Matata Featuring STL Stella Mwangi - "ACHUU!" (with lyrics and partial English translation)

MATATA OFFICIAL, March 12, 2021

Matata and STL (Stella Mwangi) Presents ACHUU!! Walk away from anything that gives you bad vibes. There is no need to explain oneself. It's your life; do what makes you happy!!

**** Edited by Azizi Powell This pancocojams post showcases the 2021 Kenyan/Nowegian* song "ACHUU!" by Matata featuring STL (Stella Mwangi). "Achuu" is the sound of sneezing. "ACHUU!" is sung/rapped in Swahili, Sheng, and English. Unfortunately, I haven't found any English translation of this song online. This post presents the lyrics that I found online and their Swahili to English Google translate results- with the statement that I'm aware that this is a partial translation that probably gave the wrong meanings for the Swahili words that are actually Sheng and that gave no translations for the Kikuyu words. In addition to those Google translate results, this post includes a translated Kikuyu line that was given by a commenter in the discussion thread for this video. I've presented these translations because they give a sense of what the song is about. If you know Swahili, Sheng, and/or Kikuyu, please improve these translations to English so people throughout the world can more fully appreciate and enjoy this song. Thanks! The content of this post is presented for cultural, entertainment, and aesthetic purposes. All copyrights remain with their owners. Thanks to Matata and STL (Stella Mwangi) for their music. Thanks to all those who are associated with this video and thanks to all those who are quoted in this post. -snip- *Both the Afro-Pop grou Matata and the rapper STL (Stella Mwangi) are Kenyans who live in Norway.
****
LYRICS - ACUU! (Swahili, Sheng, and Kikuyu)

Oi oi oi oi oi oi
Woi woi woi woi woi woi
Bad vibes am allergic to
Achuu Achuu Achuu Achuu
Oi oi oi oi oi oi
Woi woi woi woi woi woi
Bad vibes am allergic to
Achuu Achuu Achuu Achuu ["Achuu" is the sound of sneezing.]

Cheki di gang gang  Hii ni matata mbogi ni genje
Checki di ngeus shake di bang bang
Pekene jeng jeng
Tulisha safisha rada si ni wanjaja
Hatupikii chai na ketepa yetu ni ganja  tea
Hii ni Fantasy Tuna courtesy
Hii ni rasta see man a gangster see
Sema ngwe utekwe kwe
uguzwe cheke kwe kwe kwe
Me nataka asanti ya punda rrrr nipe teke ke

Maneno yako bitter shinda hadi mursik
Na kama boss ni vita man I don't fight chicks
Nina rubber inaeza futa your career erase it
Na pia juta juta ka ukona beef at your risk
Hii ni lambo  ata na Subaru can't race it
Big ego coco jambo let's face it
Vile una hang ka bolingo I can't take it
Nina swali ehh amigo can I kick it

(Richie)

[chorus]

Uliokoka na bado hujaomoka buda
Sahi una kula tu mogoka ukitoa ushuhuda
Unjifanya we mreligious na una roho ya judas
Una betray my ninjas juu ya salasa buda
Round hii tumenona ka paka za butchery
Na sura ka matiangi hapa hakuna fogery (Achuu!)
Cheki cheki nime clean up nice
Oohhhh Shingo maji maji see dat ice

Man dem man dem
Niko base na ma gal dem gal dem
Tuna blaze tuna burn dem burn dem
Bad vibes man a kill dem  kill dem yeah
Me ndo kingpin wa hizi pengting
Man a freshting na siko flexing
I got the juice na siko blending
Nime standout lakini bado nina blend in
Nie reke ngwere Nyúmete kúraihú Túmete kúraihu twonete barafù wee Ndīaríkīríe thúkúrú, Nó ninjúe Mathafú werúte handafú ndúe ndí thahafú Njítagwo Nyambura Naa ndícokaga na thútha níndagá gacúngwa ashio ange noo gúfútha Íkíra kíratú gíakú tīgana na gīakwa naa ndúkandehere maúndú matare na fata Boss am not just somebody am a limitless force Africans are lost better bring em back to core Call yourself a lion but you just a house cat Gotta switch that flip it like an acrobat Mambo bado mbele ya kuchizi Catch up with me uta fall kama ndizi I mean I'm one off no match up you need back up I just add up [chorus]

From https://www.lyrics.com/lyric-lf/5820882/Matata/Achuu+%28feat.+Stella+Mwangi%29 -snip- I used the word "chorus" instead of writing those lyrics each time because of space considerations.

