Edited by Azizi Powell
This pancocojams post provides information about contemporary Ghanaian rapper Kofi Kinaata and showcases the official YouTube video of his December 2019 track "Things Fall Apart".
Lyrics for that song in Fante are included in this post along with their English translation.
This post also includes a few comments that explain what this rap track means.
The content of this post is presented for cultural, entertainment, and aesthetic purposes.
All copyrights remain with their owners.
Thanks to Kofi Kinaata for his musical legacy. Thanks to all those who are associated with this showcase video and thanks to all those who are quoted in this post. Thanks also to the publisher of this video on YouTube.
***
INFORMATION ABOUT KOFI KINAATA
From https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kofi_Kinaata
"Martin King Arthur popularly known as Kofi Kinaata is a Ghanaian musician and songwriter from Takoradi.[1] He is noted for his fante rap and freestyle and therefore known as the Fante Rap God (FRG).[2]
In February 2020, he won the Hybrid song of the year at the Ghana National Gospel Music Awards 2019.[3]
Music career
Just after High school, Kofi Kinaata was the 1st runner up for the Melody FM Kasahari Battle in 2009.[6] He is noted for his lyrical dexterity in terms of unique rhyme schemes and humorous Fante rap style with a touch of traditional African proverbs in his local language to entertain and educate morally.[7][8]
Made in Taadi
In December 2015, he released a song "Made in Taadi" which was a jam for most Fante people due to the link to their famous "Ankos" (Fancy dress and Masqueraders Xmas Carnival) annual festival which happens during Christmas.[9]
[...]
Things Fall Apart
Things Fall Apart, a 2019 release has topped charts across music platforms, including iTunes Ghana Top 100, Audiomack Ghana Top 20 and Boomplay AfroBeats charts for weeks.[22][23][24] The song has been widely played, circulated and shared on both traditional and social media, it has been number 1 on Twitter trends. The song has also been number one on YouTube's Ghana trends with fellow celebrities giving it rave rating: Asamoah Gyan[25], Michael Essien, Kwami Sefa Kai, Phillip Osei Bonsu, Sadick Adams, KiDi, Efya, Berla Mundi, Joe Beecham among others.[26][27][28][29]”...
****
SHOWCASE VIDEO: Kofi Kinaata - Things Fall Apart (Official Video)
Kofi Kinaata, Dec 6, 2019
Music video by Kofi Kinaata performing 'Things Fall Apart'. Song produced by Two Bars. Video directed by Babs Direction. (C) 2019. Team Move
Video features cameo appearances from Pamela Odame Watara, Dr. Pounds & Jacinta.
Kofi Kinaata, Premiered Dec 6, 2019
-snip-
Statistics as of May 26, 2020 at 5:45 PM EDT
total views-2,525,715
total likes-47K
total dislikes-1.3K
total comments-3,278
****
LYRICS - THINGS FALL APART (In Fante and English)
(Kofi Kinaata)
Oh oh aah ooh ah ah Call me Kofi Kinaata
[Verse 1]
Friday chapel all night Saturday na ye wo club no mo
Yɛ le yɛ more things Women, shoker bugu cup no mo
Ade ye ship na ɔde Bible no baa yɛ no
Nkrɔfo sie nara nso di schnapp no bɛ yɛ
Nti girls na wo duro chapel a wo kɔ yɛ no
Bra bɛ hwɛ, wɔn nso a na club no wo kɔ yi
[Chorus]
Nti Nyame som paa na yɛ le som yi a?
Bisa wo nua, ne bisa woa so wo ho
Nyame som paa na yɛ le som yi a?
Ma Jehovafo no rebaa ne ɛrɛguani
Nti Nyame som paa na yɛ le som yi a?
Nae ɛtale obi nu kun dɛ plaster yi
Nyame som paa na yɛ le som yi a?
