Writing The Name Of Your Nation, or City, or University etc + "Approves" In Southern African Contemporary Music YouTube Discussion Threads

Edited by Azizi Powell

In this pancocojams post I hereby declare that the United States approves of the custom of commenters writing "the name of their nation, or city, or university etc. + the word "approves" in YouTube discussion threads of Southern African contemporary music videos (and in any other YouTube comment thread).

Here are a few examples of this custom: 
From https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FWJFHhsbv3A

kwanele dładla, 2019
"South Africa approves"

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and 

Zanzibarian Doll, 2019
"Still watching in 2019.....TANZANIAN APPROVED"

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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v6Tct3AAre0&ab_channel=Tyla
Stephan Kalunga, 2021
"On behalf of all Zambians🇿🇲, we hereby approve"

**
From https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EePAHhTcrHU&ab_channel=EzaseAfro
Mammy Sissoho, 2020
"Gambia approves to🇬🇲🇬🇲🇬🇲 and congo🇨🇩🇨🇩🇨🇩 too🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣"

So, on behalf of every person in the United States, I hereby demand (okay "request") that this custom not only continue but spread throughout every YouTube contemporary music discussion thread in Africa and in every YouTube discussion thread-music or otherwise- for every nation of the whole wide world. This includes the United States

But maybe that trend of writing "insert the name of your nation, city, or university etc. approves" came from the USA originally as Africans and other people throughout the world have taken hold of our (mostly African American) "in" slang terms and widely use them on YouTube discussion threads. I'm referring to vernacular terms such something or someone being "fire/flames", and something or someone "killed it",  and something or someone  slaps" hard, and someone being a G.O.A.T. etc. etc. etc.

If we (meaning people from the United States did invent that trend of writing those "we approve" comments, since at least 2018 it looked like a lot of commenters posting on YouTube discussion threads for contemporary Southern African music were taking that custom and running with it.

As an interested and alert observer with time on my hands (partly because I'm retired and partly because of the Corona lockdown among other reasons) I've noticed that most of these "we approve" comments are not only written in YouTube comment threads for contemporary Southern African music, these types of comments are mostly written by people from South Africa and people from every other Southern African nation.

But, some of those contemporary Southern African YouTube discussion threads with a number of "we approve" comments have (or had) a considerable number of such comments from folks from East Africa and some discussion threads have (or had?) a number of comments from folks from West Africa. 

However, there are (were?) fewer comments from Central Africa and even fewer comments from North Africa in the YouTube discussion threads for contemporary southern African music that I've come across. But people from outside of Africa took up the slack, 'cause there are (were?) lots of "we approve"  comments in those YouTube discussion threads from Europe (particularly Germany and Italy) and Asia (particularly China) and from the USA (we reppin y'all), and some from Canada, and  Australia and the Middle East, and the Caribbean, and Micronesia and South America (and, hopefully I haven't left anybody out, but you get where I'm comin from. 

Here's something that I've noticed- Most of the "we approve" type comments from nations or cities outside of Africa are (were) posted by people who have one or more "traditional" African names. That just goes to show you that those folks are still reppin where they came from. Which is a good thing.

So okay. I'll say it before anyone else does - The South African megahit "Jerusalema" by Master KG featuring Nomcebo was published on Dec. 13, 2019 and that video has a really looooong discussion thread. But even though almost all of the "we approve" types of YouTube comments that I've come across are in discussion threads for non-religious contemporary southern African music, I can't find any "we approve" comments in Master KG's "Jerusalema" discussion thread. Instead, most of the comments in that discussion thread include the nation's name and the word "love" or hugs. For example: 

from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fCZVL_8D048&ab_channel=OpenmicProductions
Abdul-Azeez Abu, 2020
"One of the best African Anthems I've ever heard, and I don't even understand the language. I'm madly in love with it. Love from Nigeria 🇳🇬"

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Arevik Gevorgyan, 2021
"Love this music🔥 ,Love Jerusalema⭐ ❤🇦🇲from Armenia 😍🌞🌍"

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ambessa shield, 2021
"Much love from ETHIOPIA 💚💛❤️🇪🇹🇪🇹🇪🇹 ** From https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RPHb1i2CtSA&ab_channel=RethabileKhumaloOfficial Adilson Gonçalves, 2021
"Hug from Cape Verde 🇨🇻🇨🇻🇨🇻"

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and  
nation building, 2021
"Amazing voice! Showing love from USA."

It occurs to me that if the Jerusalema discussion thread really doesn't have any "we approve" type comments that might mean that when lots of people in the same discussion threads do post "we approve" types of comments they may be copying off of each other. And when only a few people writes comments in those YouTube discussion threads that follow "we approve" formulaic patterns (or if no one writes those types of comments in those dicussion threads) that might mean that they sense that other people wouldn't approve their use of that way of saying that they love that song.  

