Kaokokokorobo
Papa Wemba Lyrics


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Pesa biso nguya, tobare bazembezembe ná bantusa esprit
Torenye lokola yo na likolo
biso bayanke na se
Amen
Amen

Je suis madinken
Tu es mandiken
Elle est mandiken
Nous sommes mandiken
Vous êtes mandiken
Ils sont mandiken

Babukaki ligal ya Kaludji na Yacom
Baplan ilfale natelema na yango na ndule wana
Mbila amira pale
Masta batindika ye
Petite abendana
uta azwa lupemba
azwa kiboba,
Bashatshe, baMiyake, baYamaoto
Influence ya coup d'œil

Mbele nakoma na plan tro ngai Furume
moto bamwela, kabama mbila mbila, wakafwa
na ndenge ya kolo dais
Mbololo Ngonda, dapasco ndenga, le gentleman

Petite alobi na ngai nayebi movema te
Ngai naleli
Eldo tchedido
Errare humanum est
Likambo bakotisaki po alandela
Na sima mawa tro
Mwana kutu ebimaki
Carte sur table
Tonégocier
Showbiz simba monde
Vivra verra

Je suis madinken
Tu es mandiken
Elle est mandiken
Nous sommes mandiken
Vous êtes mandiken
Ils sont mandiken

Yeba Lubwaku ebebisaka moto yaya
Po na lokotro
Tolobaki moto ayeba te
Awele mpifu
Se po na Ferrari na Caviar
Contrat osinyaki po na liwa
Mbula kama po bandima ngai na bana ya Firenze
Kozala toujours na top po na nkoma
Likambo ezalaki po na miso ya Peguy, mwana ya Comores
Likambo ezalaki po na tayi ya Ma Roza
Mere frenchen
Na ndenge na yango
Wolo ebonga na kingo
Mere abonga na pere

Ekomaki biso na mboka Nipone, Rontao pamba pamba
Ekomaki biso na mboka Nazi, Porshe, Benzula mbula
Kinshasa bashege baRomain
Mikili bazulu ba new jack
Kaoko ko ko korobo
Les ont dit font doubler le mabe
Kamuzunda kingo ebende
Shege, chance eloko pamba
Kao koko korobo

Ligorodo ata aza kovimba akokoka na monene ya nzoko te
Bakanga kanga bacracas balemba

Lelo lelo ekomi lobi
Lobi lobi ekomi lobi kuna
Match eza te
Y a pas match

Muzingi mbila




Za za za ee
Tula mwisi

Overall Meaning

The lyrics to Papa Wemba's song Kaokokokorobo depict the hustle and bustle of city life in Kinshasa, the capital of the Democratic Republic of Congo. The first verse talks about how people are so eager to make money that they forget about their spirituality and become cold-hearted ("tobare bazembezembe ná bantusa esprit"). The chorus repeats the phrase "Je suis mandinken" (I am Mandinken) several times, which refers to the Mandinka people of West Africa and could be interpreted as a way of asserting one's identity and heritage in the face of urbanization and globalization.


The second verse mentions several neighborhoods and landmarks in Kinshasa, including Kaludji, Yacom, and Furume. It also includes several Lingala phrases that are difficult to translate, such as "Influence ya coup d'œil" (the influence of the way one looks) and "Na sima mawa tro" (with a little bit of luck). The rest of the lyrics touch on themes such as the music industry, materialism, and the complexities of human relationships. Overall, the song paints a vivid picture of life in Kinshasa and the many challenges that its residents face.


