Jaspora
Refugee Allstars Lyrics
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Wyclef qui sot nan Fugee
Jeremie! Ayiti! Potoprens! Flatbush!
Sout fiere d'etre Haitien mache
Jaspora n'pa respecte Jaspora
Gen sa ki al Brooklyn, gen sa ki al Miami
Poukisa Jamayken toujou di se Jamayken?
Men Ayitien, pè di li se Ayitien
Poukisa ou pè di non se Samyèl?
Poukisa sa ou pé di'w ave Israel?
Poukisa ca chak swe ou ap domi a Jezabèl?
Ou pè di fanm ayisyen oh ke yo bèl?
Fanm nou bel
Mwen respecte nou tankou
Mwen respekte zanj Gabriyèl
Men nèg dyaspora vle mennen nou nan hotel
Tombe parle anglais, vire "playboy channel"
Yo pa respecte Israel
Jaspora n' pa respecte Jaspora
Si c'est Jaspora li ye map voye' l'Americaine
Jaspora n'a pas respecte Jaspora
Si c'est Jaspora liee aswè a nap dezame'l
Jaspora ha ha, oh la men
Mape pran li jete il prizon
Map fè'l konnen kiles ki Tousen
Map fè'l konnen kiles ki Desalin
Apre sa nous mèt lage'l voyel back Brooklyn
Pou la'l jwenn manman'n kap fe manje nan kwizin
Mannan'n gade li di ti gason ou chanje
Li di mwen chanje paske se Ayitien mwen ye
Yo te ban mwen yon leson, yo te mete'm nan prison
Mwen wè dyaspora fi, dyaspora gason
Gen sa ki pap toune ape domi a pwason
Yo pedi konesans kankou yo fèt san relijyon
Dyaspora n'pa respekte dyaspora
Si se dyaspora ou ye mape voye'w bay reken
Dyaspora n'pa respekte dyaspora
Si se dyaspora ou ye aswè a nap dezame'w
Le Potoprens pa respecte Jaspora
Nèg Flatbush pa respecte Jaspora
Nèg Canada pa respecte Jaspora
Nèg Miami pa respecte Jaspora
Depui mwen piti, mwen te kite Ayiti
Gen sa ki al Brooklyn, gen sa ki al Miami
Poukisa Jamayken toujou di se Jamayken?
Men Ayitien pe di li se Ayitien
Pouki sa ou pe di non se Samuèl?
Pouki sa ou pe di'w avec Israel?
Pouki sa chak swe ou ap domi a JeZabèl?
Ou pè di fanm ayisyen oh ke yo bèl?
Fanm nou bel
Mwen respecte nou tankou
Mwen respecte zanj gabriyèl
Men nèg dyaspora vle mennen noun nan hotèl
Tombe pale anglais, vire "playboy channel"
Yo n'pa respecte Israel
Jaspora n'pa respecte Jaspora
Si se Jaspora ou ye mape voyo'w bay reken
Jaspora n'a pas respecte Jaspora
Si se dyaspora ou ye aswè a nap dezame'w
Pa Kayos pa respekte dyaspora
Papa Djoume pa respekte dyaspora
Refugees pa respekte dyaspora
Nèg Florida pa respekte dyaspora
Malfini bagay yo pral fini mal,
Sou'w desrespecte natif natal
Malfini bagay yo pral fini mal
Desrespecte ayisyen ou pral kout fistibal
Jaspora n'pa respecte Jaspora
Si se Jaspora ou ye mape voy o bay reken
Jaspora n'pa respecte Jaspora
Si se Jaspora ou ye aswè a nap dezame'w
The song Jaspora by Refugee Allstars is about Haitian identity and the tension among members of the diaspora. The lyrics express an admiration for being Haitian but also frustration with how the diaspora doesn't always respect each other. The chorus "Jaspora n'pa respecte Jaspora" (Diaspora does not respect Diaspora) highlights this theme. The verses contain references to different Haitian communities outside of Haiti, including Potoprens (Port-au-Prince), Jeremie, and Flatbush (a neighborhood in Brooklyn, New York), as well as influences from other cultures, such as Israel and Jamaica.
