Official Zoro Music, April 23, 2016
Shot and directed by Clarence Peters; Zoro presents the
OFFICIAL video for his smash-hit single, "OGENE" featuring Flavour
-snip-
Statistics for this YouTube video as of Jan. 28, 2024 at 5:16
AM EDT
Total # of views - 5,178,161
Total # of comments - 1, 772
****
Edited by Azizi Powell
This is Part II of a pancocojams series about the 2016 record/video "Ogene" by Nigerian rapper Zoro featuring Nigerian singer Flavour. "Ogene" is the Igbo name for an iron bell and a musical style that features that bell and other traditional Igbo instruments.
This post showcases that same 2022 Zoro featuring Flavour video, and and includes a commenter's transcription of that song's lyrics and some comments from that discussion thread about that transcription.
This pancocojams post also presents my editorial notes about the inclusion of the very pervasive African American sentence "You know what I'm saying" and "You know what I mean" in the lyrics for Zoro's 2022 "Ogene" rap.
Click https://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2024/01/the-igbo-language-african-american.htmlfor Part I of this pancocojams series. That post focuses on the use of Igbo and the widely used African American Vernacular English idiom "You know what I mean" in Zoro's and Flavour's 2016 song "Ogene". "Ya know what I mean" and other forms of that saying are quite commonly found, particularly among poor and working class Black teenagers and young adults in urban neighborhoods throughout the United States.
That post also highlights some examples of the use of certain Igbo language terms and certain African American Vernacular English terms in the official discussion thread of Zoro's and Flavour's 2016 video for their song "Ogene". A few of those comments include some examples from that discussion thread of the form of the idiom "You know what I mean" that is used in Zoro's and Flavour's song "Ogene".
The content of this post is presented for cultural, linguistic, entertainment, and aesthetic purposes.
All copyrights remain with their owners.
Thanks to Zoro and Flavour for their musical legacies. Thanks to all those who were associated with this showcased video, and thanks to all those who are quoted in this post.
****
LYRICS - OGENE [The English translation of the Igbo words is
given in parenthesis.]
(recorded by Zoro featuring Flavour
"Ahen!
Zee!
Ahen!
Zoro akpaswag, heh! (Zoro, Swag Bag)
Zoro onye Ogene! (Zoro, Ogene Man)
Nwunne mooo (my
people)
Ahh aye
(Teweé, teweé, unè m ooooo, teweé, ahehhhh! Óbuė Óbuė, Óbuė
!)
get'em!!!
Hook (Zoro)
Anyi n’asu fune n’ogene, inaaamin (we speak Phonetics on the
ogene)
Ji Ferrari echute ngene, inaaamin (Use ferrari to fetch
firewood?)
Adiro eli m eli ka udene, inaaamin (nobody can eat me, I am
a vulture)
Igbo boy fresh to the socks, inaamsayin (Igbo boy fresh to
the socks)
Anyi n’asu fune n’ogene, inaaamin (we speak Phonetics on the
ogene)
Ji Ferrari echute ngene, inaaamin (Use ferrari to fetch
firewood)
Adiri eri m eri ka udene, inaaamin (nobody can eat me, I am
a vulture)
Igbo boy polo to the socks, iaamsayin (Igbo boy wearing polo
to the socks, u know what am saying)
Hah!
Chorus (Flavour)
O Okeke, Okafor be anyi ooo (eyi !!), unu anu kwara Ogene ? (Okeke and Okafor [generic names for Men] did you not hear the Ogene?)
Mbgeke, nwa mgborie be anyi o oo o, nye nu’m Ogene (Mbgeke
and Mgborie [generic names for Female] did you not hear the Ogene?)
Kererenkere, m’tewé i’tewé, ebenebe yi Ogene ooo ! (Beatbox Sounds of Ogene)
Paítenú kenkere, ntewé itewé, ebenebe yi Ogene ooo! (Beatbox
Sounds of Ogene)
Verse 1 (Zoro)
Zee !!!!
Bufú champagne, butelùnùm pammy (remove the Champagene and
bring me the Palm wine.)
