Reggie Stepper- "Kimbo King" What Are The Lyrics For This 1990 Jamaican Dancehall Song?

ladydontekno, Feb 22, 2009

Another dancehall classic!

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Edited by Azizi Powell

Latest revision - February 24, 2026 

This pancocojams post showcases a YouTube sound file of the 1990 Jamaican Dancehall record "Kimbo King" by Reggie Stepper. That title is also written as "Kim-Bo King".

This post also includes my attempt to transcribe the words for Reggie Stepper's song "Kimbo King". Please add your additions and corrections to this draft transcription.

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

All copyrights remain with their owners.

Thanks to Reggie Stepper for his musical legacy. Thanks to the publisher of this sound file. Thanks also to all those who are quoted in this post. 

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PANCOCOJAMS EDITOR'S NOTE: Updated Feb.24, 2026
I woke up this morning with this song in my head. I thought the title was "Original King And Queen", but thanks to Google Search, I found this song's actual title.

Although there are several sound files of "Kimbo King" on YouTube and YouTube showcases some other songs by Reggie Stepper, the only YouTube videos (not sound files) that I found of of Reggie Stepper singing "Kimbo King" or any other examples of his songs are two 2025 YouTube video shorts
- https://youtube.com/shorts/YsKHZxBAqY0?si=I90cjbx7VvU3rfz  

  https://youtube.com/shorts/ojpv9C7OX0Y?si=nERuGarNye3KTcsy 

and a 2025 YouTube video of Reggie Stepper singing a number of his songs, including "Kimbo King"- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ch9Rp6Ehila "Reggie Stepper | Episode | Yardstyle Live Presents ‪@MusicPhillreggaeshow"., published by YardstyleLiveshow, Premiered Jul 9, 2025 (7:00 – 8:49 of that video.) 

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As of Feb. 24, 2026 I still haven't found any online  lyrics for Reggie Stepper's "Kimbo King" besides my partial attempted transcription. 

The only other lyrics that I found online for Reggie Stepper's song "Kimbo King" are WRONG. 

Although attributed to Reggie Stepper, the lyrics and song summary that are found on https://sonichits.com/video/Reggie_Stepper/Kimbo_King and on at least one other website are in a non-English language and "explores the theme of yearning for a lost love. The song is filled with emotions of longing and regret as the protagonist ruminates over the relationship that has slipped away.". That is definitely NOT the lyrics to and a summary for Reggie Stepper's "Kimbo King" dancehall classic.

The original 2023 version of this pancocojams post presented my speculation that Reggie Stepper's "Kimbo King" is about men and women who spend their time hanging out in the "hood", watching the sights, hustling, enjoying themselves, and instigating trouble. I think that may still be correct.

But my guess was that "kimbo king" and "kimbo queen" have the same meaning as "rude boys" or maybe "kimbo kings"/"kimbo queens" are what rude boys and rude girls are called when they are no longer teenagers. Click https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rude_boy for a definition of the Jamaican term "rude boy."

I believe that my guess about that is WRONG.

Instead, if I had listened to the song more closely-regardless to how difficult that is for my ears that aren't familiar to Jamaican pronunciation of English, I would have realized that Reggie Stepper uses the terms "kimbo king" and "kimbo queens" as referents for lazy people (unproductive people) who hang around the streets doing nothing and contributing nothing positive to their community.

A number of comments in the discussion thread for the video that is embedded above mention that this song is about lazy people.

Also, thanks to Anonymous August 21, 2024 at 9:52 AM for his comment added to this post's discussion thread:
"No he’s telling a story about lazy people.

He said it in the intro…"
-end of quote-

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"Original" in the lyrics "Original kimbo king" means "authentic" (i.e. real), not "first".
-snip-

I should also mention that I retained my comments about the meanings of 'akimbo" that I shared based on my trying to suss out the meaning of the word "kimbo" in this Jamaican dancehall song. I still think that the word "akimbo" is the source of the term "kimbo" in this dancehall song, mostly because the two words are spelled and sound so much alike. But also I'm leaning toward the idea that these two words are connected in this song because of two main online examples:

-the way the host of the 2025 YouTube video showcasing Reggie Stepper singing some of his hits- including "Kimbo King"- kept putting his hands on his hips in an akimbo stance while he was dancing when Reggie Stepper was singing "Kimbo King". Reggie also put one hand on his hip at one point while he was singing this song.  [That link and that time stamp are given above).

and

-the fact that Reggie Stepper (or some other Black man) is shown with one hand on his hip in the record cover that is used for the Stepper's song "Kimbo King" [1992 release in France- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p1VZflraXUU 

I wonder if doing the akimbo (both hands on the hips with the elbows pointed outward) was a regular element of the dance that was done for the "Kimbo King" song.

