"Gettin Jiggy Wit It", "Keeping It Jiggy", And Two Other Videos Of Songs The Include The Word "Jiggy"

Edited by Azizi Powell

Latest revision: November 16, 2023

This is Part II of a two part series on the word "jiggy" and the phrases "gettin jiggy wit (with) it", "keepin it jiggy", and "its a jiggy time."

Part II features Will Smith's Hip Hop video "Gettin Jiggy Wit It" as well as two videos and one sound file of Dancehall records that include the word "jiggy" in their lyrics. Those records are Voicemail featuring Bogle and Delly Rank's "Weh Di Time" (also known as "Jiggy Time"), Sean Paul's "Get Busy", and Elephant Man's "Keeping It Jiggy".

Click http://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2015/02/what-jiggy-means-where-that-word-really.html for Part I of this series.

Part I provides information and comments about the meanings and sources of the word "jiggy" and those phrases mentioned above. This post also includes my interpretation of certain slang words that are found in lyrics to selected songs that include those words and phrases. My interpretation of selected blogger comments are also included in this post.

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

Thanks to all those who are featured in these videos. Thanks to the producers of these videos and the publishers of these videos on YouTube. Also, thanks to all those who are quoted in this post.

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ONE DEFINITION OF "JIGGY" "Jiggy" is an adjective that was coined by African Americans probably in the late 20th century. As is the case with other slang words, "jiggy" has multiple meanings. Here's one definition of that term:
From Don Malvo, http://forum.dancehallreggae.com/archive/index.php/t-59720.html, 08-20-2005
"Jiggy - originally black American urban slang, made popular in mainstream American culture by actor/rapper Will Smith and co-opted by Elephant Man, has since become passe in the African-American community in which it originated; used varyingly to refer to 'having a good time'....
or a blanket descriptive term for the colourful, dance-oriented style of dancehall reggae currently in vogue, epitomized by artists Elephant Man and Voise Mail (and a few tracks by Beenie [m]an."
-snip-
Warning: Some of the comments in that discussion contain Jamaican English profanity and American English profanity.

Other definitions for "jiggy" and for some phrases that contain that word are found in Part I of this series.

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FEATURED EXAMPLES
These examples are presented in chronological order based on the years that the songs were recorded.

Notice that the use of the word "jiggy" by Jamaican Dancehall artists demonstrates those songs include both Jamaican slang and African American slang.

Example #1: Will Smith - Gettin' Jiggy Wit It



WillSmithVEVO, Uploaded on Mar 23, 2011

Music video by Will Smith performing Gettin' Jiggy Wit It. (C) 1997 SONY BMG MUSIC ENTERTAINMENT
-snip-
Here's an excerpt from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gettin%27_Jiggy_wit_It :
""Gettin' Jiggy wit It" is a single by American actor and rapper Will Smith, released as the third cut from his debut solo album Big Willie Style (1997). The verse is based around a sample of "He's the Greatest Dancer" by Sister Sledge, and the chorus is sampled from "Sang and Dance" by the Bar-Kays. Released in January 1998, the song was Smith's second hit produced by Poke & Tone and L.E.S., who replaced his long-time partner Jazzy Jeff, though the record-scratching techniques of Jazzy Jeff can be heard in the song.[1]

The song spent three weeks at the top of the Billboard Hot 100 chart from March 14, 1998. It also won a Grammy Award in 1999 for the Best Rap Solo Performance. It was ranked the 68th greatest song of the 1990s by VH1. However, it was ranked at number 19 on the list of AOL Radio's 100 Worst Songs Ever in 2010.[2] The song was included in Pitchfork Media's 2010 list of "the seven worst U.S. No. 1 singles of the 90s".[3]

Composition

The song samples the 1979 Sister Sledge song "He's the Greatest Dancer". The "mama-uh, mama-uh, mama come closer" line is a reference to the song "Soul Makossa" by Manu Dibango, specifically the version adapted by Michael Jackson in "Wanna Be Startin' Somethin'"'s final bridge. The connotations associated with the expression getting jiggy were heavily influenced by this single. The term went from being used to acclaim one's fashion or style towards being synonymous with dancing, and eventually back to the original association with sexual connotations.[4]

Smith has attested in an interview[5] that his inspiration to alter the meaning for the purpose of the song came from his association of the term "jiggy" with "jigaboo", a derogatory term for African-Americans, which made the literal meaning of the title "getting African-American with it" and which was meant to reference the popular folk-myth of an innate sense of rhythm in black folks. The co-opting of a once offensive word also was racially empowering.[5] "...