Hwɛ so ma me a ɛleku no agye ne dan yi
[Verse 2]
Me sie atamuda paa…
Ɛda a Nyame bɛba physical
Sɛ won consider pa dia…
Anhwɛ na heaven wɛn ya nipa
Cos, nokware no wɔ hɔ Nso asɔfo yi w’ntumi w’nka
Sikasɛm ne nti chapel ahiafoɔ ntumi w’mba
W’ntumi w’mba oo
Ɛho mpo na ndi the things fall apart
Ɛka a wo sie anointed men touch
Chapel yi w’wɔ schools paa
Nso members yi w’ntumi w’nkɔ bi
[Chorus]
Nti ɛyɛ Nyame som paa na yɛ le som yi a?
Bisa wo nua, ne bisa woa so wo ho
Nyame som paa na yɛ le som yi a?
W’ma agyanka na asɛm ayɛ mɔbɔ yi
Nti Nyame som paa na yɛ le som yi a?
Wo nua fom wo a, atumi fa nkyɛ no yi
Nyame som paa na yɛ le som yi a?
Don Nana Amu ade na wo de ahyɛ bitters yi, asey
[Verse 3]
Hwɛboo sofo yegyi woa wo ho
Adi yi a, ɛka yi ɔda woa w’nu
Wo ara hwɛboo na di ye ɔda woa’nu
Hwɛboo sɔfo yegyi woa wo ho
Ɔsie ɔyɛ American ne Muslim, ɔnom bibiabi
Nkurofo w’adi yi ɔda woa w’nu
Hwɛ, ɛhu Christian, ɛhu Muslim, ɛhu nkaefo no Ɛhu sɔfo, ɛhu komfo basaa
Kataasihyɛ, prɔyɛ, bɔ na ɔhyɛ nso wa nyɛ MP wo kurom kwan no nsu tɔ a pakyaa
Obia sie ɔyɛ bad man
Ɛno nti lecturer pɛ sɛ ɔno wo da
Ansaa na wa ma wo pass mark
For money we go shed blood
Nyame bɛ yɛ, ɔbɛ kye, yɛ ntum, yɛ pɛ no fast fast
Nti (so) fast life, fast cars, fast trap pot
Church service hɔ na yɛ hu snap chat calls
31st ɔwo church, ɔdi ne ho a ma Nyame
On the 3rd na w’gye no ho kɔ Trek
Part time Christian, you want fight full time devil
You dey joke
[Chorus]
Nti Nyame som paa na yɛ le som yi a?
Nyame som paa na yɛ le som yi a?
Nti Nyame som paa na yɛ le som yi a?
Nyame som paa na yɛ le som yi a?
-snip-
These lyrics were added to that video's discussion thread by AFro.Music.Station, 2020
I added spacing to enhance this comment's readability.
****
LYRICS - THINGS FALL APART (in English)
(Kofi Kinaata)
Friday is all night in the chapel
Saturday we all go to the club
We are mixing up the drinks in the glass
Cos the ship that brought the Bible
People say is the same that brought the schnapp
So the girls that attended the church service
Were the same that turned up at the club
Is this Christianity ( true worship )?
Ask your neighbor
And ask yourself as well
Is this Christianity ( true worship )?
When Jehovah's Witnesses appear
You run to hide
Is this Christianity ( true worship )?
Unrepentant side-chick
Is this Christianity ( true worship )?
Tenant trying to usurp a landlord
On judgment day when God appears physically
He would have to lower His standards
Else no soul will make it to heaven
Because the pastors are refusing to preach the truth
The demand for money
Is preventing the poor from attending the church
It's like Things Fall Apart
When you complain they retort
"Don't touch my anointed"
The churches have schools
But the members are unable to afford it
Is this Christianity ( true worship )?
Ask your neighbor
And ask yourself as well
Is this Christianity ( true worship )?
The needy is made miserable
Is this Christianity ( true worship )?
You never forgive your offenders
Is this Christianity ( true worship )?