If so, what did that akimbo stance mean? Did it just reflect the singer's annoyance with the lazy people who were hanging around the street, or did the use of "kimbo" describes how the lazy men and lazy women are seated.

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This is the end of this Feb. 24, 2026  update for this post. This post now returns to the original Pancocojams Editor's Note.

Several YouTube discussion threads about Reggie Stepper's "Kimbo King" include comments which describe that song as a dancehall classic. I definitely agree. As such, the real, complete lyrics for this song and a verified accurate description of that song deserve to be online.

Please share your additions and corrections of my attempted transcription of this song and my definition of "kimbo king"/"kimbo queen".

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LYRICS - KIMBO KING (draft transcription)* 
(by Reggie Stepper)

 […]

I wanna get this song out to all the people around the world
I fire this one to all the people around the world

Boom!
Original kimbo king uuuuhhhhhh
 Kimbo queen and a king uuuuhhhh
Original kimbo king uuuuhhhhhh
Kimbo queen and a king uuuuhhhh
They wanna laze around sittin uuhhhh
they want to do nothing uuuhhh
they’re fond of money making uuuhhh
And fond of kimbo watchin uuuhhh
and they pon de corner ah pure posing. uuuhhh.
And in the mix of every ting uuuhhh
 Nuff people business watching  uuuhhh

[…]

They live in Brooklyn
And they make they’re livin
We call dem Kimbo King!!!

[…]

 Kimbo Kimbo what fon a kimbo
Tell you what work and I tell you who I am

[…]

They full of passion
One time gone we call em lazy man
One time gone we call em lazy woman
But now days we have a different passion
Original kimbo king uuuuhhh
Kimbo queen and a king uuuuhhhh
Original kimbo king uuuuhhhhhh,
Kimbo queen and a king uuuuhhhh
He went to work last Saturday
I let him know that this is Thursday

[...]
-snip-
*This is my draft transcription of this song.

Thanks in advance to all those who help document the lyrics for this dancehall classic by adding those words to this pancocojams comment section below and/or to the YouTube discussion threads for this song.
   
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SELECTED DISCUSSION THREAD COMMENTS 
I listened to sound files of this song multiple times to arrive at my attempted partial transcription of Reggie Stepper's 1990 Dancehall classic "Kimbo King". However, since I'm not Jamaican and don't know any Jamaicans or anyone familiar with Jamaican Patois, I admit that I probably will never get all the words to this song without some help. 

Here are some comments from the  YouTube discussion thread for the sound file that is embedded in this pancocojams post. These comments are either lines from that song or explanations about what that song is about.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zeiki-obkvM 

1.@evertzinho, 2013
"Pon de corner ah pure posing.. ... Nuff people business watching... always in ah mix-up an' ting.  We call dem Kimbo King!!!"

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2.  @miriamstuart7343, 2014
"Original Kimbo King, Kimbo Queen and a king wow"

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3. @tyestbarnhart2115, 2016
"Dem bout sum damn lazy ting!! lmfao"

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4.  @TheV6MaSTer, 2017
"original kimbo king uuuuhhhhhh, drum pan sound uuuuhhhhh"
-snip-
"Drum Pan" is another song by Reggie Stepper that has this same Stalag riddim and includes that "uuuuhhh" refrain.

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5. @sircedricgardner7757, 2017
"One time gone that a lazy mon"

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6. @sircedricgardner7757, 2018
"Eye hustle and beg for money and don’t want to grow or add to society"

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B-Boying & The Breakdance Project Uganda (Information & Videos)

Edited by Azizi Powell

This post provides general information about b-boying (breakdancing) and provides information and comments about Breakdance Project Uganda. Five Breakdance Project Uganda videos are also showcased in this post.

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

All copyrights remain with their owners.

Thanks to Abramz and all those involved in Breakdance Project Uganda. Thanks also to all those who are featured in this post, thanks to all those who are quoted in this post and thanks to the publishers of these examples on YouTube.

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INFORMATION ABOUT B-BOYING (BREAKDANCING)
From https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/B-boying
"B-boying or breaking, also called breakdancing, is a style of street dance that originated primarily among African American and Puerto Rican youth, many former members of the Black Spades, the Young Spades, and the Baby Spades, during the mid 1970s.[1] The dance spread worldwide due to popularity in the media, especially in regions such as the United Kingdom, Canada, Japan, Germany, France, Russia, and South Korea. While diverse in the amount of variation available in the dance, b-boying consists of four kinds of movement: toprock, downrock, power moves, and freezes. B-boying is typically danced to hip-hop, funk music, and especially breakbeats, although modern trends allow for much wider varieties of music along certain ranges of tempo and beat patterns.

