After relocating to Hamburg in 2003, Nneka has been working closely with the hip hop beatmaker DJ Farhot. As a young singer she first gained public attention in 2004 while performing as an opening act for dancehall reggae star Sean Paul at Hamburg Stadtpark. After much acclaim, Nneka released her debut EP The Uncomfortable Truth with the music label Yo Mama's Recording Company after which she performed on her first tour with Patrice, playing shows in Germany, Austria and Switzerland.
She finished recording her first album in the autumn of 2005. Entitled Victim of Truth. Garnering rave reviews from the media, the UK's Sunday Times later declared it “the year’s most criminally overlooked album”, comparing it favourably to 'The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill'.
In February 2008, she released her second album, No Longer at Ease. The title of the album is taken from a novel of the same name by Chinua Achebe and reflects the lyrical content of the record. Most of the songs are political, talking about the plight of the Niger Delta and the corruption in Nneka’s homeland. “No Longer at Ease” combines the political and the personal in “a winning mix of soul, hip-hop an reggae”. The lead single from it, "Heartbeat", became her first song to break into the German Top 50.
In November 2009, Nneka staged her first concert tour of the United States where she performed shows in New York City, Vienna (Washington DC), Boston, Philadelphia, Los Angeles and San Francisco. Furthermore she was a special guest on The Roots Jam session. Her first US release Concrete Jungle was set for 2 February 2010.
Nneka recorded her last album Soul Is Heavy in Nigeria. She also co-founded a charity foundation called the "ROPE foundation" with Genda, Ahmed Nyei from Sierra Leone. She has worked extensively in charity and arts with the foundation in Sierra Leone. Nneka has also worked with Reebok and her track "Shinning" topped global charts in 2013.
Suffri
Nneka Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Una dey talk of ur redemption naija naija
Una dey talk of resolutions oya
Tell me where the solution because nothing dey change
We just dey yarn
We just dey spray
We just dey rage uhn
All these lies
Suffri suffri with my soul
Jeh jeh jeh jeh
Suffri suffri with my soul
Oga you dey hear me dey say
Suffri suffri with my soul
Jeh jeh jeh jeh
Don't you tamper with my soul eh eh
Na only rich man still dey gain oh
All d moni where dey go oh
Still poor man dey suffer
Brother your wish is my order
But nothing dey change we just dey yarn
We just dey spray
But still na d same mouth
We dey use take pray
We dey use take kog us
Suffri suffri with my soul
Jeh jeh jeh jeh
Suffri suffri with my soul
Oga you dey hear me dey say
Suffri suffri with my soul
Jeh jeh jeh jeh
Don't you tamper with my soul eh eh
Suffri suffri with my soul oh
Suffri suffri with my soul woh woh woh yeah yeah yeah yeah
Suffri suffri with my soul
Jeh jeh jeh jeh
Suffri suffri with my soul
Oga you dey hear me dey say
Suffri suffri with my soul
Jeh jeh jeh jeh
Don't you tamper with my soul eh eh
Oga fulfill my wishes to travel to distant places
Allow my soul not to perish for me to be dressed in laces
As life goes on
I remember all the things I have achieved
Sunset thunder and the storms
Show that we have truly really been deceived see
Na truth wen dem dey talk say na wetin you sow naim you go reap
Still na soso lie naim we dey spread spray
Dey open eye to see deceit
To see us rise
We must rejuvenate
Na bottem we dey teh teh
Na bottom we dey teh teh
Na bottom we dey teh teh
For too long
Down for too long jeh jeh o jeh jeh o
Down for too long jeh jeh o jeh jeh o
Down for too long jeh jeh o jeh jeh o
Jeh jeh o jeh jeh o
Suffri suffri with my soul
Jeh jeh jeh jeh
Suffri suffri with my soul
Oga you dey hear me dey say
Suffri suffri with my soul
Jeh jeh jeh jeh
Don't you tamper with my soul eh eh tamper with my soul
Jeh jeh o jeh jeh o
Jeh jeh o jeh jeh o
Jeh jeh o jeh jeh o
Jeh jeh o jeh jeh o don't you tamper with my soul
My soul
My soul
In Nneka's song "Suffri", she critiques the state of Nigeria's politics and society. The first verse addresses the talk of elections, redemption, and resolutions in Nigeria, but questions where the solutions are because nothing seems to be changing. The use of "we just dey yarn, we just dey spray, we just dey rage" suggests that people are venting their frustrations, but nothing is being done about it. The chorus "suffri suffri with my soul" is repeated multiple times, and potentially suggests that Nneka is willing to endure the pain and suffering that comes with living in Nigeria in hopes that there will be positive change in the future.