Getting back to "we approve" comments, I've seen less and less of these types of comments lately. While commenters in some recent southern African discussion threads continue to fly their nation's flag (or toot their other affiliations) while expressing their approval of  the video's showcased song, in other recent southern African discussion threads have only a few "we approve" comments.

So what's up with that?

Are you going to let such an esteemed custom fade away as though it was never there at all?

The United States (meaning  me) would disapprove of that.

And, by the way, are these "we approve" comments serious or a gag? Or both? Meaning, are people writing those types of comments really registering their approval of  that showcased song as a way of reppin (representing) their nation, and/or city, and/or university etc, while they let folks know that they rate that song as being me at song is hot, is killing it, is the bomb, slaps hard, is on point etc. 

Or (and) are these "we approve) comments a way of letting people know that that song has that commenter's vote in any award contest that is held in the nation of South Africa, or elsewhere or would have their vote if they could vote for a best song of the year, or a best song ever, regardless of where that song comes from and regardless of where they live?  

You might ask why does the United States (meaning I) care whether the custom of writing these "we approve" comments continues, and increases and multiplies. Well, I admit that it's no big deal, but- putting aside that some of these comments were funny-some of them pushed me to learn some geographical facts.

For instance, I learned that " Namibia Information: Namibia is located in southern Africa. Namibia is bordered by the Atlanitc Ocean, Angola to the north, Zambia and Botswana to the east, and South Africa to the south." https://geology.com/world/namibia-satellite-image.shtml#:~:text=Namibia%20is%20located%20in%20southern,South%20Africa%20to%20the%20south. 

I looked this up because so many "we approve" type comments in these YouTube discussion threads of contemporary Southern African music are from Namibia and (I confess) that we (I) should have known what nations are in which region of the continent of Africa, we (I) don't always know that elementary bit of knowledge. 

Furthermore, we folks in the United States (meaning I) want to see that "we approve" trend continue because it gives us (me) opportunities to learn the country abbreviations for various nations. Sometimes its very easy to correctly guess which nation is meant by a particular  abbreviation. But sometimes, I have to do a google search to find out the nation that is represented by those two letters. For instance, I didn't know which nation "ZA" stood for. Google search led me to Wikipedia .za and reading that article I learned that "None of the official names for South Africa can be abbreviated to ZA, which is an abbreviation of the Dutch Zuid-Afrika. Dutch was considered an official language in the Union of South Africa until 1961; it subsequently lost its synonymous status with Afrikaans in 1983. Suid-Afrika is the standard spelling in Afrikaans; however, the .sa domain is used by Saudi Arabia."...

Here's a "we approve" comment that includes that "Za" country abbreviation:

From https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GWSBhp4FQH0&ab_channel=PrinceKaybee
tebogo senosi, 2018
"On behalf of bo mahlalela we approve this lit music video the collaboration awesome 🎶🎼🎵🇿🇦🇿🇦🇿🇦🇿🇦🇿🇦🇿🇦🇿🇦🇿🇦🇿🇦🇿🇦🇿🇦🇿🇦💗💕"

Some people write "we approve" comments with the names of the city where they live instead of their nation's name. On behalf of us non-cosmopolitan folks in the United States, I approve of those comments that mention cities in southern Africa and in other regions of Africa. Those comments motivate me to google search info about those cities, including what nation they are in. (I know, I know. Most of that info I should know, but I confess that I (meaning lots of people in the United States) don't know.

But my point in bringing all of this up is that although there are a few "we approve" comments in discussion threads for 2020 and 2021 YouTube discussion threads for contemporary southern African music (that I've read), that custom appears to be a disappearing art. 

The United States (meaning me), would hate if that custom ended. So many trends are hot for a brief time and then disappear with hardly any trace, unless they are documented, like in some internet way back machine. 

So, for the folkloric record (since-among other things- I'm a community folklorist), here's a few examples of these "your nation, or city, or university etc approves" comments that mention the name of the commenter's nation or city.

Some other types of "we approve" comments will be given in two other pancocojams posts. 

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AN EXAMPLE THAT NAMES A CONTINENT
From https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=faYiML2OVLI&ab_channel=TKMEXTRA

Paul Kimuyu, 2019
"Africa approves this message..

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EXAMPLES THAT NAME A NATION 

(These comments are given in no particular order and are numbered for referencing purposes only)

From  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=amB_rTcBqZ
1.  John L. Shio, 2019
"🇹🇿🇹🇿🇹🇿 Approves"

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2. Emma Patience, 2019
"🇿🇦🇿🇦approves... Who else?"

**
From https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GWSBhp4FQH0&ab_channel=PrinceKaybee
3. GivenS Kumlo, 2018
"On behalf of Ireland we approve 🔥🔥🔥"

**
4. mohamad kante, 2019
"Mali approves this song"

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5. J. Boadi, 2019
"Canada approves!"

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6. Mercy Waithaka, 2020
"Kenya approves!"