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Example #2: Bogle ft Delly Ranks & Voicemail - Weh Di Time



L Roach, uploaded on May 28, 2006
-snip-
This record was released in 2004.

This song is often given as "Weddy Time" and "Jiggy Time"

"Weh Di Time" is the older form of "Weddy Time".

There was some disagreement about the meaning of "Weh Di Time" ("Weddy Time") on http://forum.dancehallreggae.com/archive/index.php/t-59720.html, a Jamaican discussion thread about slang terms found in Dancehall music. Most of the bloggers participating in that online discussion believed that "weddy time" meant "ready time". However, two bloggers firmly believed that it meant "what the [f word] is going on", similarly to that sentence in American English. By the end of that post, the bloggers agreed that the Dancehall artists recording this song had changed the meaning to "ready time" (and "weddy weddy" to "ready ready") and that meaning is the one which most people knew.

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Example #3: Sean Paul - Get Busy



Maja Martin, Uploaded on Aug 2, 2008

Sean Paul performing Get Busy - Official Music Video
-snip-
This record, also colloquially known as "Shake That Thing Miss Annabella", was released in 2003..

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Example #4: Elephant Man- Jiggy [sound file]



guiltysquad, Uploaded on Aug 12, 2008

-snip-
Click https://genius.com/Elephant-man-jiggy-lyrics for the full lyrics to that song.

Here's the lyrics for that song's hook from https://genius.com/Elephant-man-jiggy-lyrics 

[Hook]
What a Weddi, Weddi, Weddi, Weddi (March out! March out!)
Weddi, Weddi, Weddi, Weddi
Weddi, Weddi, Weddi, Weddi (March out! March out!)
Weddi, Weddi, Weddi
A Weddi, Weddi, Weddi, Weddi (March out! March out!)
Weddi, Weddi, Weddi, Weddi
Weddi, Weddi, Weddi, Weddi (Dancers, march out!)
Weddi, Weddi, Weddi
A Weddi, Weddi, Weddi, Weddi (Look outta road! Look outta road!)
Weddi, Weddi, Weddi, Weddi
Weddi, Weddi, Weddi, Weddi (Look outta road! Look outta road!)
Weddi, Weddi, Weddi
A Weddi, Weddi, Weddi, Weddi (High Risen Bump! High Risen Bump!)
Weddi, Weddi, Weddi, Weddi
Weddi, Weddi, Weddi, Weddi (High risen bump! High risen bump!)
Weddi, Weddi, Weddi"
-snip-
Elephant Man's song "Jiggy" is part a command for people to do certain dances, or to dance in general, and a shout out/dissing of certain people. For examples of shout out and disses in that song, check out these lyrics:
..."Dance we a dance and keeping it jiggy

Big up the legendary Bob! Wha' happen to him son, Ziggy?
Dance we a dance and keeping it jiggy
Nadine Sutherland, send her go call Twiggy
Dance she a dance and keeping it jiggy
Bubbler a do it, and favor Ms. Piggy
Dance she a dance and keeping it jiggy
Outta Asylum me see Bogle and Ribby
Dance dem a dance and keeping it jiggy
Don can't do it, not even mention Diggy
Dance dem a dance and keeping it jiggy
Mad Michelle, Stacy, none of dem anuh dibby dibby (No!)
Dance dem a dance and keeping it jiggy
Give dem a slide tackle like Whitmore and Bibby
Dance we a dance and keeping it jiggy
Big up Jungle, Tivoli, Ensome City
Dance we a dance and keeping it jiggy"...

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This concludes Part II of this series.

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Visitor comments are welcome.

Skool Boy (Skooly) - "Na Na Boo Boo" & The "Na Na Na Naa Na" Taunt

Edited by Azizi Powell

This post showcases a sound file of & lyrics for the song "Na Na Boo Boo" by Skool Boy. This post also provides some information about Skool Boy (Skooly) and includes selected comments from that sound file's discussion thread.

The Addendum to this post also presents some examples of & links to comments about the "na na na naa na" ("na na na boo boo" and similar constructs) saying or rhymes which inspired the title & some of the lyrics of this song.

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

All copyrights remain with their owners.

Thanks to Skool Boy for recording this song. Thanks also to all those who are quoted in this post and thanks to the publisher of this video on YouTube.

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INFORMATION ABOUT SKOOL BOY
http://www.mtv.com/artists/rich-kidz/biography/
"It’s been said that the greatest Rap movements start out small, but for Atlanta’s own Rich Kidz, a strong hustle has produced big results. Bred from the same Bankhead streets as T.I., the duo comprised of RKaelub and Skateboard Skooly started their movement in 2008, in the halls of Frederick Douglass High School. Kaelub, a senior at the time was putting together a crew called the Rich Kidz and recruited young Skateboard Skooly.