The second verse points out the reality that only the rich seem to be benefiting in Nigeria, while the poor continue to suffer. The line "brother your wish is my order" may suggest that people in power are not listening to the needs of the people. The use of "still na d same mouth we dey use take pray, we dey use take kog us" implies that they are not being prioritized, but instead being deceived with empty promises. The bridge seems to be a plea to the higher powers to fulfill wishes and allow their souls to thrive, but acknowledges the reality that they have been deceived and must rejuvenate to rise up.
Overall, "Suffri" discusses the frustration and lack of progress in Nigeria's society and politics, with a hopeful tone that change will eventually come.
Line by Line Meaning
Una dey talk of ur elections Nigerians Nigerians
You talk about your elections, Nigerians, Nigerians.
Una dey talk of ur redemption naija naija
You talk about your redemption, Naija, Naija.
Una dey talk of resolutions oya
You talk of resolutions, come on.
Tell me where the solution because nothing dey change
Tell me where the solution is, because nothing is changing.
We just dey yarn
We just talk.
We just dey spray
We just spray.
We just dey rage uhn
We just rage, you know.
All these lies
All these lies.
Suffri suffri with my soul
Suffering, suffering with my soul.
Jeh jeh jeh jeh
Jeh, jeh, jeh, jeh.
Oga you dey hear me dey say
Boss, are you hearing what I am saying?
Don't you tamper with my soul eh eh
Don't you tamper with my soul, eh eh.
Na only rich man still dey gain oh
Only the rich man is still gaining.
All d moni where dey go oh
All the money where does it go?
Still poor man dey suffer
The poor man is still suffering.
Brother your wish is my order
Brother, your wish is my command.
But nothing dey change we just dey yarn
But nothing is changing, we just talk.
But still na d same mouth
But still the same mouth.
We dey use take pray
We use it to pray.
We dey use take kog us
We use it to deceive ourselves.
Don't you tamper with my soul eh eh
Don't you tamper with my soul, eh eh.
Oga fulfill my wishes to travel to distant places
Boss, fulfill my wishes to travel to distant places.
Allow my soul not to perish for me to be dressed in laces
Let my soul not be destroyed so I can dress in luxury.
As life goes on
As life goes on.
I remember all the things I have achieved
I remember all the things I have achieved.
Sunset thunder and the storms
Sunset, thunder and storms.
Show that we have truly really been deceived see
They show that we have truly been deceived, you see?
Na truth wen dem dey talk say na wetin you sow naim you go reap
It's the truth when they say you will reap what you sow.
Still na soso lie naim we dey spread spray
But all we spread is lies and deception.
Dey open eye to see deceit
Open your eyes to see the deceit.
To see us rise
To see us rise.
We must rejuvenate
We must rejuvenate.
Na bottem we dey teh teh
We're at the bottom, we're struggling.
For too long
For too long.
Down for too long jeh jeh o jeh jeh o
Been down for too long, jeh jeh o, jeh jeh o.
Jeh jeh o jeh jeh o don't you tamper with my soul
Jeh jeh o, jeh jeh o, don't you tamper with my soul.
My soul
My soul.
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Written by: Nneka Lucia Egbuna, Farhad Samadzada
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@fabianrothfuchs
It doesn't happen too often that I buy the whole discography of a band just by listening to one song. In this case I did.
@rico2244
Nneka makes me smile when I hear her songs. They're so well written and expressed through her voice.
@JamaicanCutie18
just discovered her today &i love it love how shes embraced both ethnic backgrounds
@manyy66
this is the best version of Suffri
@josianeagathe7450
Nneka voix TROP SUPER ses DOIGTS MAGIQUES je l'adore concert super formidable bravooo l'artiste ❤🎸🎤🎧💃❤
@turtleplh44
I love Nneka. Her soulful voice just sways my mind. I can never stop listening to her.
@Larissa191106
SOOO nice not only her voice is wonderful ..the band also fit is a perfect match to her voice
@leiposuctie
i wanna steal that drummer....he's a machine......
@kevinjorn2196
This woman makes my heart Happy...tears of joy
@uche8601
Beautiful...def. a fan of hers. her voice is so beautiful and the plus? she's got my mum's name( RIP mum xxx)