They formed in 2000 in Oslo, Norway and released their first EP in 2004, Glasskår. They later released their first full-lenght album titled Rett fra hjertet in 2006.
Karpe Diem was established when the two wanted to enter a music competition, which they ended up winning with the song "Hvor er Willy?" and have been rapping together ever since.
They have performed live at more than 200 shows and the number is just growing. Karpe Diem is notorious for their sarcastic and politically engaged lyrics, and for their down-to-earth and nobel personalities.
On March 5th, 2011, they received the greatest Norwegian musical prize there is, "Årets Spellemann".
This was the first time in history that a hip-hop/rap group received this award.
Discography:
2006 - "Rett fra hjertet"
2008 - "4 vegger"
2010 - "Aldri solgt en løgn"
2012 - "Kors på halsen, ti kniver i hjertet, mor og far i døden"
2015 - "Heisann Montebello"
Identitet som dreper
Karpe Diem Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
we asks our self a question:
Who am I? Who am I on this journey called life? Who am I?
I hope, that you haven't bought in to the idea that you are what you
look like, or your, your,
your worth is termed about what your parents looks like.
Or about what they did.
I hope, that you figured out by now, that if you lived you life that way,
and be thinking "I am not good anough. I'm not tall anough.
I'm not buff anough. I'm not pretty anough,
I am not beautiful enough. I'm not anybody."
Er både svart og hvitt, er både glad og trist,
er både fattig og rik, en dåre valkemist
Er både ja til slå tilbake, og pasifist og
Du tror du kjenner meg,
for du kanskje viste at jeg er både svart og hvitt,
jeg er både glad og trist, jeg er både fatig og rik,
en dåre valekmist. Er både ja til slå tilbake, og pasifist og
Du tror du kjenner meg, for du kanskje viste at :
han er halv norsk, han er halvt egypter
Han går på fester, han er alltid nykter
Han bor hos faren sin, han bor hos mamma
Han spiser brunost, falefel og chaharma
Han bor i åsen, (Hei) han bor i blokk, (men)
han kan arabisk, han snakker norsk
Men han er brun, hei please; han er hvit!
Han feirer jul, det er høytid når det er hit
men han er rik, kom igjen a; han er fattig!
Hei, han er hvit, nei, se på'n; han er svarting!
han ser fordeler, og han ser ulemper
Han er hva du sier, han veit hva du tenker
Og her hjemme, kaller de han utlending
og der borte, kaller de han utlending
Men vi er enig om at vi blir fresh selv om
identitet lett dreper med en strek mellom.
Jeg er både svart og hvitt, jeg er både glad og trist,
jeg er både fattig og rik, en dåre valkemist
Jeg er både ja til slå tilbake, og passifist og.
Du tror du kjenner meg,
for du kanskje viste at jeg er både svart og hvitt,
jeg er både glad og trist, jeg er både fattig og rik, en dåre valekmist.
Jeg er både ja til slå tilbake, og pasifist og.
Du tror du kjenner meg, for du kanskje viste at :
(arabisk)
Jeg er både svart og hvitt, jeg er både glad og trist,
jeg er både fattig og rik, en dåre valkemist
Jeg er både ja til slå tilbake, og pasifist og.
Du tror du kjenner meg,
for du kanskje viste at jeg er både svart og hvitt,
jeg er både glad og trist, jeg er både fattig og rik, en dåre valekmist.
Jeg er både ja til slå tilbake, og pasifist og.
Du tror du kjenner meg.
(arabisk)
Karpe Diem's song Identitet som dreper (Identity that kills) talks about the struggle of trying to find one's identity in a world that constantly puts labels and expectations on individuals. The lyrics start off with the idea of looking at oneself in the mirror and asking the question, "Who am I?" The song emphasizes that one's worth is not determined by their appearance or what their parents have achieved. If one wants to live life that way, they will constantly feel inadequate and not good enough for the world.
The chorus of the song emphasizes the idea that one can be both black and white, happy and sad, poor and rich, and a mix of different identities that cannot be easily defined. People may label and assume things about a person, like their ethnicity or socioeconomic status, but they may not know the full story or what choices that person makes. The song also touches upon the idea of being considered an outsider or foreigner in different societies, facing discrimination and prejudice. Despite these challenges, the song concludes that it's important to understand and accept one's own identity rather than letting society define it.
One interesting fact about this song is that it was released in 2008 as part of Karpe Diem's album called "Fire Vegger" (Four Walls) and became popular in Norway. The band consists of two members, Magdi Omar Ytreeide Abdelmaguid of Egyptian descent and Chirag Rashmikant Patel of Indian descent, who both grew up in Norway. Identity and multiculturalism are often themes that Karpe Diem explores through their music. They have won multiple awards in Norway for their music and activism, including the King's Gold Medal for Cultural Achievement.
Another interesting fact is that the song's title, Identitet som dreper, is also the title of the band's short film that explores similar themes of identity and multiculturalism. The film was released in 2017 and was directed by the duo themselves. The song and film's message has resonated with many individuals who struggle with defining their own identities and feeling like outsiders in different communities.
The song also features Arabic spoken word that translates to "Who am I?" and adds a layer of complexity to the song's message about the struggle of identity in a global society.
Chords (as transcribed by Ultimate Guitar):
Intro: G D Am G (x2)
Verse:
G D Am G
And when we look in the mirrors like this,
G D Am G
we asks our self a question:
G D Am G
Who am I? Who am I on this journey called life? Who am I?