An introductory track "Wassup" featuring then freshman Skooly was recorded and took Atlanta by storm. Later during an opportunity to record at Grand Hustle Studios they recorded a catchy track entitled "My Partna Dem" which eventually charted on Billboard's Hip-Hop/R&B chart.

After five years, Rich Kidz have five street-albums and several successes under their belts. ..
The hustle has officially paid off, and the stage is now set for the Rich Kidz’ major label debut. Recognizing their hardcore grassroots efforts, Columbia Records readily signed the duo and added them to their roster of legends (and soon to be legends) in the Rap game. Prior to their signing, the Rich Kidz signed themselves to their own imprint label Rich Kidz Music Group, LLC. "...

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FEATURED VIDEO: Skool Boy - Na Na Boo Boo



SWaggBanger13, Uploaded on Dec 22, 2010

Old Ass Song
-snip-
A number of commenters on this sound file's discussion thread mentioned that this was an "old jam". I haven't been able to find out when it was released by Skool Boy (Rich Kidz) but one commenter who posted a comment in 2010 mentioned that its tune was very popular as a ring tone [for cell phones] in 2009. That doesn't seem that old to me. I don't know if the commenters meant that the song itself had been previously recorded by someone else before this particular recording.

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LYRICS: NA NA BOO BOO
(recorded by Skool Boy)

Na na boo boo
Oh na na na na boo boo
Oh na na na na boo boo
Oh na na na na boo boo

Oh na na na na boo boo
[Yeah yeah yeah!!]
Oh na na na na boo boo
Oh na na na na boo boo
Oh na na na na boo boo
Nana na boo boo
Who gon stop me

You won’t stop me
Since you left me
I’ve been happy
Count my blessings
No my messin
She’s my heaven
Since you left me
I’ll be happy
I’ll be happy
Look at me smile now
Feel like a child now

Every time see your face I feel alone
Every time I see your face I feel strong
And every time I hear your voice I get mad
Hope you understand
Yeah I want the best of you
Betcha that I learned my lesson
No more stressin
I've got my blessing like
Na na boo boo

Na na na boo boo
Who gon stop me
Got my blessings
No more stressin
Seem like heaven

Nanna boo boo
Since you left me
I've been happy
I've been happy
Hurt for a while now
Look at me smile now
Feel like a child now

Every time I see your face
I feel alone
And every time I see your face I feel strong
And every time I hear your voice I mad
Hope you understand
Yeah, I want the best for you.
I have learned my lesson
No more stressing
I've got my blessing
like

Na na na na boo boo
I’m steppin out
I’m gonna get myself a pretty young thang
Bring her back home and Imma make her sang
And you aint even gonna be on my mind
I think you did me a favor this time
Stick my hands in my ear and stick my tongue out baby
-snip-
Transcribed from the recording by Azizi Powell with considerable use of comments found in this sound file's viewer comment thread that were posted by YanBan123, 24lildc24, PrettyLuPooh, 116TwettyBird. and Cutie Pie (all in 2011). Those commenters all focused on the "Every time I see your face" verse and the lyrics that begin with "I’m gonna get myself a pretty young thang" portions of this song. Except for the way they spelled the words, those commenters agree with the above transcription of those portions except for Cutie Pie's substitution of the word "her" in the line "Every time I see your face I feel strong".

I'm not certain that this is an accurate complete transcription of this song. Additions and corrections are welcome.

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RANDOM COMMENTS ABOUT THE LYRICS TO THIS SONG
School Boy's record "Na Na Bo Bo" is a song about a man's reaction to the break-up between he and his girlfriend. Because many people experience conflicting emotions during and after a break-up, it's fitting that in some parts of the song the man says that he is happy and professes that the woman did him a favor ending the relationship, and in other parts of the song confesses that he feels alone, and is mad. As one commenter wrote "this song is a little sad".

Yet, what seems to resonate with most of the commenters on that sound file's lengthy viewer comment thread is the singer's use of the taunting ditty "na na na boo boo".

The "stick your tongue out" portion of the last line in the song is lifted from a defiant gesture that young children often do when they are taunting someone. "The stick your hand in your ear" is usually given as "put your finger in your ear". "Putting your finger in your ear" means conveys that you aren't listening to what the person who is talking to you is saying.

It occurs to me that in the context of this song, the double word "boo boo" may retain the meaning of a small accident or something that is done wrong and may also carry the meaning of "boo" ("beau"; a person's romantic boyfriend or girlfriend) as it is used in African American culture. Notice that usage in bigalo3222's and tjaxretro's comments given below.

