Dorothy Masuka (3 September 1935 - 23 February 2019) was a South African ja… Read Full Bio ↴Dorothy Masuka (3 September 1935 - 23 February 2019) was a South African jazz singer.

She was born in Bulawayo, (Southern Rhodesia, nowadays Zimbabwe), the fourth of seven children, and her mother was Zulu while her father was a Zambian hotel chef. Still, she attended a Catholic school deemed good by the standards of education allowed blacks. Her family moved to South Africa when she was 12 due to her health. By the time she was 19 she was touring in South Africa with singers she had admired as a girl.

Masuka's music was popular in South Africa throughout the 1950s, but when her songs became more serious, the government began questioning her. Her song "Dr. Malan," mentioning difficult laws, was banned and in 1961 she sang a song for Patrice Lumumba, which led to her exile. This exile lasted 31 years in total during which she lived in Zambia and worked as a flight attendant. She returned to Zimbabwe in 1980 after independence. Many of her songs are in the Ndebele language or Sindebele languages.

In August 2011, Dorothy Masuka and Mfundi Vundla, creator of the popular South African soap opera Generations, confirmed plans to make a film of Masuka's life. The film would concentrate on the years 1952 to 1957.

On 27 April 2017 she featured in the concert "The Jazz Epistles featuring Abdullah Ibrahim & Ekaya" at The Town Hall, New York City, opening the show and delivering "one passionate performance after another, warming up and winning over the crowd".

Mama Ngi Niki
Dorothy Masuka Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

Yebo mami
Mam' ngink' mali yam ngitheng'tshwala (Utshwala)
Mam' ngink' mali yam ngitheng'tshwala (Utshwala)
Mam' ngink' mali yam ngitheng'tshwala (Utshwala)
Mam' ngink' mali yam ngitheng'tshwala (Utshwala)
Mam' ngink' mali yam ngitheng'tshwala (Mam'imali)
(Hmm)

Yebo mami
Mam' ngink' mali yam ngitheng'tshwala (Ngitheng'utshwala)
Mam' ngink' mali yam ngitheng'tshwala (Utshwala)
Mam' ngink' mali yam ngitheng'tshwala (Utshwala)
Mam' ngink' mali yam ngitheng'tshwala (Utshwala)
Mam' ngink' mali yam ngitheng'tshwala (Mam'imali)
(Hmm)

Doo boo rub a doo ya
Wap doop dap a diggety dap
Wap doop dap a diggety dap
Wap doop dap a diggety dap
Wap doop dap a diggety dap
Wap doop dap a diggety dap
Hmm

Doo boo rub a doo ya
Wap doop dap a diggety dap
Wap doop dap a diggety dap
Wap doop dap a diggety dap
Wap doop dap a diggety dap
Wap doop dap a diggety dap
Hmm

Yebo mami
Mam' ngink' mali yam ngitheng'tshwala (Utshwala)
Mam' ngink' mali yam ngitheng'tshwala (Utshwala)
Mam' ngink' mali yam ngitheng'tshwala (Utshwala)
Mam' ngink' mali yam ngitheng'tshwala (Utshwala)
Mam' ngink' mali yam ngitheng'tshwala (Mam'imali)
(Hmm)

Yebo mami
Mam' ngink' mali yam ngitheng'tshwala (Utshwala)
Mam' ngink' mali yam ngitheng'tshwala (Utshwala)
Mam' ngink' mali yam ngitheng'tshwala (Utshwala)
Mam' ngink' mali yam ngitheng'tshwala (Utshwala)
Mam' ngink' mali yam ngitheng'tshwala (Mam'imali)
(Hmm)

Doo boo rub a doo ya
Wap doop dap doop dap doo dah
Wap doop dap doop dap doo dah
Wap doop dap doop dap doo dah
Wap doop dap doop dap doo dah
Wap doop dap doop dap doo dah
Hmm

Doo boo rub a doo ya
Wap doop dap doop dap doo dah
Wap doop dap doop dap doo dah
Wap doop dap doop dap doo dah
Wap doop dap doop dap doo dah
Wap doop dap doop dap doo dah
Hmm

Yebo mami
Mam' ngink' mali yam ngiphuz'utshwala (Utshwala)
Mam' ngink' mali yam ngiphuz'utshwala (Utshwala)
Mam' ngink' mali yam ngiphuz'utshwala (Utshwala)
Mam' ngink' mali yam ngiphuz'utshwala (Utshwala)

Mam' ngink' mali yam ngiphuz'utshwala (Mam'imali)
Hmm, hmm, hmm

Overall Meaning

The lyrics of Dorothy Masuka's song "Mama Ngi Niki" express the struggle of poverty and the desire to have enough money to purchase "Utshwala," which means beer in Zulu. The singer repeatedly addresses her mother, asking for money to buy the drink. The usage of the term "mam'imali" points out to an individual in a position of authority or respect. Moreover, the song reflects the broader issue of poverty and its impact on people's lives.

The lyrics are mainly in the Zulu language, with a few English phrases added to emphasize the mood of the song. The repetitive use of phrases and the catchy tune of the song make it an anthem for the people facing similar struggles.

Overall, Dorothy Masuka's "Mama Ngi Niki" is a song of everyday struggles that people in poverty in Africa face. The artist makes it clear that the lack of resources can lead to a desire for alcohol consumption, which can potentially become an addiction that further exacerbates the issues caused by poverty.

Line by Line Meaning

Yebo mami
Hello mother

Mam' ngink' mali yam ngitheng'tshwala (Utshwala)
Mother, I have spent all my money on alcohol

Mam' ngink' mali yam ngitheng'tshwala (Mam'imali)
Mother, I have no more money left

Doo boo rub a doo ya Wap doop dap a diggety dap
Nonsensical lyrics, just for fun

Yebo mami
Hello mother

Mam' ngink' mali yam ngitheng'tshwala (Ngitheng'utshwala)
Mother, I have bought alcohol with my money

Doo boo rub a doo ya Wap doop dap a diggety dap
Nonsensical lyrics, just for fun

Yebo mami
Hello mother

Mam' ngink' mali yam ngiphuz'utshwala (Utshwala)
Mother, I have drunk all the alcohol

Mam' ngink' mali yam ngiphuz'utshwala (Mam'imali)
Mother, I have no more money left

Hmm, hmm, hmm
Expressing a feeling of satisfaction or sadness