The song also touches on language and cultural differences among Haitians. The lyrics contrast how some Jamaicans identify as Jamaican wherever they are, while some Haitians identify themselves by the specific places they've come from, like Jeremie. The song also criticizes diaspora members who try to distance themselves from Haiti by speaking only English, watching Playboy Channel, and not recognizing the value of their Haitian roots.
Overall, "Jaspora" captures the complexity of diaspora identity, reflecting how members may feel proud of their heritage but also struggle to reconcile their multiple identities and different cultural influences.
Line by Line Meaning
Men sa le monde antye tap tann
The whole world was waiting for Wyclef from the Fugees
Jeremie! Ayiti! Potoprens! Flatbush!
Shout out to Jeremie, Haiti, Port-au-Prince, and Flatbush
Sout fiere d'etre Haitien mache
Walking proud to be Haitian
Jaspora n'pa respecte Jaspora
The diaspora does not respect the diaspora
Depui mwen piti, mwen te kite Ayiti
Since I was little, I left Haiti
Gen sa ki al Brooklyn, gen sa ki al Miami
Some went to Brooklyn, some went to Miami
Poukisa Jamayken toujou di se Jamayken?
Why do Jamaicans always say they're Jamaican?
Men Ayitien, pè di li se Ayitien
But Haitians, they say they're Haitian
Poukisa ou pè di non se Samyèl?
Why do you say your name is Samuel?
Poukisa sa ou pé di'w ave Israel?
Why do you say you're associated with Israel?
Poukisa ca chak swe ou ap domi a Jezabèl?
Why are you sleeping around with Jezebel?
Ou pè di fanm ayisyen oh ke yo bèl?
You say Haitian women are so beautiful?
Fanm nou bel
Our women are beautiful
Mwen respecte nou tankou
I respect you like
Mwen respekte zanj Gabriyèl
I respect the angel Gabriel
Men nèg dyaspora vle mennen nou nan hotel
But those diaspora guys want to take us to a hotel
Tombe parle anglais, vire "playboy channel"
Suddenly, they start speaking English and switch to the Playboy channel
Yo pa respecte Israel
They don't respect Israel
Jaspora ha ha, oh la men
Diaspora, ha ha, oh boy
Mape pran li jete il prizon
I'm putting them in jail
Map fè'l konnen kiles ki Tousen
I'll let them know who Toussaint is
Map fè'l konnen kiles ki Desalin
I'll let them know who Dessalines is
Apre sa nous mèt lage'l voyel back Brooklyn
After that, we'll release them and send them back to Brooklyn
Pou la'l jwenn manman'n kap fe manje nan kwizin
So they can find their moms cooking in the kitchen
Mannan'n gade li di ti gason ou chanje
Mom looks at him and says your son has changed
Li di mwen chanje paske se Ayitien mwen ye
He says I changed because I'm Haitian
Yo te ban mwen yon leson, yo te mete'm nan prison
They taught me a lesson, put me in prison
Mwen wè dyaspora fi, dyaspora gason
I see diaspora girls, diaspora guys
Gen sa ki pap toune ape domi a pwason
Some won't even turn over while sleeping with a fish
Yo pedi konesans kankou yo fèt san relijyon
They lost their knowledge like they were born without religion
Dyaspora n'pa respekte dyaspora
The diaspora does not respect the diaspora
Si se dyaspora ou ye mape voye'w bay reken
If you're diaspora, I'll send you to give a reckoning
Le Potoprens pa respecte Jaspora
When Port-au-Prince doesn't respect the diaspora
Nèg Flatbush pa respecte Jaspora
The guys from Flatbush don't respect the diaspora
Nèg Canada pa respecte Jaspora
The guys from Canada don't respect the diaspora
Nèg Miami pa respecte Jaspora
The guys from Miami don't respect the diaspora
Pa Kayos pa respekte dyaspora
The guys from Kayos don't respect the diaspora
Papa Djoume pa respekte dyaspora
Papa Djoume doesn't respect the diaspora
Refugees pa respekte dyaspora
The refugees don't respect the diaspora
Nèg Florida pa respekte dyaspora
The guys from Florida don't respect the diaspora
Malfini bagay yo pral fini mal,
These bad things will end badly
Sou'w desrespecte natif natal
Disrespecting your home country
Desrespecte ayisyen ou pral kout fistibal
Disrespecting Haitians will get you in a big fight
Lyrics © OBO APRA/AMCOS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind