Muziki

Time for a music break.

1.  Mama Ntilie - Gelly, AT & Ray C

A mama ntilie is a woman who sells food at a street stall - the kind of place where working men might go for lunch. In reality these women seldom look like Ray C, but the dance moves of the small children and the odd guy in a tank top more than compensate for the lack of realism.  Some of the lyrics:

Usikae mbele, kuziba wenzako.  Unataka nyama? vipi pweza wako?
Don't sit at the front, blocking the others.  You want meat? How's your octopus?

2.  Tamaa Mbaya  - Twenty Percent

Twenty percent are probably my favourite bongo flava group. I recommend their film 'Furaha ipo wapi?' where there is an explanation for the name: "My parents named me 20%, because only God is 100%".  'Tamaa mbaya' means a bad wish or desire, and the song is a warning to a young girl still at school whose 'tamaa mbaya' is wanting to have a baby before she's finished her studies. The chorus goes:

Tuliza moyo wako, kubali mapungufu yako,

Calm your heart, accept your shortcomings
Rahisisha mahitaji yako, ongeza kipato chako

Meet your own needs, increase your income.

And the best line:

Mbuzi ni mbuzi, hawezi kuwa simba
A goat is a goat, it can't become a lion

3.  Bei Kali - Jose Chameleone

Chameleone comes from Uganda, and sings in Swahili, English and Luganda. Most of his songs are in Swahili, and he's very popular all over East Africa. I'm particularly fond of this one, which is the story of a poor young man who has a very demanding girlfriend and their adventures in three East African cities.  "Bei" means price, and "kali" is fierce, severe, or strict - in other words, something extremely expensive. I can't think of a translation that quite does "bei kali" justice though, so I'm going to leave it as it is.

Anapenada vitu vya bei kali
, kama hajui ati sina mali


Ananiomba vitu vya bei kali, 
Nikiwa sina yeye hanijali

She likes things that cost "bei kali", even though she knows I don't have any money

She asks me for "bei kali" things, and if I don't have them she stops caring for me.

Kutano la kwanza ilikuwa Mombasa,
Rohoni nilisikia nimempata sasa
Kumbe hata yeye alininoki pia
Jioni tukaenda pamoja out for a beer
Nilishanga alianza kuomba whisky
Ni vinyaji vya bei bila kuwa tipsy
Niliamua twende dance floor tucheze
Akakata ati hapendi nyimbo za Lingala!

Our first meeting was in Mombasa
I felt in my heart that she would be mine
She even came round to ask me out
In the evening we went out together for a beer
I was shocked when she started ordering whisky
And expensive drinks without getting tipsy
I decided to go to the dance floor and dance 
But she refused! She doesn't like songs in Lingala

His problems continue in the next verse when they go to Kampala and she demands to stay at the Sheraton, and then when they go out to a restaurant in Kigali and she refuses to eat ugali (he's had enough by this stage, and leaves her there).

I couldn't find a good video for this one, but here's the song:

If you like Chameleone, listen to 'Jamila', 'Valu Valu' and 'Kipepeo' as well.

4.  Jitolee - Mzungu Kichaa (with Professor Jay & Mwasiti)

Mzungu Kichaa ("crazy mzungu") is a Danish guy called Espen who has lived in Tanzania since he was fifteen; his Swahili is perfect, and he sounds as if he was born in Dar es Salaam. He's quite a big star in the Bongo Flava scene, and here he's singing with the wonderful Professor Jay.  The chorus goes:

Mikono juu!  Jitolee na usaidie
Ombi kwa binadamu upendo usipotee

Put your hands in the air! Get up and do something
Pray that love doesn't disappear