"Drink but don't get drunk"
You've turned it into bottles full of 'bitters'
Imam stop worrying yourself
The people are still drinking
I have observed that Abu is still boozing
Imam stop worrying yourself
He says he is an American Muslim
So he smokes weed and steals
There is no difference between the Christian and Muslim
Nor the pastor and the traditional priest
It's a total mess
Corruption, decadence, unfulfilled promises
MP the road to your village is un-motorable when it rains
Everyone wants to be bad
So the lecturer wants sexual favours
Before you pass his course
Others shed blood for money
God can help but He is slow; we can't wait
We want it fast-fast
So fast life, fast car, fast track court
In the church we see snapchat gods
31st December she is in church
Dedicating her life to God
3rd January she is back on trek
Part-time christian, you want fight full time devil
You are joking!
Is this Christianity ( true worship )? ........
-snip-
This translation was added to that video's discussion thread by Samuel Ofori Kwakye, 2020.
****
COMMENTS FROM THIS VIDEO'S DISCUSSION THREAD THAT EXPLAIN THE MEANING OF THIS RAP
(These comments are numbered for referencing purposes only.)
1. Sophy Abrokwa, 2020
"He's basically talking about how hypocritical Christians live, as in the Christians you find at the club are the same ones you find at church. The truth is bare but the pastors are reluctant to talk about it,( in the church )things fall apart, you not allowed to complain cos they claim ' annointed men don't touch'. (Chorus) is this Godly life we living? Ask your brethren and ask yourself.
I hope i added to your ideas😊💕"
**
2. DANIEL AWUKU, 2020
"Sometime we only listen to the beat of the song, things fall apart is a song admonishing us to repent from our evil ways. Our actions always keep people away from the truth and one day God will ask us to account for those souls"
**
3. RICHIE AGYEMANG, 2020
"Aside the entertainment, this song is a wake up call for everybody. We need to check our lives paaa o. May God have mercy on us all and give us strength to serve Him well!!! God bless you Kinaata"
**
4. Adelaide Oforiwaa
"He is telling us about how some Christians live their lives outside church not only Christians though mulisms too...pretending to religious but inside life doing things which are way contrally to the wills of God”
-snip-
The line from this rap that a number of commenters quoted is "part time Christians fighting a full time devil".
****
Thanks for visiting pancocojams.
Visitor comments are welcome.
This pancocojams post provides information about contemporary Ghanaian rapper Kofi Kinaata and showcases the official YouTube video of his December 2019 track "Things Fall Apart".
Lyrics for that song in Fante are included in this post along with their English translation.
This post also includes a few comments that explain what this rap track means.
The content of this post is presented for cultural, entertainment, and aesthetic purposes.
All copyrights remain with their owners.
Thanks to Kofi Kinaata for his musical legacy. Thanks to all those who are associated with this showcase video and thanks to all those who are quoted in this post. Thanks also to the publisher of this video on YouTube.
***
INFORMATION ABOUT KOFI KINAATA
From https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kofi_Kinaata
"Martin King Arthur popularly known as Kofi Kinaata is a Ghanaian musician and songwriter from Takoradi.[1] He is noted for his fante rap and freestyle and therefore known as the Fante Rap God (FRG).[2]
In February 2020, he won the Hybrid song of the year at the Ghana National Gospel Music Awards 2019.[3]
Music career
Just after High school, Kofi Kinaata was the 1st runner up for the Melody FM Kasahari Battle in 2009.[6] He is noted for his lyrical dexterity in terms of unique rhyme schemes and humorous Fante rap style with a touch of traditional African proverbs in his local language to entertain and educate morally.[7][8]
Made in Taadi
In December 2015, he released a song "Made in Taadi" which was a jam for most Fante people due to the link to their famous "Ankos" (Fancy dress and Masqueraders Xmas Carnival) annual festival which happens during Christmas.[9]
[...]