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SELECTED COMMENTS FROM THAT SOUND FILE'S DISCUSSION THREAD
There are 545 comments to that discussion thread as of 8:30 PM April 22, 2014. That is a large number of comments for a R&B/Hip-Hop song that wasn't a best selling record.

Here are a very small number of those comments, presented under the year that they were posted to that discussion thread but not necessarily in the order that they are found on that thread.

WARNING: This youTube viewer comment thread contains a lot of profanity although most of it is complimentary such as "that's my sh&t" with that word either spelled that way or similarly or completely spelled out. In addition, this viewer comment thread includes the "positive" use of the four letter form of the "n word", and also contains a few sexually explicit comments.

2010
Malik Ricks
"RK4L
Rich Kidz for life."
**
StardustSwagg133 years ago
"Love dis songg.! oldd forreall but RichKidz brought it backk.!"
-snip-
Notice the contemporary (what I call "Hip-Hop/texting") style of spelling in this comment. That spelling style is found in most of the comments in that thread. A feature of that spelling style is a disregard for standard spelling, and standard rules for capitalization & punctuation.

**
UMEEZEDMFCCBOYZ
"OLD BUT STILL FYA LOL"
-snip-
fya = fire. Another contemporary spelling of "fire" is "fie". This use of "fire" is similar to saying something or someone is "hot" or something is "cooking", "smoking" or "burning up". All those words mean that something or someone is very good.
**
ImBree2YhuuLamess
"Itss Somethinqq Bout Thiss SOnqq Thass So Addictinqq.! iLike It nOw.!"
-snip-
I think the seemingly random capitalization in this sentence & its multiple letters in some of its words reflect the importance in Hip Hop "languaging" regarding the way words (including names)look, and not only the way that they are spelled. Of course, in that Hip Hop languaging words should be spelled closer to the way that they are pronounced, and should convey uniqueness. And of course, that style of writing, spelling, and talking is used by young people (more than us old heads) because it is considered to be "hip" or conveys "swag".
**
bri mullins
"im glad they finally put dis song on here dis my song"
-snip-
"dis" = this; not to be confused with "diss" = to insult
**
2011
Danielle Nikole Colton
"everybody tht got a problem i hust look at 'em and be like "Na Na Boo Boo" aha"
**
swaggakiidtrey
"I remember everyone had this ringtone. My shyt used to play before my teacher got in class. Everyone had thiss ringtone last year."
**
zonethreesha
"skooley go in on any song no matter what the beat is!"
-snip-
"To go in" ("to go in hard)" means to give something your all & do it very well. The phrase "to go in" is also used in Church Of God In Christ congregations to mean "get happy"/"feel the Spirit" and cut a Holy dance. I wonder whether the secular or religious meaning came first, and if the secular meaning carries some of that religious meaning of freely expressing yourself (while you are feeling the Holy Spirit).
**
EvilRoyjin
"THIS GO HARD"
**
anthonycooks93
"dis dat fie song bruh....even thoe its soooo old"
-snip-
In standard English this comment would be given as "This is that fire song, brother...even though its soooo old".
**
bigalo3222
"i luv dhiz song it make me think of my boo :) #luving him"
**
tjaxretro
"10 people aint got no boo boo!"
-snip-
Editor's explanation - 10 people downrated this song [using the YouTube voting system in which viewers could vote thumbs up or thumbs downl. However, “boo boo” here is play on the word “boo”- African American form of the French word “beau” meaning your boyfriend or girlfriend.
**
bigalo3222
"i luv dhiz song it make me think of my boo :) #luving him"
**
barbie40121
"love dis song <3" ****

ADDENDUM: EXAMPLES OF & COMMENTS ABOUT THE "NA NA NA NAA NA" ("NA NA NA BOO BOO") TAUNT/TEASING SAYING/RHYMES

Here's an American children's taunting rhyme that includes the "na na na boo boo" saying:

"Na na na boo boo
stick your head in doo-doo."

Another version of the "na na na naa na" ("na na na boo boo") taunt/teasing saying is "neener neener neener". Here's a rhyme that includes that form of that taunt:
"neener neener neener".
you don't have a wiener!"

Here's a link to the first of three blog posts by phonetician John Wells's blog on this taunting saying http://phonetic-blog.blogspot.sg/2011/07/nuh-nuh.html. Those blog posts are the most comprehensive that I've read online about this subject.

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Visitor comments are welcome.

