
"There is no "baron" without naming which one you mean. There is no wrong whithout showing the right."
**
REPLY
25. EazyHelper, 2018
"@yiehom baron samedi......as some have already pointed out legba is an elderly man"
**
REPLY
26. Stanley Dougรฉ, 2019
"Exactly Baron Samedi isn't Legba but they seem to confuse it in Louisiana though for some reason Vodun Legba doesn't dress like that."
****
Example #3: Papa Legba
Blokis Mizik 509, Published on Oct 28, 2016
When one says the word Vodou, the first spirit that comes to mind is Legba. Legba is undoubtedly the most important spirits in the hierarchy of Vodou; he is the guardian of the gates, crossroads, courtyards and all Vodou temples (Peristil). He is the necessary intermediary between the livings and the spiritual world, his powers are absolutely a must for any kind of interaction with the Loas. No Vodou ceremony of any sort can take place without his permission. Because of this important privilege Legba is always the first invoked in all Vodou ceremony.
Although his possession are extremely violent, his caring nature and politeness earned him the affectionate nickname "Papa Legba" He is a small, crooked lovable old man, his body covered with sores and his crutch or cane is always presented to him for support , old age prevents him from standing on his own. He wears a straw hat and carries his djakout (straw bag) full with rare herbs and plants that he uses and, his favorite drink clairin.
During his celebration, either a goat or a grey rooster, with yam and other roots vegetables are prepared for him as offerings, put inside the djakout, then hung on trees. In Haitian Vodou, the image of Saint Lazarus for the crutch that he uses for support or St Peter for the keys that he holds, are used to represent Papa Legba.
If you are a non initiate, you MUST acknowledge Legba and ask for his permission and guidance when addressing other Loa(s), by lighting a yellow candle and place it at the entrance of the door.
Alternatives: Atibon Legba, Alegba, Legba Sanyan, Legba Zankliyan, Legba Mizรจ ba.
Color: Yellow.
-snip-
Here are some comments from this sound file's discussion thread (with numbers added for referencing purposes only)
1. Cel Middleton, 2017
"Can you put the creole words to the song as well! Please and thank you!!!!"
**
REPLY
2. Peace & Love, 2017
"Cel Middleton im Haitian born and raised. Hard to understand the whole thing. A lot of West African stuff in it"
**
3. AlexanderMccarthey87, 2017
"Does anyone know the lyrics?"
**
REPLY
4. Jah E, 2017
"AlexanderMccarthey87 it is not hard have someone who speaks creyol write them down for u as u play the song..."
**
REPLY
5. margine louis, 2018
"@Jah E it involves some old African words that the typical Haitian will not recognize"
**
REPLY
6. Jah E, 2018
"@margine louis lol u right ..i dont even understand some of the words sometimes"
****
Thanks for visiting pancocojams.
Visitor comments are welcome.
Saturday, June 22, 2019
Excerpt Of Marv Goldberg's Article About Some "Baba Leba" / "Be-Baba-Leba" Songs (Which That Author Considers Separate Songs Than "Hey! Ba-Ba-Re-Bop")
Edited by Azizi Powell
Latest revision - May 11, 2023
This pancocojams post presents an excerpt of a 2017 article entitled "Hey! Ba-Ba-Re-Bop" by Marv Goldberg.
I found this article while searching for additional material for the series of posts that I've published on the word "bop" that refer to music and on the word "bop" as part of the title of certain American social dances.
Click https://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2019/06/a-timeline-of-sorts-with-information.html, https://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2019/06/book-article-excerpts-about-philly-bop.html, and https://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2019/06/book-article-excerpts-information-about.html for some of the pancocojams posts in these series.
****
The content of this post is presented for historical and cultural purposes.
All copyrights remain with their owners.
Thanks to Marv Goldberg and all others who are quoted in this post.
****
ARTICLE EXCERPT ABOUT "BE-BABA-LEBA" SONGS AND "HEY!BA-BA-RE-BOP SONGS
Pancocojams Editor's note: The italic font, or bold font, or blockquotes are given as they are found in this article.
From http://www.uncamarvy.com/ReBop/rebop.html Hey! Ba-Ba-Re-Bop" By Marv Goldberg [2017 from Marv Goldberg's R&B Notebook]
"AUTHOR'S NOTE: I didn't think this one would be too difficult although there are a lot of versions. However, it turns out that we're talking about two different songs that most people end up conflating into one. (I have to admit that I never really paid that much attention before starting this article and probably would have agreed that they were variants of the same song.) On top of that, unlike "Open The Door, Richard", little was ever written about the history (real or fanciful) of either song.]
INTRODUCTION
Lionel Hampton's "Hey! Ba-Ba-Re-Bop" was another musical phenomenon, predating "Open The Door, Richard" by a year (with some artists recording both tunes). The discography lists around 70 versions from 1946 through 2014 (and I'm sure there are others).
Just like "Open The Door, Richard", versions could be complex or simple. Many artists just sang "Open The Door, Richard" over and over as a break from the music; many artists just sang "Hey! Ba-Ba-Re-Bop" over and over as a break from the music. Unlike "Open The Door, Richard", those who sang a full set of lyrics tended to use the same set. It was usually spelled the same by everyone, although the placement (or absence) of hyphens varies a lot.
The other song isn't as easy to talk about because each artist gave it a different title, such as "E-Bob-O-Le-Bob", "Be-Baba-Leba", "Ee-Bobaliba", and "Oo-Oo-Ee Bob A Lee Bob". Just to make it easy on myself, I'll refer to all the versions of that tune as "Baba Leba". Nevertheless, they were all essentially the same song, although lyrics were rarely consistent. To confuse things even more, when Helen Humes sang her "Be-Baba-Leba" in a 1947 movie, it was listed as "Hey Baba Leba". There are around a dozen versions through 2013.
Even worse, the two songs overlapped in time to some extent. Helen Humes' "Be-Baba-Leba" was still on the charts when Lionel Hampton released "Hey! Ba-Ba-Re-Bop" in January 1946.
Again, I emphasize that we're talking about two songs that differ both lyrically and musically; they truly are different. However, I have to believe that the title "Be-Baba-Leba" influenced the title "Hey! Ba-Ba-Re-Bop" (although it's possible that both were based on some undocumented song that was performed, but never recorded).
Supposedly, Jazz pianist Jelly Roll Morton called Be-Baba-Leba's refrain "a riff so old it's got whiskers." Nice words, and they might even be true, but there was nothing ever in print prior to 1945 to indicate where the refrain might have come from. (And, I know I'm being picky, but it's probably important for me to point out that Morton died in July 1941, years before the song came out.) So what was he talking about? It turns out that the quote came from "The Fortunes Of Jelly Roll Morton, New Orleans Creole And 'Inventor Of Jazz'", a 1973 book by famed musicologist Alan Lomax. This is the actual late 1930s quote from the book:
Clearly, Morton is talking about Swing music, not the Baba Reba refrain. The rest of the Baba Reba lyrics, on the other hand, were variations on standard Blues lines and probably did have whiskers.
The terms "be-bop" and "re-bop" appeared as musical nonsense syllables (like "doo wah") as early as the mid-1920s. The earliest example I can find is "Four Or Five Times" by McKinney's Cotton Pickers (Victor, 1928). It contains the lyrics "bih-bop one, bih-bop two, bih-bop three...". Washboard Sam's "Don't 'low" (Bluebird, 1936) has "We don't care what mama don't 'low, we gonna re-bop anyhow". Then, there was "Wham Re Bop Boom Bam", recorded by Glenn Miller (RCA, 1939) and Jimmy Lunceford (Vocalion, 1939), among others. Of course, the term "be-bop" as applied to a kind of jazz music was popularized by Dizzy Gillespie in the 1940s.
"Wham Re Bop Boom Bam" might rate a closer look. It was composed by guitarist Eddie Durham and trumpeter/vocalist Marion Joseph "Taps" Miller, both musicians in Count Basie's Orchestra. This is important because Helen Humes was one of Basie's vocalists at the time the song was written. Tina Dixon joined Lunceford's band a couple of years later and I'm sure they were still performing "Wham" then. Both Helen and Tina recorded the "Baba Leba" song (and each claimed to have written it). Musically, "Wham" has nothing to do with "Baba Leba", but the title is catchy.
I wish I could find out more about the song's origins, but there'll be enough work digging into all the versions. Let's start with "Baba Leba".
BABA LEBA (my catch-all term for all the versions)
E-Bob-O-Le-Bob - Tina Dixon with Jimmie Lunceford - AFRS Jubilee 138 - 7/45
Tina Dixon and Jimmie Lunceford This was recorded in mid-June of 1945. Regardless of what title you may see attached to this, announcer Ernie "Bubbles" Whitman clearly introduces it as "E-Bob-O-Le-Bob". For more on this, see the entry on Tina Dixon, immediately after the one on Helen Humes.
AFRS Jubilee recordings were made by black entertainers and broadcast on the Armed Forces Radio Service; the discs weren't meant for commercial release. It was probably aired in late June or July.
Be-Baba-Leba - Helen Humes, with the Bill Doggett Octet - Philo 106 - 8/45
reissued on Aladdin 106 - ca 3/46
Philo ad Helen Humes Helen Humes was born in Louisville, Kentucky on June 23, 1913. In 1937, she was the vocalist with Prince Albert & His Singin' Sweet Orchestra. After that, it was Vernon Andrades' Band. By July 1938, she'd joined Count Basie's Orchestra, remaining with him until May 1941. Popular throughout the 1940s, her popularity waned considerably in the 1950s. In 1960, she was still being billed as "ex-Basie vocalist". She continued to cut albums and make appearances at jazz concerts throughout the 1970s. Helen died on September 9, 1981 (and her obituaries all mentioned her time with Basie 40 years previously).
Pianist Bill Doggett set up the August 1945 Los Angeles session and specially brought in tenor saxophonist Wild Bill Moore, who wasn't a member of his aggregation. Others on the session were Johnny Brown (alto sax), Ernest Thompson (baritone sax), Ross Butler (trumpet), Alfred Moore (bass), Charles Harris (drums), and Elmer Warner (guitar).
Helen Humes at Jazz At The Philharmonic Helen Humes at the Orpheum Helen Humes - the Be Baba Leba Girl Since Helen's song became a hit, there was a big fight over who actually wrote it. Was it Helen Humes (whose name appears as writer on her record) or Tina Dixon (whose name appears as writer on her record)? While the answer is probably Dixon, it was Helen Humes who had the hit. Billboard (March 30, 1946) reviewed her appearance at the Orpheum in Los Angeles and said: "Her final number, Be-Baba-Leba, brings down the house and nets her a hand slightly short of a showstop."
Helen Humes ad "Be Baba Leba" was a #3 R&B record for Helen Humes. It entered the national charts on December 14, 1945 and remained for 8 weeks. It was the 21st most played R&B juke box record of 1946 (ironically Lionel Hampton's Hey! Ba-Ba-Re-Bop was #1).