Line by Line Meaning

Pesa biso nguya, tobare bazembezembe ná bantusa esprit
Give us strength, so that we do not lose hope and our spirit


Torenye lokola yo na likolo
Believe me like your heart


biso bayanke na se
We bet on it


Amen
Amen


Je suis madinken
I am a Madinken


Tu es mandiken
You are a Mandiken


Elle est mandiken
She is a Mandiken


Nous sommes mandiken
We are Mandiken


Vous êtes mandiken
You are Mandiken


Ils sont mandiken
They are Mandiken


Babukaki ligal ya Kaludji na Yacom
They picked up the Kaludji and Yacom guitar riffs


Baplan ilfale natelema na yango na ndule wana
They planned and performed it in that same style


Mbila amira pale
The guitar strings sound beautiful


Masta batindika ye
The master played it


Petite abendana
The small female vocalist sang


uta azwa lupemba azwa kiboba
You dance Lupemba, you dance Kiboba


Bashatshe, baMiyake, baYamaoto
Bashatshe, Miyake, Yamaoto


Influence ya coup d'œil
The influence of the gaze


Mbele nakoma na plan tro ngai Furume
I am moving forward with my plan, my Furume


moto bamwela, kabama mbila mbila, wakafwa na ndenge ya kolo dais Mbololo Ngonda, dapasco ndenga, le gentleman
People come and go, you are left alone, you die in the process. While talking about the dais, Ngonda, dapasco Ndenga, the gentleman Mbololo


Petite alobi na ngai nayebi movema te
The small one told me that I don't know how to move


Ngai naleli Eldo tchedido
I am crying Eldo tchedido


Errare humanum est
To err is human


Likambo bakotisaki po alandela
The matter is delicate in continuing


Na sima mawa tro
I am really sad


Mwana kutu ebimaki
The little child is wearing shorts


Carte sur table
Cards on the table


Tonégocier
Negotiate


Showbiz simba monde
Showbiz is a lion's world


Vivra verra
He who lives shall see


Yeba Lubwaku ebebisaka moto yaya Po na lokotro
Watch out for Lubwaku, he's coming to take everything


Tolobaki moto ayeba te
They didn't expect the guy to come back


Awele mpifu
A liar and a cheat


Se po na Ferrari na Caviar
If only I had a Ferrari and caviar


Contrat osinyaki po na liwa
I didn't sign up for this contract


Mbula kama po bandima ngai na bana ya Firenze
They're hunting me down like the Firenze gang


Kozala toujours na top po na nkoma
Always be on top of things


Likambo ezalaki po na miso ya Peguy, mwana ya Comores
The matter is in the eyes of Peguy, the child from Comores


Likambo ezalaki po na tayi ya Ma Roza
The matter is in the hands of Ma Roza


Mere frenchen Na ndenge na yango Wolo ebonga na kingo Mere abonga na pere
French mother doing her business with it at the station with a saleswoman Mother agrees with father


Ekomaki biso na mboka Nipone, Rontao pamba pamba Ekomaki biso na mboka Nazi, Porshe, Benzula mbula
Let's settle in Japan, live luxurious lives Let's settle in Nazi's place, drive Porshe's and Benzes


Kinshasa bashege baRomain Mikili bazulu ba new jack
Kinshasa, the Romains came Mikili up high, the new jacks


Kaoko ko ko korobo
Kaoko ko ko korobo


Les ont dit font doubler le mabe
What they said doubles the mabe


Kamuzunda kingo ebende
Kamuzunda gave her bottom


Shege, chance eloko pamba Kao koko korobo
Shege, it's a big opportunity Kao koko korobo


Ligorodo ata aza kovimba akokoka na monene ya nzoko te
Ligorodo, even though it's big, it doesn't come from someone in the neighborhood


Bakanga kanga bacracas balemba
They keep searching and searching, but they never find


Lelo lelo ekomi lobi
Today, today is peace


Lobi lobi ekomi lobi kuna
Peace comes from peace


Match eza te
There's no match


Y a pas match
There's no match


Muzingi mbila Za za za ee Tula mwisi
The maestro of guitars Za za za ee Play the music




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Most interesting comment from YouTube:

@isurgirl_aaliyah9524

Pesa biso nguya, tobare bazembezembe ná bantusa esprit
Torenye lokola yo na likolo
Biso bayanke na se
Amen
Amen
Je suis madinken
Tu es mandiken
Elle est mandiken
Nous sommes mandiken
Vous êtes mandiken
Ils sont mandiken
Babukaki ligal ya Kaludji na Yacom
Baplan ilfale natelema na yango na ndule wana
Mbila amira pale
Masta batindika ye
Petite abendana
Uta azwa lupemba
Azwa kiboba
Bashatshe, baMiyake, baYamaoto
Influence ya coup d'œil
Mbele nakoma na plan tro ngai Furume
Moto bamwela, kabama mbila mbila, wakafwa
Na ndenge ya kolo dais
Mbololo Ngonda, dapasco ndenga, le gentleman
Petite alobi na ngai nayebi movema te
Ngai naleli
Eldo tchedido
Errare humanum est
Likambo bakotisaki po alandela
Na sima mawa tro
Mwana kutu ebimaki
Carte sur table
Tonégocier
Showbiz simba monde
Vivra verra
Je suis madinken
Tu es mandiken
Elle est mandiken
Nous sommes mandiken
Vous êtes mandiken
Ils sont mandiken
Yeba Lubwaku ebebisaka moto yaya
Po na lokotro
Tolobaki moto ayeba te
Awele mpifu
Se po na Ferrari na Caviar
Contrat osinyaki po na liwa
Mbula kama po bandima ngai na bana ya Firenze
Kozala toujours na top po na nkoma
Likambo ezalaki po na miso ya Peguy, mwana ya Comores
Likambo ezalaki po na tayi ya Ma Roza
Mere frenchen
Na ndenge na yango
Wolo ebonga na kingo
Mere abonga na pere
Ekomaki biso na mboka Nipone, Rontao pamba pamba
Ekomaki biso na mboka Nazi, Porshe, Benzula mbula
Kinshasa bashege baRomain
Mikili bazulu ba new jack
Kaoko ko ko korobo
Les ont dit font doubler le mabe
Kamuzunda kingo ebende
Shege, chance eloko pamba
Kao koko korobo
Ligorodo ata aza kovimba akokoka na monene ya nzoko te
Bakanga kanga bacracas balemba
Lelo lelo ekomi lobi
Lobi lobi ekomi lobi kuna
Match eza te
Y a pas match
Muzingi mbila
Za za za ee
Tula mwisi
(End)



All comments from YouTube:

@Alexondiasodounga

Que toutes les personnes qui liront ce commentaire soient bénis ❤ merci beaucoup papa Wemba depuis libreville au Gabon 🇬🇦👍

@calicase6431

Très belle musique . Les congolais sont les meilleurs chanteurs d'Afrique de tous les temps, il faut le reconnaître 👌👌👌
Une camerounaise depuis la France 🇫🇷

@sahanounderra9556

Ce son me rappelle mon enfance joyeuse dans les années 1995. Que de beaux souvenirs

@usmancissokho8524

Je suis mandinka du Sénégal mais j'affirme que la langue dans laquelle il chante est très douce. Moi je ne comprends pas cette belle langue du kongo. Unissons nous, nous avons beaucoup a gagné ensemble ! Mais surtout Unissons nous dans nos cultures africaine sans melange.

@sylvestreatiwiya7847

"Carte sur table, o négocier... showbiz esimba monde Qui vivra verra" visionneur fut Wemba c'est ce que nous vivons aujourd'hui.

@eliebolemba6738

Vraiment tu as relevé quelque chose que je ne savais pas 😢. Merci pour ça

@user-cv4tj8on4m

Vraiment

@ImmaculeImmaka

Ça dit beaucoup sur le showbizz...

@fabricekond5693

Je suis burkinabé et la music Congolese est magic car ce sont Les premier habitants de la terre ..ILs ont le secret ....vive la culture africaine et oui pour la liberté sans condition DU peuple congolais..

@theben10futureyamin70

Waouh frère. C'est profond ce que tu as dit là. Merci beaucoup. On est ensemble 🙏

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