Khaligraph Jones And Breeder LW - "Ni Kubaya" (Official Music Video & With Comments From TFLA Discussion Thread)

Breeder LW, Premiered Jun 11, 2020

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Edited by Azizi Powell

This pancocojams post showcases the Kenyan Hip Hop official YouTube video for "Ni Kubaya" by Khaligraph Jones and Breeder LW.

Selected comments from the discussion thread of the reaction TFLA's reaction video for "Ni Kubaya" are included in this post. Read my editor's note for the reasons why I featured comments from the discussion thread of that reaction video rather than comments from the discussion thread for the official video.

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

All copyrights remain with their owners.

Thanks to Khaligraph Jones and Breeder LW for their music. Thanks also to Big Ralph for publishing reaction videos of Kenyan and other contemporary music and culture. Thanks to all those who are quoted in this post.

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PANCOCOJAMS EDITOR'S NOTE

I included comments from the That's Fire LA (TFLA) reaction video rather than comments from the YouTube official music video for Khaligraph Jones and Breeder LA's track "Ni Kubaya" because almost all of the comments in the official video are in Swahili and I don't understand that language. In contrast, although there are a lot of  Kenyan commenters in TFLA's discussion thread, most of the comments are in English. The commenters on that TFLA discussion thread  who speak Swahili and Sheng often explain the Swahili and Sheng terms, or give some background about these Kenyan rappers, or provide some information about Kenyan culture. This is because Big Ralph, the host of TFLA, is African American , and doesn't speak Swahili or Sheng. However, he has demonstrated his sincere interest and enthusiasm for Kenyan culture and Kenyan contemporary music in particular. 

For these reasons, a number of the comments in TFLA discussion threads about a showcased Kenyan video are responses to the questions that Big Ralph asks during his reaction video. For instance, comments in that discussion thread about the cane that Breeder LW is carrying in this video are responses to the question "What's up with the cane?" that Big Ralph asked while he was watching that video. Also, the comments about the bumping elbow movement that is done in that video are responses to Big Ralph's question "What's with the elbow thing" (What is the meaning of the bumping elbow movement the two rappers did in that video?")

I'm learning about Kenyan culture while watching these videos and reading these discussion threads-and the discussion threads for the official video.  And while I'm reading those discussion threads I'm often looking up the meaning of Swahili words on Google translate, which I realize may get the slang meanings of those words wrong. Also,  while I'm reading these discussion threads, I also try to search out the meanings online of Sheng words or other words that Google translate doesn't give any results for or which I search for to try to validate Google's results.

Additions and corrections are very welcome.

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SELECTED COMMENTS FROM TFLA REACTION VIDEO FOR KHALIGRAPH JONES AND BREEDER LW'S OFFICIAL MUSIC VIDEO  "NI KUBAYA"

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=meZEepLLGjg&t=275s

All of these comments are from June 15, 2020 (the date this reaction video was first published and August 17, 2020 when I last retrieved these comments.) . These comments are given in relative chronological order with the oldest comments given first, except for replies. I'm adding multiple comments that say basically the same thing throughout this compilation to replicate the way that YouTube discussion threads are.

I've also added some translations and explanations under some comments, and I've included my reply (#19)  to a comment about the rapper Breeder LW's nickname "Bazenga Daddy" and his custom of carrying a cane as his signature look.

Numbers are added for referencing purposes only.

1. Vinny Dé
That fire LA thanks bruh for putting Kenyan Music on the map.Ni Kubaya means dangerous”

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2. VidVersal

Tough Klan is Breeders record label 🔥🔥👑

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3. Strictly Krack
LW means Lyrical Wizard

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4. olusinaah
TK means tough klan

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5. victor omedo
OG NATION STAND UP!!!

-snip-

In Kenya, "OG" is usually a referent for khaligraph Jones.

Click https://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2020/08/kenyan-rapper-khaligraph-jones-referent_15.html for the pancocojams post entitled "Kenyan Rapper Khaligraph Jones & The Referent "OG" "

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6. Jay Jay

Respek the OG 🐐 🐐 🇰🇪 🔥 🔥

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7. lakeside trend
Tough Klan is breeder's ganga

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8. Ronnie 254

"Yoh he's saying "Jua ni kubaya" which in slang it means "know that it's lit"😂😂😂

Literally that's what it means

In one of Khali's lines he says "ujue ni kufire" which means "you should know that it's fire"😂😂

But bro come to Kenya once all this isht is done we talk some Swahili over drinks👊😁"

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9. Swiftlord Tv
"Ni kubaya means "its getting lit" "

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10. AA AA

"Ni kubaya means It's liiiit/ it baaad!"

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11. Michael Lawrence

"Mbaya =bad   nikubaya = it is bad /tough"

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12. Michael Lawrence

"Nikubaya can be translated as situation bad or situation tough"

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13. Milch Shake

"A Cane in kenya is a symbolic accessory that emulates Wisdom and maturity among most traditional elders. In reference to Hiphop I guess it means he's GROWN. Greetings from +254 🇰🇪"

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14. Cyltrevor_

"the cane is a symbol to show he big or lets say wise old in the game"

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15. Emmanuel Addae

"In Africa, the person with the cane is the boss."

