Pistole Gwijo, Aug 20, 2024 #gwijokings #gwijo #pistolegwijo
By @UnkleMsarow
-snip-
WARNING- This isiXhosa gwijo includes words that are "x" rated.
****
Edited by Azizi Powell
This pancocojams post showcases a YouTube video of the viral gwijo "Yebo Lapho" as sung by Unkle Msarow and the gwijo kings.
This post also includes selected comments from the discussion thread for that video. Those comments focus on how Unkle Msarow's rendition of "Yebo Lapho" sounds beautiful and has a catchy beat, but also has "x" rated lyrics
In addition, this pancocojams post presents selected comments from two Tik Tok videos. Those comments focus on how the commenters were surprised that that gwijo described an x rated bedroom sexual scene.
In my opinion, "Yebo Lapho" refutes the relatively commonly found statement that "Music is a universal language we can all bond over". Instead, that Xhosa language gwijo reminds people that of the importance of being aware of the meanings of a song's lyrics in a language you're not familiar with before embracing that song as one of your favorite jams.
The content of this post is presented for socio-cultural purposes.
All copyrights remain with their owners.
Thanks to Unkle Msarwo and the gwijo kings. Thanks to all those who are quoted in this post and thanks to the producers of this YouTube video and this Tik Tok video.
****
DISCLAIMER:
I am an African American who doesn't read or speak any language but English.
I don't have any direct knowledge of South African culture and the only information that I have about that culture and the Xhosa language is from my reading on and off the internet.
Additions and corrections are welcome.
****
PANCOCOJAMS EDITOR'S NOTES ABOUT SHOWCASE VIDEO #1 AND THAT YOUTUBE VIDEO'S DISCUSSION THREAD
The gwijo "Yebo Lapho" (Xhosa meaning "Yes, over there" is a viral hit in South African and in some other nations based on the number of social media videos and comments.
Unkle Msarow's version of "Yebo Lapho" and other versions I've come across online feature the standard "Zampampam" refrain that is found in other amagwijo (plural for "gwijo") with the title "Yebo Lapho" or other gwijo that don't include that title or any of those lyrics. Based on what I think I hear in that showcased Unkle Msarow YouTube video, here's what I refer to as the standard Zampampam refrain:
"Zampampam
Zampampam
iyhoo ah zampampa"
This fixed refrain is sung by the group in response to the leader's varying lines (call).
Although the title of the showcase "Yebo Lapho" video that is embedded at the top of this pancocojams post indicates that it includes lyrics for that song, the Xhosa lyrics (with no translations in another language) are written in captions within that video for only 0.41 seconds of that 2:24 video. Why are there no captions for the remainder of this video? Is this a way of not acknowledging that the lyrics for that song refer to a x rated sexual scene?
Furthermore, that video's summary doesn't include any of that song's lyrics and only a few comments in that video's discussion thread refer to any of that song's lyrics.
Most of that video's discussion thread focus on how beautiful that song sounds and how people throughout the world love singing it or dancing to it, even if they don't understand what the words to the song mean.
Here's my transcription of that song's lyrics that are given in that video along with the Xhosa to English translation of those words given in parenthesis. Imo, those results reinforce my opinion that Google translation shouldn't usually be considered as an accurate translation of gwijo songs (in large part because of the cultural differences between South Africa and the United States).
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pTOzHCLw-hk
Nango umalamola seka bheke umandlamini
(Even if you look at the river, you will see)
Nango u16 seka gijimisi v
(Here is the 16th runner v)
He said that he saw them stealing from each other at 6
(No translation given)
Hebathi yebo
(He said yes)
Yebo lapho
(Yes,here)
Kufunek isbhamu somdoko
(Need a shotgun)
Hayi yaya
(No, it went)
Zampampam
(No translation)
Zampampam
(No translation)
****
Here are two of the very few comments in the discussion thread for Uncke Msarow's "Yebo,Lapho" video that mentions lyrics to that song. These examples are numbered for referencing purposes only:
1. @nonkuthalozondi802, 2024
"so sweet i like the part when he say nangu umadlamini
esekabheka umalamula and it end when he say aaa ach men"
-snip-
Here are the Google translate results for this sentence from Xhosa to English:
"nangu umadlamini esekabheka umalamula" =here is a drunkard still looking at the lemon
**
2. @makunguchabangu, 2024
"Nangi u16 seka gijimisi v๐ฅ๐ฅโค๏ธ"
-snip-
from the on page Google translation feature for this video:
"โI'm 16 and I'm running v๐ฅ๐ฅโค๏ธโ
****
Most of the comments in that video's discussion thread either praised the lead singer Unkle Msarow, and/or praised that song, praised the amamgwijo music genre, described their positive reactions to that song, or ranked the currently popular gwijo lead singers.
Here are a few examples of these comments (numbered for referencing purposes only).
2024
1.@NomhlepertuniaMashabane
"Love this gwijoโคโคโคโค"
**
@AsandaNkambule-h5w
"100%guys this is 100%
โค"
**
3. @BokamosoNtuli-d7y
"Yoo msaro what a
nice songโค"
**
4. @thapelomagaxa5804
"his voice wow they are only 4 but the
talent is amazing keep it up"
**
5. @OmphemetseKgopa
"oh what a nice remix โค"
**
6. @BonisiweMpanza-f8n
"This Voice is makes me feel good โคโคโค"
**
7. @Rmkays.132
"Yhoo these guys are fire
Love their music, always making me feel
alive and making me wish l was there singing with themโคโคโค๐๐ข
**
8. @WillmahMagida
"You sing like a angel โคโคโค"
2025
9. @MatsedisoMdi-t2e
"Wowโคโคit is a nice gwijoโคโคโค"
**
10. @IngridSelamolela
"I love this song is my favourite song
for ever and ever amen and make crying๐ข๐ข๐ข๐ข๐ข๐ข๐ข๐ข๐ข๐ขโคโคโคโคโคโค"
-snip-
Click https://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2025/06/a-possible-source-for-xhosa-word.html for the 2025 pancocojams post "A Possible Source For The Xhosa Word "Zampampam" That Is Used As A Title And/Or Refrain In Certain Amagwijo (Call & Response Songs)."
Also, click https://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2025/06/general-gee-zampampam-gwijo-video-with.html "General Gee & Group - "Zampampam" (Gwijo) video with partial lyrics with English translation"
****
SELECTED COMMENTS FROM A LINKED TIK TOK VIDEO #1
[Unfortunately, I don't know how to embed Tik Tok videos in this pancocojams blog.]
This video and the selected comments from its discussion thread are numbered for referencing purposes only.
https://www.tiktok.com/@yanolyrics_extra/video/7392519723126131973?lang=en "yanolyrics_extra: Yebo Lapho English translation๐โฆ, published by Yano Lyrics Extra ๐, 2024-7-17
1. rat
"what is this translation ๐ญ๐ญ"
2024-7-17
**
2. risten๐
"I lost it at porridge gun๐ญ๐"
2024-7-17
**
Reply
3. Chanda!!
"Holding what ???๐ญ๐ญ๐ญ๐คฃ๐คฃ"
2024-7-18
**
4. Kamogelo Montisi-Taw
"Lol nah these lyrics must be wrong ๐๐"
2024-7-18
**
Reply
5. Londeka Dlamini
"๐๐"
2024-7-20
**
Reply
6. thobz52
"No really ๐"
2024-7-22
**
7. creezy
"How's this song Legal๐ญ๐ญ๐ญ๐ญ"
2024-7-17
**
Reply
8. aubreykanji
"south africans y'all been singing this all this time ahh"
2024-7-18
**
Reply
9. kay_bee
"Even at school๐"
2024-7-19
**
10. Frieda๐ซ โค๏ธโพ๏ธ
"I never expected this๐ญ๐
"
2024-7-17
**
Reply
11. Sibahle Mtana
"No guys you donโt have to make a literal translation of everything."
2024-7-19
**
12. CHIHERA
"this is why you should know the meaning of these tunes before singing your heart out ๐ญ๐ญ๐ญ๐ญ"
2024-7-18
**
13. king mafi
"all l do learn is never never ever ๐ฏ translate amapiano some of them especially this generation ๐คฃ๐คฃ jut do the dance challenge and enjoy ๐คฃ๐คฃ"
2024-7-18
**
14. Nva_Kyankwanzi๐บ๐ฌ
"the way we all was vybing to it ๐"
2024-7-18
**
Reply
15. lucie๐๐๐๐น๐ฟโค๏ธโ๐ฅ
"๐๐๐๐"
2024-7-18
**
16. kelvincumbe1
"It's worse than I thought๐ญ๐ญ๐ญ"
2024-7-18
**
Reply
17. Sizwe Mkhize
"๐
๐
๐
๐
"
2024-7-18
**
Reply
18. Chris
"I prefer not to understand ๐๐"
2024-7-18
**
19. blackbrunette_nancy
"No ways ๐คญ๐คญ๐คญ๐คญ what?"
2024-7-18
20.
"it's doesn't make sense in English keep it like that"
2024-7-19
21.
"๐๐๐๐ look what you did to my fave song๐"
22.
"you mara ke I enjoy this song but don't know the translation๐๐"
2024-7-19
**
Reply
17. miriam
"๐๐๐"
2024-7-19
**
Reply
18. PITSO NDABA
"๐๐๐ rather not translate coz wow"
2024-7-19
**
Reply
19. Thoby_23
"๐๐๐"
2024-7-19
**
20. Dineoโค๏ธ
"lol ๐ the day I listened to this song properly I was shook".
2024-7-19
**
Reply
21. JaneenMelissa
"๐ญ๐ญ๐ญ๐ญ๐ญ๐ญ"
2024-7-24
**
22. Dii
โA porridge gun is neededโ for what?๐๐๐๐ญ
2024-7-19
**
23. Silver Moon
"I thought everyone understood this song๐ญ???"
2024-7-20
**
Reply
24. Yols
"No ๐ญ"
2024-8-3
**
25. BoitumeloM
"Its worse in english ๐ญ๐ญ๐ญ๐ญ๐๐"
2024-7-20
**
26. d33_Vers
"๐๐๐I was NEVER ready ๐ญ๐"
27. janeyy_m3
"๐๐๐Why direct translation ?"
Reply
28.
"Pov:ur mind is..... If yk, yk๐คฃ๐ญ"
2024-7-21
**
29. Nangula_E4๐ณ๐ฆ
"what are you guys making us sing along to๐ญ๐ญ๐ญ"
2024-7-22
30. Dj Hlukzin ๐๐
"aowa I'm no more singing this song๐ญ"
2024-7-22
**
Reply
31. Nolwazi K๐ธ
"๐ญ๐ญ๐ญ๐ญโ๐ฝ"
2024-7-22
32. Witty๐ฆ๐บ
2024-7-23
33. sunshine
"it's a joke because the meaning is different in our languages and it's just hard to translate it ends up sounding like nonsense ๐"
2024-7-23
**34. Gulia๐ณ๐ฌ๐ฎ๐น
2024-7-23
**
35. moodswingssz
"welcome to sasa frika where we dance to what we don't know it means"
2024-7-26
-snip-
"sasa frika" - a colloquial way of saying "South Africa".
**
36. Phuluphedziso
"Why did i sing it in those English lyrics ๐ญ๐ฉ"
2024-7-28
**
37. EasyRipper aka Jaja Tayo
"Wow no no. Wait what the hell yall got us singing lol what!?"
2024-10-19
**
38. Yols
"Never singing it loud again lol wtf"
2024-8-3
****
SELECTED COMMENTS FROM A LINKED TIK TOK VIDEO #2
[Unfortunately, I don't know how to embed Tik Tok videos in this pancocojams blog.]
This video and the selected comments from its discussion thread are numbered for referencing purposes only.
https://www.tiktok.com/@leanzo_theron/video/7401093787994344709
The first video
caption (written in English) โI canโt listen to this song anymore after knowing the
English lyrics.โ
published by Is That Leanzo?, 2024-8-9
COMMENTS
[These comments are numbered in relative chronological order, except for replies.]
1. AllLove_365
"Hello be singing this with his innocent looking face ๐๐"
2024-7-18
Reply
2. kabo.diale
"๐คฃ๐คฃ๐คฃ๐คฃ๐คฃ๐คฃ๐คฃ๐คฃ๐คฃ๐คฃ๐คฃ๐คฃ๐คฃ
2024-7-18
Reply
3.
"Doesnโt make sense in English ๐๐๐"
2024-7-26
**
Reply
4. pourstiel.saxx
"yes our languages can't be translated bro"
2024-7-26
**
5. kelvincumbe1
"It's worse than I thought๐ญ๐ญ๐ญ"
2024-7-18
**
Reply
6. Chris
"I prefer not to understand ๐๐"
2024-7-18
**
Reply
7. blackbrunette_nancy
"No ways ๐คญ๐คญ๐คญ๐คญ
what?"
2024-7-18
Reply
8.
"lol ๐ the day I listened to this song properly I was shook."
2024-7-19
Reply
9.
10.
"it's doesn't make sense in English keep it like that"
2024-7-19
5.
"aowa I'm no more singing this song๐ญ"
2024-7-19
6. @
"๐๐๐
look what you did to my fave song๐"
2024-7-19
**
Reply
7. user87327547
"why are you translating it ๐ญ๐ญ๐ญ๐"
2024-7-22
**
8.Micodi
"The (direct) translation is wild ๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐"
2024-7-21
**
Reply
9. Mkhonza
"Gun porridge?๐๐๐"
2024-7-21
**
Reply
10.Buhlebendalo ๐ชท ๐ฟ๐ฆ
"these lyrics...ngeke๐"
2024-7-22
-snip-
ngeke-[Zulu] = English meaning- I wonโt
**
Reply
11. shaun
"๐๐translate it properly chief"
2024-7-22
**
Reply
12. Aka Ninja
"then people still say there's nothing wrong"
2024-7-25
**
Reply
13. Infinity_soulโค๏ธ
"๐คฃ๐คฃ๐คฃ๐คฃ๐คฃ๐ญ๐ญ๐ญ โyess yes a porridge gun is neededโ
2024-8-9
**
Reply
14.Grace๐๐
"Imma search it"
2024-8-9
**
Reply
12. Grace๐๐
"Shouldโve stayed curious"
2024-8-9
**
13. Danica๐
"the lyrics are heavy yoh๐ญ"
2024-8-11
**
14. Reply
โ๏ธ
**
Reply
15. Callyn Alexander
"and the way people dance it but dont know the actual lyrics ๐"
2024- 8-14
**
Reply
16. Tati
"But yet here you are dancing to it ๐
2024-8-14
**
17. Yung Angel
"Yes Yes over there A porridge gun is neede
2024-8-21
**
Reply
18. English Police๐
"Porridge??? ๐ญ๐ญ๐ญ"
2024-8-17
**
Reply
19. tshepi
"what does it mean"
**
Reply
20. londiwe ๐๐คช๐คช
"a boys infront๐"
2024-8-20
**
Reply
21. tshepi
"thanks"
2024-9-13
**
22. _D.ian_a
"Me too this song took away my innocence ๐ญ๐ญ๐ญ๐ญ๐ญ
2024-8-21
**
Reply
23. Mimi๐
"I thought I was the only one๐ญ๐ญ"
Reply
24. zykara 101
"I can never delete this frm my memory ,yohhhh๐คฃ๐คฃ๐คฃ๐คฃ"
2024-8-29
**
25. princeฤรakhe
"whyyyyyyy"
2024-9-25
**
Reply
26. โค๏ธshadyโค๏ธ
"tโ๐๐ ๐๐ก๐ ๐๐๐ ๐ก ๐๐๐ก ๐ก๐ ๐๐ฅ๐๐๐๐๐"
**
Reply
27. Cindy Hassan
"for real ๐ญ๐ญ๐ญ๐ญ"
**
Reply
28. hazelhoffman2
"that gun will make thing appear after 9 months๐ฑ๐ฑ๐ฑ"
2024-9-26
**
Reply
29. girvan_n
"๐๐๐๐"
2024-10-27
**
Reply
30. girvan_n
"God bless your innocent mind"
2024-10-27
**
Reply
31. Stunna
2024-8-15
Reply
31. maya๐บ๐ป
"after translation I won't sing loudly ๐คฃ๐๐
๐๐๐๐๐๐๐"
2024-8-15
**
Reply
32. Jomo Sedibane
"but why are you still listening to it"
2024-9-25"
****
Thanks for visiting pancocojams
Visitor comments are welcome.
Here's a comment that ranks some of the currently hot (popular) gwijo lead singers. That comment is from the discussion thread for Pistole Gwijo's video of Unkle Msarow leading a rendition of "Yebo Lapho":
ReplyDelete@Liz1418, 2024, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pTOzHCLw-hk "Yebo Lapho (Gwijo) Lyrics"
1.KEMEโคโคโค uhamba yedwa๐
2. General gee
3. Msarow
4. General
5. Foja nation
I've lived in the United States all of my life. A majority of people
ReplyDeleteIn this country-including me- only know how to speak & read English. Furthermore, in many places in the United States-including where I've lived and where I live now, it's very unusual to hear anyone speak any language but Standard American English or African American Vernacular English. Maybe that's why I focus on what the lyrics mean in YouTube videos sung in a non-English language instead of focusing on the aesthetics of the song (such as the way the singer/s sound and how the song made me feel).
But, then again, I consider myself a "word person" (a person who is interested in the origin of words, and how their meanings change in different contexts and over periods of time.) For instance, I've been known to read a YouTube video's discussion thread before watching that video. The "Yebo Lapho" video that is embedded in this pancocojams post is an example of that habit.
However, I've learned from my online reading that in other countries throughout the world, and particularly in a number of African nations, people speak two or more languages. I wonder if people who are multilingual are used to hearing people speak languages that they don't understand and thus aren't "pressed" (feeling the need) to know what those people are saying or singing.
Be that as it may, the lesson that the "Yebo Lapho" song reinforces for me is that regardless of a song's aesthetics (i.e. regardless of how beautiful the singers sound and how great the tune and/or beat of a song is), it's important to know what words mean in a language you don't know before claiming that song as one of your favorites.
It probably will take a bit of effort to find English translations online for some African languages. I'm not confident that Google translation knows the vernacular meanings of these words and prefer to find out the meanings from people who regularly speak those languages.
Thank goodness for TikTok for discussion threads on the gwijo "Yebo Lapho". There were additional videos/discussion thread comments that I didn't include in this pancocojams post. Without those videos' discussion threads, I wouldn't have had a clue what the singers in the various "Yebo Lapho" YouTube videos were singing about although I agree with commenters in those discussion threads that they sounded very good.