Things Fall Apart
Things Fall Apart, a 2019 release has topped charts across music platforms, including iTunes Ghana Top 100, Audiomack Ghana Top 20 and Boomplay AfroBeats charts for weeks.[22][23][24] The song has been widely played, circulated and shared on both traditional and social media, it has been number 1 on Twitter trends. The song has also been number one on YouTube's Ghana trends with fellow celebrities giving it rave rating: Asamoah Gyan[25], Michael Essien, Kwami Sefa Kai, Phillip Osei Bonsu, Sadick Adams, KiDi, Efya, Berla Mundi, Joe Beecham among others.[26][27][28][29]”...
****
SHOWCASE VIDEO: Kofi Kinaata - Things Fall Apart (Official Video)
Kofi Kinaata, Dec 6, 2019
Music video by Kofi Kinaata performing 'Things Fall Apart'. Song produced by Two Bars. Video directed by Babs Direction. (C) 2019. Team Move
Video features cameo appearances from Pamela Odame Watara, Dr. Pounds & Jacinta.
Kofi Kinaata, Premiered Dec 6, 2019
-snip-
Statistics as of May 26, 2020 at 5:45 PM EDT
total views-2,525,715
total likes-47K
total dislikes-1.3K
total comments-3,278
****
LYRICS - THINGS FALL APART (In Fante and English)
(Kofi Kinaata)
Oh oh aah ooh ah ah Call me Kofi Kinaata
[Verse 1]
Friday chapel all night Saturday na ye wo club no mo
Yɛ le yɛ more things Women, shoker bugu cup no mo
Ade ye ship na ɔde Bible no baa yɛ no
Nkrɔfo sie nara nso di schnapp no bɛ yɛ
Nti girls na wo duro chapel a wo kɔ yɛ no
Bra bɛ hwɛ, wɔn nso a na club no wo kɔ yi
[Chorus]
Nti Nyame som paa na yɛ le som yi a?
Bisa wo nua, ne bisa woa so wo ho
Nyame som paa na yɛ le som yi a?
Ma Jehovafo no rebaa ne ɛrɛguani
Nti Nyame som paa na yɛ le som yi a?
Nae ɛtale obi nu kun dɛ plaster yi
Nyame som paa na yɛ le som yi a?
Hwɛ so ma me a ɛleku no agye ne dan yi
[Verse 2]
Me sie atamuda paa…
Ɛda a Nyame bɛba physical
Sɛ won consider pa dia…
Anhwɛ na heaven wɛn ya nipa
Cos, nokware no wɔ hɔ Nso asɔfo yi w’ntumi w’nka
Sikasɛm ne nti chapel ahiafoɔ ntumi w’mba
W’ntumi w’mba oo
Ɛho mpo na ndi the things fall apart
Ɛka a wo sie anointed men touch
Chapel yi w’wɔ schools paa
Nso members yi w’ntumi w’nkɔ bi
[Chorus]
Nti ɛyɛ Nyame som paa na yɛ le som yi a?
Bisa wo nua, ne bisa woa so wo ho
Nyame som paa na yɛ le som yi a?
W’ma agyanka na asɛm ayɛ mɔbɔ yi
Nti Nyame som paa na yɛ le som yi a?
Wo nua fom wo a, atumi fa nkyɛ no yi
Nyame som paa na yɛ le som yi a?