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16. Tonny Brian

"The cane is his signature look"

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17. Qboiyd

"The cane signifies being an elder and wealth in most african communities."

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18. Eric Geovanni

"Ni kubaya can be same as It's LIT or it's Baaaad 🔥🔥

The cane reps the big Daddy factor(Bazenga Daddy).He is talking about how hard he is into the hustle to get to the top of the game.Khaligraph shows why he is current rap king in Kenya and Africa and the need for the machine gun rap relating to the current global situation."

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REPLY
19. Azizi
"@Eric Geovanni, thanks for sharing that information about how Breeder's cane "reps the Big Daddy factor (Bazenga Daddy)". I'd like to add that Breeder using the "Big Daddy" (Bazenga Daddy) name and an actual cane in his rapping self-presentation is a creative way of giving a shout out to Grammy Award winning African American rapper Big Daddy Kane whose most well known track is "Ain't No Half-Steppin'" .”

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20.  RAYNOR B
"Best rap in kenya and best in Africa #breeder lw is on fire"

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21. Ndellah_ fitness
"LW means LYRICAL WIZARD..now you know😏😏"

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22. octavia warigia
"the cane in african society is a statement piece showing status age new beginnings from boyhood to manhood all dat …"

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23. munaa._h vevo

"ni kubaya means its finna get lit🔥😊"

-snip-

"Finna" is an African American Vernacular English word that means "fixing to" (getting ready to).  I believe that "finna" is a regional (mostly Southern) African American Vernacular English word that isn't used that often in the Eastern part of the United States where I live (and maybe not in other parts of the United States).  

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24. S.A.W V

"The cane is the pimps’ magic stick! 😼Refer to 50 cent ft snoop P.I.M.P. In local Kenyan and general African culture it is a sign of male age and wisdom used by older people also for purposes of support.🤓

When these two get on a track "jua ni kubaya"♨♨"

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25. ODUOR OMONDI

"The cane is fly"

-snip-

"Fly" here is an old African American Vernacular English word that means "very fashionable" the same way "bad" or "lit" would mean if they were used instead of the word "fly".

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26. Kevy Riverside

"The song is all bout flex but they been talking bout the covid19 issues lyk the curfew ... Its a dope track tho🔥"
-snip-

From https://www.dictionary.com/browse/flex
"Flex is a slang term meaning “to show off,” whether it be your physique, your belongings, or some other thing you consider superior to those of others... "

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27. Ndung'e Sammy
"The elbow thingy is because of corona, many people have stopped the handshake and hugging as a form of greetings."

-snip-
The very brief scene in which the two rappers touch elbows as a greeting is found at 2:12 in the official music video of Khaligraph Jones and Breeder LW's "Ni Kubaya" and at 4:35 in the TFLA  reaction video.

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28. Anne Jackline

"Oooh! the elbow thng is a new swg of sayin hey 🤜🤛, coz of the corona s....
-snip-

"swg"= "swag"

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29. BENA YUN

"When you see Breeder in the scene just know its baaaad..... Good bad you dig? TKWay...."

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30. Leon Sheriff

"Breeder is the GodFather.. BAZENGA.."

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31. Robin Muganda
"Kenya to the world ✔✔"

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32. EricJames Kamau

"The elbow is the new way of greeting to reduce rate of spread of corona virus"

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33. lakeside trend
"So in the song their is some line about durag and chains that's why you see em wearing a lot of ice and durag"
-snip-

ice= jewelry. In this video, it means those large silver necklaces which is (or was) a signature rapper look.

"Durag" is a newer (2000s) spelling of "do-rag". I remember we (African Americans) used to spell this word "do-rags" meaning rags-a scarf or an old piece of material-that was worn over the hair to protect the hair and/or the hairstyle. The hairstyle was called a "hair do" and after going to a hair salon we would say that we got our hair "done".

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34. Cavine Kevin

"The elbow thing is the current greeting...( corona greetings )😄"

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35. JUN JUNIOR254

"We have to great each other with the elbow because of corona 😂"

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36. Stoni Tangawizi

"We aren't bumping fists at the moment due to the Rona, we're elbowing it out. 😎"

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37. Double Trouble

"They rockin fake chains tho🤣Pizzo Still De King👑"

-snip-

Octopizzo is another Kenyan rapper who is Khaligraph Jones's chief rival and has his own group of stans (enthusiastic fans).

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38. milton duaynetv

" #khaligraphjones #TFLA my boy you dope I'm from Kenya yeah all this dope music is from Kenya. "Ni kubaya" - means its baaaddd ....like its aout to go down  #nikubaya ...#visitkenyaTFLA dope trap music dropping down here in Kenya 🌆⚡⚡💯

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39. R King

"if you understood swahili you

would loose your mind listenning to this bars fahm"

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40. Dan Ksly

"T.K is a group of rappers that breeda comes from"

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41. BLA Haha

"Jua = know

Ni = is

Kubaya = bad times"

Know its bad times

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42. Caroline Karenge
"They are the heavyweights in the kenyan rap industry😂😂😂"

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43. sylvester washiali

"The cane, a symbol of power and wealth"

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44. Birir
"Khaligraph back home appears in like 5 out of 10 songs in every playlists and every song his on issa hit I mean issss lit"

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