A practitioner of this dance is called a b-boy, b-girl, or breaker. Although the term "breakdance" is frequently used to refer to the dance in popular culture and in the mainstream entertainment industry, "b-boying" and "breaking" are the original terms. These terms are preferred by the majority of the pioneers and most notable practitioners.[2][3]"...

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INFORMATION ABOUT BREAKDANCE PROJECT UGANDA AND THE BOUNCING CATS DOCUMENTARY
From https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bouncing_Cats
"Bouncing Cats is a 2010 documentary film written and directed by Australian director and photographer Nabil Elderkin. The film follows the efforts of Abraham "Abramz" Tekya and Breakdance Project Uganda (BPU) to use dance to empower youth in war-torn Uganda. The film is a testimony of Crazy Legs of Rock Steady Crew and his experiences in the BPU program. The film features narration by Common and additional interviews with Mos Def, will.i.am and K'Naan. Also appearing in the film is Okot Jolly Grace, whose guidance enabled the filmmakers to see and understand the plight of children in northern Uganda. [1]

Synopsis

Bouncing Cats is the story of one man's attempt to create a better life for the children of Uganda using the unlikely tool of hip-hop with a focus on b-boy culture and breakdance. Abraham "Abramz" Tekya, a Ugandan b-boy and an AIDS orphan creates a free workshop teaching youth b-boy culture to 300 disenfranchised kids living in precarious conditions in Kampala in 2006, and in Gulu in North Uganda. …

Crazy Legs receives an invitation from Abramz to teach b-boy classes in Uganda. He accepts to join the program and is inspired by the passion for hip-hop by the kids enrolled in it. Bouncing Cats follows Abramz, Crazy Legs, and Breakdance Project Uganda on a journey to use hip-hop culture for positive social change.

In terms of the title, Bouncing Cats "is the sound made by the kids in Uganda when they have no access to a boombox,” according to the film's director, Nabil Elderkin, “Using 'bouncing cats, baboons and cats' in repetition, they create their own beat.” [3]

Breakdance Project Uganda

Breakdance Project Uganda started in February 2006 by Abramz out of his belief that hip hop can be used as a tool to engage and empower disadvantaged youth. Its mission is to involve young people in hip hop culture in order to build leadership skills and promote social responsibility for positive change. From the initial three students who turned up at the first session, the Project has grown through word of mouth, regular showcase performances, and exposure on the World Wide Web to become a thriving organization with over 1,000 members nationally in Uganda and many more supporters around the world....

"Proceeds from the film benefit Breakdance Project Uganda".
-snip-
A clip of the Bouncing Cat documentary is given below as Example #5. The full Bouncing Cats documentary can be found on YouTube at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L99OIJk6zoc https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L99OIJk6zoc. Hopefully, having the documentary on YouTube helps advertise it so that people can still purchase it.

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SHOWCASE EXAMPLES
These videos are presented in chronological order based on their publishing date on YouTube with the oldest dated video given first.

Example #1: kids teaching kids how to breakdance, Uganda (BPU)



Abramz, Uploaded on Nov 9, 2007

Breakdance project Uganda (BPU) is grooming teachers right from the tender age.
In Breakdance project Uganda, everyone is a teacher and everyone is a student.
You learn something free of charge, you teach somebody else free of charge.

All the members of this project are directly involved in expanding and sustaining it since everyone plays a role of passing on skills to others.

You don't have to know a lot to teach, you can share the little you have with those who don't have it.

BREAKDANCE PROJECT UGANDA
'breakdance for positive social change'
-snip-
Selected comments from this video's discussion thread:
imagedance, 2009
"Man this is dope. My Dad is from Uganda and I was born in Kenya. Dance professionally and this is what I had in mind for Africa. Glad to see someone has started something BIG for the Mother/home-land. Much love and respect and I shall be there soon!"
-snip-
"Dope" is an African American Vernacular English word that means "very good".

**
Danwlsns, 2010
"This should be Sharing centre in Kampala Uganda. This place groomed me from 1987-1996. I am very grateful to Father Fleskens (deceased) who set up the place for the less priviledged young people of Nsambya, Kibuli, Katwe etc. I now live and work in the Netherlands.
-snip-
The word "should" may be a typo for "could".

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Example #2: Breakdance Project Uganda kids at 2009 Brave Festival, Poland. Pt 1



Abramz, Uploaded on Jul 19, 2009

Breakdance Project Uganda kids performing at Brave Festival at Rynek in Wroclaw, Poland in july 2009.

BREAKDANCE PROJECT UGANDA
-snip-
Selected comments from this video's discussion thread:
43470anbetsi, 2009
"Thanks to Salesians the children could come to Poland."

