Their R&B/Hip-hop/Rap/soul music takes influences from their various backgrounds (Arab, Pakistani, and Latin music), and although their songs are primarily in English, they usually feature lyrics in Spanish, Urdu, Arabic, and Danish. All these influences make the music of Outlandish somewhat unique and this is easy to notice from the variety of genres covered in their albums. Outlandish often include themes about Islam and contemporary issues facing young Muslims in the west in their music, and sometimes their songs define a nasheed-like unique genre.
So far they have produced four albums: Outland's Official (2000), Bread & Barrels of Water (2003), Beats, Rhymes & Life (2004) and Closer Than Veins (2005).
Last November 2006 Outlandish won the MTV EMAs as a best danish act of the year, the same month as the creation of their new fan-site Elmoro4Life.com
A Donkey Named Cheetah
Outlandish Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Damn, I don't know why they stress me out
And they keep looking at me with them dark eyes
I'm tired, give me room, let me breathe
For your own good
Rapverse1 (Isam)
How dare me! Me??? Assimilated
Cuz the gap between me and my dad is big
Don't change me
Fact is, I don't even speak his lingo
Still call the place he left 30 years ago home
I'm tired of this politics
It's cut between 2 cultures
Got them both bodied in my backyard like vultures
Picture me rolling
On a donkey named Cheetah
With 2 barrels of water, let the waterman lead ya
Either ya follow the drip drops or my Cheetahs dudu
Either way kid, I'm living proof
You will get through
Enough cash to send grandma first class to Mecca
First things first, ya know! Discipline playa
Giving back to moms and pops for all these years
Trying to raise a kid up here like they do down there
Heads to the sky, clear - when it comes to my fam
Groceries they know I supply in whatever demand
Now can I live…
Chorus
Rapverse2 (Lenny)
Esperanzados a que
Yo caiga, y si caigo
Sigo mi camino
Yo me integro, no asimilo
Ya he ganado suficiente
Mis tatuajes los llevo hasta la muerte
Mis ojos no ven todo
No soy ejemplo de nada
Las palabras a seguir las estrellas para admirar
No las indico yo
Si no puedo aprender no te puedo enseñar
¿Esta claro no?
Que lo que digo y lo que hago aquí
Es criticado, comparado, exagerado, así
Que lo mejor es ignorar, superar y conseguir
Lo importante para mí.
Translation:
They're wishful thinking my downfall
And if I fall
I just keep it going my way
Integrate, don't assimilate
I have allready won enough
My tatoos I'll carry to the my grave
My eyes don't see everything
I'm not an example of anything
The words to follow and the stars to admire
It ain't me who indicate 'em
If I can't learn how can I teach you
It is clear, isn't it? That what I say,
And what I do here
It's critized, compared and exaggerated, that's why
The best is just to ignore,
Overcome and get what's important for me.
Chorus
Rapverse3 (Majid)
No thoughts just mass confusion
No rest we chase empty illusions
Is it my mind thinking or my heart speaking
Maybe I'm just stressed out
It's probably that
Mom's always yelling where you been
And pop's saying rap ain't gon' pay the rent
So stressed when I gotta do this shit
Cause at the same time I'm working 10 to 6
Many things on my mind I can't think straight
Sometimes I wanna quit but maybe it's too late
Or maybe I'm weak
And far from debate
Or maybe its just God pushing me towards my faith
The song "A Donkey Named Cheetah" by Outlandish is about the struggles of cultural identity and dealing with the expectations and pressures of family and society. The chorus reflects on the stress the singer is feeling from these pressures and the desire for space and freedom. The first rap verse by Isam addresses the complexities of assimilation, the struggle between two cultures, and the desire to establish a new identity. He uses the metaphor of riding a donkey named Cheetah to represent the challenges and resilience of adapting to a new culture. In the second rap verse by Lenny, he talks about not wanting to assimilate but instead to integrate and to be his own person. He also addresses the criticism and scrutiny that come with trying to establish one's identity. Finally, in the third rap verse, Majid speaks to the conflicting demands of family, work, and personal dreams and how that contributes to the singer's stress and confusion.