Zap Mama & Erykah Badu - Bandy Bandy (Belgium and USA)

Edited by Azizi Powell

This post showcases two videos of the Zap Mama song "Bandy Bandy". One of those videos of this song features Erykah Badu with Zap Mama (Marie Daulne). Lyrics & information about the song "Bandy Bandy" are also included in this post along with information about Zap Mama & Erykah Badu.

The content of this post is presented for cultural, entertainment, & aesthetic purposes.

All copyrights remain with their owners.

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INFORMATION ABOUT ZAP MAMA
From http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zap_Mama
"Zap Mama is a Belgian artist Marie Daulne. Zap Mama sings Polyphonic and Afro-Pop music; a harmonic music with a mixture of infused African vocal techniques, Urban, Hip-Hop with emphasis on voice.[1] The worldwide success of Zap Mama, and an ensemble of female polyphonic singers, inspired influences in American Hip Hop, Nu-Soul, Jazz and elements of Pop. The evolving musical compositions created a diverse band of singers and musicians for Zap Mama...

Sources of Zap Mama's music include Daulne's roots in the Democratic Republic of Congo, her upbringing in Belgium, and her return to Africa to rediscover her musical roots...

After Daulne left home she remembered the African songs her mother sang to her as a child.[11] "When I left home, I missed those songs, and in the school choir, I wondered why we didn't use African harmonising. So my sister and I started to sing African melodies, and Zap Mama was born. I wrote my first song at 15, and my artist friend Nina said that what we were doing was amazing. She helped me to find a gig, and from that day, it has been non-stop."...

In the documentary film Mizike Mama, Daulne and her family recall a reverse cultural tug-of-war for her allegiance during her childhood.[12] Her mother feared that Daulne would grow up too African and so did not teach her tribal songs.[12] However the Belgian side of her family encouraged Daulne to explore her African heritage.[12] Daulne first heard a recording of traditional pygmy music when she was 20.[13] She decided to return Congo-Kinshasa in 1984[3] to learn about her heritage and train in pygmy onomatopoeic vocal techniques.[13] "When I went to the Congo, I hadn’t thought of being a musician. Not at all. But I was there, and I was standing in the middle of the forest, hearing the music that had been a part of my earliest memories, and it was like an illumination, like a light," Daulne said...

Daulne's music has evolved over the years from an a cappella quintet to a lead voice accompanied by instruments.[14] "I’m a nomad. I like to discover my sound with different instruments, different genres. For me it’s normal. My name is Zap Mama...it’s easy for me to zap in from one instrument to another, a culture, a style. I’m more a citizen of the world, not an American or Belgian."

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INFORMATION ABOUT ERYKAH BADU
From http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Erykah_Badu
"Erykah Abi Wright (born Erica Abi Wright February 26, 1971),[1] better known by her stage name Erykah Badu, is a Grammy Award-winning American singer-songwriter, record producer, activist and actress. Her work includes elements from R&B, hip hop and jazz.[1] She is best known for her role in the rise of the neo soul sub-genre. She is known as the "First Lady of Neo-Soul" or the "Queen of Neo-Soul".

Early in her career, Badu was recognizable for wearing very large and colorful headwraps. For her musical sensibilities, she has often been compared[2] to jazz great Billie Holiday.[3][4] She was a core member of the Soulquarians, and is also an actress having appeared in a number of films playing a range of supporting roles in movies such as Blues Brothers 2000, The Cider House Rules and House of D. She also speaks at length in the documentaries Before the Music Dies and "The Black Power Mixtapes"...

By the age of 14, Erykah was free-styling for a local radio station alongside such talent as Roy Hargrove. In her early youth, she decided to change the spelling of her name from Erica to Erykah, as she firmly believed her original name to be her slave name. The term 'kah' signifies the inner self. Badu is her favorite jazz scat sound and is also an African name for the 10th born child used for the Akan people in Ghana.[5]"...

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INFORMATION ABOUT & LYRICS OF THE SONG "BANDY BANDY"
From http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bandy-bandy
"Bandy-bandy (Vermicella annulata) is a species of snake in the Elapidae family. It is endemic to Australia.

Individuals are marked with alternating black and white or yellowish bands, which give the species both its common names and the Latin name"...
-snip-
In this 2004 Zap Mama" song "Bandy Bandy" means to move rhythmically through life so that your soul & your body feel good. The black & white coloring of this species of snake may have been purposely chosen for the symbolism of its coloring by the mixed race (Congo/Belgian) "Zap Mama" [Marie Daulne].