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CRYKIT , 2010
"LOVE IT! I teach breaking at after school programs in San Francisco and I must say it is such an amazing opportunity to showcase in another country!!!! I respect and appreciate the work you have done for your community!!! ONE LOVE!
-Crykit..aka Bgirl Crix"

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liluprawk, 2010
"very dope i love that my people from the motherland is doing hiphop MIKEYICE
ZULU NATION united states..1 LOVE

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sltruong3, 2010
"Thanks to the SIFF for showing 'Imani', the Uganda film that exposed me to this project. It's awesome!"

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Example #3: Breakdance Project Uganda

.

jonsmithman, Uploaded on Nov 4, 2009

Breakdance Project Uganda is an organization teaching the kids of Uganda how to, well, breakdance. It's friggin' awesome. We were lucky enough to sit in on one of their sessions.

matteoT100, 2010
"dope bboys in africa, bboys everywhere"

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Kristabelle1, 2010
"Heeeeeeeeey I remember this spot!! I danced right here with you guys, a wonderful experience, again so uplifting Abramz, all the best to you and all the crews you dance with :)"

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bboymcKick, 2011
"great energy and flow! Keep it breakin' :-)"

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Jean-Gustave Nsabiyera, 2011
"Respect for Ugandan bboy and all african Bboys. Keep breakin'

JazzyTem, 2014
"Its like bronx hip hop in early 80th.Hip hop as it is. Big props from Russia.Keep ROCKING"
-snip-
"Props", an African American English clip of the word "proper", means to give someone his or her proper respect, acknowledgement, praise. "Big props" means a lot of props. Read the comment below and the explanation for "Big up".

**
Realtalk MyBrother, 2015
"Big Up My African Brothers..... EXCELLENT"
-snip-
"Big Up" is a Jamaican colloquial expression of respect, acknowledgement, praise, and/or encouragement.

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Example #4: ROCK STEADY CREW IN UGANDA, AFRICA



Abramz, Uploaded on Feb 7, 2010

The legendary Rock Steady Crew (Crazy Legs, Ynot and Servin Irvin) at Breakdance Project Uganda (BPU) Community show in Kisenyi slum, Kampala, Uganda in march 2008 when they came to visit BPU and to teach in some of the communities where they have activities running.

BPU is an organization which uses Breaking and other elements of Hiphop to promote positive social change and social responsibility among young people.

Breakdance Project Uganda
"Breaking (breakdance) for positive social change"

breakdanceuganda@yahoo.com

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Example #5: Bouncing Cats - Break Dance Project Uganda



Infinit3 Records, Uploaded on Jan 24, 2011

tobiasstelter, 2011
"Can hip-hop show the way towards liberty of a nation? In Uganda it can: The “Breakdance Project Uganda” is becoming movement for youngsters, who suffered from war and tyranny for years. Music gives them power and autonomy. Our author visited the kids – find his story in our new Red Bull lifestyle mag “Red Bulletin”. Take a glance online on our website. Or grab it at the kiosk if you go for it."

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tschecker002, 2011
"So great film...want to look it - Can anyone tell me whats the music at 0:30 and 1:40 ?"

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Reply
tschecker002, 2011
"@ALL Guys: the song at 1:40-end is K'naan - Take A Minute.
Know anybody the other one at 0:30 ?"

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AndieWorldFlava, 2011
in reply to tschecker002
"@tschecker002 It's Road To Zion by Damian Marley & Nas"

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The Cameroon & Ugandan Record "Chill" (With Commenters' Use Of African American & Jamaican Slang

Edited by Azizi Powell

This post is part of a continuing series on pancocojams about African American Vernacular English.

This post presents two videos of the Cameroonian and Ugandan collaborative record "Chill" by Gasha featuring Eddy Keno. "Gasha" is from the Cameroons, West Africa and Eddy Keno is from Uganda, East Africa.

In addition to showcasing this song and its official video, this post focuses on the use by a number of commenters in the videos' discussion threads of African American Vernacular English (AAVE) and/or Jamaican slang.

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

Thanks to Gasha and Eddy Keno for this song. Thanks also to all those who are quoted in this post and thanks to the producers of these videos and their publishers on YouTube.

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EDITOR'S COMMENTS
My secondary focus in this post is on the use of African American Vernacular English (AAVE) and/or Jamaican slang in the YouTube discussion thread of Gasha & Eddy Keno's record "Chill". In the context of the title of this collaborative Cameroonian and Ugandan Afrobeat song, "chill" means "to relax and enjoy oneself". In other contexts the AAVE word "chill" may also mean "stop" [and continue to maintain you self-control in the face of provocation.]

By no means is this the only non-American or non-Jamaican discussion thread that includes African American Vernacular English and/or Jamaican slang.

