Edited by Azizi Powell
Latest Update: Feb. 14, 2021 - title change
That post also showcases a YouTube sound file of the 1994 South African record "Tsiki Tsiki Yo" (also given as "Tsiki Tsiki" or "Tsikitsiki") by Kwaito pioneer singer, musician, and composer M'Du Masilela. Information about M'Du Masilela is included in this post.
Selected comments from this video's discussion thead are also included in this post.
for Part II of this pancocojams series. That post showcases the 2014 official YouTube video of the South African song "Tsiki Tsiki" by Duncan Skuva and a YouTube video the original videovy Duncan and the remix of that song by Duncan Skuva featuring Mampintsha, Professor & AKA.
That post also includes information about Focalistic, Vigro Deep, and Davido.
All copyrights remain with their owners.
Thanks to Focalistic Maradona, Vigro Deep, and Davido for their musical legacies. Thanks to all those who are quoted in this post.
LYRICS: KE STAR REMIX
(Focalistic Maradona & Davido)
Tju tju tju tju tju tju tju tju
Ase trap tse ke...
Ase trap tse ke pina tsako kasi
E wole, ye kowole (Mi bo mi bo)
Kowole ye kowole (Mi bo mi bo mi bo)
Kowole ye kowole (Elele, mii bo mi bo mi bo)
Kowole ye kowole (Elele lele, mii bo mi bo mi bo)
Tule
(Baddest)
Tule jare (Tule jor)
(Tule)
Chee!
Gege!
Oya na!
Ele!
[Verse: Davido]
Beta rest beta rest beta rest (Beta rest)
You don try e no do, bะตta rest (Beta)
Beta rะตst beta rest beta rest (Beta rest)
You don try e no do, beta rest (Beta)
Not intentional, nothing personal
Feel the pressure now when you come to my face (Come to my
face)
See as I spray the dollar now that's intentional,
international unconventional craze (Tule jor)
International craze
It goes down when my G's connect
No disconnect
I dey catch cruise forget
If you talk you collect
It goes down when my G's connect (Connect)
No disconnect
I dey catch cruise forget
If you talk you collect (Shekpe)
[Chorus: Focalistic]
Ene ke star, bare "Qim shelele!"
Midnight Mkhalele, tlako sebele, bula sekele
Ene ke star, bare "Qim shelele!" (It goes down
when my G's connect)
Midnight Mkhalele (No disconnect) tlako sebele
Bula sekele
[Post-Chorus: Focalistic & Davido]
Yho, yho, yho, yho, yho, yho (Tsikitsiki, tsikitsiki!)
Tsikitsiki, yho! tsikitsiki, yho! tsikitsiki, yho!
Yho, yho, yho, yho, yho, yho (Tsikitsiki, tsikitsiki!)
Tsikitsiki, yho! tsikitsiki, yho! tsikitsiki, yho!
Yho, yho, yho, yho, yho, yho (Tsikitsiki, tsikitsiki!)
Tsikitsiki, yho! tsikitsiki, yho! tsikitsiki, yho!
Yho, yho, yho, yho, yho, yho (Tsikitsiki, tsikitsiki!)
Tsikitsiki, yho! tsikitsiki, yho! tsikitsiki, yho
[Refrain: Focalistic & Davido]
Ase trap tse ke pina tsa ko kasi
It goes down when my G's connect
No disconnect
I dey catch cruise forget
If you talk you collect
[Chorus: Focalistic]
Ene ke star, bare "Qim shelele!"
Midnight Mkhalele, tlako sebele
Bula Sekele
Eh’na re on, on, on, on, on
Maradona o dlala rough, rough, rough, rough, rough
Eh’na re on, on, on, on, on
Vigro o dlala rough, rough, rough, rough, rough
Ase trap tse ke...
Ene ke star, bare "Qim shelele!"
Midnight Mkhalele, tlako sebele
Bula Sekele
Ene ke star, bare "Qim shelele!"
Midnight Mkhalele, tlako sebele
Bula Sekele
Ene ke star, bare "Qim shelele!"
Midnight Mkhalele, tlako sebele
Bula Sekele
[Post-Chorus: Focalistic]
Yho, yho, yho, yho, yho, yho
Tsikitsiki, yho! tsikitsiki, yho! tsikitsiki, yho!
Yho, yho, yho, yho, yho, yho
Tsikitsiki, yho! tsikitsiki, yho! tsikitsiki, yho!