Wepu egwü Lil Wayne, kpó Udu Bunch Pammy (remove Lil Wanye
songs and put the Palm wine songs)
Iga enwėcha Zoro n’ofe, ka na aju esè maggi (Why would you
have Zoro in your soup and still looking for another spice [maggi])
Tantalizer for appetiser, shítenu’m ofè mgbòlodí (Tantalizer
[expensive food] for appetizer, and bring me the most expensive soup [Ofe
mgbòlodí])
Kezy be taking the vocal (Kezy is on the Vocal)
one hundred but keeping it local
My people sili mu jeé Z, leaving me feeling ka Hova (my
people said am I Jay Z, which left me feeling like Hova)
Ndi malu mu ma na ndi social (People who know me, know that
I am social)
Igbo music we taking it urban
Bring your sickest rappers, sum it up biiitch,abu’m the
total (bring all ur favorite together, and I am their total)
Haaah!
bowa akana, ijide egom bowa akana (Spray the Money, If you
have money spray the money [spend it])
With umu nwa di nma di sharp ka ha abu iru Ogbuadana (with
the sexy ladies that are sharp like an axe)
Nwa piote ke n’ime be’m na oyi na atu kwa n’ime be’m (Lady
come into my chamber, because it is kind of cold in my place)
Zinki mu, zinki akirika mana nju n’aju n’ime be’m (My roof
is a thatch roof, but there is enough in my place)
And iweé ife anyi cholu, anyi ga enye gi titulu (if you have
what we want, we will give you a title [award])
Aguba ndi Eze, my uncle Ji aka gbaji baisculu (When you
count Kings, my Uncle is the king of Metals [breaks iron with bare hands])
The nwa fu ifė anyi kulu, nòba anó ka ofè okwuru (The man
saw what we went through [to be successful] and started to draw like Okra soup [to shake like jelly]
Mana anya ga api gi, ma iwelu anyi gi fu ife ayi fulu (You
will go blind if you see what we saw)
I bulu bibulu (you will run away in fear holding the Bible )
Chorus (Flavour)
O Okeke, Okafor be anyi ooo (eyi !!), unu anu kwara Ogene ? (Okeke and Okafor [generic names for Men] did you not hear the Ogene?)
Mbgeke, nwa mgborie be anyi o oo o, nye nu’m Ogene (Mbgeke
and Mgborie [generic names for Female] did you not hear the Ogene?)
Kererenkere, m’tewé i’tewé, ebenebe yi Ogene ooo ! (Beatbox Sounds of Ogene)
Paítenú kenkere, ntewé itewé, ebenebe yi Ogene ooo! (Beatbox
Sounds of Ogene)
Verse 2 (Flavour)
Ina eme guyi, onye muru gu (why you proud, who gave birth to you [who are you?])
Ishi n’idi badi, onye muru gu (you saud you are the best,
who gave birth to you [who are you?])
Ina as u ingili, onye muru gu (you speak English, who gave
birth to you [who are you?])
Ina apakeji, onye muru gu (why all this front u put up, who
gave birth to you [who are you?])
òshekitekwé e, agbara e visa (If you shake it well, we get
you a visa)
Ada Olisa paitewe ya, m’tewé i’tewé (Sexy Lady [Ada Olisa)
break down the dance and keep dancing)
Paitewe ya dodo olima paitewe egwu m (Dance harder, Keep
dancing)
ebenebe eyi Ogene !!!!!
Kererenkere, m’tewé i’tewé, ebenebe yi Ogene ooo !
Paítenú kenkere, ntewé itewé (enyi !!), ebenebe yi Ogene
ooo!
Hook (Zoro)
Anyi n’asu fune n’ogene, inaaamin (we speak Phonetics on the ogene)
Ji Ferrari echute ngene, inaaamin (Use ferrari to fetch
firewood)
Adiro eli m eli ka udene, inaaamin (nobody can eat me, I am
a vulture)
Igbo boy fresh to the socks, inaamsayin (Igbo boy fresh to
the socks)
Anyi n’asu fune n’ogene, inaaamin (we speak Phonetics on the
ogene)
Ji Ferrari echute ngene, inaaamin (Use ferrari to fetch
firewood)
Adiri eri m eri ka udene, inaaamin (nobody can eat me, I am
a vulture)
Igbo boy polo to the socks, iaamsayin (Igbo boy wearing polo
to the socks, u know what am saying)
Hah!