These are the lyrics to Helen Humes' "Be-Baba-Leba". (Note that she never once says "be-baba-leba"). Compare these with the Tina Dixon lyrics, below.
Oh well, oh well, I feel so fine today
Oh well, oh well, I feel so fine today
'Cause the man who sends me
Is comin' home to stay
Got a man over there, got a man over here,
But my man over there,
Oo, oo, oo, baba-leba
Oo, oo, baba-leba,
Ah, oo, baba-leba, laba-leba, laba-leba, laba-leba
Well, the man I love is built for speed,
He's got everything his mama needs.
Oo, oo, baba-leba,
Oo, oo, baba-leba,
Ah, oo, baba-leba, laba-leba, laba-leba, laba-leba
Now he thrills me in the mornin', thrills me in the night.
The way he loves me, makes me scream with delight.
Oo, oo, baba-leba,
Oo, oo, baba-leba,
Oo, oo, baba-leba, laba-leba, laba-leba, laba-leba
Comes in like a tiger, goes out like a lamb
Starts a-lovin' me, I holler oo, oo, oo
Oo, oo, baba-leba,
Oo, oo, baba-leba,
Oo, oo, baba-leba, oo baba-leba, baba-leba
It's possible that one reason this song resonated so strongly is because of the first stanza. World War 2 was finally over and men were starting to return home.
Be Ba Ba Le Ba Boogie Around September 1946, Helen released a follow-up record called "Be Ba Ba Le Ba Boogie" on Black & White. It really has nothing to do with the original song ("Ba ba le ba is the hep cat's way"), but starts with some wonderful piano work by Meade Lux Lewis.
E-Bob-O-Le-Bob - Flennoy Trio (vocal by Tina Dixon) - Excelsior 130 - 9/45
Excelsior ad for the Flennoy Trio Tina Dixon The 1944 Billboard yearbook presented this press-agent-generated biography of Tina Dixon:
By October 1943, Tina Dixon was singing with Jimmie Lunceford's orchestra. She played the Apollo Theater several times, along with Lunceford (for example, the week of December 29, 1944) and her performances were generally well-received.
[[Actually, Augustine "Tina Dixon" Dickson was born in New Orleans in 1913, although her family had moved to Detroit by 1930.]
Tina's "E-Bob-O-Le-Bob" (with the Flennoy Trio) was issued slightly after Helen Humes' "Be-Baba-Leba". There are no available session dates, but it must have been recorded around the time Tina did the above-mentioned AFRS recording with Lunceford in June.
Humes and Dixon essentially sang the same song, but each woman claimed to have written it. It turns out that Tina's was the version originally recorded, but Helen's was the version that got to disc first. This was the subject of a January 26, 1946 Billboard article, at the time when Helen's version was really taking off. It said, in part:
It never seemed to have been brought out anywhere at the time that Tina had originally recorded the song in mid-June 1945 (with Jimmie Lunceford's band) for an AFRS Jubilee disc that was "released" (that is, broadcast over the Armed Forces Radio Service network) in June or July and easily makes her version earlier.
Billy Rowe's column in the February 2, 1946 Pittsburgh Courier said: "The publishing rights for 'Be-Baba-Leba,' the new swing tune which is sweeping the country, went to Charlie Barnet. Brought into popularity by Helen Humes, a Count Basie alumnus [sic], the ditty has many variations and just as many supposed authors. Notwithstanding, Harold Oxley, whose Tina Dixon waxed the number first, holds the initial copyright and made the deal with Barnet. Now the thing to do is just sit back and watch the feathers fly."
Tina Dixon sheet music Note that Tina's sheet music had the title as "E-Bob-O-Lee-Bop", rather than "E-Bob-O-Lee-Bob". I guess spelling doesn't count.
The May 16, 1946 California Eagle wrote about Tina Dixon: "Her popular number 'E-Bob-O-Le-Bob' was first introduced in Brooklyn in 1942. Later, she presented it at Shepp's Playhouse and recorded it with the Flennoy Trio." I can neither confirm nor refute the story about Brooklyn. There's only a single mention of Tina in all of 1942, and that's in Detroit. No performance review prior to the release of the record ever mentioned that she'd sung the song, although they sometimes listed other tunes she'd done at shows.
Except for this song, Tina really was a minor character on the scene; almost nothing was ever written about her. She played the Apollo twice in 1938, but wasn't listed in the Apollo's ad for either show (but she was in 1944, 1946, and 1952). Both she and her husband, dancer Leon Collins (whom she married in 1939), were with Jimmie Lunceford's Orchestra for several years. By the 1970s, Tina was making off-color "party" records.
In subsequent recordings, only Charlie Barnet credited Tina Dixon and only Estelle Edson credited Helen Humes. The Bull Moose Jackson/Annisteen Allen disc gave credit to Walter Brown and none of the others listed a writer at all.
Here are the Tina Dixon lyrics to "E-Bob-O-Le-Bob", so that you can compare them to Helen Humes' (they're identical on Tina's Flennoy Trio and Lunceford recordings):
Oh well, oh well, I feel so good today
Oh well, oh well, I feel so good today
Got a letter from my daddy
He's comin' home to stay
He's a big bad man and he weighs 400 pounds
He's a big bad man and he weighs 400 pounds
I won't see you no more when my big bad man comes around
He's built like a sailor, fights like a marine
He's a big fat private but
Oo oo e-bob-o-le-bob [e-bob-o-le-bob]
E-bob-o-le-bob [e-bob-o-le-bob]
E-bob-o-la-bo de-bob-o-lab-o bob-a-le-bob
I got men over there, men over here,
But my man over there,
Oo oo e-bob-o-le-bob [e-bob-o-le-bob]
E-bob-o-le-bob [e-bob-o-le-bob]
E-bob-o-la-bo de-bob-o-lab-o bob-a-le-bob
He's got a head like a monkey
He looks like a frog
When he starts to lovin' me I holler oo-oo-oo
E-bob-o-le-bob [e-bob-o-le-bob *]
E-bob-o-le-bob [e-bob-o-le-bob *]
E-bob-o-la-bo de-bob-o-labo bob-a-le bob
* Note that this particular echo isn't used in the Lunceford version.
Ee-Bobaliba - Jim Wynn & His Bobalibans (vocal by Claude Trenier) - 4 Star 1026 - 10/45
Also released on Foto 1026
Jim Wynn Born on June 21, 1908 in El Paso, Texas, Jim Wynn was a saxophonist (tenor and baritone), pianist, and bandleader. His family relocated to Los Angeles soon after his birth and he started playing in clubs while still a teenager. On the radio with a dance orchestra in 1931, the following year he had Jim Wynn's Eleven Devils. Wynn became a session musician in the 1950s and died on July 19, 1977 in Los Angeles.
As far as I can tell, "Ee-Bobaliba" was his first recording (Los Angeles, around September 1945). Supposedly, this song was a crowd-pleaser, in which he invited audience participation. He claimed to have written it years before (although there's no writer credit on the label). Wynn insisted that Helen Humes got the "be-baba-leba" refrain from him, but, since he never took her to court, there's no proof of that.
Vocalist Claude Oliver Trenier was born on July 14, 1919 in Mobile, Alabama (along with his identical twin brother, Cliff). Claude joined the Jimmie Lunceford band in 1943 (and Cliff came aboard the following year). Leaving Lunceford in 1945, they did various things on their own before becoming the Trenier Twins in 1946, and later, the incredibly successful Treniers. (Like the Red Caps, the Treniers were a visual act. Sensational in person, they didn't do particularly well on records.) Claude died on November 17, 2003 in Las Vegas.
The Bobalibans were: Jim Wynn (tenor and baritone saxophone), Stanley Casey (trumpet), David Graham (alto saxophone), Freddie Simon (tenor saxophone), Luther "Lord" Luper (piano), Theodore Shirley (bass), and Robert "Snake" Sims (drums).
The December 22, 1945 Billboard said: "Paced by the sax blowing of Jim Wynn and his little jam band of Bobalibans, Claude Oliver Trenier does some earthy blues shouting for the jive-ridden Ee-Bobaliba, newest song craze in Harlem quarters.... The race locations will reap a harvest with these sides [the flip was "I Want A Little Girl", sung by Luther Luper], particularly 'Ee-Bobaliba'."
Wynn's version is mostly based on Tina Dixon's, but Claude's girl only weighs 300 pounds. Here's most of what Claude is saying:
Baba-leba, ee-baba-lee
Baba-leba, ee-baba-lee
Baba-leba, ee-baba-lee
Baba-leba, ee-baba-lee
Baba-leba, ee-baba-lee
Baba leba, baba leba
Oh well, oh well, I feel so good today
Oh well, oh well, I feel so good today
Got a letter from my baby
And she's comin' home to stay
Now she's a fly little chick and she weighs 300 pounds
Yes, she's a fly little chick and she weighs 300 pounds
She says 'be there baby' when she comes back to town
Now, she's got a head like a rooster
She's shaped like a frog
When she starts lovin' me oo-oo-oo
Ee-baba-leba [ee-baba-leba]
Ee-baba-leba [ee-baba-leba]
Ee-baba-leba ee-baba-leba baba-lee-ba
Now, I've got women over here, women over there,
But my woman down here,
Oo oo oo ee-baba-leba [ee-baba-leba]
Ee-baba-leba [ee-baba-leba]
Ee-baba-leba ee-baba-leba baba-lee-ba
[indistinct] don't you wanna take a ride
[indistinct] baby
Oo oo oo ee-baba-leba [ee-baba-leba]
Ee-baba-leba [ee-baba-leba]
Ee-baba-leba ee-baba-leba baba-lee-ba
Oo-Oo-Ee Bob A Lee Bob - Bull Moose Jackson and his Orchestra (vocal by Annisteen Allen) - Queen 4107 - 12/45
With the discontinuation of Queen, it was reissued on King 4107 - 47
Singer/saxophonist/bandleader Benjamin "Bull Moose" Jackson was born in Cleveland on April 22, 1919. Originally a violinist, he switched to the saxophone when he started the Harlem Hotshots while in high school. In 1943, he joined Lucky Millinder's band. Millinder encouraged him to form his own band and, in 1946, he released "I Know Who Threw The Whiskey In The Well", an answer to Millinder's "Who Threw The Whiskey In The Well". He followed that with "I Love You, Yes I Do", which went to #1. Through it all, he remained with Millinder, at least through 1948. He later turned to more suggestive material, such as "Big Ten Inch Record", which couldn't get any airplay, but was quite popular at live shows. Bull Moose died, from lung cancer, in Cleveland on July 31, 1989.
Ernestine "Annisteen" Allen was born on November 11, 1920 in Champaign, Illinois. She was also a member of Lucky Millinder's aggregation and it looks like Millinder loaned her to Bull Moose for recordings, since she, too, remained with Millinder for several more years. Annisteen died August 19, 1992 in Harlem.