Line by Line Meaning
Damn, I don't know why they stress me out
I'm feeling overwhelmed and don't understand why people keep bothering me
And they keep looking at me with them dark eyes
I feel like people are watching me and judging me
I'm tired, give me room, let me breathe
I need some space to relax and unwind
For your own good
It's best for everyone if I have some time to myself
How dare me! Me??? Assimilated
I'm feeling conflicted about my cultural identity
Ya crazy!
It's a difficult situation and I need to figure things out
Cuz the gap between me and my dad is big
My relationship with my father is distant and challenging
Don't change me
I don't want to be pressured into conforming to someone else's expectations
Fact is, I don't even speak his lingo
I don't even speak the same language as my father
Still call the place he left 30 years ago home
Despite the distance, I still feel a connection to my cultural roots
I'm tired of this politics
The conflict and tension between cultures is exhausting
It's cut between 2 cultures
My identity is split between two different cultures
Got them both bodied in my backyard like vultures
I feel like both cultures are competing for my allegiance
Picture me rolling
Imagining myself in a better situation
On a donkey named Cheetah
Using a fantastical image to express my desire for escape
With 2 barrels of water, let the waterman lead ya
Seeking guidance to help me find my way
Either ya follow the drip drops or my Cheetahs dudu
You can follow me and see where I end up or ignore me entirely
Either way kid, I'm living proof
I'm an example of someone who has struggled with cultural identity
You will get through
You can overcome this too
Enough cash to send grandma first class to Mecca
I have financial stability and am able to support my family
First things first, ya know! Discipline playa
It's important to focus on what matters most in life
Giving back to moms and pops for all these years
I feel a sense of responsibility to care for my parents
Trying to raise a kid up here like they do down there
I'm trying to raise my child to understand and appreciate their cultural heritage
Heads to the sky, clear - when it comes to my fam
I'm committed to my family and my faith
Groceries they know I supply in whatever demand
I'm a reliable provider for my family
Now can I live…
Can I have some space to enjoy my hard-earned success?
Esperanzados a que
People are hoping I'll fail
Yo caiga, y si caigo
If I do fail
Sigo mi camino
I'll keep going my own way
Yo me integro, no asimilo
I'll integrate myself, not assimilate to other cultures
Ya he ganado suficiente
I've accomplished enough already
Mis tatuajes los llevo hasta la muerte
My tattoos are a part of me for life
Mis ojos no ven todo
I don't see everything
No soy ejemplo de nada
I'm not a role model
Las palabras a seguir las estrellas para admirar
The words to follow and the stars to admire
No las indico yo
I don't dictate those things
Si no puedo aprender no te puedo enseñar
If I can't learn, I can't teach
¿Esta claro no?
Isn't it clear?
Que lo que digo y lo que hago aquí
What I say and do here
Es criticado, comparado, exagerado, así
Is often criticized, compared, and exaggerated
Que lo mejor es ignorar, superar y conseguir
The best thing to do is to ignore it, overcome it, and achieve what's important for me
No thoughts just mass confusion
I'm feeling overwhelmed and uncertain
No rest we chase empty illusions
I'm constantly striving for something that may not even be real
Is it my mind thinking or my heart speaking
I'm struggling with my thoughts and emotions
Maybe I'm just stressed out
Perhaps I'm just feeling anxious and overwhelmed
It's probably that
That's likely the case
Mom's always yelling where you been
My mother is constantly asking about my whereabouts
And pop's saying rap ain't gon' pay the rent
My father doesn't believe in my passion for music
So stressed when I gotta do this shit
I feel anxious when I have to work on my music
Cause at the same time I'm working 10 to 6
I have a full-time job on top of my music career
Many things on my mind I can't think straight
I have so much on my mind that it's hard to focus
Sometimes I wanna quit but maybe it's too late
I feel like giving up, but I'm not sure if it's too late
Or maybe I'm weak
Perhaps I'm not strong enough to endure this
And far from debate
It's not up for discussion
Or maybe its just God pushing me towards my faith
Perhaps this is all part of God's plan for me
Contributed by Logan H. Suggest a correction in the comments below.