[Google Translate: Swahili to English]

Oi oi oi oi oi oi
Woi woi woi woi woi woi
Bad vibes am allergic to
Achuu Achuu Achuu Achuu
Oi oi oi oi oi oi
Woi woi woi woi woi woi
Bad vibes am allergic to
Achuu Achuu Achuu Achuu

Cheki di gang gang This is a vicious mbogi is genje
Check the ngeus shake one by one
Pekene jeng jeng
We washed the radar cleaner is not the starter
We do not make tea and our kettle is ganja tea
This is Fantasy Tuna courtesy
This is a rasta see man a gangster see
Say yes to your rule
cut off the check of the
And I want donkey sand rrrr give me a kick

Your words are bitter to the point of death
And if the boss is a war man I don't fight chicks
Nina rubber can erase your career erase it
Also, be careful not to overdo it at your risk
This is a trophy and the Subaru can't race it
Big ego coco Jambo let's face it
Vile una hang ka bolingo I can't take it
I have a question ehh amigo can I kick it

(Richie)

[chorus]

You are saved and you have not yet left the buddha
You only have to eat mogoka if you testify
You pretend to be mreligious and you have the spirit of judas
You have to betray my ninjas on the buddha salasa
This round we have fattened butchery cats
And the shape of the matiangi here is no fogery (Achuu!)
Check check I clean up nice
Oohhhh Neck water water see dat ice

Man dem man dem
Niko base na ma gal dem gal dem
Tuna blaze tuna burn dem burn dem
Bad vibes man a kill dem kill dem yeah
Me ndo kingpin of these pengting
Man a freshting na siko flexing
I got the juice and I was not blending
I have a standout but I still have a blend in

Nie reke ngwere Nyúmete kúraihú
Túmete kúraihu twonete barafù wee Ndīaríkīríe thúkúrú,
No Mathafú has ever been on the same page
Njítagwo Nyambura Naa ndícokaga na thútha níndagá gacúngwa ashio ange noo guffutha
Íkíra kíratú gíakú tīgana na gīakwa naa ndúkandehere maúndú matare na fata

Boss am not just somebody am a limitless force
Africans are lost better bring em back to core
Call yourself a lion but you just a house cat
Gotta switch that flip it like an acrobat
Things are still ahead of the curve
Catch up with me bow fall like a banana
I mean I'm one off no match up you need back up I just add up

[chorus]

-snip-
Here's a translation from Kikuyu to English for one line in that song:

zach robert, 2021, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pnt3YJw4C5o&ab_channel=MATATAOFFICIAL [discussion thread]
"ikiira kiratu giaku tingana na giakwa na ndukarihiri na maundu matari fataa (put your own shoes and leave mine alone and don't bring issues to me that are of no help)"

****
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Comments About Kenya's Genge Music & Gengetone Music Genres (From A July 27, 2020 That Fire LA Reaction Discussion Thread)

That Fire LA, July 27, 2020

Just giving y’all more content. Link to original video: https://youtu.be/VAyd4PZEMo0
-snip-

Here's information about that video that is the subject of the reaction:

The Story behind........ Gengetone

Nina form, Feb. 12, 2020

Africa has had a rise in emerging sounds and in Kenya, Gengetone is dominating the airwaves. Question is will it grow big enough to dominate the African sound or even the international market or will it die a slow death? In this episode, we look at the birth of Gengetone, its growth and where it currently stands.

****
Edited by Azizi Powell

This pancocojams post showcase a That Fire LA reaction video of a Kenyan vlog about the history of Kenya's Genge and Gengetone music genres.

Selected comments from that reaction video's discussion thread are also included in this post.

The content of this post is presented for socio-cultural and historical purposes.

All copyrights remain with their owners.

Thanks to Nina form, That Fire LA, and all those who are quoted in this post.
-snip-
Click https://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2020/08/two-excerpts-of-online-articles-about.html for a pancocojams post entitled "Two Excerpts Of Online Articles About Kenya's Gengetone Music".

Also, click the Genge, Gengetone, and Gengetrap tags below for more pancocojams posts on these subjects.

****
SELECTED COMMENTS FROM THAT FIRE LA'S VIDEO DISCUSSION THREAD
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y7VzoXlxu44

All of these comments were published between July 27, 2020 and August 2, 2020 at 6:00 PM EDT. These comments are presented in chronological order with the "oldest" comments given first. Numbers are added for referencing purposes only.