Recorded on December 19, 1945, it was released by the end of the month. Although it was pretty much Helen Humes' version, the composer credit went to Walter Brown, a singer in Jackson's band. Here are Annisteen's lyrics:
Oh well, oh well, I feel so fine today
Oh well, oh well, I feel so fine today
'Cause the man I love
Is comin' home to stay
Got a man over there, got a man over here,
But the man over there,
Oo oo oo oo-bob-a-lee-bob
Oo-oo-bob-a-lee-bob
Oo-oo-bob-a-lee, bob-a-lee, bob-a-lee, bob-a-lee-bob
Well, the man I love is built for speed
He's got everything his mama needs
Oo-oo-bob-a-lee-bob
Oo-oo-bob-a-lee-bob
Oo-oo-bob-a-lee, bob-a-lee, bob-a-lee, bob-a-lee-bob
He loves me in the morning, loves me in the night
The way he loves me is really all right
Ree-ee-bob-a-lee-bob
Ree-ee-bob-a-lee-bob
Ree-ree-bob-a-lee-bob, ree-bob-a-lee, bob-a-lee-bob
Oo oo oo [ee-bob-a-le-bob]
Oo oo oo [ee-bob-a-le-bob]
Oo oo oo [ee-bob-a-le-bob]
Oo oo oo [ee-bob-a-le-bob]
Oo oo oo [ee-bob-a-le-bob]
Oo oo oo [ee-bob-a-le-bob, ee-bob-a-le-bob]
Goes in like a tiger, goes out like a lamb
When he starts to lovin' me, I holler ee, ee, ee
Ee-ee-bob-a-le-bob
Ree-ee-bob-a-le-bob
Ree-ree-bob-a-lee-bob, ree-bob-a-lee, bob-a-lee-bob
Ree-bob-a-lee-bob
In the following year, Annisteen Allen and Her Home Town Boys (along with Bull Moose Jackson) would release "She Lost Her Re-Bop" (Queen, 7/46). Walking a fine line, they sing "hey baba lee bop", "ee baba lee bop", "hey baba leba", and "ee baba leba"."...
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This excerpt gives this link to Marv Goldberg's R&B Notebook's article on the song "Open The Door, Richard": http://www.uncamarvy.com/Richard/richard.html.
This Marv Goldberg article continues with additional examples of "Baba Leba" recordings as well as information about and lyrics for some recordings of the song "Hey! Ba-Ba-Re-Bop".
Click https://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2012/04/hey-ba-ba-re-bop-selected-videos.html for a 2012 pancocojams post entitled "Hey Ba Ba Re Bop - Selected Videos (with some lyrics)"
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Thanks for visiting pancocojams.
Visitor comments are welcome.
Latest revision - May 11, 2023
This pancocojams post presents an excerpt of a 2017 article entitled "Hey! Ba-Ba-Re-Bop" by Marv Goldberg.
I found this article while searching for additional material for the series of posts that I've published on the word "bop" that refer to music and on the word "bop" as part of the title of certain American social dances.
Click https://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2019/06/a-timeline-of-sorts-with-information.html, https://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2019/06/book-article-excerpts-about-philly-bop.html, and https://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2019/06/book-article-excerpts-information-about.html for some of the pancocojams posts in these series.
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The content of this post is presented for historical and cultural purposes.
All copyrights remain with their owners.
Thanks to Marv Goldberg and all others who are quoted in this post.
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ARTICLE EXCERPT ABOUT "BE-BABA-LEBA" SONGS AND "HEY!BA-BA-RE-BOP SONGS
Pancocojams Editor's note: The italic font, or bold font, or blockquotes are given as they are found in this article.
From http://www.uncamarvy.com/ReBop/rebop.html Hey! Ba-Ba-Re-Bop" By Marv Goldberg [2017 from Marv Goldberg's R&B Notebook]
"AUTHOR'S NOTE: I didn't think this one would be too difficult although there are a lot of versions. However, it turns out that we're talking about two different songs that most people end up conflating into one. (I have to admit that I never really paid that much attention before starting this article and probably would have agreed that they were variants of the same song.) On top of that, unlike "Open The Door, Richard", little was ever written about the history (real or fanciful) of either song.]
INTRODUCTION
Lionel Hampton's "Hey! Ba-Ba-Re-Bop" was another musical phenomenon, predating "Open The Door, Richard" by a year (with some artists recording both tunes). The discography lists around 70 versions from 1946 through 2014 (and I'm sure there are others).
Just like "Open The Door, Richard", versions could be complex or simple. Many artists just sang "Open The Door, Richard" over and over as a break from the music; many artists just sang "Hey! Ba-Ba-Re-Bop" over and over as a break from the music. Unlike "Open The Door, Richard", those who sang a full set of lyrics tended to use the same set. It was usually spelled the same by everyone, although the placement (or absence) of hyphens varies a lot.
The other song isn't as easy to talk about because each artist gave it a different title, such as "E-Bob-O-Le-Bob", "Be-Baba-Leba", "Ee-Bobaliba", and "Oo-Oo-Ee Bob A Lee Bob". Just to make it easy on myself, I'll refer to all the versions of that tune as "Baba Leba". Nevertheless, they were all essentially the same song, although lyrics were rarely consistent. To confuse things even more, when Helen Humes sang her "Be-Baba-Leba" in a 1947 movie, it was listed as "Hey Baba Leba". There are around a dozen versions through 2013.
Even worse, the two songs overlapped in time to some extent. Helen Humes' "Be-Baba-Leba" was still on the charts when Lionel Hampton released "Hey! Ba-Ba-Re-Bop" in January 1946.
Again, I emphasize that we're talking about two songs that differ both lyrically and musically; they truly are different. However, I have to believe that the title "Be-Baba-Leba" influenced the title "Hey! Ba-Ba-Re-Bop" (although it's possible that both were based on some undocumented song that was performed, but never recorded).
Supposedly, Jazz pianist Jelly Roll Morton called Be-Baba-Leba's refrain "a riff so old it's got whiskers." Nice words, and they might even be true, but there was nothing ever in print prior to 1945 to indicate where the refrain might have come from. (And, I know I'm being picky, but it's probably important for me to point out that Morton died in July 1941, years before the song came out.) So what was he talking about? It turns out that the quote came from "The Fortunes Of Jelly Roll Morton, New Orleans Creole And 'Inventor Of Jazz'", a 1973 book by famed musicologist Alan Lomax. This is the actual late 1930s quote from the book:
His diamond-studded grin lit up the sombre hall as he feathered his barrel-house rhythms out of the concert grand. "You hear that riff" he said. "They call that swing today, but it's just a little thing I made up way back yonder. Yeah, I guess that riff's so old it's got whiskers on it. Whatever those guys play today, they're playing Jelly Roll."
Clearly, Morton is talking about Swing music, not the Baba Reba refrain. The rest of the Baba Reba lyrics, on the other hand, were variations on standard Blues lines and probably did have whiskers.
The terms "be-bop" and "re-bop" appeared as musical nonsense syllables (like "doo wah") as early as the mid-1920s. The earliest example I can find is "Four Or Five Times" by McKinney's Cotton Pickers (Victor, 1928). It contains the lyrics "bih-bop one, bih-bop two, bih-bop three...". Washboard Sam's "Don't 'low" (Bluebird, 1936) has "We don't care what mama don't 'low, we gonna re-bop anyhow". Then, there was "Wham Re Bop Boom Bam", recorded by Glenn Miller (RCA, 1939) and Jimmy Lunceford (Vocalion, 1939), among others. Of course, the term "be-bop" as applied to a kind of jazz music was popularized by Dizzy Gillespie in the 1940s.
"Wham Re Bop Boom Bam" might rate a closer look. It was composed by guitarist Eddie Durham and trumpeter/vocalist Marion Joseph "Taps" Miller, both musicians in Count Basie's Orchestra. This is important because Helen Humes was one of Basie's vocalists at the time the song was written. Tina Dixon joined Lunceford's band a couple of years later and I'm sure they were still performing "Wham" then. Both Helen and Tina recorded the "Baba Leba" song (and each claimed to have written it). Musically, "Wham" has nothing to do with "Baba Leba", but the title is catchy.
I wish I could find out more about the song's origins, but there'll be enough work digging into all the versions. Let's start with "Baba Leba".
BABA LEBA (my catch-all term for all the versions)
E-Bob-O-Le-Bob - Tina Dixon with Jimmie Lunceford - AFRS Jubilee 138 - 7/45
Tina Dixon and Jimmie Lunceford This was recorded in mid-June of 1945. Regardless of what title you may see attached to this, announcer Ernie "Bubbles" Whitman clearly introduces it as "E-Bob-O-Le-Bob". For more on this, see the entry on Tina Dixon, immediately after the one on Helen Humes.
AFRS Jubilee recordings were made by black entertainers and broadcast on the Armed Forces Radio Service; the discs weren't meant for commercial release. It was probably aired in late June or July.
Be-Baba-Leba - Helen Humes, with the Bill Doggett Octet - Philo 106 - 8/45
reissued on Aladdin 106 - ca 3/46
Philo ad Helen Humes Helen Humes was born in Louisville, Kentucky on June 23, 1913. In 1937, she was the vocalist with Prince Albert & His Singin' Sweet Orchestra. After that, it was Vernon Andrades' Band. By July 1938, she'd joined Count Basie's Orchestra, remaining with him until May 1941. Popular throughout the 1940s, her popularity waned considerably in the 1950s. In 1960, she was still being billed as "ex-Basie vocalist". She continued to cut albums and make appearances at jazz concerts throughout the 1970s. Helen died on September 9, 1981 (and her obituaries all mentioned her time with Basie 40 years previously).
Pianist Bill Doggett set up the August 1945 Los Angeles session and specially brought in tenor saxophonist Wild Bill Moore, who wasn't a member of his aggregation. Others on the session were Johnny Brown (alto sax), Ernest Thompson (baritone sax), Ross Butler (trumpet), Alfred Moore (bass), Charles Harris (drums), and Elmer Warner (guitar).
Helen Humes at Jazz At The Philharmonic Helen Humes at the Orpheum Helen Humes - the Be Baba Leba Girl Since Helen's song became a hit, there was a big fight over who actually wrote it. Was it Helen Humes (whose name appears as writer on her record) or Tina Dixon (whose name appears as writer on her record)? While the answer is probably Dixon, it was Helen Humes who had the hit. Billboard (March 30, 1946) reviewed her appearance at the Orpheum in Los Angeles and said: "Her final number, Be-Baba-Leba, brings down the house and nets her a hand slightly short of a showstop."
Helen Humes ad "Be Baba Leba" was a #3 R&B record for Helen Humes. It entered the national charts on December 14, 1945 and remained for 8 weeks. It was the 21st most played R&B juke box record of 1946 (ironically Lionel Hampton's Hey! Ba-Ba-Re-Bop was #1).
These are the lyrics to Helen Humes' "Be-Baba-Leba". (Note that she never once says "be-baba-leba"). Compare these with the Tina Dixon lyrics, below.
Oh well, oh well, I feel so fine today
Oh well, oh well, I feel so fine today
'Cause the man who sends me
Is comin' home to stay
Got a man over there, got a man over here,
But my man over there,
Oo, oo, oo, baba-leba
Oo, oo, baba-leba,
Ah, oo, baba-leba, laba-leba, laba-leba, laba-leba
Well, the man I love is built for speed,
He's got everything his mama needs.
Oo, oo, baba-leba,
Oo, oo, baba-leba,
Ah, oo, baba-leba, laba-leba, laba-leba, laba-leba
Now he thrills me in the mornin', thrills me in the night.
The way he loves me, makes me scream with delight.
Oo, oo, baba-leba,
Oo, oo, baba-leba,
Oo, oo, baba-leba, laba-leba, laba-leba, laba-leba
Comes in like a tiger, goes out like a lamb
Starts a-lovin' me, I holler oo, oo, oo
Oo, oo, baba-leba,
Oo, oo, baba-leba,
Oo, oo, baba-leba, oo baba-leba, baba-leba
It's possible that one reason this song resonated so strongly is because of the first stanza. World War 2 was finally over and men were starting to return home.
Be Ba Ba Le Ba Boogie Around September 1946, Helen released a follow-up record called "Be Ba Ba Le Ba Boogie" on Black & White. It really has nothing to do with the original song ("Ba ba le ba is the hep cat's way"), but starts with some wonderful piano work by Meade Lux Lewis.
E-Bob-O-Le-Bob - Flennoy Trio (vocal by Tina Dixon) - Excelsior 130 - 9/45
Excelsior ad for the Flennoy Trio Tina Dixon The 1944 Billboard yearbook presented this press-agent-generated biography of Tina Dixon:
Tina Dixon, the 'Bombshell of the Blues,' was born in Detroit and started her singing career at 18. Her first club job was at the Club Ballyhoo, Detroit. Tina played de luxe theaters with Jimmie Lunceford and his ork. Night clubs where she has appeared are: Tic Toc Club, Boston; Zanzibar, New York; Bali, Washington. She is managed by Harold F. Oxley [who also managed Jimmie Lunceford and Mabel Scott]. She is in line for a forthcoming radio commercial. Besides her club and theater work she also appeared before television cameras. Tina Dixon has made color movie shorts for Pathe and has performed at many army and navy camps.
By October 1943, Tina Dixon was singing with Jimmie Lunceford's orchestra. She played the Apollo Theater several times, along with Lunceford (for example, the week of December 29, 1944) and her performances were generally well-received.
[[Actually, Augustine "Tina Dixon" Dickson was born in New Orleans in 1913, although her family had moved to Detroit by 1930.]
Tina's "E-Bob-O-Le-Bob" (with the Flennoy Trio) was issued slightly after Helen Humes' "Be-Baba-Leba". There are no available session dates, but it must have been recorded around the time Tina did the above-mentioned AFRS recording with Lunceford in June.
Humes and Dixon essentially sang the same song, but each woman claimed to have written it. It turns out that Tina's was the version originally recorded, but Helen's was the version that got to disc first. This was the subject of a January 26, 1946 Billboard article, at the time when Helen's version was really taking off. It said, in part:
[Charlie] Barnet [representing the Indigo Publishing Company] closed deal for Be-Baba-Leba with Harold Oxley, the agent, who controlled original copyright of the tune introduced in the first place by Tina Dixon, whom Oxley manages. Dixon also made recording of tune for Excelsior label. Her side, however, came out after the Humes version for Philo. Barnet dickered with Helen Humes on tune for a while until he learned that her recorded version followed Dixon's featuring of the song in night clubs, therefore making Dixon's a prior copyright.
It never seemed to have been brought out anywhere at the time that Tina had originally recorded the song in mid-June 1945 (with Jimmie Lunceford's band) for an AFRS Jubilee disc that was "released" (that is, broadcast over the Armed Forces Radio Service network) in June or July and easily makes her version earlier.
Billy Rowe's column in the February 2, 1946 Pittsburgh Courier said: "The publishing rights for 'Be-Baba-Leba,' the new swing tune which is sweeping the country, went to Charlie Barnet. Brought into popularity by Helen Humes, a Count Basie alumnus [sic], the ditty has many variations and just as many supposed authors. Notwithstanding, Harold Oxley, whose Tina Dixon waxed the number first, holds the initial copyright and made the deal with Barnet. Now the thing to do is just sit back and watch the feathers fly."
Tina Dixon sheet music Note that Tina's sheet music had the title as "E-Bob-O-Lee-Bop", rather than "E-Bob-O-Lee-Bob". I guess spelling doesn't count.
The May 16, 1946 California Eagle wrote about Tina Dixon: "Her popular number 'E-Bob-O-Le-Bob' was first introduced in Brooklyn in 1942. Later, she presented it at Shepp's Playhouse and recorded it with the Flennoy Trio." I can neither confirm nor refute the story about Brooklyn. There's only a single mention of Tina in all of 1942, and that's in Detroit. No performance review prior to the release of the record ever mentioned that she'd sung the song, although they sometimes listed other tunes she'd done at shows.
Except for this song, Tina really was a minor character on the scene; almost nothing was ever written about her. She played the Apollo twice in 1938, but wasn't listed in the Apollo's ad for either show (but she was in 1944, 1946, and 1952). Both she and her husband, dancer Leon Collins (whom she married in 1939), were with Jimmie Lunceford's Orchestra for several years. By the 1970s, Tina was making off-color "party" records.
In subsequent recordings, only Charlie Barnet credited Tina Dixon and only Estelle Edson credited Helen Humes. The Bull Moose Jackson/Annisteen Allen disc gave credit to Walter Brown and none of the others listed a writer at all.
Here are the Tina Dixon lyrics to "E-Bob-O-Le-Bob", so that you can compare them to Helen Humes' (they're identical on Tina's Flennoy Trio and Lunceford recordings):
Oh well, oh well, I feel so good today
Oh well, oh well, I feel so good today
Got a letter from my daddy
He's comin' home to stay
He's a big bad man and he weighs 400 pounds
He's a big bad man and he weighs 400 pounds
I won't see you no more when my big bad man comes around
He's built like a sailor, fights like a marine
He's a big fat private but
Oo oo e-bob-o-le-bob [e-bob-o-le-bob]
E-bob-o-le-bob [e-bob-o-le-bob]
E-bob-o-la-bo de-bob-o-lab-o bob-a-le-bob
I got men over there, men over here,
But my man over there,
Oo oo e-bob-o-le-bob [e-bob-o-le-bob]
E-bob-o-le-bob [e-bob-o-le-bob]
E-bob-o-la-bo de-bob-o-lab-o bob-a-le-bob
He's got a head like a monkey
He looks like a frog
When he starts to lovin' me I holler oo-oo-oo
E-bob-o-le-bob [e-bob-o-le-bob *]
E-bob-o-le-bob [e-bob-o-le-bob *]
E-bob-o-la-bo de-bob-o-labo bob-a-le bob
* Note that this particular echo isn't used in the Lunceford version.
Ee-Bobaliba - Jim Wynn & His Bobalibans (vocal by Claude Trenier) - 4 Star 1026 - 10/45
Also released on Foto 1026
Jim Wynn Born on June 21, 1908 in El Paso, Texas, Jim Wynn was a saxophonist (tenor and baritone), pianist, and bandleader. His family relocated to Los Angeles soon after his birth and he started playing in clubs while still a teenager. On the radio with a dance orchestra in 1931, the following year he had Jim Wynn's Eleven Devils. Wynn became a session musician in the 1950s and died on July 19, 1977 in Los Angeles.
As far as I can tell, "Ee-Bobaliba" was his first recording (Los Angeles, around September 1945). Supposedly, this song was a crowd-pleaser, in which he invited audience participation. He claimed to have written it years before (although there's no writer credit on the label). Wynn insisted that Helen Humes got the "be-baba-leba" refrain from him, but, since he never took her to court, there's no proof of that.
Vocalist Claude Oliver Trenier was born on July 14, 1919 in Mobile, Alabama (along with his identical twin brother, Cliff). Claude joined the Jimmie Lunceford band in 1943 (and Cliff came aboard the following year). Leaving Lunceford in 1945, they did various things on their own before becoming the Trenier Twins in 1946, and later, the incredibly successful Treniers. (Like the Red Caps, the Treniers were a visual act. Sensational in person, they didn't do particularly well on records.) Claude died on November 17, 2003 in Las Vegas.
The Bobalibans were: Jim Wynn (tenor and baritone saxophone), Stanley Casey (trumpet), David Graham (alto saxophone), Freddie Simon (tenor saxophone), Luther "Lord" Luper (piano), Theodore Shirley (bass), and Robert "Snake" Sims (drums).
The December 22, 1945 Billboard said: "Paced by the sax blowing of Jim Wynn and his little jam band of Bobalibans, Claude Oliver Trenier does some earthy blues shouting for the jive-ridden Ee-Bobaliba, newest song craze in Harlem quarters.... The race locations will reap a harvest with these sides [the flip was "I Want A Little Girl", sung by Luther Luper], particularly 'Ee-Bobaliba'."
Wynn's version is mostly based on Tina Dixon's, but Claude's girl only weighs 300 pounds. Here's most of what Claude is saying:
Baba-leba, ee-baba-lee
Baba-leba, ee-baba-lee
Baba-leba, ee-baba-lee
Baba-leba, ee-baba-lee
Baba-leba, ee-baba-lee
Baba leba, baba leba
Oh well, oh well, I feel so good today
Oh well, oh well, I feel so good today
Got a letter from my baby
And she's comin' home to stay
Now she's a fly little chick and she weighs 300 pounds
Yes, she's a fly little chick and she weighs 300 pounds
She says 'be there baby' when she comes back to town
Now, she's got a head like a rooster
She's shaped like a frog
When she starts lovin' me oo-oo-oo
Ee-baba-leba [ee-baba-leba]
Ee-baba-leba [ee-baba-leba]
Ee-baba-leba ee-baba-leba baba-lee-ba
Now, I've got women over here, women over there,
But my woman down here,
Oo oo oo ee-baba-leba [ee-baba-leba]
Ee-baba-leba [ee-baba-leba]
Ee-baba-leba ee-baba-leba baba-lee-ba
[indistinct] don't you wanna take a ride
[indistinct] baby
Oo oo oo ee-baba-leba [ee-baba-leba]
Ee-baba-leba [ee-baba-leba]
Ee-baba-leba ee-baba-leba baba-lee-ba
Oo-Oo-Ee Bob A Lee Bob - Bull Moose Jackson and his Orchestra (vocal by Annisteen Allen) - Queen 4107 - 12/45
With the discontinuation of Queen, it was reissued on King 4107 - 47
Singer/saxophonist/bandleader Benjamin "Bull Moose" Jackson was born in Cleveland on April 22, 1919. Originally a violinist, he switched to the saxophone when he started the Harlem Hotshots while in high school. In 1943, he joined Lucky Millinder's band. Millinder encouraged him to form his own band and, in 1946, he released "I Know Who Threw The Whiskey In The Well", an answer to Millinder's "Who Threw The Whiskey In The Well". He followed that with "I Love You, Yes I Do", which went to #1. Through it all, he remained with Millinder, at least through 1948. He later turned to more suggestive material, such as "Big Ten Inch Record", which couldn't get any airplay, but was quite popular at live shows. Bull Moose died, from lung cancer, in Cleveland on July 31, 1989.
Ernestine "Annisteen" Allen was born on November 11, 1920 in Champaign, Illinois. She was also a member of Lucky Millinder's aggregation and it looks like Millinder loaned her to Bull Moose for recordings, since she, too, remained with Millinder for several more years. Annisteen died August 19, 1992 in Harlem.
Recorded on December 19, 1945, it was released by the end of the month. Although it was pretty much Helen Humes' version, the composer credit went to Walter Brown, a singer in Jackson's band. Here are Annisteen's lyrics:
Oh well, oh well, I feel so fine today
Oh well, oh well, I feel so fine today
'Cause the man I love
Is comin' home to stay
Got a man over there, got a man over here,
But the man over there,
Oo oo oo oo-bob-a-lee-bob
Oo-oo-bob-a-lee-bob
Oo-oo-bob-a-lee, bob-a-lee, bob-a-lee, bob-a-lee-bob
Well, the man I love is built for speed
He's got everything his mama needs
Oo-oo-bob-a-lee-bob
Oo-oo-bob-a-lee-bob
Oo-oo-bob-a-lee, bob-a-lee, bob-a-lee, bob-a-lee-bob
He loves me in the morning, loves me in the night
The way he loves me is really all right
Ree-ee-bob-a-lee-bob
Ree-ee-bob-a-lee-bob
Ree-ree-bob-a-lee-bob, ree-bob-a-lee, bob-a-lee-bob
Oo oo oo [ee-bob-a-le-bob]
Oo oo oo [ee-bob-a-le-bob]
Oo oo oo [ee-bob-a-le-bob]
Oo oo oo [ee-bob-a-le-bob]
Oo oo oo [ee-bob-a-le-bob]
Oo oo oo [ee-bob-a-le-bob, ee-bob-a-le-bob]
Goes in like a tiger, goes out like a lamb
When he starts to lovin' me, I holler ee, ee, ee
Ee-ee-bob-a-le-bob
Ree-ee-bob-a-le-bob
Ree-ree-bob-a-lee-bob, ree-bob-a-lee, bob-a-lee-bob
Ree-bob-a-lee-bob
In the following year, Annisteen Allen and Her Home Town Boys (along with Bull Moose Jackson) would release "She Lost Her Re-Bop" (Queen, 7/46). Walking a fine line, they sing "hey baba lee bop", "ee baba lee bop", "hey baba leba", and "ee baba leba"."...
****
This excerpt gives this link to Marv Goldberg's R&B Notebook's article on the song "Open The Door, Richard": http://www.uncamarvy.com/Richard/richard.html.
This Marv Goldberg article continues with additional examples of "Baba Leba" recordings as well as information about and lyrics for some recordings of the song "Hey! Ba-Ba-Re-Bop".
Click https://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2012/04/hey-ba-ba-re-bop-selected-videos.html for a 2012 pancocojams post entitled "Hey Ba Ba Re Bop - Selected Videos (with some lyrics)"
****
Thanks for visiting pancocojams.
Visitor comments are welcome.
Friday, June 21, 2019
Three Videos Of New Style Chicago Boppin (The Dlow Shuffle)
Edited by Azizi Powell
This is Part II of a two part pancocojams series about Chicago Boppin.
Part II of this series showcases three YouTube videos of Chicago Boppin along with some comments from the discussion threads for those videos and information about "boppin" and other African American Hip Hop dances/music.
Click https://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2019/06/book-article-excerpts-information-about.html for Part I of this series. Part I presents information about the contemporary (around 2012 - 2015) Hip Hop dance called the New Style Chicago Boppin (Dlow Shuffle) as well as biographical information about two self-titled "Kings of Bop"- iAmDlow and Lil Kimo.
The content of this post is presented for historical, cultural, entertainment, linguistic, and aesthetic purposes.
All copyrights remain with their owners.
Thanks to all those who are featured in these videos and all those who are quoted in this post. Thanks also to the publishers of these videos on YouTube.
****
SHOWCASE VIDEOS
WARNING- Songs used for the New style Chicago Boppin (Dlow Shuffle) may contain profanity and/or what is known as "the n word".
Video #1: The Dlow Shuffle ( WALA CAM )
WalacamTV.com, Published on Dec 12, 2013
FROM CHICAGO - BOP KING D'LOW HAS MADE A BOP DANCE SHUFFLE.
-snip-
Here's an excerpt that provides an explanation for the word "shuffle" that is used in the name of a number of contemporary Hip Hop/R&B dances:
From https://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=Shuffling
"Shuffling
A dance style originating in the 1980's characterized by fast heel and toe twisting and stepping, running man variations, stomping with the beat, foot swiveling from side to side, and having feet that appear to be gliding on and off the ground.
Shuffling is mostly for the feet and the arms just compliment whatever foot motions are taking place. This dance style is very high paced, intense cardio, and is usually to done to music with a constant beat such as electro, hardstyle, and/or techno.
Shuffling is preferrable in shoes as it won't hurt your feet, but also acceptable in socks or barefoot."...
-snip-
The Dlow Shuffle is a group dance that is similar if not the same as contemporary American line dances. The song's lyrics direct dancers to perform certain movements. The "bop" ("boppin") is just one movement that is done as part of the DLow Shuffle.
According to the instructor in https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zoMjnkaw-mg. "How To Bop For Beginners", the basic bop movement is done by standing on your toes with your feet apart, and wobbling your legs back and forth. However, it should be noted that most of the commenters in that video's discussion thread ridiculed this video, indicating that that isn't how the bop is really done.
Here are some comments from the discussion thread for the embedded DLow Shuffle video (with numbers added for referencing purposes only).
1. Montana of 300's Bandana, 2017
"Who else here is from Chicago and came here for good memories?"
**
REPLY
2. THE- GREATEST, 2017
"mee bring back hella memories
**
REPLY
3. Scarface5477, 2017
"Montana of 300's Bandana yep"
**
4. Tae-773, 2018
"2018 guess people forgot about this ๐ฃ๐ฃ๐๐"
**
REPLY
5. Maley Saenuan, 2019
"Probably only one listening in 2019 ๐"
**
REPLY
6. True Swervo3x, 2019
"Maley Saenuan nah im here to ๐"
**
REPLY
7. Lyric Thompson, 2019
"Im here!"
**
REPLY
8. Raymond Stewart, 2019
"I still listening to this in 2019
**
REPLY
9. 2OverEasy3, 2019
"Maley Saenuan right here witcha!"
****
Video #2: BOPKING OF THE WORLD X LIL KEMO X #KEMOSTEP (OFFICIAL VIDEO) | SHOT BY @FUQJHUSTLE
MyVisionFilms, Published on Dec 12, 2013
BOPKING OF THE WORLD LIL KEMO DISPLAYS HIS MOVES AND TEACHES YOU THE KEMO STEP (OFFICIAL VIDEO)
DIRECTED BY J HUSTLE FOR MYVISIONFILMS
-snip-
Here are some comments from this video's discussion thread (with numbers added for referencing purposes only).
As is the case with a lot of comment compilations on pancocojams, I'm also interested in the use of African American Vernacular English in some of these comments. Explanations for a few of these terms are included after the first comment where that term is used.
1. Davionna Green, 2013
"OMG this song is off the hook I am about to dance to it now.cute and funy"
-snip-
"off the hook" = very good
**
2. Nakyla Thomas, 2013
"turn up 4 the bop kingz of chicago"
-snip-
"turn up" [verb) = get hyped (get very excited; get loose; get wild; go hard) for someone or something;
"Turn up" is also an expression of support and/or approval for someone or something
turnt up [noun] = the state of being turned up
**
3. Nina513, 2013
"Big ups to you Kemo!
Done watched lil homie grow into an official dance king via Wala Cam....
GET EM, KEMO! Put on fa da Midwest, daddy!"
**
4. Eric Foster, 2013
"Y'all got a cool lil dance but boppin been invited down here in FL... Look up Dj Chipman boppin and you'll see"
**
5. 864doorcutty, 2013
"Yo this beat go suppa hard all the kids were doin this at my wedding the crowd went crazy"
-snip-
"suppa" = super
"go hard" = go all out; do something with 100% effort; do something very well, as judged by Hip Hop standards
**
6. ZENZOKI1, 2013
"This too hype!!!
**
7. King Jrue, 2013
"what beat is that it go hard and the dance go hard too Shout Out Kemo And Dlow #KeepGoinHard "
**
8. Hook Gaming Tv, 2013
"kemo is the best bopper"
**
9. Tell Babygurl, 2013
"KEMO STEP KEMO STEP AYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"
-snip-
"Ayee" = an expression that indicates excitement and/or approval
**
10. Vanessa Tunsel, 2013
"Is it me or this dance similar to the dlow shuffle js"
-snip-
"js"= just saying
**
REPLY
11. Dartrell Halmon, 2013
"he copied dlow but good bopking 123"
**
REPLY
12. Yung Vibe, 2013
"he didn't copy Dlow both of them made "bopping" they just have certain different moves to bopping. bopping isn't exactly what Dlow does. Do your research. Both of them are the "BopKings of the world" they both made that title. Dlow Shuffle is Dlow's Version of bopping and KemoStep is Lil Kemo's version of bopping"
**
13. DeBorah Perry, 2013
"hey these boys can make money with what they doin coming out with the Dlow Shuffle and Kemo Step"
**
14. mike coles, 2013
"funny thing is the 'kemo walk' is from dallas. we did the in 2010. its called SOUTH DALLAS SWAG. look it up if you dont believe me"
**
REPLY
15. tom tim, 2013
"And?"
**
REPLY
16. Kaliyah Carter, 2013
"Nah..Kemo step and southdallas swag ain't alike actually ... As you saw in the video when he did it.., it was like going backwards... the suothdalls swag is FOWARD !"
**
17. Earnistine Labon, 2013
"Its basikly the same thing kemo an dlow copy one anothere"
**
REPLY
18. Joy O, 2013
"Dude there friends they not tryna compete n both I stud"
**
19. Acee Vee, 2013
"SO coulda went wayyyy harder bro. TURN UP tho. It can only get better. "
**
20. Edirin Ekokotu, 2013
"Nae Nae better sorry #SouthSide #ATL"
**
21. shunda evans, 2013
"TURN UPPPPP !!"