Don Nana Amu ade na wo de ahyɛ bitters yi, asey
[Verse 3]
Hwɛboo sofo yegyi woa wo ho
Adi yi a, ɛka yi ɔda woa w’nu
Wo ara hwɛboo na di ye ɔda woa’nu
Hwɛboo sɔfo yegyi woa wo ho
Ɔsie ɔyɛ American ne Muslim, ɔnom bibiabi
Nkurofo w’adi yi ɔda woa w’nu
Hwɛ, ɛhu Christian, ɛhu Muslim, ɛhu nkaefo no Ɛhu sɔfo, ɛhu komfo basaa
Kataasihyɛ, prɔyɛ, bɔ na ɔhyɛ nso wa nyɛ MP wo kurom kwan no nsu tɔ a pakyaa
Obia sie ɔyɛ bad man
Ɛno nti lecturer pɛ sɛ ɔno wo da
Ansaa na wa ma wo pass mark
For money we go shed blood
Nyame bɛ yɛ, ɔbɛ kye, yɛ ntum, yɛ pɛ no fast fast
Nti (so) fast life, fast cars, fast trap pot
Church service hɔ na yɛ hu snap chat calls
31st ɔwo church, ɔdi ne ho a ma Nyame
On the 3rd na w’gye no ho kɔ Trek
Part time Christian, you want fight full time devil
You dey joke
[Chorus]
Nti Nyame som paa na yɛ le som yi a?
Nyame som paa na yɛ le som yi a?
Nti Nyame som paa na yɛ le som yi a?
Nyame som paa na yɛ le som yi a?
-snip-
These lyrics were added to that video's discussion thread by AFro.Music.Station, 2020
I added spacing to enhance this comment's readability.
****
LYRICS - THINGS FALL APART (in English)
(Kofi Kinaata)
Friday is all night in the chapel
Saturday we all go to the club
We are mixing up the drinks in the glass
Cos the ship that brought the Bible
People say is the same that brought the schnapp
So the girls that attended the church service
Were the same that turned up at the club
Is this Christianity ( true worship )?
Ask your neighbor
And ask yourself as well
Is this Christianity ( true worship )?
When Jehovah's Witnesses appear
You run to hide
Is this Christianity ( true worship )?
Unrepentant side-chick
Is this Christianity ( true worship )?
Tenant trying to usurp a landlord
On judgment day when God appears physically
He would have to lower His standards
Else no soul will make it to heaven
Because the pastors are refusing to preach the truth
The demand for money
Is preventing the poor from attending the church
It's like Things Fall Apart
When you complain they retort
"Don't touch my anointed"
The churches have schools
But the members are unable to afford it
Is this Christianity ( true worship )?
Ask your neighbor
And ask yourself as well
Is this Christianity ( true worship )?
The needy is made miserable
Is this Christianity ( true worship )?
You never forgive your offenders
Is this Christianity ( true worship )?
"Drink but don't get drunk"
You've turned it into bottles full of 'bitters'
Imam stop worrying yourself
The people are still drinking
I have observed that Abu is still boozing
Imam stop worrying yourself
He says he is an American Muslim
So he smokes weed and steals
There is no difference between the Christian and Muslim
Nor the pastor and the traditional priest
It's a total mess
Corruption, decadence, unfulfilled promises
MP the road to your village is un-motorable when it rains
Everyone wants to be bad
So the lecturer wants sexual favours
Before you pass his course
Others shed blood for money
God can help but He is slow; we can't wait
We want it fast-fast
So fast life, fast car, fast track court
In the church we see snapchat gods
31st December she is in church
Dedicating her life to God
3rd January she is back on trek
Part-time christian, you want fight full time devil
You are joking!
Is this Christianity ( true worship )? ........
-snip-
This translation was added to that video's discussion thread by Samuel Ofori Kwakye, 2020.
****
COMMENTS FROM THIS VIDEO'S DISCUSSION THREAD THAT EXPLAIN THE MEANING OF THIS RAP
(These comments are numbered for referencing purposes only.)
1. Sophy Abrokwa, 2020
"He's basically talking about how hypocritical Christians live, as in the Christians you find at the club are the same ones you find at church. The truth is bare but the pastors are reluctant to talk about it,( in the church )things fall apart, you not allowed to complain cos they claim ' annointed men don't touch'. (Chorus) is this Godly life we living? Ask your brethren and ask yourself.