Outro Verse (Zoro) (Shout out to some people he knows)
Mega na Jerry n’asu fune n’ogene (Mega and Jerry, spoke Phonetics on the Ogene sound)
Koko na don,Chino n’asu fune n’ogene (Koko and Don Chino
spoke Phonetics on the Ogene sound)
Aguba ndi Eze banyi shi na osuru fune n’ogene (Aguba the
king in our town, spoke phonetics on the ogene)
Beawood n’isuawa inulu fune n’ogene (Beawood in Isuawa,
heard the phoneticss on our ogene)
Akuchukwu n’ezinifite I’nulu amala uné (Akuchukwu in
Ezinifite)
Ogbuogu n’osunmeyi bia nulu amala óbó (Ogbuogu in Osunmeyi)
Honourable Chima Obieze Ina anu kwa amala uné (Honourable
Chima you hear the shout out)
Okpoche ngene I’nulu Ogene, Ó amala ubó, tewé !!! (Okpoche)
Ejike bureau De changi (Tewé !!!) (Ejike is Bureau de Change (has too much
money))
Phyno fino nwoke iji changi (Tewé !!!) (Phyno fino has so
much money)
Major bankz nu na ne eti ajò egwú (Óbuė!, Óbuė!!) (Major
Bankz the baddest producer)
Iyvon nelson na achó ajò okwú (Iyvon Nelson the trouble maker)
ijere one n’igbo nííne
(Flavour the finest in all of Igbo Land)
Flavour n’abania nwoke shinné (Flavour the finest in all of
Igbo Land)
Ijere one n’igbo nííne, n’igbo niine
Anaaa mu (I am out)"
-snip-
This transcription was written by commenter @xixtinthegreat, 2016 in
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kTWYQnbqN8I [official
YouTube video]
Here's @xixtinthegreat preface to that transcription:
REPLIES TO THAT TRANSCRIPTION FROM THAT DISCUSSION THREAD
1. @chimaobi1175,
2016
"Hahaha Nice try , 80/100"
**
Reply
2. @xixtinthegreat, 2016
"Oga mi. wey the other 20% LOL. I hail ooo. 80% na pass
mark, I go collect am. emela!!"
**
Reply
3.@JUlia-kv4gz, 2017
"Thanks so much for the translation! Love the energy in
this song. And Flavour (of course ;) )"
**
Reply
4. @felayepassis2868, 2017
"Good looking bro. lol"
**
Reply
5. @dinalandu, 2017
"I'll give you 220%."
**
Reply
6. @amysucre5143, 2017
"Xixtin The Great I score you 500% for this
translation. You left nothing out!"
Amala une...flute
Amala ubo ....guitar"
**
Reply
7.@Jb21000, 2017
"Wow the lyrics make me love the song more. There is so
much richness/wisdom in our cultures don’t understand why people can ever be
ashamed to be African."
**
Reply
8. @brainoverbrawn3404, 2018
"Impressive translation!!
Nna gi muru gi(You're your father's son/daughter)!!
Akam di n'elu(I salute you)."
**
Reply
9. @anayochime8821, 2019
"Jiri Ferrari echute ngene (Use Ferrari to fetch from
the stream)"
**
Reply
10.@13thghost42, 2019
" "ngene" means stream or lake.
In all you your effort is amazing."
**
Reply
11. @wellobush8393, 2019
"Wow my guy you really went down on this. Good job and
thank you so much."
**
Reply
12. @08033297829, 2019
"You are the best."
**
Reply
13. @jdemenike, 2019
"Xixtin The Great
Very good attempt.
Few corrections.
Ngene means stream. I take my Ferrari to the stream
Zinc m zinc akirika mana nju na ajụ n'ime be m - my roof is thatch roof and it is quite cold inside."
**
Reply
14. @amakabeibe, 2019
"Xixtin The Great My G you try... Nara aka
biko..."
**
Reply
15. @munavictoria8272, 2020
"Agubandieze is actually the name of his uncle,and he
is on this video..."
**
Reply
16. @xixtinthegreat, 2020
"Thanks for all the corrections, I will update in the
lyrics soon. Great music should be accessible to all. That includes making the
translation accessible for all. If you
want more Igbo music translation I will do the most popular ones."
-snip-
I'm also sincerely thank xixtinthegreat for his transcription of Zoro's rap "Ogene", but for the record, I want to not that there's no indication that these lyrics were updated (No "edited" note is attached to this comment (or to any other comment in this replysub-thread".)