**
22. XJBX, 2013
"I be bopping all day now"
**
23. Amy Espino, 2013
"I be turning up"
**
REPLY
24. Tara Travis, 2014
"Your not the only one!!!!!!!!!!!!"
**
25. Jamisha Bogan, 2013
"BOP TO THE RIGHT AND BOP TO THE LEFT MY PART....LOL"
**
26. Elezha Hudson, 2013
"the way he bounced around was so funny but this is good. proud to be in Chicago!"
**
27. BreezyReactz, 2013
"The dlow shuffle is better but like it better than the Cupid shuffle kemo"
-snip-
The Cupid Shuffle (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h24_zoqu4_Q is an example of an American "shuffle dance" from 2007.
**
28. Richard Robinson, 2013
"We done went from 2pac and dmx to this and this not even rap that's how far we are but I do like the beat"
**
REPLY
29. TheRareD, 2014
"ever heard of the cha cha slide? this is basically the same type of song"
**
REPLY
30. Jameel S, 2014
"He's not trying to rap fool. It's a dance song."
**
31. Tato Dancing, 2013
"lol I love doing this dance in the hallway at school"
**
32. Aaliceya White, 2013
"bop all the time"
**
33. nate blue, 2013
"GRAB SOMTHING WHY U MADD WHY U MADD"
**
34. Audrella Walden, 2013
"This song is dope but it's hard as hell to do! Keep calm and love kemo, bop king of the wolrd"
-snip-
"dope"; "dope as hell" = very good
**
35. ohmynester, 2013
"South Florida has our version of these dances for years. Its crazy to see another interpretation of the dances I'm accustom to."
**
36. tajae terrell, 2013
"this dance is too live!!!!!!!!! Imma get dis dance poppin n cincinnati fo u kemo. #KEMOSTEP"
**
37. Antwan Hoyte, 2013
"please dont let this be a new thing in 2014"
**
38. christina ballard, 2013
"They sure do got this bopping thing crazy they got my Momma doing it"
**
39. Le Patron N'Scrawberri, 2013
"raw as hell"
**
40. Malek Clay, 2013
"The new Cha Cha slide"
**
41. north philly, 2013
"Certain parts were weak,but it was an overall cool vid and song."
**
42. Dionne Wallace II, 2013
"come out with some shirts like Why you mad, Grab sumthin' , and slide bop, of course Find yo swag"
**
43. Kamari King, 2013
"That's the best boping song ever Lil kemo TTU"
-snip-
"TTU" = too turned up
**
44. Prtygurl12, 2013
"I been doing this for the past hour .Lawd ."
**
45. lauryn miller, 2013
"He just killed it ๐"
-snip-
"killed it" = do something very well
**
46. Cameron McDonald, 2013
"dlow shuffle is better"
**
REPLY
47. Just That Guy :3, 2013
"Why you mad?!"
**
48. Latonya Smith, 2013
"I respect with dlow n kemo are doing... they came out with two different bop but similar style.. very smart... keep pushing this movement.. at least it something positive...keep the videos n new styles coming.. hit me up"
-snip-
"hit me up" = give me some "likes" under this comment
**
49. ryland moore, 2013
"yall did good i aint even gon hate"
**
50. Markitta Hall, 2013
".YOURS GOOD BUT NOT NOT ALL DAT SSSSSSSSS/OOOOOOOOOOO TO U DOE U AND DLOW KEEP IT UP SHORTYY
-snip-
S/O = shout out = public acknowledgement
"doe you" = [ do you] = do your thing
**
51. Breanacuteness Green, 2013
"Can all y'all hatters do it or nawww"
**
52. Dakota Peace, 2013
"Did y'all not hear him say shoutout to Dlow? He didn't steal the dance"
**
53. Breyanna Armistead, 2013
"White people don't be haten because black have talent than"
**
54. Mr. Realistic, 2014
"Not only is the dance cool but theres no unnecessary cursing"
**
55. Katia White, 2014
"I. Love. You. Kemow. My. Son. Be. Doing. It. Ever. Day"
**
56. Malika Dunem, 2014
"Luv dis dance"
**
57. Latasia Jefferson, 2014
"Omg I love this dance I learned it in 2 days"
**
58. Montrel Ashe, 2014
"TURN UPPPPPPP THIS MY JAMMMMMM!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"
**
59. Sabrina black, 2014
"This is an easy dance. So is the Dlow shuffle. I watched the dlow for the past four weeks and I can envision it. I'm just now watching this and this is as easy as the Cha cha cha slide. Why you mad then?"
**
60. Paydro Kash, 2014
"bopping is life๐๐"
**
61. ashley jay, 2014
"Why is everybody doing the dolow shuffle"
**
62. Lavoi Wilder, 2014
"Damm I wish we bopped in Baltimore"
**
63. Jameel S, 2014
"New electric slide lol"
**
64. Ashley Sterling, 2014
"This is a great hip hop dance"
**
65. just ask me, 2014
"He is the best dlow is too them two got my kids killing it kemo got my daughter over here killing It.She kills the whip nae nae,dlowshuffle,kemostep 2,naenae ,and this dance"
**
66. yshawn Highlights, 2014
"Nobody rember dis"
**
67. K a a a y Karnaisa, 2014
"i like this song it gets u crunked up"
-snip-
"crunked up" = turned up; hyped
**
68. William Watts, 2017
"Who still doing this in 2k17 tho"
**
REPLY
69. Renee Clyde, 2017
"William Watts not me"
**
REPLY
70. yung savage, 2017
"William Watts only you"
**
REPLY
71. IPrefer Butter, 2017
"William Watts me"
**
72. Khyron Watson, 2016
"that so oooooooold"
**
73. Gregory Proctor, 2017
"Who else here from chicago and came here for memories"
**
74. dakaria, 2017
"I miss bopping ๐ฅ๐ฅ๐ฅ"
**
75. [no name retrieved]
"This was so lit,I miss these dances,Old memories ๐ญ"
**
76. Hiyt Gggs, 2018
"Who remember when everybody did this"
**
77. kimberly Sangster, 2019
"so nostalgic"
**
78. King KJ3, 2019
"Take Me Back To Deez Days๐ฉ"
****
Video #3: Sicko Mobb & The Bop Kids of Chicago
The FADER, Published on Oct 30, 2014
-snip-
Here are some comments from this video's discussion thread (with numbers added for referencing purposes only).
1. Troll God, 2014
"glad to see Chicago makin its own style"
**
2. Ms. Hill, 2014
"I know bout boppin through memo that dude is bad and dlow and queen fee fee....I love Chicago and I'm not even from there all becuz of them.....turn up"
-snip-
"Memo" here might be a typo for "kemo".
**
3. Big Tooko, 2014
"Big boi Killt it"
**
4. Kon, 2014
"24/7. Keep it Goin!"
**
5. ya boy, 2014
"It's like the chi town version of clownin in LA"
-snip-
"Chi town" = Chicago
-snip-
Here's a review of the 2005 documentary Rize that refers to "clowning"
leilapostgrad27 June 2005; https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0436724/reviews
Before you can understand "krumping" and "clowning," you've got to understand the history and people of South Central Los Angeles. Director David LaChapelle opens his documentary, Rize, with news footage and images from the 1965 Watts riots and the 1992 Rodney King riots. Out of the violence and hate came Tommy the Clown, the hip-hop clown who got kids to stop fighting and start dancing. These "clown groups" gave kids an alternative to gang life. Clown dancing grew, expanded, and evolved into an entirely new form of dance โ "krumping." It may look aggressive and violent, but it's pure release, expression, and art. When LaChapelle shows footage of African tribal dancing, one can't help but see the resemblance to "krump" dancing, from the quick and deliberate body movements to the face paint, as if that dancing was in their blood. Rize gives these dancers something the rest of society has long denied them โ dignity and respect. See this one.
**
REPLY
6. 504jec, 2015
"The leg movement is most Definitely New Orleans bounce."
**
7. Kel, 2014
"Finally something positive for the kids to look up to instead of killing each other. Kinda like how krumping was for the westcoast and getting light/footwork for the east"
**
REPLY
8. Tony Kushington, 2014
"The footwork is a Chicago dance, tho"
**
REPLY
9. James Bond jr, 2014
"@Tony Kushington He means the foot work which the West Coast has been known for since the late 60's. Crip walking and Blood walking was made famous through out the USA. When you hear footwork or walking you think of the West Coast. Yoy cats think you invited everything huh?"
**
REPLY
10. Tony Kushington, 2014
"@James Bond jr I ain't never heard crip walkin and blood walkin referred to as the footwork. I got family in socal and the north. I don't think we invented anything, you think that."
**
REPLY
11. ThaClassicalMusician, 2014
"@Tony Kushington The footwork is definitely not a Chicago dance. That's whats wrong with Chicago, there's no substance. Nothing ever lasts. Let's hop in our time machine and go back 3 or 4 years when drill music was actually mainstream. Now, it's nothing. It's actually quite sad that you guys can't produce something that's everlasting or at least lasts longer than the duration of 2-3 years."
-snip-
Here's some information about "drill music" from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Drill_music
"Drill music is a style of trap music that originated in the South Side of Chicago in the early 2010s. It is defined by its dark, violent, nihilistic lyrical content and ominous trap-influenced beats.
Drill progressed into the American mainstream in mid-2012 following the success of rappers and producers like Young Chop, Chief Keef, Lil Durk, Fredo Santana, SD and Lil Reese, who had many local fans and a significant Internet presence. Media attention and the signing of drill musicians to major labels followed. Artists within the genre have been noted for their style of lyricism and association with crime in Chicago.
A regional subgenre, UK drill, rose to prominence in London, particularly in the district of Brixton, beginning in 2012.
Drill lyrics typically reflect life on the streets, and tend to be gritty, violent, realistic and nihilistic. โฆ Though it bears many similarities to trap music, the speed of a drill beat is generally slower with a moderate tempo, having about 60 to 70 beats per minute.[8][9] Some producers work at double tempo, such as 130 to 140 beats per minute.โ...
**
REPLY
12. Tony Kushington, 2014
"@ThaClassicalMusician Lol the Footwork is most definitely a Chicago dance. And who in their right mind would want "drill music" to last. Its horrible. I'd rather hear Mick Jenkins or Supa Bwe spit than listen to crap violent music. Where are you from might I ask? You must of been born in the 90's"
**
REPLY
13. ThaClassicalMusician, 2014
"@Tony Kushington I think drill music HAD potential but MAJORITY the rappers coming out of Chicago aren't creative enough. They lack the skill that it takes to captivate a broader audience and perpetuate that popularity for long amounts of time. With that being said King Louie seems like he'd be able to consistently go mainstream and gain A LOT of fans if he's consistent. I'm from VA too born 96'."