I hope i added to your ideas😊💕"
**
2. DANIEL AWUKU, 2020
"Sometime we only listen to the beat of the song, things fall apart is a song admonishing us to repent from our evil ways. Our actions always keep people away from the truth and one day God will ask us to account for those souls"
**
3. RICHIE AGYEMANG, 2020
"Aside the entertainment, this song is a wake up call for everybody. We need to check our lives paaa o. May God have mercy on us all and give us strength to serve Him well!!! God bless you Kinaata"
**
4. Adelaide Oforiwaa
"He is telling us about how some Christians live their lives outside church not only Christians though mulisms too...pretending to religious but inside life doing things which are way contrally to the wills of God”
-snip-
The line from this rap that a number of commenters quoted is "part time Christians fighting a full time devil".
****
Thanks for visiting pancocojams.
Visitor comments are welcome.
What does the Ghanaian word "paa" mean?
ReplyDeleteI've come across that word in some comments for each of discussion threads for the Ghanaian music videos that I've showcased thus far on pancocojams. I've searched online for a meaning or meanings. but the information about "Paa" being used as a name doesn't fit how I've seen it used in those discussion threads.
Here are some examples of the word "paa" in comments from the discussion thread for Kofi Kinaata's "Things Fall Apart" video:
Opoku Cynthia, 2020
"He's a blessing to we Ghanaians all his songs make sense paaaa"
**
RICHIE AGYEMANG, 2020
"Aside the entertainment, this song is a wake up call for everybody. We need to check our lives paaa o. May God have mercy on us all and give us strength to serve Him well!!! God bless you Kinaata."
**
RITWORLD TV, 2020
"Hmm.. Am really sad paa. May God help us"
**
sexy bea, 2020
"Sensible song paaa hit like if luv the song 😍💃🏾🔥"
-snip-
Notice that additional letter "a"s can be added to the ending of that word (to strengthen its meaning?).
I'd appreciate it if someone would help an African American sista out and share what "paa" means in the context of these comments.
Thanks!
I wrote a request about the meaning of the word "paa" on the discussion thread for a video on zomgirene's YouTube channel (Irene is a young woman of Ghanaian descent. Within one hour she responded to that request with this comment:
Delete"It’s to add emphasis to whatever your saying. So “ekom di mi” is I’m hungry. “Ekom di mi paa” is Im REALLY hungry. Sometimes you might even see/hear “papaaapa” which is really heavy emphasis. I hope this helps and thank you for watching ❣️"
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dVi3QrJFi2s.
Thanks, Irene! I really appreciate your quick response. I'm glad to share this information on pancocojams.
I started watching Kofi Kinaata's video "Things Fall Apart" because I was familiar with Nigerian author Chinua Achebe's book with that title.
ReplyDeleteHere's some information about that book from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Things_Fall_Apart
"Things Fall Apart is the debut novel by Nigerian author Chinua Achebe, first published in 1958. Its story chronicles pre-colonial life in the southeastern part of Nigeria and the arrival of Europeans during the late 19th century. It is seen as the archetypal modern African novel in English, and one of the first to receive global critical acclaim. It is a staple book in schools throughout Africa and is widely read and studied in English-speaking countries around the world. The novel was first published in the UK in 1962 by William Heinemann Ltd., and became the first work published in Heinemann's African Writers Series.
The novel follows the life of Okonkwo, an Igbo ("Ibo" in the novel) man and local wrestling champion in the fictional Nigerian clan of Umuofia. The work is split into three parts, with the first describing his family, personal history, and the customs and society of the Igbo, and the second and third sections introducing the influence of British colonialism and Christian missionaries on Okonkwo, his family, and the wider Igbo community.
Things Fall Apart was followed by a sequel, No Longer at Ease (1960), originally written as the second part of a larger work along with Arrow of God (1964). Achebe states that his two later novels A Man of the People (1966) and Anthills of the Savannah (1987), while not featuring Okonkwo's descendants, are spiritual successors to the previous novels in chronicling African history."...