Raízes
Ilú Obá de Min Lyrics

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Eu vim de longe
De muito longe
Pra deixar
Minhas raízes espalhadas em todo lugar
No navio negreiro eu parti
Mas com os toques dos tambores entendi
Que nessa viagem marquei pra que eu vim

Sou Carnaval
Sou Jazz, sou Blues, sou Jongo, sou Maracatu
Eu sou, eu sou
Eu sou o Reggae e o Rap
Sou África de norte a sul
Na terra grande eu cheguei
Minha cultura espalhei
Axé Babá Odoyá
Ogunhê meu pai,
Okê Arô Odé Odé
Odé llú Obá De Min

Mostra que cultura é assim
África chegou para ficar com o toque e a dança dos orixás.

Overall Meaning

These lyrics tell the story of an individual who comes from a distant place, emphasizing the journey they have taken to spread their roots everywhere they go. The reference to being on a "navio negreiro" (slave ship) indicates a connection to the African diaspora and the experience of being forcibly taken from their homeland. However, the drums played on the ship serve as a profound realization that this voyage had a purpose. The singer identifies themselves as embodying various musical genres such as Carnival, Jazz, Blues, Jongo, Maracatu, Reggae, and Rap, symbolizing the diverse influences that make up their identity. This person is also proudly African, acknowledging how their arrival on a foreign land allowed them to spread their culture and traditions. The lyrics conclude with references to specific deities and religious elements, such as Axé Babá Odoyá, Ogunhê, Okê Arô, and the main subject of the song, Ilú Obá de Min, emphasizing the importance of African culture, music, and dance in their life.

Line by Line Meaning

Eu vim de longe
I came from a distant place

De muito longe
From a very distant place

Pra deixar
To leave

Minhas raízes espalhadas em todo lugar
My roots spread everywhere

No navio negreiro eu parti
I departed on the slave ship

Mas com os toques dos tambores entendi
But with the beats of the drums, I understood

Que nessa viagem marquei pra que eu vim
That on this journey, I marked why I came

Sou Carnaval
I am Carnival

Sou Jazz, sou Blues, sou Jongo, sou Maracatu
I am Jazz, I am Blues, I am Jongo, I am Maracatu

Eu sou, eu sou
I am, I am

Eu sou o Reggae e o Rap
I am Reggae and Rap