Here's some information about the album from which that song comes:
"Ancestry in Progress" (2004) reflects Daulne's new life in the United States, as it synthesizes her traditional African and European influences with American musical styles like hip-hop and R&B.[9] "The American beat is a revolution all over the world," Daulne says.[9] "Everybody listens to it and everybody follows it. But the beat of the United States was inspired by the beat coming from Africa. Not just its structure, but the sound of it. This is the source of modern sounds, the history of the beat, starting from little pieces of wood banging against one another, and arriving on the big sound-systems today. It's genius. So I wanted to create an album about the evolution of old ancestral vocal sounds, how they traveled from Africa, mixing with European and Asian sounds, and were brought to America."[9] Ancestry in Progress (2004) reached #1 on the Billboard World Music Album chart.[20] A music video for the single "Bandy Bandy," featuring Erykah Badu, directed by Bill Fishman and produced by David Herrera (music video director), aired on VH1."
-Zap Mama Wikipedia (The link is given above.)

-snip-
BANDY BANDY
Like bandy bandy
wave ya body like bandy bandy yeah
Ooh
Like bandy bandy
wave ya body like bandy bandy yeah

When the day gets too long
when its so right now feel so wrong
Listen to what i say
See if you dont agree
Theres something i learned long ago
Down where the blu waters flow
Something people do to let their spirits free

In the morning time
in the afternoon
in the cool evening breeze

Like bandy bandy wave ya body
like bandy bandy yeah
ooh
like bandy bandy wave ya body like bandy bandy yeah
ooh

Any time of the day
wave
Any place
wave
if u feelin down
wave-move ya body like a bandy snake

if u feel the day
wave
anyplace that u happen to be
wave
if u feelin low
wave
just do what u need

in the morning time
in the afternoon
in the cool evening breeze

(2x)like bandy bandy
wave ya body
like bandy bandy yeah
ooh

(2x)Take the time
fill the day
fill the light
fill the day
fill the night take a breath
fill yourself full of light
shine(shine)
until u feel your soul away

Source: http://www.lyricsmode.com/lyrics/z/zap_mama/bandy_bandy.html

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FEATURED VIDEOS
Example #1: Zap Mama & Erykah Badu - Bandy Bandy



theangryblackman, Uploaded on Jun 14, 2006

Off the cd "Ancestry In Progress"

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Example #2:
Zap Mama - Bandy Bandy (Live In Philly)



reelblack, Uploaded on Dec 19, 2008

Zap Mama performs her hit, Bandy Bandy at World Cafe Live in Philadelphia, PA on June 27, 2008. Includes intro. Actual Song begins at 2:58. Special Thanks Young Friends Society. Visit www.worldcafelive.com and www.zapmama.be A Reelblack Exclusive

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RELATED LINK
Click http://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2013/07/what-afro-european-afropean-mean.html "What Afro-European" and "Afropean" Mean".

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Thanks to Zap Mama & to Erykah Badu for their musical legacy. Thanks to all those whose information & transcription are quoted in this post. Thanks also to the publishers of these videos on YouTube.

Thanks for visiting pancocojams.

Visitors comments are welcome.

Soul Makossa & Three Records With Its Adapted Refrain

This post provides information about Makossa music, and showcases a sound file of the song "Soul Makossa". This post also showcases sound files or videos of three of the numerous songs that included an adaptation of "Soul Makossa"'s catchy "ma-mako, ma-ma-sa, mako-mako ssa" refrain. Those featured songs are "Wanna Be Startin' Somethin', by Michael Jackson", "Rhythm (Devoted to the Art of Moving Butts)", by A Tribe Called Quest and "Rihanna -Don't Stop the Music".

The content of this post is presented for historical, folkloric, entertainment, and aesthetic purposes.

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INFORMATION ABOUT MAKOSSA MUSIC
From http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Makossa
"Makossa is a type of music that is most popular in urban areas in Cameroon. It is similar to soukous, except that it includes strong bass rhythm and a prominent horn section. Makossa, which means "(I) dance" in Duala, originated from a type of Duala dance called kossa, with significant influences from jazz, ambasse bey, Latin music, highlife and rumba. While the makossa style began in the 1950s, the first recordings were not seen until a decade later. Artists such as Eboa Lotin, Misse Ngoh and especially Manu Dibango popularized the style outside of Cameroon in the late 1960s. Makassi is a lighter style of makossa. Makossa in the 80's saw a wave of mainstream success across Africa, and to a lesser extent, abroad, as Latin influences, Martinican zouk, and pop music changed its form.

The two musicians largely credited with modernizing makossa are sax player Manu Dibango and Emmanuel Nelle Eyoum. Eyoum started using the term 'kossa, kossa' in his songs with his group Los Calvinos. But it was Emmanuel 'Manu' Dibango who popularized it to the world with his song "Soul Makossa", which came out in the early 1970s."

