Denver Mthunzi, Nov. 5, 2014
Old School Kwaito
-snip-
This 2014 sound file of this 1994 record has 623,274 views as of Feb. 8, 2022 at 9:34 AM ET.
****
Latest revision: Feb. 10, 2022
This is Part I of a five pancocojams series that showcases songs that include the South African phrase "Tsiki Tsiki Yo".
This post presents a comment and further explanations about the origins and meanings of the South African phrase "Tsiki Tsiki yo". Examples of that phrase that are used as a nickname for South African soccer player Thabo Mooki are also included in this post.
This post also showcases a YouTube sound file of the 1994 South African record "Tsiki Tsiki Yo" (also given as "Tsiki Tsiki" or "Tsikitsiki") by Kwaito pioneer singer, musician, and composer M'Du Masilela. Information about M'Du Masilela is included in this post.
Selected comments from this video's discussion thead are also included in this post.
Click https://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2022/02/south-african-2014-songs-tsiki-tsiki-by.html for Part II of this pancocojams series. That post showcases the 2014 official YouTube video of the South African song "Tsiki Tsiki" by Duncan Skuva and a YouTube video the original videovy Duncan and the remix of that song by Duncan Skuva featuring Mampintsha, Professor & AKA.
That post also includes information about Focalistic, Vigro Deep, and Davido
That post also quotes comments that provides information about the meaning of the title and the meaning of a few other lyrics in Focalistic's original song "Ke Star".
Click __ for Part V of this pancocojams series. That post presents the lyrics for "Ke Star Remix". That post also presents English explanations for Davido's verse in that song and other Nigerian Pidgin English lyrics in that remix.
The content of this post is presented for cultural, entertainment, aesthetic, and educational purposes.
All copyrights remain with their owners.
Thanks to M'Du Masilela for his cultural legacy. Thanks to all those who are quoted in this post.
WHAT THE PHRASE "TSIKI TSIKI YO" MEANS
Pancocojams Editor's Note:
I found a few other comments about the meaning of the South African phrase "Tsiki Tsiki Yo" in some discussion threads for official videos of and reaction videos for the 2020 song "Ke Star" and the 2021 Ke Star remix. Some of those comments are included in other posts in this pancocojams series, but particularly in Part II.
By far the best comment on this subject that I've found as of this date is from Bheka Gasa in the discussion thread of Ubunifu Space who reacted to the 2020 song "Ke Star" by Focalistic, featuring Vigro Deep:
Bheka Gasa, 2020
"The song samples one of the Godfathers of house music(Kwaito) the song titled "Mdu- Tsiki Tsiki". Had it not been for this song, there wouldn't be a Gqom or Amapiano genre today. If you listen to "Lorch" song you will hear them say "Thabo Mooki, tsiki tsiki". Thabo Mooki was a Kaizer Chiefs Soccer player who was awarded the nickname "Tsiki Tsiki" because he use to touch the ball like a Dj playing a disc that "tsiki tsiki" sound it makes. And the "Yoh" is a word that describes a disbelieve or shock when someone does an awesome thing. So commentators in soccer use to say "Tsiki tsiki yoh" whenever Thabo Mooki touched the ball. Mdu as an artist took this and made the biggest Kwaito anthem of the 90's. I think it would be cool for you guys to react to this classic song that set the benchmark for all the South African genres we now know. I always think it's cool for reacters to visit history and the genesis of our music to show investment in understanding pop culture and how it was shaped in our context. I recommend you guys react to him. Thank you in advance, you will not regret 🙏🏾"
-snip-
Based on that comment, it appears that "tsiki tsiki" ioriginated as a South African onomatopoeia word that represents the sound that is made when a Dj makes when he plays a disc (a vinyl record).
-snip-
Here's a definition for the word "onomatopoeia"
From https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/onomatopoeia
"the naming of a thing or action by a vocal imitation of the
sound associated with it (such as buzz, hiss)"
-end of quote-
In the South African context*, "Yoh" ("Yo") is a word that describes disbelief or shock when someone does something awesome (the same as the English word "Wow!".
The phrase "Tsiki Tsiki" was later used as a nickname for South African soccer player Thabo Mooki and the phrase "tsiki tsiki yo" was used by fans to express their admiration of the ways he handled the ball during soccer games. This meaning was immortalized in M'du Masilela's now classic 1994 Kwaito song "Tsiki Tsiki Yo".
****
So, given all of that, when it's not a referent for the soccer player Thabo Mooki, my guess is that the phrase/saying "Tsiki tsiki yo" is an expression of great appreciation and/or excitement about something, some situation, or someone.
I think that the exclamation "Tsiki tsiki yo" may also be used to indicate that you're feeling very good and/or you're feeling satisfied about something, someone, or your overall situation. In that case, "tsiki tsiki yo" may mean something like "Wow!" or "That's lit!" ("That's "hot"/"That's great!").
The African American Vernacular English (AAVE) originated vord "Yo" may also have those same meanings, particularly when that word is repeated ('Yo yo yo!"). However, sometimes the AAVE word "Yo" has the same meaning as the interjection "Hey!".
From https://www.yourdictionary.com/yo
"Yo
interjection
(informal) Used variously to attract attention, greet someone, introduce or emphasize a remark, etc."
-end of quote-
I don't know if the South African term "yoh" has those meanings.
South Africans, please share what "tsiki tsiki yo" REALLY means. There's no definition of this phrase/saying online and my guesses may not be on point. Thanks in advance.
-snip-
Some of the selected comments that I've compiled in parts of this pancocojams series include the phrase "tsiki tsiki yo" or "tsiki tsiki".