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From https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EePAHhTcrHU&ab_channel=EzaseAfro
7. Mncedisi Dlamini, 2020
"Eswatini approves"

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8. Brown Fortunato, 2020
"中国🇨🇳通过纳米比亚🇳🇦批准 "
-snip-
Google translate from Chinese to English
China🇨🇳 approved by Namibia🇳🇦

**
From https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r3UVw_SZbMs&ab_channel=MFRSoulsVEVO
9. iSANiTYX Rodax, 2021
"Angola approves and recommends. 🇦🇴

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From https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Svsy2reVIFc&ab_channel=JackBohloko
10. Fenias Macandja, 2019
"Approved from Mozambique..".

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11. Lerato Korina Seutloali, 2020
"Lesotho approves 🤝"

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12. TOaitse Mooketsi, 2019
"Approved and appreciated in United States."

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13, Hope Muronga, 2021
"South Africans in the United States approve 👌🔥🔥🔥❤️❤️❤"

*️*
From https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FWJFHhsbv3A
14. Wyclef Mjali, 2019
"Dubai approves"

**
From https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RPHb1i2CtSA&ab_channel=RethabileKhumaloOfficial
15. Headman Linga, 2020
"Botswana approves😢❤🇧🇼"

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16. John Kalimbo Shipahu,2020
"Namibia🇳🇦🇳🇦 approves 🙏🏿🙏🏿"

**
17. lyndatarie, 2020
"Zimbabwe approves 🇿🇼"

**
From  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=amB_rTcBqZ
18. Amaru GOD, 2019
"🇯🇲🇯🇲🇯🇲🇯🇲🇯🇲.....Jamaica stamp of approval!!!!"

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EXAMPLES OF COMMENTS THAT REFER TO A PART OF A COUNTRY

(These comments are given in no particular order and are numbered for referencing purposes only)

From  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FWJFHhsbv3A
1. Sizwe Ntuli, 2019
"KwaZulu Natal approves"
-snip-
This is a province in the nation of South Africa.

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2. CHARLES CHITEURE, 2020
"Afghanistan Bamiyan Province approves"

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From https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RPHb1i2CtSA&ab_channel=RethabileKhumaloOfficial
3. Fezekile Bamla, 2020
"December is just around the corner. Eastern Cape approves 🔥🔥🔥"
-snip-
-snip-
This is a province in the nation of South Africa.

**
From https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Svsy2reVIFc&ab_channel=JackBohloko
4. jeyd makonese, 2020
"Africans in YUNNAN PROVINCE (China Kunming) approves😍😍✨"

**
From https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RPHb1i2CtSA&ab_channel=RethabileKhumaloOfficial
5. Masego Molepo, 2020
"Limpopo approves 👏👏🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥"
-snip-
This is a province in the nation of South Africa.

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EXAMPLES OF COMMENTS THAT NAME A CITY 

(These comments are given in no particular order and are numbered for referencing purposes only)

From https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GWSBhp4FQH0&ab_channel=PrinceKaybee
1.Ledion Mathumo, 2018
"Francistown,Botswana Approves🔥💃"

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2.  sinegugu gasa, 2018
"Cleveland Ohio approves 👌🏽"
-snip-
nation-USA

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3. Rolando Aguirre, 2018
"NYC = USA approves"

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From https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r3UVw_SZbMs&ab_channel=MFRSoulsVEVO

4. Macharia Wa karanja, 2021
"Nairobi Approves 🌞🇰🇪❤"
-snip-
nation- Kenya

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F️rom  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FWJFHhsbv3A
5. nana nana, 2019
"Soweto Approves"
-snip-
nation- South Africa

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6. Sibusiso Gabuza, 2019
"Cape Town Approve👏👏🔥"
-snip-
nation- South Africa

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From https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Svsy2reVIFc&ab_channel=JackBohloko
7. Tawanda Chaibva, 2019
"HARARE has finally Approved and Stamped!!!! .ZW"
-snip-
nation- ZImbabwe

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8. Vhafuwi Vho Temeli, 2019
"Victoria Falls Zimbabwe approves"

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From https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RPHb1i2CtSA&ab_channel=RethabileKhumaloOfficial
9. Malixole Hlemfu, Dec. 2020
"Bizana town the home of legends also approves🔥🔥🔥"
-snip-
nation- South Africa

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This concludes this pancocojams compilation of examples of "we approve" comments.

Let this be our rallying cry- Remember the "We approve" custom of showing your love for a particular song. We approve!!

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This concludes the first part of this pancocojams series.

Click https://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2021/02/writing-name-of-your-nation-or-city-or.html for Part I of this pancocojams series. That post presents an overview of these types of YouTube comments as well as examples of these comment that mention names of nations and names of cities + the word "approve" .

Click https://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2021/02/examples-of-funny-tongue-in-cheek-we.html for Part III of this pancocojams series. Part III presents a small number of funny, tongue in cheek "we approve" comments from various discussion threads of Southern African contemporary YouTube music videos.

This post is presented for cultural purposes. 

All copyrights remain with their owners.

Thanks to all those who are quoted in this post.

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