From my reading, it appears that "cool" is by far the most widely used African American Vernacular English (AAVE) word in non-American (USA) YouTube video discussion threads. In the context of those comments, "cool" probably means something "hip" (very good, very up to date). While "cool" and "hip" are sometimes still used by White Americans, those slang words have rarely been used by African Americans since at least the 1980s. Instead, we have replaced that meaning of the word "cool" with a number of other AAVE words or phrases. Among those words and phrases (given in no particular order) are "sick", "dope", "off the hook", "off the chain", "on fire", and "on point".

African Americans also created the widely used slang term "killed it" (slayed, murdered) to mean "doing something or having done something extremely well", i.e. "He killed that beat". Some of these Black American originated slang terms are also used by (apparently non-American) commenters in this focus video's discussion thread and in some other contemporary non-Anerican video discussion threads.

I believe that the referent "bro" [or "brother"] and "sister" in these comments also are examples of African American cultural influence on non-African Americans. Given African inter-ethnic rivalry, it's hopefully a good sign that people living in that continent are willing to consider people who aren't members of your ethnic group as their brothers or sisters.

From my reading of various YouTube video discussion threads, it appears that "Big up" is the Jamaican slang phrase that is most often used by non-Caribbean commenters. That phrase is found in the comment threads for Gasha's and Eddy Keno's "Chill" video which is the focus of this post.

The Jamaican slang use of the singular word "Respect" [as an indication of props/big ups] is also found in those videos' discussion threads. The contemporary colloquial meanings of "Big Up" and "Respect" is to elevate, applaud, congratulate (give props -give the proper praise to) someone for something that he or she has done very well.

"Massive" (meaning big, as in "a really big hit"), "tune" (meaning "song") and "one love" are other Jamaican terms that are found in this video's discussion thread and that I found in other some other discussion threads of contemporary African videos.

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FEATURED VIDEOS AND SELECTED COMMENTS (with some slang word explanations)
Read #2# and #4 for explanations of this song. This exchange is an exception to my focus in this post on selected examples of comments that include African American or Jamaican colloquial terms. I assigned all of these comments for referencing purposes only. All of these comments are from 2015. These comments may not be given in consecutive order.

Example #1: Gasha - Chill ft Eddy Kenzo (Official HD)



Afro Nation TV, Published on Feb 24, 2015

Gasha, on this super hit With Eddy Kenzo! Shot in Cameroon, Bonaberi Douala, Savour Africa, get a sneak peak of what Cameroon has to offer!! Bamenda Oyee!! #Njang Oyee!! Enjoy, live,laugh,love, #CHILL.
-snip-
"Bamenda" is a city in Cameroon, West Africa.
-snip-
Selected comments:
1. Binta Kila
"to me this song is so dope but i still cant understand the video. wats d story behind d video ,please some explain it to me. then the picture quality is not the best but this two did a wonderfull job . kudos !!"
-snip-
"dope" = very good

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2. Lena Liz
Reply
+Binta Kila The song is about a girl (Gasha), who bring a guy she is going to marry (Kenzo,) home to meet her family and friends. She is singing girl talk to him, about stuff she would like him to do for her once they get married.

He sings to back to her, telling her, that not only can he do all things for her, he will change her life.

**
3. Binta Kila
Reply
"OKII! thankss +Lena Liz"

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4. FineBoy NoMoney
"Gasha over like money!!! a boy comes to see u and the first thing u tell him is to buy you Aeroplane.you want to kill our
in-law???lol okay nice collabo.by the way..if Eddy Kenzo gives you only 2pikin, u can holla me for more. hahaha"
-snip-
"holla"= AAVE for "holler" (call)

**
5. A Thomas
"hands up for what africa is struggling to be>>>>
Gasha keep up babe
Rep the city and lift our flag up DOUALA/CAMEROON"
-snip-
"hands up" - AAVE gesture of appreciation ("wave your hands in the air"); "Doula" is the largest city in Cameroon, West Africa; "rep" (AAVE abbreviation for "represent"; "(continue) being a good representative of your city...)

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6. shikoohmyles
These Cameroon girls be killing it ♡♡♡ #AfricaRocks
-snip-
"be killing it" = doing an exceptional job

**
7.fashola daen
"Great stuff #Gasha do Cameroon proud the eddy kenzo collabo killed it #team237 #kamerforthemusic"

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8. Christelle Isabelle
Wow! OMG! this is good! bigup guys!

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9. okuomose okuns 4 months ago
Am feeling this collab.
-snip-
"I'm feeling" came from the African American Vernacular English (AAVE) saying "feelin the rhythm and feelin the vibes [vibrations- of the music].

**
10. Cccf Vvvvs
"Big up kenzo i love your songs listening from saudi arabia"

**
11. Kone Kadi 4 months ago
Cool j'aime trop
-snip-
Cool + French words "j'aime trop (English translation- I love this a lot.]