****
SELECTED COMMENTS ABOUT THABO MOOKI (Nickname: Tsiki Tsiki"
From https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qHwh9hMIMd4&ab_channel=DiskiTube "Kaizer Chiefs Legend Thabo Mooki Skills", published by Diski Tube, Jun 6, 2021
Numbers are added for referencing purposes only. All of these comments are from 2021.
AdamAndEve AAE
"Wow Tsikitsiki Yooooooooooo!! 🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥"
**
Christianosobza Twala
"Tsiki Tsiki yooooh🤣🔥👌✌️✌️✌️✌️best
Middlefielder ever for amakhosi"
**
CHEAT
"Tsiki Tsiki Yooooooooo"
**
phuti matseakgang
"So satisfying watching Tsiki Tsiki yooo. My favorite Chiefs player of all time. Even now, I haven't found a player i can rate so highly like Thabo Lawrence Mooki.True Legend. The living custodian of Kaizer Chiefs playing philosophy"
**
thando mvimbi
"I remember when Tsiki tsiki played vs Manning Rangers in
1998 with a broken hand and was MOM
after Gilbert Mushangazile almost broke his leg"
**
Elisa Mathe
"For love of game tsiki tsiki ijooooooooo"
****
INFORMATION ABOUT M'DU MASILELA
From
"M’du Masilela (full name, Mduduzi Masilela) also known as The Godfather or Chomi Yabana is a living legend in the music industry in South Africa. He is popularly known for the Kwaito Music genre. He was born in Zola South in 1970. M’du began his music aspirations on his grandmother’s piano. As a young man in school, M’du created several music groups. On completion of his matric studies, he began performing with artists such as Pat Shange, Yvonne Chaka Chaka and Sello ‘Chicco’ Twala. M’du and his long time friend and collaborator, Mandla ‘Spikiri’ Mofokeng formed MM Deluxe in 1988 to showcase their talents by mixing township music with international dance music. M’du had his debut album released in 1990, titled ‘LA Beat’. He will forever be known as the Godfather of Kwaito Music.
[…]
Since his debut album, he has released many successful albums and collaborated with some of the best musicians in South Africa. He is known not only as a singer, but also as a keyboardist, bassist and composer.
M’du is the definition of a ‘diamond in the dirt’. His illustrious career boasts 20 years of releasing countless classic albums and producing some of the best music in Southern Africa. His ear for talent and music has seen him grooming artists in his group, Mashamplani, discovering MaWillies and providing tracks for Sharon Dee, remixes for Kenny Lattimore and the list goes on. His music transcends most of the genres in the South African Music Industry.”…
-snip-
From various online sources: M’du’s track Tsiki Tsiki was- released in 1994. M'Du was presented with a Lifetime Achievement award at the 2015 South Africa Music Awards.
-snip-
Here's a short excerpt about Kwaito music from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kwaito
"Kwaito is a music genre that emerged in Soweto, Johannesburg, South Africa, during the 1990s. It is a variant of house music featuring the use of African sounds and samples. Typically at a slower tempo range than other styles of house music, Kwaito often contains catchy melodic and percussive loop samples, deep bass lines, and vocals. Despite its similarities to hip hop music, Kwaito has a distinctive manner in which the lyrics are sung, rapped and shouted.[1]"...
****
SELECTED COMMENTS FROM A YOUTUBE VIDEO DISCUSSION THREAD OF M'DU'S SONG "TSIKI TSIKI YO"
Numbers added for referencing purposes only.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mEKMDn7R7u0&ab_channel=DenverMthunzi [This video is embedded in this pancocojams post.]
1. Boogie Sean, 2016
"I'm out of words. for real. feel like crying. kind of song we play when the party is about to close"
**
2. EdmondLups, 2016
"Sometimes I wonder if these songs were as big in South Africa as they were in Bulawayo (Zimbabwe)........"
**
Reply
3. Mr. WrXng, 2017
"They were massive, there was no hip hop back then and house was minimal, all we had was this."
**
Reply
4. Jaune M, 2017
"Oh yes it definitely was bumping around every corner."
**
Reply
5. Likhwa Dube, 2017
"EdmondLups Same here man, how come so little views for a massive hit like tsiki tsiki yo? Maybe YouTube is not popular in SA?"
**
Reply
6. Love love 822, 2019
"Boy / girl this songs were big I Namibia, otherwise u were known as to be blind,mumu,"
**
Reply
7. Zakhe Mabula, 2020
"They were big in Botswana too...ijooo!!!!"
**
Reply
8. Catherine Dlamini, 2021
"They were huuuuuuuge baba! Yooooooo"
**
Reply
8. Hillary Tshabalala, 2021
"That time I thought Bulawayo and southAfrica were one country 😂😂😂😂😂😂"
**
Reply
9. Macdereck Kenneth, 2021
"@Hillary Tshabalala hahaha lol 😆"
**
Reply
10. Roystan Kemp, 2022
" @Likhwa Dube these songs were released before the digital era. Unfortunately, they missed it. Those years radio was, nabo music TV. Today it's streaming and the likes of YouTube."
**
11. Star Sat, 2017
"Old school kwaito was the best thing that ever happened in SA music."
**
12. Neo Leso, 2018
"my transport driver used to play this almost everyday when he transported us to preschool memories bra"
-snip-
"bra" here means "brother"
**
13. Forefinga, 2020
"The Chicago house influence is so present but... this sound is so different... and so sick!!!"
**
14. sIPHELO Mtshiki, 2020
"I wish guys like Mdu could show the young SA Music producers and singers how it was done then. These songs were a hit in the 1990s."
****
This concludes Part I of this five part pancocojams series.
Thanks for visiting pancocojams.
Visitor comments are welcome.
No comments:
Post a Comment