1. Ian Leeroy
"Gengetone emerged from an old genre known as genge"

**
REPLY
2. kelvin k
"True"

**
3. Mwenye Kiti
"Kudo!!, this dude did his research right. I grew at the time  when genge and Kapuka  was taking off in Kenya and my goodnesses the reception was not a good one. Simply because most  lyrics in the songs were vulgar and  our parents were not ready to hear none of that. But after awhile, with persistent and consistency, Genge and Kapuka was slowly accepted. This opened doors to many new artist in the industry lead by Nonini and Jua Kali. Actually Nonini is the pioneer of Genge. He is known as the Godfather of Genge. He is the guy who got all the "beating"

Another artist worth mentioning in Kapuka is Nameless. Him and his Ogopa DJs lifted Kapuka high . To date,  Nameless together with his wife wahu are still relevant to Kapuka though she, the wife, is into gospel nowadays. They are blessed with two beautiful kids and I think should react to some of their  songs most of  which are patriotic and family friendly.

Though am a bit older now I still find Gengetone fascinating. The beats are on  another level. The only challenging thing is understanding they lyrics simply because they use Sheng and Sheng changes so quickly. The Sheng I use to speak is not the one the speak nowadays. The words and their meanings changes within days if not hours. So Ralph good luck keeping up with sheng haha!”…
-snip-
Here's some information about Kenya's Kapuka music from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Boomba_music
"Boomba music, also referred to as kapuka (due to the beat pattern; not to be confused with kapuka rap), is a form of hip pop music popular in Kenya. It incorporates hip hop, reggae and African traditional musical styles. The lyrics are in Swahili, Sheng or local dialects. It is associated with the Ogopa Deejays and is believed to have originated in the late 1990s with artists such as Redsan, Bebe Cool and Chameleone. It went on to dominate East African airwaves (especially Kenya and Uganda) after the release of the Ogopa Deejays' first album in 2001, which included artists such as the late E-Sir, Nameless, Mr. Lenny, Amani, Mr. Googz and Vinnie Banton amongst others.

The over-saturation of playlists with this music style caused some to criticise it, including the artists K-South who had a hit titled "Kapuka This, Kapuka That". This^{[clarification needed]} also led to other styles such as genge music being formed by producer Clemo to diversify the market. Despite the critics the music continues to be very popular in Kenya although more so now in Uganda. Of late, "genge" has also come to refer more generally to boomba and "kapuka" music."... 

**
4. Njeri M
"Hey Ralph. Genge is actually a Swahili word meaning ‘Gang’.

Some of the names mentioned on this vlog are from artists from back in the days who were signed up to Calif Records, which was huge back then. Some of those artists in Calif Records considered themselves as a part of a ‘genge’.

Soon after, I’d say in mid 2000s, ‘Reggae-ton’ music from Jamaica became huge here in Kenya. So just recently, people like Ethics came up with the Genge-ton music..a fusion of genres of Kenyan music, and their own unique style. “…

**
5. Greg Stephen
"The guy has some background knowledge on KE music. I think Gengetone is more like Reggaeton done in a Kenyan. The influence of Jamaican riddim is on the nasty lyrics and ratchet videos. The only association they have with the old Genge music is from the fact that they all come from Eastlands which is mostly ghetto."

**
6. Piman Mann Jaques
"Sounds like reggaeton using Kenyan lyrics. Not too original."

**
7. Mark Bosire
"A lot of creativity in gengetone but limited theme...sex & weed... Kenyan Music come with uncertain expiry dates"

**
8. Emmy K
"You just been given the history of gengetone..checkout and react to the older versions Kapuka and genge. For night life in Nairobi wetlands has a strip of clubs..B-Club is the hot spot"
-snip-
The comment about the Kenyan clubs was in response to a question Big Ralph (That Fire LA host) asked. 

**
9. Kennedy Mwangi
"he is spitting  truth boy has done his homework well"

**
10. Arthur Adinda
"With the right exposure to the international stage, Gengetone will be a trademark genre from Kenya, just like Gqom, Kwaito and the rest"

**
11. Mutegi Kanana
"That Makmende vid was the 1st kenyan video to go viral........ Within I guess 24hrs.... It ws featured on CNN"

**
12. Otieno
"Gengetone originated from Genge producer: Clemo and main artist were Jua Cali, Nonini, Flex which was crazy back in the mid 2000's and gengetone has a future it won't stop cause it can't stop and E-Sir is a legend Bamboo and Abbas were also 💥 back in the day... Makmende was Kenya's version of Chuck never watched your video this early must be the timing"
-snip-
My guess is that "Chuck" mentioned in this comment is Chuck D, "an [African] American rapper, author, and producer.^[1] As the leader of the rap group Public Enemy, which he co-founded in 1985 with Flavor Flav,^[2] Chuck D helped create politically and socially conscious hip hop music in the mid-1980s."...https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chuck_D#:~:text=Carlton%20Douglas%20Ridenhour%20(born%20August,music%20in%20the%20mid%2D1980s.