**
12. pablo escobar
"cool!i love it.check this out pple https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PfrGQEbqshE"

**
13. Jimmy Ashubwe
"eddy Kenzo. Man you are one different guy. Dont loose this style its true East African you going places brother."

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14. PHIL-PHAR D'AMSTADAM
"cool this bamenda girl"
-snip-
I believe this comment means "This Bamenda girl is cool".

**
15. Debel Ajiboye
"I am a Nigerian and I am just knowing about Gasha through this song. OMG! She is really talented. What a talented female artist Cameroon got. Big up Kenzo for futuring her, she killed the song with her opera voice, you must indeed buy her an aeroplane like she said loool"

**
16. Georges MOMO
"Big up Gasha"

**
17. Oscar Oscar03
"Bt dee prblm my sista s dat it doesn't hv English subtitles hencee I cnt undstnd so cn u help meh plz wit its translation"
-snip-
This sentence is purposely written with contemporary American spelling without any punctuation marks. In Standard English the sentence is "But the problem my sister is that it doesn't have [any] English subtitles. Hence [therefore] I can't understand [it]. So could you help me please with its translation?

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Example #2: Chill - Gasha ft. Eddy Kenzo [Official HD]



Eddy Kenzo, Published on Feb 24, 2015

East meets Central, UGANDA meets Cameroon, EDDY KENZO and Gasha merge brains to bring out greatness of AFRICA.
-snip-
Selected comments:
1. simon mario
"Cool"

**
2. Denis Ssenyondo
"Bro Thts Wht we call internal"

**
3. Gnoan Jean Roland Bnié
"you are and will be one the best singer of Africa the way you use to do your music it's not like other.
i'm and will everytime be one of your fans. Big up to you Mister Eddy may God bless you more and more"

**
4. Muke Alison
awww my boo, Gasha. soo proud of you gurl. I am addicted to this song. You and Kenzo killed it #TeamCameroon #Team237
-snip-
"boo" means "girlfriend" (from the African American pronunciation of the French word "beau")

**
5. jerome nsubuga
"Thanks for making Uganda be known worldwide bro am also walking on my mixtape and I hope its the same"

**
6. berkatende@yahoo.com Bkk
"massive tune. Bernarzo say so."

**
7. perlerareblack
"Chill bae <3<3 team Africa#237"
"bae"= best friend

**
8. hajati sem
"Kenzo this is the best collabo and the video is off the hook! African kabisa."

**
9. barla same
"Thanks Gasha to bring Eddie Home and product this great African song.RESPECT!!"

**
10. Bilola Ndibuli
"Good job!
ONE LOVE..."

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Mention Of "Bruck" Or "Brucking" (Physical moves) Included In Examples Of Jamaican Children's Singing Games Published in 1922

Edited by Azizi Powell

December 27, 2019 - revised title

This pancocojams post provides two examples of Jamaican children's singing games that mention "bruck" or "brucking" that are included in the 1922 book Folk-Games of Jamaica collected by Martha Warren Beckwith with music notated by Helen H. Roberts. Both of those examples include the word "bruck" as a type of dance or another type of movement.

These examples are significant because they document that the word "bruck" was used as a dance or movement term in Jamaica long before the advent of the 1990s "bruk up" dance that was created and popularized by the dancer known by that name (Bruck Up"/George Adams). And these examples also document that the word "bruck" was used in Jamaica long before the 2012 Dancehall record "Bruk It Down" by Mr. Vegas. That said, it's my guess that the movement referred to as "bruck" in the singing games in that 1922 book was probably the same as or similar to the Caribbean movement known as "wining" [gyrating your hips] rather than the dance moves now known as "bruk up" or "bruk it down", dance moves which aren't the same thing. "Bruk up"= more contortionist pantomining storytelling, and "bruk it down" = twerking.

The Addendum of this post includes links to a "bruk up" video and the above mentioned "Bruk It Down" video. Excerpts from two articles about "bruk up" and "flex" dancing are also included in the Addendum.

The content of this post is provided for folkloric, cultural, historical, and aesthetic reasons.

All copyrights remains with their owners.

Thanks to the Jamaican children whose singing games are featured in this 1922 book. Thanks also to Martha Warren Beckwith and Helen H. Roberts for their field work and editing this book. Thanks also to those who published Folk-Games of Jamaica on the internet.

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NOTES ABOUT THESE EXAMPLES
These examples are given as found online, including the asterisks with the exception of the citation of the source.
.

The words in parenthesis are place names in Jamaica where the example was collected.

The notes given below the example are citations of other examples of similar songs.

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FEATURED SINGING GAME #1
Bluebird

(Bethlehem.)