**
REPLY
14. Tony Kushington, 2014
"Google Mick Jenkins, Supe Bwe and Hurt Everybody. They alone are killing any mainstream artist you can name. Chicago has hella talent. You just don't know"
**
15. BENNIE CARR, 2015
"that ain't no bop, the bop came from Florida"
**
16. Alayah James, 2015
"Go Chi Ayyeee
Sicko Mobb, Lil Kemo, Bop Queen Destiny and more show us the ins and outs of bopping in Chicago."
**
17. Jimmy John, 2016
"Good to see this trending in Chicago because Florida been trying to get the world on this vibe but for some reason people aren't buying into it. Look up some Florida rappers who on this by searching Tampa dance, Ft Lauderdale dance, or Miami dance to see people doing the dances."
**
18. dakaria, 2018
"The best period/time of Chicago .man I miss doing this dance๐ท๐ฅ๐ฅ"
**
REPLY
19. LoJack, 2018
"dakaria .H On god. I miss the footworking and bopping days. Sh&t* used to be so lit"
-snip-
*This word is fully spelled out in this comment.
"lit" = very good; hot
**
REPLY
20. T- Papo, 2019
" LoJack I wish someone could bring it back. Make it popular again or sum sh&t* ๐ญ"
-snip-
*This word is fully spelled out in this comment.
"sh&t" (the sh&t) means something that is essential; something that is "for real"; something that is very good.
**
REPLY
21. king kadri, 2019
"fr lets bring that sh&t* back"
-snip-
โfrโ= for real, meaning "definitely"; repeating "fr" adds emphasis
**
22. DJ Silver, 2019
"Frfr. We need Dlo or Kemo to come back"
**
23. Sara DaSilva, 2019
"When I moved out of the west side of Chicago this what they was doing. Itโs been a few years now I wonder what dance they doing now?"
****
This concludes Part II of this two part pancocojams series.
Thanks for visiting pancocojams.
Visitor comments are welcome.
This is Part II of a two part pancocojams series about Chicago Boppin.
Part II of this series showcases three YouTube videos of Chicago Boppin along with some comments from the discussion threads for those videos and information about "boppin" and other African American Hip Hop dances/music.
Click https://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2019/06/book-article-excerpts-information-about.html for Part I of this series. Part I presents information about the contemporary (around 2012 - 2015) Hip Hop dance called the New Style Chicago Boppin (Dlow Shuffle) as well as biographical information about two self-titled "Kings of Bop"- iAmDlow and Lil Kimo.
The content of this post is presented for historical, cultural, entertainment, linguistic, and aesthetic purposes.
All copyrights remain with their owners.
Thanks to all those who are featured in these videos and all those who are quoted in this post. Thanks also to the publishers of these videos on YouTube.
****
SHOWCASE VIDEOS
WARNING- Songs used for the New style Chicago Boppin (Dlow Shuffle) may contain profanity and/or what is known as "the n word".
Video #1: The Dlow Shuffle ( WALA CAM )
WalacamTV.com, Published on Dec 12, 2013
FROM CHICAGO - BOP KING D'LOW HAS MADE A BOP DANCE SHUFFLE.
-snip-
Here's an excerpt that provides an explanation for the word "shuffle" that is used in the name of a number of contemporary Hip Hop/R&B dances:
From https://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=Shuffling
"Shuffling
A dance style originating in the 1980's characterized by fast heel and toe twisting and stepping, running man variations, stomping with the beat, foot swiveling from side to side, and having feet that appear to be gliding on and off the ground.
Shuffling is mostly for the feet and the arms just compliment whatever foot motions are taking place. This dance style is very high paced, intense cardio, and is usually to done to music with a constant beat such as electro, hardstyle, and/or techno.
Shuffling is preferrable in shoes as it won't hurt your feet, but also acceptable in socks or barefoot."...
-snip-
The Dlow Shuffle is a group dance that is similar if not the same as contemporary American line dances. The song's lyrics direct dancers to perform certain movements. The "bop" ("boppin") is just one movement that is done as part of the DLow Shuffle.
According to the instructor in https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zoMjnkaw-mg. "How To Bop For Beginners", the basic bop movement is done by standing on your toes with your feet apart, and wobbling your legs back and forth. However, it should be noted that most of the commenters in that video's discussion thread ridiculed this video, indicating that that isn't how the bop is really done.
Here are some comments from the discussion thread for the embedded DLow Shuffle video (with numbers added for referencing purposes only).
1. Montana of 300's Bandana, 2017
"Who else here is from Chicago and came here for good memories?"
**
REPLY
2. THE- GREATEST, 2017
"mee bring back hella memories
**
REPLY
3. Scarface5477, 2017
"Montana of 300's Bandana yep"
**
4. Tae-773, 2018
"2018 guess people forgot about this ๐ฃ๐ฃ๐๐"
**
REPLY
5. Maley Saenuan, 2019
"Probably only one listening in 2019 ๐"
**
REPLY
6. True Swervo3x, 2019
"Maley Saenuan nah im here to ๐"
**
REPLY
7. Lyric Thompson, 2019
"Im here!"
**
REPLY
8. Raymond Stewart, 2019
"I still listening to this in 2019
**
REPLY
9. 2OverEasy3, 2019
"Maley Saenuan right here witcha!"
****
Video #2: BOPKING OF THE WORLD X LIL KEMO X #KEMOSTEP (OFFICIAL VIDEO) | SHOT BY @FUQJHUSTLE
MyVisionFilms, Published on Dec 12, 2013
BOPKING OF THE WORLD LIL KEMO DISPLAYS HIS MOVES AND TEACHES YOU THE KEMO STEP (OFFICIAL VIDEO)
DIRECTED BY J HUSTLE FOR MYVISIONFILMS
-snip-
Here are some comments from this video's discussion thread (with numbers added for referencing purposes only).
As is the case with a lot of comment compilations on pancocojams, I'm also interested in the use of African American Vernacular English in some of these comments. Explanations for a few of these terms are included after the first comment where that term is used.
1. Davionna Green, 2013
"OMG this song is off the hook I am about to dance to it now.cute and funy"
-snip-
"off the hook" = very good
**
2. Nakyla Thomas, 2013
"turn up 4 the bop kingz of chicago"
-snip-
"turn up" [verb) = get hyped (get very excited; get loose; get wild; go hard) for someone or something;
"Turn up" is also an expression of support and/or approval for someone or something
turnt up [noun] = the state of being turned up
**
3. Nina513, 2013
"Big ups to you Kemo!
Done watched lil homie grow into an official dance king via Wala Cam....
GET EM, KEMO! Put on fa da Midwest, daddy!"
**
4. Eric Foster, 2013
"Y'all got a cool lil dance but boppin been invited down here in FL... Look up Dj Chipman boppin and you'll see"
**
5. 864doorcutty, 2013
"Yo this beat go suppa hard all the kids were doin this at my wedding the crowd went crazy"
-snip-
"suppa" = super
"go hard" = go all out; do something with 100% effort; do something very well, as judged by Hip Hop standards
**
6. ZENZOKI1, 2013
"This too hype!!!
**
7. King Jrue, 2013
"what beat is that it go hard and the dance go hard too Shout Out Kemo And Dlow #KeepGoinHard "
**
8. Hook Gaming Tv, 2013
"kemo is the best bopper"
**
9. Tell Babygurl, 2013
"KEMO STEP KEMO STEP AYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"
-snip-
"Ayee" = an expression that indicates excitement and/or approval
**
10. Vanessa Tunsel, 2013
"Is it me or this dance similar to the dlow shuffle js"
-snip-
"js"= just saying
**
REPLY
11. Dartrell Halmon, 2013
"he copied dlow but good bopking 123"
**
REPLY
12. Yung Vibe, 2013
"he didn't copy Dlow both of them made "bopping" they just have certain different moves to bopping. bopping isn't exactly what Dlow does. Do your research. Both of them are the "BopKings of the world" they both made that title. Dlow Shuffle is Dlow's Version of bopping and KemoStep is Lil Kemo's version of bopping"
**
13. DeBorah Perry, 2013
"hey these boys can make money with what they doin coming out with the Dlow Shuffle and Kemo Step"
**
14. mike coles, 2013
"funny thing is the 'kemo walk' is from dallas. we did the in 2010. its called SOUTH DALLAS SWAG. look it up if you dont believe me"
**
REPLY
15. tom tim, 2013
"And?"
**
REPLY
16. Kaliyah Carter, 2013
"Nah..Kemo step and southdallas swag ain't alike actually ... As you saw in the video when he did it.., it was like going backwards... the suothdalls swag is FOWARD !"
**
17. Earnistine Labon, 2013
"Its basikly the same thing kemo an dlow copy one anothere"
**
REPLY
18. Joy O, 2013
"Dude there friends they not tryna compete n both I stud"
**
19. Acee Vee, 2013
"SO coulda went wayyyy harder bro. TURN UP tho. It can only get better. "
**
20. Edirin Ekokotu, 2013
"Nae Nae better sorry #SouthSide #ATL"
**
21. shunda evans, 2013
"TURN UPPPPP !!"
**
22. XJBX, 2013
"I be bopping all day now"
**
23. Amy Espino, 2013
"I be turning up"
**
REPLY
24. Tara Travis, 2014
"Your not the only one!!!!!!!!!!!!"
**
25. Jamisha Bogan, 2013
"BOP TO THE RIGHT AND BOP TO THE LEFT MY PART....LOL"
**
26. Elezha Hudson, 2013
"the way he bounced around was so funny but this is good. proud to be in Chicago!"
**
27. BreezyReactz, 2013
"The dlow shuffle is better but like it better than the Cupid shuffle kemo"
-snip-
The Cupid Shuffle (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h24_zoqu4_Q is an example of an American "shuffle dance" from 2007.
**
28. Richard Robinson, 2013
"We done went from 2pac and dmx to this and this not even rap that's how far we are but I do like the beat"
**
REPLY
29. TheRareD, 2014
"ever heard of the cha cha slide? this is basically the same type of song"
**
REPLY
30. Jameel S, 2014
"He's not trying to rap fool. It's a dance song."
**
31. Tato Dancing, 2013
"lol I love doing this dance in the hallway at school"
**
32. Aaliceya White, 2013
"bop all the time"
**
33. nate blue, 2013
"GRAB SOMTHING WHY U MADD WHY U MADD"
**
34. Audrella Walden, 2013
"This song is dope but it's hard as hell to do! Keep calm and love kemo, bop king of the wolrd"
-snip-
"dope"; "dope as hell" = very good
**
35. ohmynester, 2013
"South Florida has our version of these dances for years. Its crazy to see another interpretation of the dances I'm accustom to."