Yho, yho, yho, yho, yho, yho
Tsikitsiki, yho! tsikitsiki, yho! tsikitsiki, yho!
Yho, yho, yho, yho, yho, yho
Tsikitsiki, yho! tsikitsiki, yho! tsikitsiki, yho!
Ene ke star, bare "Qum shelele!"
Midnight Mkhalele, tlako sebele
Bula Sekele
Eh’na re on, on, on, on, on
Maradona o dlala rough, rough, rough, rough, rough
Eh’na re on, on, on, on, on
Vigro o dlala rough, rough, rough, rough, rough
[Outro: Focalistic]
Ase trap tse ke...
Ase trap tse ke Pina tsako Kasi
****
EXPLANATIONS ABOUT THE NIGERIAN PIDGIN ENGLISH WORDS & SAYINGS IN THIS SONG
These explanations are given in alphabetical order based on the first letter of the word/sayings.
Numbers added for referencing purposes only.
[Additions and corrections are welcome.]
Beta Rest
From https://allafrica.com/stories/202112120227.html "Nigeria: 'Werey Dey Disguise', 'Cut Soap for Me', Other Nigerian Pop Culture Slang That Trended in 2021" by Onu Stephen 12 December 2021
"Beta Rest' is a famous line from 'Ke Star' remix, a hit track by the South African Amapiano virtuoso, Focalistic, featuring Davido.
In local parlance, 'Beta rest' is used to tell a person to 'calm down' or 'cool your nerves'
It's used alongside the phrase ' I dey catch cruise forget If you talk you collect.' "
****
From https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6U1GTGuu1d8&ab_channel=MansaMayne "Focalistic & Davido - Ke Star [Remix] [Feat. Vigro Deep]
(Official Music Video) REACTION", published by Mansa Mayne, Mar 8, 2021
1. ToughBlackseed, 2021
"Better rest, better rest, better rest; you don try e nor do....better rest..... That verse is in
Nigerian pigin english, which could be
interpreted to mean ;" take a rest (chill), your effort didn't go far enough....you need
to take a rest."
**
2. Chukwuka D Onyema, 2021
"he is saying "better rest better rest... u don try e no
gree" you have tried and it didn't work, u should just rest or chill"
****
I dey catch cruise forget
From https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oQKKCXXRcKE&ab_channel=FOCALISTICMARADONAFOCALISTIC
MARADONA
1. Michael Lee, 2022
"What does I dey catch cruise forget mean"
**
Reply
2. Alafia TV, 2022
"Don't sweat, I'm having fun effortlessly"
**
Reply
3. True Thots, 2022
"Hmm to translate pidgin hard ooh๐
.
In American kind of slang it will be something like " forget it men ! , im
just chilling having a good time""
-snip-
"Catch cruise" is a Nigerian Pidgin English phrase that came before "catch cruise forget". Here's a definition and some examples of "catch cruise":
From https://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=catch%20cruise
Here's one definition for the Nigerian Pidgin English term "catch cruise"
"catch cruise
a slang used mostly in nigeria, that means having fun,
sometimes at the expense of other people
i catch cruise when i want, marriage doesn't stop me-some
evicted dude"
by skaehfjaesv January 23, 2022
From https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VegWIiwn0yI "Focalistic & Davido - Ke Star [Remix] [Feat. Vigro Deep] (Official Music Video) | TFLA"
1. Stanley Nomeh, 2021
"Two mad countries comes together is cruise ๐ฟ๐ฆ๐ณ๐ฌlit๐ฅ๐ฅ๐ฅ"
**
2. Stanley Nomeh, 2021
G connect swear just de catch cruise✅๐ฐ๐ถ๐ฏ
**
Pancocojams Editor: I haven't come across an explanation for this line in "Ke Star Remix".
My guess is it means something like "If we talk to each other (i.e. work together), we'll collect the rewards of our efforts.
**
It goes down when my G's connect, No disconnect
[Pancocojams Editor's Note] I've found comments about the use of the word "Gs" in these lines from Ke Star Remix", but no explanation about the entire two lines.
Here's what I believe these lines mean.
"Good things happen when my guys ["buddies", "posse") connect , not disconnect."
I think "connect" has the larger meaning of "work together" and "disconnect" has the larger meaning "do things that are detrimental to each other."