Outside, Bluebell, through the window,
Outside, Bluebell, through the window,
Inside, Bluebell, through the window,
Tra-la-la-la-la.

Outside, Bluebell, through the window,
Inside, Bluebell, through the window,
Welcome, Bluebell, through the window,
Tra-la-la-la-la.

Pick a little Bluebell, through the window,
Pick a little Bluebell, through the window,
Pick a little Bluebell, through the window,
Tra-la-la-la-la.

Pick a little Bluebell and pat her on the shoulder,
Pick a little Bluebell and pat her on the shoulder,
Pick a little Bluebell and pat her on the shoulder,
Tra-la-la-la-la.

Then you ride little Bluebell, through the window,
Then you ride little Bluebell, through the window,
Then you ride little Bluebell, through the window,
Tra-la-la-la-la.

Then you run little Bluebell, through the window,
Then you run little Bluebell, through the window,
Then you run little Bluebell, through the window,
Tra-la-la-la-la.

Then you wheel little Bluebell, through the window,
Then you wheel little Bluebell, through the window,
Then you wheel little Bluebell, through the window,
Tra-la-la-la-la.

Then you bruck little Bluebell, through the window,
Then you bruck little Bluebell, through the window,
Then you bruck little Bluebell, through the window,
Tra-la-la-la-la.

The players form a circle, Little Bluebell runs in and out of
the circle according to the words of the song, then "picks" a part-
ner and "pats," "rides," "runs," "wheels" and "bruks" with her
while all sing. The partner chosen becomes "Little Bluebell" in
the next game.

47 Newell, 118; Gardner (Michigan), JAFL 33, 94.

Source: http://archive.org/stream/Folk-gamesOfJamaica/FolkGamesJamaica_Beckwith_84pgs51310747_djvu.txt
Folk-Games of Jamaica Collected by Martha Warren Beckwith with music recorded in the field by Helen H. Roberts, Vassar College, Poughkeepsie, New York, 1922, Example #60, pages 69-70

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FEATURED SINGING GAME #2 : Mother Roland's Daughter

(J. Christiana.)

De grass so green, de lemon on de tree,
De bunch ob roses fallin' down,
Turn to de east an* turn to de west,
An* turn to de pretty little somber gal.
Take a lily an* a lily white rose,
Give her a-cross de ocean,
Give her a kiss an* a one, two, free,
An* bruck Mudder Rolan's daughter.

Bruck Mudder Rolan's daughter,

Bruck Mudder Rolan's daughter,

Bruck Mudder Rolan', bruck Mudder Rolan',

Bruck Mudder Rolan's daughter.

b. (Ballard's Valley.)

The grass so green, the lemon on the tree,
The bunch of roses we all can see.
Turn to the east, turn to the west,
Turn to the very one you love the best.
Oh, take a lily an* a lily-white girl,
And skip her across the ocean,
Give her a kiss and a one, two, three,
And jig Mother Roland's daughter.

(1) Jig Mother Roland's daughter,
Jig Mother Roland's daughter,

Jig Mother Roland, jig Mother Roland,
Jig Mother Roland silly girl.

(2) Dip Mother Roland's daughter. . . .

(3) Bruck Mother Roland's daughter . . .

(4) Wheel Mother Roland's daughter. . . .

Players join hands in a ring, two inside. All dance and sing.
At line six, the two in the center choose two out of the ring and
"skip," "jig," "dip," "brack,*" and "wheel" with them according
to the words of the song, which may be varied to suit the players.

48 "Rosy Apple, Lemon and Pear," Gomme II, 117; Udal (Dorsetshire), Folk-
lore Journal 7, 210; County Folk-lore (Suffolk), 64; (Surrey) Folk-lore Record 5, 85.
Cf. "Tread, tread the Green Grass*' and "Uncle John," Newell, 50, 72. In some
Versions, the name of the player is substituted for "Madame Roland." In Dorset-
shire, the song runs "old mother's runaway daughter"; in Suffolk it reads "Mrs.
Kilburn's daughter."

Source: http://archive.org/stream/Folk-gamesOfJamaica/FolkGamesJamaica_Beckwith_84pgs51310747_djvu.txt
Folk-Games of Jamaica Collected by Martha Warren Beckwith with music recorded in the field by Helen H. Roberts, Vassar College, Poughkeepsie, New York, 1922, Example #61, pages 70-71
-snip-
"Brack" given in the directions for the singing game is probably a typo for “bruck”

"Wheel" means to spin around fast then stop and spin in the opposite direction.

"Jig" means to dance.

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PROBABLE MEANING OF "BRUCK" IN THESE SINGING GAMES
Based soley on the way that many contemporary Jamaicans dance at parties and clubs (as shown in dancehall videos), I think that it's likely that the word "bruck" in these Jamaican children's singing games refers to "wining" (gyrating their hips seductively) and/or doing a dance that is similar if not the same as what is now known as "twerking".

This definition for the contemporary Jamaican slang phrase "bruk it down" may be similar if thot of to the actions these children did while singing those songs:

From http://jamaicanpatwah.com/term/Bruk-It-Dung/1419#.VPi_mI3wtv4
"Bruk It Dung (Noun)

English Translation
Break It Down

Definition
Jamaican dance move similar to twerking in which the dancer shakes her hips in an up-and-down bouncing motion.

Example Sentences [none given]

Patois: bruk, bruk, bruk, bruk, bruk, bruk it dung!
English: Break, break, break, break, break, break it down!

Related Words
Wine, Daggering, Bubble, Dutty wine ,
posted by oneidamorgan on October 2, 2013
-snip-
Definition of "wine" from http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=wine
"form of dance, involves gyration of hips, can be slow or fast must always be sexy. performed to mainly west indian music like reggae, calypso and soca.

if you don't mind...would you take a wine with me?
by destra November 05, 2003
-snip-
It should be noted that in Jamaica the word "bruck"/"bruk" combined with an adverb doesn't always refer to dancing. For example, "Bruk out" [is a] Slang expression used to describe someone who acts unruly or rebellious". http://jamaicanpatwah.com/term/Bruk-out/1456#.VPi-lY3wtv4

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ADDENDUM
Link to a video about "Bruk Up" dance:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PLuYj9ZKxd4 Bruk Up origins (The movement) pt.1
Uploaded by by LBXdancers, on Apr 28, 2011
"The Bruck Up style was founded in Jamaica nd moved to NY around the yr 94'.
Bruck Up was founded by the man dancing in this named Bruck Up (George
Adams)... it has its own interpretation of animation (jamaican flavored) and storytelling.... with trademark moves such as the crabwalk, the shoulder pop, and many many more. Bruk Up (the original style) also has more looser movements tht look similar to Shotta dancing. Bruck Up in the current days incorporated waving, gliding, and bone breaking into the style for transitional purposes. The style has gradually evolved since then...'

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Excerpt from http://pitchfork.com/thepitch/332-bounce-ballroom/
"Bounce Ballroom: A Night of Voguing, Flexing, and Housing"
By Miles Raymer, May 2, 2014 at 5:30 p.m. EDT
..."Hot 97 DJ Bobby Konders represented dancehall for the night, with a group of Brooklyn bruk-up and flex dancers accompanying him from a tiered stage. Bruk-up is the Jamaican style that you might be familiar with if you’ve ever watched any dancehall music videos; flexing is its Brooklyn-born descendent that pushes impressionistic breakdance moves like the robot into the fully abstract realm. (You may have seen this New Yorker profile on flex dancer Storyboard P.) The combination is a study in contrasts: sinuousness versus twitchiness, vogue-like fluidity versus something like a hyper-exaggerated version of the robot. At least two of the dancers were double-jointed. A husky member of the troupe took a solo shirtless, the better to show off his girth. One of them lifted up his t-shirt to demonstrate the compellingly odd and kind of gross way he can suck his gut in. It was a small demonstration of the possibilities of the human body, which is in many ways the basic job of dance."
-snip-
Click http://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2014/01/06/the-impossible-body
Onward and Upward with the Arts January 6, 2014 Issue
The Impossible Body: Storyboard P, the Basquiat of street dancing.

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Excerpt from the New Yorker profile of flex dancer Storyboard P [That article includes one instance of profanity and one instance of a homophobic referent.]
The style ][Flex] originated in the nineties, in Jamaica, where a young dancer who called himself Bruck Up—patois for, roughly, “broken”—became famous despite, or perhaps because of, having suffered a bone infection in his right leg as a child. Bruck Up’s style, heavy on rubbery contortions, spread through Brooklyn reggae clubs around the turn of the century, giving rise to flex...

Storyboard builds on the tension between virtuosity and handicap in Bruck Up’s dancing; he creates a feeling of grace only to hobble it. He performs languorous twirls and glides, but fits of trembling motion give the impression that he moves under painful constraint"...

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Click https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v5EBrftUKBY for Mr. Vegas' "Bruk It Down"
[Warning: That video might be considered somewhat risque.]

Note that "bruck"/"bruk" aren't the same thing as the United States dance terms "buck" [the tap dance "buck and wing", or the clogging term "buck dancer" or the New Orleans Social Aid & Pleasure Clubs/second line term "buck jumpers", or the New Orleans Hip Hop/Majorette term "bucking" as
it is included in battle stands which have been popularized on the American television show "Bring It!".

Pancocojams posts on each of those subjects can be found by entering those terms in this blog's search engine.

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