**
36. tajae terrell, 2013
"this dance is too live!!!!!!!!! Imma get dis dance poppin n cincinnati fo u kemo. #KEMOSTEP"
**
37. Antwan Hoyte, 2013
"please dont let this be a new thing in 2014"
**
38. christina ballard, 2013
"They sure do got this bopping thing crazy they got my Momma doing it"
**
39. Le Patron N'Scrawberri, 2013
"raw as hell"
**
40. Malek Clay, 2013
"The new Cha Cha slide"
**
41. north philly, 2013
"Certain parts were weak,but it was an overall cool vid and song."
**
42. Dionne Wallace II, 2013
"come out with some shirts like Why you mad, Grab sumthin' , and slide bop, of course Find yo swag"
**
43. Kamari King, 2013
"That's the best boping song ever Lil kemo TTU"
-snip-
"TTU" = too turned up
**
44. Prtygurl12, 2013
"I been doing this for the past hour .Lawd ."
**
45. lauryn miller, 2013
"He just killed it ๐"
-snip-
"killed it" = do something very well
**
46. Cameron McDonald, 2013
"dlow shuffle is better"
**
REPLY
47. Just That Guy :3, 2013
"Why you mad?!"
**
48. Latonya Smith, 2013
"I respect with dlow n kemo are doing... they came out with two different bop but similar style.. very smart... keep pushing this movement.. at least it something positive...keep the videos n new styles coming.. hit me up"
-snip-
"hit me up" = give me some "likes" under this comment
**
49. ryland moore, 2013
"yall did good i aint even gon hate"
**
50. Markitta Hall, 2013
".YOURS GOOD BUT NOT NOT ALL DAT SSSSSSSSS/OOOOOOOOOOO TO U DOE U AND DLOW KEEP IT UP SHORTYY
-snip-
S/O = shout out = public acknowledgement
"doe you" = [ do you] = do your thing
**
51. Breanacuteness Green, 2013
"Can all y'all hatters do it or nawww"
**
52. Dakota Peace, 2013
"Did y'all not hear him say shoutout to Dlow? He didn't steal the dance"
**
53. Breyanna Armistead, 2013
"White people don't be haten because black have talent than"
**
54. Mr. Realistic, 2014
"Not only is the dance cool but theres no unnecessary cursing"
**
55. Katia White, 2014
"I. Love. You. Kemow. My. Son. Be. Doing. It. Ever. Day"
**
56. Malika Dunem, 2014
"Luv dis dance"
**
57. Latasia Jefferson, 2014
"Omg I love this dance I learned it in 2 days"
**
58. Montrel Ashe, 2014
"TURN UPPPPPPP THIS MY JAMMMMMM!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"
**
59. Sabrina black, 2014
"This is an easy dance. So is the Dlow shuffle. I watched the dlow for the past four weeks and I can envision it. I'm just now watching this and this is as easy as the Cha cha cha slide. Why you mad then?"
**
60. Paydro Kash, 2014
"bopping is life๐๐"
**
61. ashley jay, 2014
"Why is everybody doing the dolow shuffle"
**
62. Lavoi Wilder, 2014
"Damm I wish we bopped in Baltimore"
**
63. Jameel S, 2014
"New electric slide lol"
**
64. Ashley Sterling, 2014
"This is a great hip hop dance"
**
65. just ask me, 2014
"He is the best dlow is too them two got my kids killing it kemo got my daughter over here killing It.She kills the whip nae nae,dlowshuffle,kemostep 2,naenae ,and this dance"
**
66. yshawn Highlights, 2014
"Nobody rember dis"
**
67. K a a a y Karnaisa, 2014
"i like this song it gets u crunked up"
-snip-
"crunked up" = turned up; hyped
**
68. William Watts, 2017
"Who still doing this in 2k17 tho"
**
REPLY
69. Renee Clyde, 2017
"William Watts not me"
**
REPLY
70. yung savage, 2017
"William Watts only you"
**
REPLY
71. IPrefer Butter, 2017
"William Watts me"
**
72. Khyron Watson, 2016
"that so oooooooold"
**
73. Gregory Proctor, 2017
"Who else here from chicago and came here for memories"
**
74. dakaria, 2017
"I miss bopping ๐ฅ๐ฅ๐ฅ"
**
75. [no name retrieved]
"This was so lit,I miss these dances,Old memories ๐ญ"
**
76. Hiyt Gggs, 2018
"Who remember when everybody did this"
**
77. kimberly Sangster, 2019
"so nostalgic"
**
78. King KJ3, 2019
"Take Me Back To Deez Days๐ฉ"
****
Video #3: Sicko Mobb & The Bop Kids of Chicago
The FADER, Published on Oct 30, 2014
-snip-
Here are some comments from this video's discussion thread (with numbers added for referencing purposes only).
1. Troll God, 2014
"glad to see Chicago makin its own style"
**
2. Ms. Hill, 2014
"I know bout boppin through memo that dude is bad and dlow and queen fee fee....I love Chicago and I'm not even from there all becuz of them.....turn up"
-snip-
"Memo" here might be a typo for "kemo".
**
3. Big Tooko, 2014
"Big boi Killt it"
**
4. Kon, 2014
"24/7. Keep it Goin!"
**
5. ya boy, 2014
"It's like the chi town version of clownin in LA"
-snip-
"Chi town" = Chicago
-snip-
Here's a review of the 2005 documentary Rize that refers to "clowning"
leilapostgrad27 June 2005; https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0436724/reviews
Before you can understand "krumping" and "clowning," you've got to understand the history and people of South Central Los Angeles. Director David LaChapelle opens his documentary, Rize, with news footage and images from the 1965 Watts riots and the 1992 Rodney King riots. Out of the violence and hate came Tommy the Clown, the hip-hop clown who got kids to stop fighting and start dancing. These "clown groups" gave kids an alternative to gang life. Clown dancing grew, expanded, and evolved into an entirely new form of dance โ "krumping." It may look aggressive and violent, but it's pure release, expression, and art. When LaChapelle shows footage of African tribal dancing, one can't help but see the resemblance to "krump" dancing, from the quick and deliberate body movements to the face paint, as if that dancing was in their blood. Rize gives these dancers something the rest of society has long denied them โ dignity and respect. See this one.
**
REPLY
6. 504jec, 2015
"The leg movement is most Definitely New Orleans bounce."
**
7. Kel, 2014
"Finally something positive for the kids to look up to instead of killing each other. Kinda like how krumping was for the westcoast and getting light/footwork for the east"
**
REPLY
8. Tony Kushington, 2014
"The footwork is a Chicago dance, tho"
**
REPLY
9. James Bond jr, 2014
"@Tony Kushington He means the foot work which the West Coast has been known for since the late 60's. Crip walking and Blood walking was made famous through out the USA. When you hear footwork or walking you think of the West Coast. Yoy cats think you invited everything huh?"
**
REPLY
10. Tony Kushington, 2014
"@James Bond jr I ain't never heard crip walkin and blood walkin referred to as the footwork. I got family in socal and the north. I don't think we invented anything, you think that."
**
REPLY
11. ThaClassicalMusician, 2014
"@Tony Kushington The footwork is definitely not a Chicago dance. That's whats wrong with Chicago, there's no substance. Nothing ever lasts. Let's hop in our time machine and go back 3 or 4 years when drill music was actually mainstream. Now, it's nothing. It's actually quite sad that you guys can't produce something that's everlasting or at least lasts longer than the duration of 2-3 years."
-snip-
Here's some information about "drill music" from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Drill_music
"Drill music is a style of trap music that originated in the South Side of Chicago in the early 2010s. It is defined by its dark, violent, nihilistic lyrical content and ominous trap-influenced beats.
Drill progressed into the American mainstream in mid-2012 following the success of rappers and producers like Young Chop, Chief Keef, Lil Durk, Fredo Santana, SD and Lil Reese, who had many local fans and a significant Internet presence. Media attention and the signing of drill musicians to major labels followed. Artists within the genre have been noted for their style of lyricism and association with crime in Chicago.
A regional subgenre, UK drill, rose to prominence in London, particularly in the district of Brixton, beginning in 2012.
Drill lyrics typically reflect life on the streets, and tend to be gritty, violent, realistic and nihilistic. โฆ Though it bears many similarities to trap music, the speed of a drill beat is generally slower with a moderate tempo, having about 60 to 70 beats per minute.[8][9] Some producers work at double tempo, such as 130 to 140 beats per minute.โ...
**
REPLY
12. Tony Kushington, 2014
"@ThaClassicalMusician Lol the Footwork is most definitely a Chicago dance. And who in their right mind would want "drill music" to last. Its horrible. I'd rather hear Mick Jenkins or Supa Bwe spit than listen to crap violent music. Where are you from might I ask? You must of been born in the 90's"
**
REPLY
13. ThaClassicalMusician, 2014
"@Tony Kushington I think drill music HAD potential but MAJORITY the rappers coming out of Chicago aren't creative enough. They lack the skill that it takes to captivate a broader audience and perpetuate that popularity for long amounts of time. With that being said King Louie seems like he'd be able to consistently go mainstream and gain A LOT of fans if he's consistent. I'm from VA too born 96'."
**
REPLY
14. Tony Kushington, 2014
"Google Mick Jenkins, Supe Bwe and Hurt Everybody. They alone are killing any mainstream artist you can name. Chicago has hella talent. You just don't know"
**
15. BENNIE CARR, 2015
"that ain't no bop, the bop came from Florida"
**
16. Alayah James, 2015
"Go Chi Ayyeee
Sicko Mobb, Lil Kemo, Bop Queen Destiny and more show us the ins and outs of bopping in Chicago."
**
17. Jimmy John, 2016
"Good to see this trending in Chicago because Florida been trying to get the world on this vibe but for some reason people aren't buying into it. Look up some Florida rappers who on this by searching Tampa dance, Ft Lauderdale dance, or Miami dance to see people doing the dances."
**
18. dakaria, 2018
"The best period/time of Chicago .man I miss doing this dance๐ท๐ฅ๐ฅ"
**
REPLY
19. LoJack, 2018
"dakaria .H On god. I miss the footworking and bopping days. Sh&t* used to be so lit"
-snip-
*This word is fully spelled out in this comment.
"lit" = very good; hot
**
REPLY
20. T- Papo, 2019
" LoJack I wish someone could bring it back. Make it popular again or sum sh&t* ๐ญ"
-snip-
*This word is fully spelled out in this comment.
"sh&t" (the sh&t) means something that is essential; something that is "for real"; something that is very good.
**
REPLY
21. king kadri, 2019
"fr lets bring that sh&t* back"
-snip-
โfrโ= for real, meaning "definitely"; repeating "fr" adds emphasis
**
22. DJ Silver, 2019
"Frfr. We need Dlo or Kemo to come back"
**
23. Sara DaSilva, 2019
"When I moved out of the west side of Chicago this what they was doing. Itโs been a few years now I wonder what dance they doing now?"
****
This concludes Part II of this two part pancocojams series.
Thanks for visiting pancocojams.
Visitor comments are welcome.
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