**
13. Stephen Kyenze
"It's true Genge was Born in Calif Records, which included the likes of #JuaCali #Nonini and #Mejja.

And it ws produced by #Clemo #BeatyaClemo"

**
14. Gathenya Kamau
"CTA- Clearing The Airwaves has good coverage of the history of various of genres of Kenyan music 🎶.

**
REPLY
15. Victor Dali
"True 💯 CTA is dope history...

**
16. Samwel N
"Ethic type of Gengetone may not last unless it slightly evolves to embrace the fact that corporates in Kenya are key to sustaining the music industry. A slight tweak to match the Chris Kaiga brand of gengetone will suffice.
**17. FT Maren"Well if yo gonna do an analysis of our music and history come correct, i give him a 40/100"

**
18. Coffee Radio
"Gengetone is Just Kapuka, Periodt. Same same Kapuka started by Nameless, Got a swing by Jomino, Then Grandpa, The Kansoul, Timmy Tdat timez, Then it got a new Name. Nothing New"

**
19. ale key
"I feel like gengetone won't last.. because these days anyone can just hop in the stu and drop a gengetone as long as the beats are right... Genge needed one to actually be talented"

**
20. Master Wong
"You should react to #For the culture festival,the best genge tone fest to date."

**
21. Clement Gitonga
"Genge in Swahili means a large grouping (of people in this case) so Genge music from back in the day was music for the masses, hence Gengetone would fall in the same lines... music for the masses"
**Edge T"This guy has a done a good job on history of gengetone in addition to some questions"

1. The part he talks about chris brown's 90 mil ($900k) payday in kenya answers another question you asked in the reaction for micasa sucasa by khaligraph where he mentions the same issue and talks of how kenyans dont appreciate kenyan.

2. Please react to the Makmende song.  Very few people realise this but makmende is the ONLY kenyan superhero. The song seemed to kinda mimic a shaftlike 70s themed badass.

3. Genge came about to give kenyan music a name and was proposed by the calif records guys but some players dint see the vision. That said, genge and gengetone are not the same. Genegtone by design is (as put in there) very ratchet, while Genge wasnt. I guess gengetone is a version of genge like mumble rap is a subset of rap.

4. Finally, gengetone will not have another 5 yrs. If you listened to the guy who did the video, kenyans go through genres of music periodically... We had the kwaito season, edm season, dancehall season and rhe always returning bongo season. Its gengetone season now but one thing is for sure.. Kenyans are loving and appreciating kenyan entertainment more than ever and whatever will come next will be equally loved"

****
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Two Excerpts Of Online Articles About Kenya's Gengetone Music

Edited by Azizi Powell

This pancocojams post presents excerpts from two online articles about Kenya's Gengetone music genre.

The content of this post is presented for socio-cultural and historical purposes.

All copyrights remain with their owners.

Thanks to  Barbara Wanjala and thanks to Elizabeth Musyimi, the authors of these articles and thanks to these articles' publishers.
-snip-
Click https://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2020/08/comments-about-kenyas-genge-music.html for an August 2020 pancocojams post entitled "Comments About Kenya's Genge Music & Gengetone Music Genres (From A July 27, 2020 That Fire LA Reaction Discussion Thread)"

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EXCERPT #1: 

from https://www.themantle.com/arts-and-culture/play-i-some-music-gengetone-music "PLAY I SOME MUSIC, THIS GENGETONE MUSIC: An examination of Gengetone and the future of Kenyan music By Barbara Wanjala 

Note: No date was cited for this article. However, the article includes references to 2019.
I retrieved this article on July 20, 2020.

"A new musical wave, dubbed Gengetone, has been gaining momentum and shifting the tides for Kenyan audiences. Young MCs, each with a signature flow, deliver rhymes in sheng – a mix of English, Kiswahili and other Kenyan languages – over pulsating electronic beats. The typical hit is a synthesis of Kenyan-style dancehall and rap, an amalgam born of Jamaican and American influences. The eminently danceable hits feature clever and often risqué wordplay and catchy hooks. The accompanying music videos display vigorous unabashed twerking.

Rife with controversy, the new wave has been lauded by its enthusiastic supporters as the future of Kenyan music, while others have forecast its imminent death amid copyright issues and calls for song restrictions.

New Wave and New Hits

Gengetone is perhaps the most significant development in Kenyan music in years.