C G F G
I hope, that you haven't bought in to the idea that you are what you
C G F G
look like, or your, your,
C G F G
your worth is termed about what your parents looks like.
C G F G
Or about what they did.
C G F G
I hope, that you figured out by now, that if you lived you life that way,
C G F G
you would constibly be looking at you self,
C G F G
and be thinking "I am not good anough. I'm not tall anough.
C G F G
I'm not buff anough. I'm not pretty anough,
C G F G
I am not beautiful enough. I'm not anybody."
Chorus:
G D Am G
Er både svart og hvitt, er både glad og trist,
G D Am G
er både fattig og rik, en dåre valkemist
C G F G
Er både ja til slå tilbake, og pasifist og
G D Am G
Du tror du kjenner meg, for du kanskje viste at jeg er både svart og hvitt,
G D Am G
jeg er både glad og trist, jeg er både fatig og rik,
C G F G
en dåre valekmist. Er både ja til slå tilbake, og pasifist og
G D Am G
Du tror du kjenner meg, for du kanskje viste at :
For the arabic spoken word parts, the chords used are G and F.
Line by Line Meaning
And when we look in the mirrors like this, we asks our self a question:
Reflecting in the mirror leads us to question ourselves about who we truly are.
Who am I? Who am I on this journey called life? Who am I?
We ponder our identity and purpose during our life journey.
I hope, that you haven't bought in to the idea that you are what you look like, or your, your, your worth is termed about what your parents looks like. Or about what they did.
It's important not to adhere to the belief that our appearance or our parents' achievements determine our worth.
I hope, that you figured out by now, that if you lived you life that way, you would constibly be looking at you self, and be thinking "I am not good anough. I'm not tall anough. I'm not buff anough. I'm not pretty anough, I am not beautiful enough. I'm not anybody."
If we live our lives based on external validation, we will never feel good enough and constantly criticize ourselves.
Er både svart og hvitt, er både glad og trist, er både fattig og rik, en dåre valkemist Er både ja til slå tilbake, og pasifist og Du tror du kjenner meg, for du kanskje viste at jeg er både svart og hvitt, jeg er både glad og trist, jeg er både fatig og rik, en dåre valekmist. Er både ja til slå tilbake, og pasifist og Du tror du kjenner meg, for du kanskje viste at :
I am both black and white, both happy and sad, both poor and rich, a foolish chameleon. I am both for retaliating and a pacifist. You think you know me, because you may have known that I am both black and white, both happy and sad, both poor and rich, a foolish chameleon. I am both for retaliating and a pacifist. You think you know me, because you may have known that:
han er halv norsk, han er halvt egypter Han går på fester, han er alltid nykter Han bor hos faren sin, han bor hos mamma Han spiser brunost, falefel og chaharma Han bor i åsen, (Hei) han bor i blokk, (men) han kan arabisk, han snakker norsk Men han er brun, hei please; han er hvit! Han feirer jul, det er høytid når det er hit men han er rik, kom igjen a; han er fattig! Hei, han er hvit, nei, se på'n; han er svarting! han ser fordeler, og han ser ulemper Han er hva du sier, han veit hva du tenker Og her hjemme, kaller de han utlending og der borte, kaller de han utlending Men vi er enig om at vi blir fresh selv om identitet lett dreper med en strek mellom.
He is half Norwegian, half Egyptian. He attends parties but stays sober. He lives with his mom and dad. He eats Norwegian cheese, falafel, and shawarma. He lives on a hill, (Hey) he lives in an apartment, (but) he knows Arabic, he speaks Norwegian. He is brown, oh please; he is white! He celebrates Christmas, it's the holiday when he's here. But he is rich, come on man; he is poor! Hey, he's white, no, look at him; he's black! He sees advantages and disadvantages. He is what you say, he knows what you think. At home, they call him a foreigner, and over there, they call him a foreigner. But we agree that we feel fresh even though identity easily kills with a line in between.
Jeg er både svart og hvitt, jeg er både glad og trist, jeg er både fattig og rik, en dåre valkemist Jeg er både ja til slå tilbake, og passifist og. Du tror du kjenner meg, for du kanskje viste at jeg er både svart og hvitt, jeg er både glad og trist, jeg er både fattig og rik, en dåre valekmist. Jeg er både ja til slå tilbake, og pasifist og. Du tror du kjenner meg, for du kanskje viste at :
I am both black and white, both happy and sad, both poor and rich, a foolish chameleon. I am both for retaliating and a pacifist. You think you know me, because you may have known that I am both black and white, both happy and sad, both poor and rich, a foolish chameleon. I am both for retaliating and a pacifist. You think you know me, because you may have known that:
(arabisk)
Arabic verse.
Jeg er både svart og hvitt, jeg er både glad og trist, jeg er både fattig og rik, en dåre valkemist Jeg er både ja til slå tilbake, og pasifist og. Du tror du kjenner meg, for du kanskje viste at jeg er både svart og hvitt, jeg er både glad og trist, jeg er både fattig og rik, en dåre valekmist. Jeg er både ja til slå tilbake, og pasifist og. Du tror du kjenner meg.
I am both black and white, both happy and sad, both poor and rich, a foolish chameleon. I am both for retaliating and a pacifist. You think you know me, because you may have known that I am both black and white, both happy and sad, both poor and rich, a foolish chameleon. I am both for retaliating and a pacifist. You think you know me.
(arabisk)
Arabic verse.
Contributed by Daniel S. Suggest a correction in the comments below.