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.
V.I.P.
Nneka Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I see they break my heart
I see they do the thing wey you do me, they do me
I see they take rape my pride and dignity away
I see they make me dey suffer
You never tell me say you no know wetin you dey do me
You dey kill, you dey steal, you dey fight, dey betray, you dey lie, you dey kill
You dey make poor man dey suffer head, suffer head
While the rich man dey
You never tell me say you no know wetin you dey do me
Vagabond in power
Yeah, Yeah
I see they torture me so
I see they break my heart
I see they do the thing wey you do me, they do me
I see they take rape my pride and dignity away
I see they make me dey swet soo
I see they make me dey suffer
You never tell me say you no know wetin you dey do me
You dey rape my heart
You dey take my soul away
You make pekinin suffer
You make africanian suffer
You make nigerian suffer
You make africanian suffer
Vagabond in power
Hey
You dat take
You dey rape my heart
You dey take my soul away
You make pekinin suffer
You make africanian suffer
You make nigerian suffer
You make africanian suffer
Vagabond in power
You dey rape my heart
Take (x5) my soul away
No, no, no, no, no, no eyes
No, no, no, no, no, no for broken promises
Your lies
Your misleading
Hey hey
In "V.I.P." by Nneka, the lyrics describe the pain and suffering of being oppressed by those in power. The singer sees how these oppressors torture and break her, taking her pride and dignity away. She accuses them of killing, stealing, fighting, betraying, and lying, leaving her to suffer. The poor are left to suffer while the rich enjoy their luxuries. The lyrics suggest that the oppressors are aware of their actions as they never told her that they didn't know what they were doing to her. The term "vagabond in power" is used, meaning that those in power are acting recklessly and irresponsibly, causing harm and suffering for others.
The song touches upon themes of corruption, inequality, and injustice. The singer speaks about her personal experiences with oppression and how it affects not only her but also her people. Her use of repetition emphasizes the ongoing pain and suffering that is inflicted. The use of Nigerian Pidgin in the lyrics offers an authentic representation of the culture and language of the Nigerian people. Overall, the song is a powerful message about the corrupt nature of those in power and their effects on society.
Line by Line Meaning
I see they torture me so
I am painfully aware of the oppression and mistreatment I am being subjected to
I see they break my heart
My spirit is being crushed by the hurtful actions of those in power
I see they do the thing wey you do me, they do me
The same injustices that you have inflicted upon me are being done to others as well
I see they take rape my pride and dignity away
My sense of self-worth and honor is being violated and stripped away from me
I see they make me dey suffer
I am enduring immense pain and hardship due to the actions of those in power
You never tell me say you no know wetin you dey do me
You never admitted that you are aware of the harm you are causing me
You dey kill, you dey steal, you dey fight, dey betray, you dey lie, you dey kill
You engage in a multitude of harmful actions such as murder, theft, violence, betrayal, and lying
Dey make my pikin? dey suffer
Your actions are causing my children to suffer
dey make poor man dey suffer head, suffer head
You cause those who are already struggling with poverty to endure even more suffering
While the rich man dey
Meanwhile, the wealthy are able to avoid these struggles and live comfortable lives
Vagabond in power
You are an unscrupulous person who has attained a position of authority
You dey rape my heart
Your actions are causing me immense emotional pain
You dey take my soul away
You are depriving me of my innermost essence and vitality
You make pekinin suffer
Your actions are causing innocent children to suffer
You make africanian suffer
Your actions are causing suffering to the African people as a whole
You make nigerian suffer
Your actions are causing suffering to the people of Nigeria
No, no, no, no, no, no eyes
I refuse to turn a blind eye to the injustices that are taking place
No, no, no, no, no, no for broken promises
I will not accept empty promises and false hope
Your lies
Your deceitful words and actions are causing harm to others
Your misleading
Your false information and manipulation are causing confusion and turmoil
Lyrics © CONCORD MUSIC PUBLISHING LLC
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