[…]

Cashney Mathu, frontman of the group Sheddy Empire, talked about riding the Gengetone wave. “People used to complain that Kenya doesn’t have a sound, that we copy others. Gengetone is feel-good music. It has the appeal of dancehall and it talks about mambo ya mtaa – things of the ‘hood’. It is our own. That is why it has caught people's attention,” he said. Prior to Gengetone, the group made Trap music. “The market is what determines the kind of music that we make which is why we switched,” he added.

 […]

Other observers of the new wave phenomenon have referred to it as Odi Pop. Odi means ordinary in sheng, referring to the common mwananchi, or citizen. According to Mumbua Nzula Nyoka for KBC, the style originated from the Nairobi neighborhoods of Kayole, Umoja, Dagoretti, Rongai, and Dandora and was an underground genre before being brought into the mainstream with Collo's 2016 hit “Bazokizo.”

Earlier in the year, mainstream media was criticized for failing to promote local talent. Sounds from Nigeria, Tanzania, and further afield dominated the airwaves, leading to the hashtags #playkenyanmusic and #playkemusic. Kenyan artists were accused by local audiences of producing mediocre music in comparison to their counterparts from other parts of the continent. Gengetone is believed by some to have risen as a response to this criticism.

[…]

Controversy and Exposure

The male-dominated new wave has been criticized for its explicit content. Those opposed to it say some of the song lyrics promote violence and misogyny, and that the videos promote the sexual objectification of women.

There was public outcry over Sheddy Empire’s song “Pigwa Shoka” which led to their music being taken down from YouTube. The video was released around the same time a university student was hacked to death with an axe. The group issued an apology. According to Mathu, the sheng lyrics were misunderstood, leading to the banned song’s message being misconstrued as being about femicide.

Ethic Entertainment’s latest song, “Tarimbo” has also stirred controversy for its lyrics which have been condemned for encouraging rape.

[…]

The Kenya Film Classification Board Chief Executive Ezekiel Mutua called for Ethic Entertainment’s arrest for going beyond the prescribed delimitations on freedom of expression by advocating for violence against women. The group issued an apology via Twitter …

Fans argue that “msanii ni kioo cha jamii" -- the artists’ music is simply mirroring society. The controversial songs have millions of YouTube views, and even after official videos being taken down, fans continue to make their own versions.

The Contemporary Sound Landscape

What is it about the new wave that has grabbed the nation’s attention?

Kenyans didn’t have a sound they could relate to,” said Mbugua. “Also, Kenyans love our songs because as soon as you hear an Ethic song you want to have fun and Kenyans love having fun. Ethic’s art is raw. It stems from the environment around, from what we see in society.”

According to avid hip-hop consumer and critic Richard Oduor Oduku, early Kenyan underground hip-hop from the early 1990s to early 2000s.

[…]

Since then, Kenyan artists have been experimenting to see what will capture the youth. The contemporary sound landscape runs the whole gamut, from songs that speak about debauchery to conscious lyricists rapping with conviction. Other artists straddle both worlds, producing output that has commercial appeal as well as tracks that are socially responsible.

[…]

When I spoke to Oduku, he emphasized that what matters is authenticity. “To what extent can you be differentiated from the next artist? The reason why Zzero Ssufuri and Ethic are up there is because they are fresh and authentic.” In an article on Kenyan hip hop, he writes that style is the soundscape through which the geyser of content can be channelled. If stylistic inventiveness is what wins.” the contest for Kenyan ears, then it appears that the future belongs to the audacious.”

****
EXCERPT #2
From https://www.the-star.co.ke/sasa/word-is/2020-01-02-the-rise-of-gengetone/ "Here To Stay? The Rise Of Gengetone ...Some critics say genre may fizzle out"
by Elizabeth Musyimi, January 1, 2020

"Gengetone is the new music genre that almost everyone is jamming to. In 2019, this genre rose to become Kenya’s newest love in the music industry.

But how and where did it come from?

It started when #PlayKeMusic trended, with deejays and media houses accused of playing Nigeria’s Afro-beat and Tanzania’s Bongo Flava instead of Kenyan music.

Then Gengetone was birthed and, it would seem, Kenyans have consumed more of their own music in 2019 compared to the past few years.

And, there have been fewer complaints from Kenyan artists and fans about the music played in local media.

Gengetone has, however, generated a lot of controversy because of its vulgar language, with critics saying it is encouraging immorality.

Critics have also pointed that the genre may fizzle out if the artists keep serving fans the same theme.

But some fans disagree, saying Gengetone has revolutionised the Kenyan music industry.

The genre, characterised by fast-paced beats, has spread its roots to gospel music.”
-snip-

This article continues with profiles -including song titles= of the following artists."

