Artis Leon Ivey Jr. (August 1, 1963 – September 28, 2022), known profession… Read Full Bio ↴Artis Leon Ivey Jr. (August 1, 1963 – September 28, 2022), known professionally as Coolio, was an American rapper. First rising to fame as a member of the gangsta rap group WC and the Maad Circle, Coolio achieved mainstream success as a solo artist in the mid-to-late 1990s with his albums It Takes a Thief (1994), Gangsta's Paradise (1995), and My Soul (1997). He is best known for his 1995 Grammy Award-winning hit single "Gangsta's Paradise", as well as other singles "Fantastic Voyage" (1994), "1, 2, 3, 4 (Sumpin' New)" (1996), and "C U When U Get There" (1997). From 1996 on, Coolio released albums independently, and provided the opening track "Aw, Here It Goes!" for the 1996 Nickelodeon television series Kenan & Kel. He created the web series Cookin' with Coolio and released a cookbook.

Keep On Dancing
Coolio Lyrics

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Mpaka yanafika kwako, leo unasema hunitaki

Pole, pole, pole
Imebaki story, story, story
Mmh nipotee, uwe na mwingine
Wanataka we ukosee, uwe na mwingine
Wanataka nikosee, uwe na mwingine
My baby sorry, sorry, sorry

Usije kuzima taa ukaniacha gizani
Kwani maumivu ya mapenzi na kidonda hayafanani
We hata ukinuna moyo wangu taabani
Mi kuwa mbali nawe eeh sitamani
Umesikiiza maneno ooh, ni sumu
Ukaamini maneno ooh, umenihukumu
Umesikiiza maneno ooh, we ni sumu
Ukaamini maneno ooh, ukanihukumu

We pole, pole, pole
Imebaki story, story, story
Mmh nipotee, uwe na mwingine
Wanataka we ukosee, uwe na mwingine
Wanataka nikosee, uwe na mwingine
My baby sorry, sorry, sorry
Imebaki story, story, story

I dedicate this one
To the one who had my heart
I hope you feel me right now
I wish I could turn back the hands of time
And correct all my mistakes
But I guess I gotta move on

Peace!
Pappination

Overall Meaning

In Coolio's song "Keep On Dancing," the lyrics express regret and heartbreak over a failed relationship. The verses speak to the pain of being rejected and feeling replaced by someone else. The chorus repeats the phrase "pole pole pole" which means "slowly" in Swahili, echoing the sense of the slow unraveling of the relationship. The lyrics beg for forgiveness and understanding while recognizing the impossibility of going back in time to fix mistakes.

The verses convey a sense of desperation and pleading, with lines like "Usije kuzima taa ukaniacha gizani" which means "Don't turn off the light and leave me in the dark." The song mixes Swahili and English, highlighting the cultural exchange and influence of African music on Coolio's sound.

Line by Line Meaning

Mpaka yanafika kwako, leo unasema hunitaki
Until it reaches you, today you say you don't want me

Pole, pole, pole
Slowly, slowly, slowly

Imebaki story, story, story
It remains a story, story, story

Mmh nipotee, uwe na mwingine
Mmh, disappear, be with someone else

Wanataka we ukosee, uwe na mwingine
They want you to mess up, be with someone else

Wanataka nikosee, uwe na mwingine
They want me to mess up, be with someone else

My baby sorry, sorry, sorry
My baby, sorry, sorry, sorry

Usije kuzima taa ukaniacha gizani
Don't turn off the light and leave me in the dark

Kwani maumivu ya mapenzi na kidonda hayafanani
Because the pain of love and the wound aren't the same

We hata ukinuna moyo wangu taabani
Even if you're upset, my heart is still in distress

Mi kuwa mbali nawe eeh sitamani
Me being far away from you, I don't desire