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INFORMATION ABOUT SOUL MAKOSSA AND ITS ADAPTED REFRAIN
From http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Soul_Makossa#The_refrain_and_its_adaptations [Hereafter given as "Wikipedia: Soul Makossa Adaptations"]
"Soul Makossa" is a 1972 single by Cameroonian makossa saxophonist Manu Dibango. It is often cited as one of the first disco records. In 1972 David Mancuso found a copy in a Brooklyn West Indian record store and often played it at his Loft parties. The response was so positive that the few copies of "Soul Makossa" in New York City were quickly bought up. The song was subsequently played heavily by Frankie Crocker, who DJed at WBLS, then New York's most popular black radio station. Since the original was then unfindable, at least 23 groups quickly released cover versions to capitalize on the demand for the record. Atlantic eventually licensed the song from the French record label Fiesta. Their release of it peaked at number 35 on the Billboard chart in 1973; in 1999 Dave Marsh wrote that it was "the only African record by an African" to crack the top 40. At one point there were nine different versions of the song in the Billboard chart. It became "a massive hit" internationally as well."
-snip-
Click that same link for a list of records that include an adaptation of the "Soul Makossa" refrain.

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FEATURED SONG FILES OR VIDEOS

Example #1: Manu Dibango & le Soul Makossa Gang Live in Paris 2005



Virado RoostUploaded on Jan 10, 2012
-snip-
From http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=33hwJw8qxgs uploader's comment for 1983 Soul Makossa Dance Version:
"Manu Dibango, an African jazz saxophonist, scored a huge hit worldwide with "Soul Makossa." There was no escaping this in 1973-it was everywhere and how I remember. An out and out classic by Manu Dibango."
-snip-
From "Wikipedia: Soul Makossa Adaptations"-"The [Soul Makossa] song's refrain consists of the phrase "ma-mako, ma-ma-sa, mako-mako ssa", which is a play in the word "Makossa", Dibango's main music genre. After the popularization of the song, the phrase was adapted and used in several popular songs..."
-snip-
Click http://www.lyricsmode.com/lyrics/m/manu_dibango/soul_makossa.html for this song's lyrics.

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Example #2 Michael Jackson - Wanna Be Starting Something - (HD-720p) - Live



Kelly Gentili, Uploaded on Aug 28, 2011
-snip-
From "Wikipedia: Soul Makossa Adaptations" - "An adaptation of the "Soul Makossa" refrain is found in] "Wanna Be Startin' Somethin'", by Michael Jackson — during the song's final bridge; altered to "mama-se, mama-sa, mama ku-sa"
Click http://www.azlyrics.com/lyrics/michaeljackson/wannabestartinsomethin.html for this song's lyrics.

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Example #3: Rhythm (Devoted to the Art of Moving Butts) A Tribe Called Quest



patr1ckf1994, Uploaded on Jan 17, 2012

Off of A Tribe Called Quest's 1990 album Peoples Instinctive Travels And The Paths Of Rhythm
-snip-
From "Wikipedia: Soul Makossa Adaptations" - [The "Soul Makossa" refrain is included in] "Rhythm (Devoted to the Art of Moving Butts), by A Tribe Called Quest — altered to "mama say yah, ma-ma ku-sa""
-snip-
This song's lyrics are posted by the video uploader at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pcpZOLSVqmE

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Example #4: Rihanna ~ Don't Stop The Music (Live NRJ Music Awards 2008)



MrOfficialRihanna, Uploaded on Aug 2, 2011
-snip-
This song was first released in 2007

Click http://www.elyrics.net/read/r/rihanna-lyrics/don_t-stop-the-music-lyrics.html for the lyrics of that song.

Those lyrics include this adaptation of the "Soul Makossa" refrain: "Mama-say, mama-sa, ma-ma-ko-ssa"

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ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS AND THANKS
Thanks to Manu Dibango for composing and performing "Soul Makossa". Thanks also to the other composers & performers whose songs are featured in this post. Thanks also to those whose information I quoted, and to the uploaders of these featured sound files & videos.

Finally, thank you for visiting pancocojams.

Viewer comments are welcome.

Tell Yo Mama 2 Go Vote 4 Obama (Video & Lyrics)

Edited by Azizi Powell

This post showcases the political rap "Tell Yo Mama 2 Vote 4 Obama".

The content of this post is provided for folkloric, historical, and aesthetic reasons.

All coyprights remain with their owners.