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(Kenyan music group) Matata - "Ruracio" (video and selected comments about Gengetrap & more )

MATATA- RURACIO (OFFICIAL MUSIC VIDEO)  GENGETRAP

MATATA OFFICIAL, June 14, 2020

The name Ruracio means bride wealth or dowry. In many African societies the groom's family presents either money or cows or both to the bride's family as a gesture of his willingness to marry her The payment of the bride price is a sign of the man's commitment to take care of his wife and is seen as a symbolic act and a necessary part of upholding culture, rather than a purchase The song taps from this traditional culture and puts an urban/modern spin to it.

****
Edited by Azizi Powell

This pancocojams post provides information about the Norwegian based Kenyan music and dance group Matata.

This post also showcases Matata's June 2020 song/video entitled "Ruracio". Selected comments from this video's discussion thread are also included in this post, with particular attention to comments about how Matata combined Genge (or Gengetone-they're not the same thing) with Trap music beats.

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

All copyrights remain with their owners.

Thanks to Matata for their musical legacy. Thanks to all those who are associated with this video and thanks to all those who are quoted in this post.

Click the "Ruracio pre-wedding ceremony" tag below for pancocojams posts that provide information and comments about the Rurario pre-wedding ceremony.

I became interested in that subject after happening upon this Matata song/video as a result of receiving a YouTube recommendation for another Matata video, and then binge watching this and three other Matata videos. 

Click https://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2020/08/two-excerpts-of-online-articles-about.html for a closely related pancocojams post on Gengetrap. 

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INFORMATION ABOUT MATATA
From https://open.spotify.com/artist/7imj8fIllhgGJqvKUVrdgV/about

[retrieved on August 2, 2020 at 10:35 AM EDT]

"MATATA is a Kenyan music and dance artists group that consists of 5 members- Marcus Ojiambo, Ken Kimathi, Richie Mathu, Freddy Milanya, and Festus Mwenda. The group was founded in the year 2016 when the members who coincidentally knew each other from before in Kenya met in the city of Oslo where each of them had gone to pursue further education. The members who had been notable figures in the Kenyan dance industry prior to moving to Norway decided to join forces and together started the MATATA crew in Norway which became a recognized brand in the norwegian dance and urban scene performing on television, Festivals, and Even becoming the 2 time champions of measure your crew dance competition. In the year 2017 the group started pursuing music and slowly combining the art of dance and music together in their performances, but it wasn't until 2018 that the group started recording music and in August 2019 released their first single DENGE, which was accompanied by a dance challenge #dengechallenge which went viral on the social media platforms TIKTOK and WhatsApp."
-snip-
This group shouldn't be confused with the Kenyan funk group Matata (also known as "Matata Air Fiesta) hat was founded in 1968. Click https://rateyourmusic.com/artist/matata for some information about that group. 

For people in the United States and many other nations, the word "matata" calls to mind the Lion King movie song and slogan "hakuna matata" (Swahili: no troubles, but usually converted in English to "no worries". My guess is that that song/saying probably factored into the 2016 group Matata's name choice.

****
SELECTED COMMENTS FROM THIS VIDEO'S DISCUSSION THREAD 
All of these comments were published between June 14, 2020 to August 2, 2020. Numbers are added for referencing purposes only.    

1. Kenneth Kiruka
"What a video dark knight meets matata.vidaa about a broke(joker) amekataliwa coz hana doo ya ruracio he has a plan vile ata pata do oh za ruracio=(heist) then kills them after the heist n gets dooh za ruracio .I stan🙌🙌🙌🙌🙌🙌🙌"

**
REPLY
2. MATATA OFFICIAL
"🤯🤯🤯🤯🤯🤯"

**
3. Klint Eastwood
"MATATA OFFICIAL you guys are just on another level💯💯

Love can make you do crazy stuffs 😂😂

That girl gon get a big ruracio 😂😂"

**
4. Kelly Price
"Big ups to the person who shot the video 👏👏"

**
5. Patricia Maina
"Here before a billion views....

Ruracio is such a vibe  ...the beats,dances, customs and props 👏 🙌

 ngoma mwoto"
-snip-
Google translate from Swahili to English "ngoma mwoto"=  fire dance [or song]
-snip-
This undoubtedly refers to the African American Vernacular English originated use of "fire" as a superlative.

**
6. MovieSonic 1234

"Kenyans ain't playing this 2020 y'all 💯🔊Migos of  Kenya 🇰🇪 💥💥💥International hit✨👏🏼👏🏼"

**
REPLY
7. Tim Mitoz
"Nope they are Matata of matata don't start comparing it will cap your perspective especially when they are just trying to pop out."

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REPLY
8. MovieSonic 1234
"@Tim Mitoz i only said that because they gave me Migos kinda flow.. I ment their swag and style reminded me of them..."