While I believe that the word "G's" means your guys (buddies, posse" in this song and in other contemporary songs, the original African American Vernacular English (AAVE) meaning of g's is "gangsta" (as in "O.G"- original gangsta). Referring to someone as an O.G. was and still is a highly complimentary referent for someone who actually was a Hip Hop pioneer and/or someone who conducts themselves (performs) like an O.G,
Here are some comments about these particular "Ke Star Remix" lines
From https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oQKKCXXRcKE&ab_channel=FOCALISTICMARADONAFOCALISTIC MARADONA
1. 6God, 2021
"I'm a South African but what Davido did here is too
much_"it goes down when my g's connect,no disconnect"๐ฅ๐ฅ๐ฅ๐ญ"
**
Reply
2. Vhuhwavho Mulondo๐ฟ๐ฆ, 2021
" @i jones What does it mean"
**
Reply
3. Prime Official, 2021
"@Vhuhwavho Mulondo๐ฟ๐ฆ
Nothing. Gz can means your guys or buddies"
**
Reply
4. Jude C ominyi, 2021
"Gz means your friends, your guys , you coliques
etc"
-snip-
Here's a comment that has "don't connent" in place of "no connect":
Nnamdi George, 2021; https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VegWIiwn0yI&ab_channel=ThatFireLA
"It goes down when my gees connect, don't disconnect. I dey
catch cruise forget if you talk you collect."
****
See as I spray the dollar
[Pancocojams Editor's Note]: "Spraying dollars" is a Nigerian custom (and custom in other West African nations), when people shower a bride and groom or performers or other prominent people with paper money. This custom honors and shows appreciation for the person being sprayed.
In the context of the Ke Star Remix song, Davido is saying that he is the one spraying people with money (by virtue of his collaboration with the South African rapper/Dj.
-snip-
Here's a comment about Davido's portion of "KeStar Remix" begins with "See as I spray the dollar":
Nicole Makuyana, 2021, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oQKKCXXRcKE&ab_channel=FOCALISTICMARADONAFOCALISTIC MARADONA
"Davido's voice screams money. Even if he
jus coughs in his verse that song will be a hit. I know some musicians who are
vocaly talented but not money talented. But Davido everything he touches turns
into gold. It's a God given gift, don't argue with me, go argue with your
ancestors, Tule๐."
-snip-
Read the entry for the word "Tule" below.
Click for https://www.brides.com/money-dance-tradition-5074509#:~:text=Nigerian%20Money%20Spray,dance%20behind%20the%20wedding%20party. for the Nigerian Money Spray portion of the article.
****
Shekpe
[Pancocojams Editor's Note] In the context of Davido's verse in "Ke Star Remix", I believe that the word "Skekpe" means something like "Let's drink to that."
Here's a definition for "Skepe" from the Nigerian Pidgin English website "Naijalingo"
http://naijalingo.com/words/shekpe#:~:text=Naijalingo%3A%20shekpe-,Shekpe,gin%20that%20can%20be%20consumed.
"Shekpe
Definition:Any hot drink. Or local gin that can be
consumed.Example: Ete, abeg buy shekpe mek we high. This shekpe na correct."
****
Tule
From https://www.premiumtimesng.com/entertainment/naija-fashion/451650-seven-trending-nigerian-slangs-their-meanings.html "Seven trending Nigerian slangs, their meanings"
"These words, though fleeting, are required in every
“hustling” Nigerian’s vocabulary to improve street credibility.
Tule
“Tule” is another of Davido’s many slang. In a video the
star artiste made in reaction to the news of his rift with another artiste,
Burna Boy, in Ghana, he was seen shouting “Tule Joor, Tule Jare.”
“Tule” is a Yoruba word that means “free me, release me, or leave me.”
The word found its way unto many lips when many Nigerians started shouting “Tule” on social media for a N2m cash that Davido promised to whoever could replicate his original video.
In the street vocabulary, “Tule” is used to tell people to
drop a topic or leave you alone and stop bothering you.”
****
Tule jor
1. From https://naijapower.com/tule-joor-meaning-in-english/, 2020 "Tule Joor, Tule Jare Meaning In English, Tule Challenge" [no author or publishing date provided]
"Few days ago, Davido took his social media page posted a new slang/lamba ‘Tule Joor!!’ or ‘Tule Jare!’
The new slang ‘Tule Joor!!’ or ‘Tule Jare!’ has been the new trend on the street is been used by lot of his fans.
Also, Davido has announced the #TuleChallenge with a
whooping sum of 2 million naira for whoever wins this challenge.”
****
This conclude Part V of this pancocojams series.
Visitor comments are welcome.