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LYRICS: Tell Yo Mama 2 Go Vote 4 Obama
Presidential Election Song 2012
(Minnesota Kids)

[A recorded clip of President Obama’s voice that is found at the beginning of his official campaign ads]* : I’m Barack Obama and I approve of this message, message, message
Chorus [sing 2x]
Yo mama, yo mama **
Tell her to vote for Obama.

You can catch the train
Or you can catch the bus.
It doesn’t even matter
Just get up off your butt.

Yo mama, yo mama
Tell her to vote for Obama.

You can catch the train etc.
Or you can catch the bus.
It doesn’t even matter
Just get up off your butt

Rap #1 [female rapper]
Yo mama Yo mama
Tell her to vote for Obama
The first Black President
Known as the one who caught Osama.
Stand up for women’s rights
Shuttin down all the drama.
Bringin the USA to Hawaii a vacation in Bahamas ***
Callin callin “Big Pen” cause his pen is signin big bills
Up in the nation at the door when it gets real.
He signed a tax relief in twenty ten
Created Obamacare, let’s re-elect him again.
He offers equal opportunity and equal rights.
So go out to vote like it depended on your life.

[Recorded clip of President Obama’s voice at the beginning of campaign ads] I’m Barack Obama and I approve of this message, message, message, message. [played 2x]

Chorus [sing 2x]

Rap 2 [older boy]
Black man in the Whitehouse.
We all black when the lights out.
Don’t vote then don’t complain.
Vote for the one’s that gonna bring change.
Four more years
And it will be okay.
Just please don’t believe what the other guy says, says.
Everybody makes mistakes.
Just gotta learn a lesson.
It’s gonna take some time
To recover from recession.
So spread the word along like germs
Obama deserves a second term.

[A recorded clip of President Obama’s voice that is found at the beginning of his official campaign ads]* : I’m Barack Obama and I approve of this message, message, message, message.

Chorus [sing 2x]

Rap #3 [younger boy]
“Yes we can” said a great wise man
You know little Bdot is a number one fan.
Go vote right now because Mitt is a clown
Obama in the Whitehouse must go down.****
Because there once was a time
When we couldn’t vote.
So sit back, relax and take a couple notes.
Martin had a dream, Obama had a vision.
This shouldn’t be a mystery, so make the right decision.

Chorus [sing 2x]
-snip-
* Despite the recorded voice, this obviously isn't an official campaign video or song from the Campaign to Reelect Barack Obama.

** In this song, "Yo" means "Your". Also, "2" means "to" and "4" means "for".

*** My interpretation of this line is that the rapper is saying that President Obama is improving economic conditions in all states of the USA including far off Hawaii so that people will be able to afford a vacation in the Bahamas.

**** In this line, “must go down” means “must be what happens”.
In contrast, the words “shuttin down” in the chorus means “stopping”.

Transcription & comments by Azizi Powell, October 9, 2012
Additions and corrections to this transcription are very welcome.

Disclaimer: I'm not affilitated in any way with the composers of this song or the producers of this video, or the Obama campaign.

That said, I definitely plan to vote for President Obama in the 2012 Presidential election as I did in the 2008 election.

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FEATURED VIDEO

Tell Yo Mama 2 Go Vote 4 Obama! Presidential Election Song 2012- Minnesota Kids



Published on Sep 24, 2012 by MNYungFactors

This is a New 2012 President Obama Election Campaign song encouraging people to go vote!! Are you voting for Mitt Romney or Barack Obama?
by:( 1) @LilQueen_Tifah ( 2)@dolladook( 3) @LilBDotMusic

-snip-
This comment was written on this video's viewer comment thread in response to a comment that the words were too repetitive:

"its suppose to be repetitive so people will remember to go vote :)"
-dolladook, 2012 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uuQJ7oFO4wc
-snip-
WARNING: As is the case with many YouTube viewer comment threads, some comments contain profanity.

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COMMENT AND RELATED LINK
I wonder if the inspiration for this song came from Rev. Al Sharpton's saying "This election in not about Obama. It's about your mama". I've heard Rev. Sharpton say that in political ads encouraging voting that air on MSNBC television where he is the host of a political show. And he also including that saying in comments that he gave in June 2012 in a speech when he was honored at the BET awards. Here's a clip of those comments: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k97sIN19LE8

I've not yet been able to find the link to the MSNBC ad.

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ACKNOWLEDGEMENT AND THANKS
Thanks to Minnesota Kids for composing, producing, and performing this political song. Thanks to Rev. Al Sharpton for his witty coinage of the saying "This election is not about Obama. It's about your mama". And thanks to the uploader of this featured video and the video of Rev. Sharpton's comments during the BET event .

Finally, thanks for visiting pancocojams.

Viewer comments are welcome.