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REPLY
9. Tim Mitoz
"@MovieSonic 1234 LOL its because they have fused gengetone with trap. Thats why they've called it gengetrap in their title up there. Isnt it funny how they hopped into the gengetone sound because they saw its potential while other people were busy creating twerking videos? Now they are trying to expound on it to find their own  style in the gengetone sound that will set them apart from the rest."
-snip-
Several other commenters in this Matata discussion thread and in other Matata video discussion threads compared this group with the African American Hip Hop/Trap trio Migos. Here's some information about Migos from https://www.biography.com/musician/migos
"Migos is a hip-hop trio from Lawrenceville, Georgia, comprised of family members Quavo, Offset and Takeoff. Known as purveyors of trap music, the group has ignited global trends like the dab — the head-dropped arm-bent dance — and their mixtapes and videos have gone viral."...

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10. Nelson David
"Taking Kenya music world wide ..big up guys😘"

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11. Moreen Mwendwa
"I love how they keep their lyrics clean and their music videos are next level🤗🤗"

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12. Dan Trainer
"Matata,

Choreography 100%

Bars 100%

Creativity 100%

Entertainment 120%"

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14. Lorian Mona Atieno Okong'o
"This is so beautiful! The Video is a Very creative display of Modern Afrocentrism. Aaand, the GengeTrap tune? Big, Big guys."

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15. PhilSide
"Hakuna genge hapa hii ni Trap"
-snip-
Google translate from Swahili to English:
"No gang here this is Trap"
-snip-
"Gang" is the Swahili direct translation for the word "genge". However, in that comment "genge" is a  Sheng word that refers to a specific type (or types) of music.

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16. Dennis Mwenda
"Video ni dope, ngoma ni dope. Amazing talent all through 100%"
-snip-
Swahili to English translation of "ni" = is; ngoma = song or dance;

"Dope" here has its African American Vernacular English meaning of "very good".

**
M M Micheni
17. "Matata taking cinematography to the next level."

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18. Epic Stevens
"Giving credit where it’s due. The visuals are stunning, the song is just a banger💯"

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19. Lilo N.
"someone call mpasho and tell them how Matata are taking gengetone to the next level"
-snip-
Here's information about Mpasho from  https://mpasho.co.ke/
"Mpasho, The Number one freshest Kenyan entertainment news site, for all your fashion news, music news, videos, celebrity news and Lifestyle News."

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20. KAMKAN LIMASHEP
"You have leveled up guys, I like this gengetrap🔥🔥🔥"

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21. Dj Joe Mtrue
"Different kind of dope."

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22. Kevin khago
"this guys are lit...taking Kenyan music to the next level"

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24. Liz Wambui
"This song is mind blowing,everything matata touches turns into Gold walaaa"

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25. JULIAS ARKADI
"Visuals manze!!!!! And my love for trap!. Guys you made my day"
-snip-
"Manze" is probably a stylized form of the colloquial referent "man".

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26. Milch Shake
"THIS IS GOING TO BE THE OFFICIAL RURACIO ANTHEM PLAYED IN ALL RURACIOS/KOITOS 🇰🇪🎶👌🏾"

-snip-
From https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Koito

"Koito ("To give away")^[1] is a Kalenjin wedding ritual which involves the negotiation of a brides dowry"-snip-
From https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kalenjin_people
The Kalenjin are a group of Southern Nilotic tribes indigenous to East Africa, residing mainly in what was formerly the Rift Valley Province in Kenya. They number 6,358,113 individuals as per the Kenyan 2019 census. They are divided into nine culturally and linguistically related sub-tribes: Kipsigis, Nandi, Keiyo, Marakwet, Sabaot, Pokots, Tugen, Terik and Ogiek.^[2] They speak Kalenjin languages, which belong to the Nilotic language family"...
**
27. Capital FM Kenya
"Good music + Great visuals = Matata 🔥🔥🔥"

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28. maki Michael
"Yoh. The whole thing is awesome. I mean audio, video you guys are taking kenya somewhere. Gengetrap is a good idea for the inventor💯💯.

Then i think if you would have done it in english and swahili would have been much better. Because the pick of the story is in kikuyu in which I've just understand it through comments.

Anyway congratulations great work guys"
-snip-
MATATA's songs are rapped/sung in Sheng.  Click http://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2015/05/an-introduction-to-kenyas-sheng.html for a 2015 pancocojams posts on Sheng.

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29. William Nzeli
"Sheng +Trap =SHRAP #shraptotheworld #shraplife 🔥🔥"

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30. Tim Mitoz
"I like how you guys are trying to experiment and blend different sounds apart from gengetone. So far you guys and Chris Kaiga are the ones bringing in fresh tunes from just experimenting sounds in Kenya 🇰🇪🇰🇪🇰🇪.. Keep it up!"

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31. Munene Kirimi
"Finally musicians who are setting new standards.

Its time the Kenyan music scene left the comfort zone."

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32. Joy Kinyua
"Kenya isn't even ready for you!! We don't even deserve y'all😂. The choreography, cinematography, storyline...too much!! You are enough prove that we can still have clean gengetone music and good music in general. #TeamMatataAllTheWay.”…

Wow you guys 👏🏿👌🏿"

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33. Tito kenya
"#kenyan trap next big artists"

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34. Davy Raphael
"Fact that these guys arent in Kenya makes their songs slap harder😍😍😍"

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35. Joel Watatua
"Pure creativity! No need for nudity or vulgarity to make it in the scene. I like it."

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36. Paul Norman
"Clean videos like these🔥🔥🔥💯"

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37. Nelson Mecha
"I always told my fellow Kenyans that they were underrating “MATATA”,.. you guys are liiit 🔥 🔥,.."

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38, AplainEast Official
"Who Took This Video He Is Flames🔥,Lines Are Perfect Though Message Some Popped Out Of Lane But Still Is Lit ...🔥🔥🔥🔥 Production Always Kwa Point 🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥(Is Litttttttt!!!!!🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥) The African Chant Is Also Fire 🔥🔥🔥🔥(Creativity Is Flames) .... (Keep On Grinding Matata)🔥🙌🏽"

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39, James Ian
"Eish. Vida imeenda shule"
-snip-
Google translate from Swahili to English: "video has gone to school"

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40. CPA Robert Mwangi
"Your videos are always of high qualities, from production, directing, lighting, everything, so professionally done"

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41. shavanga davies
"This is super amazing. The choreography behind it, is top notch. You brought a different touch in the industry. 💯"

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42. Sam Kinyua
"Eish!!! Mad visuals, sick beats and top shelf choreography. MATATA never disappoint!!!Hii GengeTrap imeweza."
-snip-
Read a definition for the exclamation "Eish!" in the comment section for this post.
Here's one definition for the exclamation "Eish!"
from https://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=Eish

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43. Benson Njenga
"This is a piece of Art.... Beautiful"

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44. Enock Khapoya
"This here is a gamechanger👌🏿👌🏿 love the visuals, the beats, the music itself. I'm hooked maguyz👊🏿"

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45. Evangelical Poet
"This guys are so creative, best of all the gengetone around"

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46. Nelly Waruguru
"Now we are talking, another video I can finally share with my friends continue coming with the heat, we are here to support you and thank you for not loosing the Kenyan in you 🥰🥰🥰🥰🥰"

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47. Johnny Rhymes official
"Eish..!!

I love this crew

Everything on fleek

Swagg straight to the ceiling

#kenyan migos"

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48. Roy Mweri
"Waah... You guys make me skip that "hakuna Matata" part of the lion King  song😂😂😂 coz waah Mii sioni life bila Matata y'all fire 🔥🔥🔥🔥"
-snip-
Google translate from Swahili to English- "Mii sioni life bila Matata"' "I don't see life without Matata".

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49. Maxwell Adira
"Content safi creativity hatari"
-snip-
Swahili word "safi"= "fresh"; "hatari" = "dangerous"

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50. Alex Gichiri"And who directed this song..🔥🔥🔥this video is maaad🙌🙌🙌.."

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51. jenn wahu
"Them BARZZZZ!!!!!!!!!! 🔥 🔥 It’s MATATA!!! & U   Can’t tell me nothing!!!!  🇰🇪 254  to the world 🌎"
-snip-
In this comment "bars"refers to the rapper's lyrics. "Them BARZZZ!!!!" means that the lyrics (and the way of delivering them) is very good.  "254" =county code for Kenya; "Kenya to the world" is a declaration/boast that Kenya's music deserves worldwide attention.

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52. ELMUSO SNEH
"LOVE THIS GUYS.VERY UNPREDICTABLE"

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53. Rhena Adhis
"The concept for your videos and execution is always on point"

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54. Antonio Kaberia
"Keep it kenya....Nice vibe Genge Trap to the world"

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55. Willyken Karithi
"New invention who has heard of genge "trap"before pure creativity no copies

New hit makers for sure"

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56. cia juliett
"I cannot beleive how much matata are a hit and are not even in Kenya😂😂😂👐😍😍anyway Hakuna Matata"

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57. TUNA salad
"This song makes me wanna tell corona to wash its hands"

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