**
Reply
17. @eventxposure, 2021
"My people silimu jee z .. (my people said I should go
z .. its actually a wordplay .. jee (go and represent ) & Jay z (the
rapper).. 2021 still here.."
**
Reply
18. @evaristusasobara4348, 2021
"Thanks"
**
Reply
19. @okpegodson1675, 2023
"We're speaking phonetics with Ogene instruments, we
fetch fire woods with Ferrari, like a vulture you can't eat me, why are you
asking for appetizers when Zoro is here, stop playing Lil Wayne's music play
Pammy Udubunch's ( a traditional Igbo musician)that's how far I can go, lol 🤣🤣
I hope it makes sense"
**
Reply
20. @Absoladapo, 2023
" Okpe Godson
wow that’s deep God bless you."
**
Reply
21. @okpegodson1675, 2023
" @Absoladapo
you're welcome
****
[Pancocojams Editor's Note: Here's another comment about the
lyrics. (This comment isn't a part of the sub-thread that is given above]:
1. @chiemerievictor2998, 2021
"This beat get me moving.
Zoro says
We speak phonetics with ogene(musical instrument)
We fetch water with Ferrari.
Nobody eats me like a vulture.
He also asked how can have Zoro and still be asking for appetizers and tantalizers.
🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥"
****
PANCOCOJAMS EDITOR'S NOTES ABOUT THE LYRICS "YOU KNOW WHAT I'M SAYING" AND "YOU KNOW WHAT I MEAN" THAT ARE PART OF THE 2022 NIGERIAN RAP" ENTITLED OGENE" BY ZORO FEATURING FLAVOUR
Examples of the saying "You know what I mean" and "You know what I'm saying" and other forms of those sayings are very noticeable parts of African American Vernacular English (AAVE) throughout many parts of the United States. This is particularly the case with conversational AAVE that is spoken by poor and working class young people living in urban neighborhoods.
For examples of how often forms of these sayings are used at the end of sentences,
Click https://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2024/01/ya-know-what-im-sayin-ya-feel-me-and.html for Part I of a two part 2023 pancocojams series. That post is entitled "Ya Know What I'm Sayin", "Ya Feel Me" And Similar Sayings In African American Vernacular English (Comments from a YouTube Discussion Thread).
That post includes a 2019 YouTube video by CharlieBo313 entitled "Different American Hood Accents". That video consists of multiple street interviews with young men in certain African American "hoods" throughout the United States.
Here are two comments from the discussion thread for that video:
1. @RenR70, 2019
" “You know what I’m sayin” is pretty much universal
hood talk."
2.@p_sm00th82, 2019
"Every hood has
a different way/slogan/saying of “do you understand me” lmaooo (ya herd meh,
nah sayin, ya feel me, ya digg, real talk etc ) lol"
-end of quotes-
ixtinthegreat's masterful transcription of the 2022 Nigerian rap "Ogene" by Zoro featuring Flavour includes two examples of "You know what I'm saying" in the hook of that rap:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kTWYQnbqN8I [official
YouTube video].
1. at the end of the next to the last line in the first hook (Zoro), before the word "Ha!":
after verse #2, at the end of the next to the last line in the second hook (Zoro) before the word "Ha" [the same lyrics as given in the first example].
A number of commenters in the discussion thread for the official video of Zoro's rap "Ogene" document the fact that that rap includes multiple examples of a strung together form of the saying "You know what I mean". In contrast, no comments in that discussion thread include the sentence 'You know what I'm saying" that is used less often in that Nigerian rap.
Here are two examples of those comments that I included in Part I of this pancocojams series about Zoro's "Ogene" rap:
These comments are numbered for referencing purposes only:
https://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2024/01/the-igbo-language-african-american.html
1. @JoStylin, 2016
"B elect I tried doing the Ogene dance but everytime he
said 'U Naaa Mean' I automatically switched to dancing hip hop."
**
2.@bobbyem95, 2016
"Dope Tune. Will jam to this any time of the day! You
know i meannnnnnn!"
-end of quotes-
ixtinthegreat's transcription of Zoro's rap
"Ogene" is the only one that I've found online. I regret that it
doesn't include the "You know what I mean" lyrics because those
lyrics accurately add authenticity to the contemporary African American Hip Hop
styling of this Nigerian rap.
****
This concludes Part II of this pancocojams series.
Thanks for visiting pancocojams.
Visitor comments are welcome.
