The Knocks were formed in 2008 by James "JPatt" Patterson and Ben "DJ B-Roc" Ruttner. Patterson and Ruttner met at New York City's New School and shared an apartment, where they set up small recording studios in their bedrooms. The loud noise coming from their apartment led to neighbors constantly knocking on their door in order to get them to pipe down, hence the duo's name. Early success as remixers, however, enabled them to build their own studio in Manhattan. During 2008 and 2009, Knocks remixes surfaced for Katy Perry ("I Kissed a Girl"), Britney Spears ("3"), and PRGz ("Soul Glo"). B-Roc and Andrew W.K. also released DAMN! The Mixtape Vol. 1 in 2009, featuring several Knocks productions.
In 2010, the Knocks released their first singles, the sunny "Dancing with the DJ" (which later appeared on their 2011 EP Magic) and the whistling "Make It Better." Over the course of the next few years, the duo's profile was magnified by additional remixes for Tegan and Sara ("Closer"), the 1975 ("Girls"), and Dragonette ("Let It Go"), among others, in addition to tours with Ellie Goulding, Dragonette, and Sleigh Bells. They also collaborated with Fred Falke for the Kitsuné Music release "Geronimo" in 2012, as well as Treasure Fingers for "DYWT," released on Fool's Gold Clubhouse in 2014. Also in 2014, the group released an EP, titled Comfortable and released on the Neon Gold label, that included collaborations with X Ambassadors and Ra Ra Riot.
Signed to Big Beat, the Knocks slowed it down a bit for the 2014 single "Classic," one of their funkier and more disco-indebted singles, featuring Powers. An EP titled So Classic appeared in April 2015, followed by a new version of "Classic" featuring a verse by Fetty Wap. The Knocks spent much of the year working on their long-delayed debut album, which was previewed by the singles "I Wish (My Taylor Swift)" (with Matthew Koma) and "New York City" (featuring Cam'ron). Finally, in March 2016, the duo released their first full-length, 55, which included additional guest appearances from Wyclef Jean, Walk the Moon, Carly Rae Jepsen, Alex Newell, and Semi-Precious Weapons' Justin Trantor. That July, the pair remixed selected tracks from the album on the 55.5 EP.
In early 2017, the Knocks released Testify, an EP of new songs featuring collaborations with MNEK, Delacey, and Tayla Parx. Later that year, the duo teamed up with Skylar Spence and released a future funk mixtape as Amelia Airhorn. They also formed the Mary Nixons, a group with Mat Zo, and issued the single "Adrian." They followed with the Captain Cuts collaboration "House Party." July 2018 saw the release of the single "Shades" which appeared later that year on the Knocks' second full-length, New York Narcotic. The album also featured contributions from Method Man, Sofi Tukker, and Foster the People.
2019 brought several singles, including the Kah-Lo collaboration "Awa Ni" and "Lucky Me" (with Great Good Fine Ok). Most of these were collected on the EP Summer Series: 2019. Several more singles arrived in 2020, including "One Fine Day" (with Idris Elba), "Bodies" (with MUNA), and "All About You" (featuring Foster the People). The following year, they released Melody & Silence, an EP with Foster the People that included a remix of the single, as well as covers of hits by Beck, Moby, and the Verve. Also in 2021, the Knocks released "R U High" (featuring Mallrat) and "Sound the Alarm" (featuring Rivers Cuomo and Royal & the Serpent), and were featured on Purple Disco Machine's "Fireworks." The following year saw the release of the full-length effort, HISTORY, which featured collaborations with Foster the People, MUNA, Totally Enormous Extinct Dinosaurs, Cold War Kids, Parson James, and Yoke Lore, among others.
Biography by Andy Kellman
Awa Ni
The Knocks Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Awa ni ya, awa ni ya
Open up my eyes to the sun on my skin
Try'in get buck wild, so I hit up my kin
We down to go somewhere to pull off last night again
They know us at the bar, bar man give us a regular
Who brings the ginger to the floor, me
Who has the kids all hype
Up to your mom and down to your wife (awa ni)
Who has the sauce, we
Who brings the ginger to the floor, me
Who has the kids all hype
Up to your mom and down to your wife
Awa ni ya, awa ni ya
Who has the kids all hype
Awa ni ya, awa ni ya
Who keeps it live all night
Who has the kids all hype (awa ni)
Who keeps it live all night (awa ni)
Up to no good gang you can ask about us
Love to cause chaos and the chaos loves us
We have our problems but we're too hype to solve 'um
They know us at the bar
Bar man gave us a regular
Who has the sauce, we
Who brings the ginger to the floor, me
Who has the kids all hype
Up to your mom and down to your wife (awa ni)
Who has the sauce, we
Who brings the ginger to the floor, me
Who has the kids all hype
Up to your mom and down to your wife
Awa ni ya, awa ni ya
Who has the kids all hype
Awa ni ya, awa ni ya
Who keeps it live all night
Who has the kids all hype (awa ni)
Who keeps it live all night
Who has the sauce, we
Who brings the ginger to the floor, me
Who has the kids all hype
Up to your mom and down to your wife (awa ni)
Who has the sauce, we
Who brings the ginger to the floor, me
Who has the kids all hype
Up to your mom and down to your wife
Awa ni ya
Who keeps it live all night
Awa ni ya, awa ni ya
Who has the kids all hype
Awa ni ya, awa ni ya
Who keeps it live all night
The lyrics to "Awa Ni" by The Knocks and Kah-Lo are all about having a good time and being the life of the party. The chorus, repeated multiple times throughout the song, translates to "We are here" in Yoruba, the language of the Lagos region of Nigeria. This ties in with the theme of the song, as both Kah-Lo and The Knocks have Nigerian roots and this song is inspired by Nigerian nightlife.
Throughout the verses, the lyrics describe going out with friends and causing chaos at bars, with the barman even knowing them by name. The repeated line "Who has the sauce, we" is a slang phrase meaning "who is the best", implying that the group is the best at partying and having a good time. The lyrics also refer to keeping the kids hyped up all night, which is likely a reference to the younger generation and getting them excited about the music and the party.
Overall, "Awa Ni" is a fun and upbeat song that celebrates the idea of letting loose and having a good time. It incorporates both Nigerian and Western influences to create a unique sound and message that is sure to get people dancing.
Line by Line Meaning
Open up my eyes to the sun on my skin
I wake up to the warmth of the sun shining on my skin.
Try'in get buck wild, so I hit up my kin
I want to let loose and have fun, so I call up my close friends and family to join me.
We down to go somewhere to pull off last night again
We're excited to relive the fun we had last night by going to the same place again.
They know us at the bar, bar man give us a regular
We're regulars at the bar, and the bartender already knows our usual order.
Who has the sauce, we
We have the swagger and confidence that attracts attention.
Who brings the ginger to the floor, me
I'm the one who initiates the dance and gets everyone moving.
Who has the kids all hype
We have the energy and excitement that gets everyone hyped, regardless of age.
Up to your mom and down to your wife (awa ni)
Everyone, including both young and old, male and female, is affected by our energy.
Who keeps it live all night (awa ni)
We're the ones who make sure the party keeps going and stays lively throughout the night.
Up to no good gang you can ask about us
We're known to be a wild and adventurous group who loves to have fun and cause trouble.
Love to cause chaos and the chaos loves us
We enjoy being unpredictable and causing a bit of chaos, and it only adds to our fun and excitement.
We have our problems but we're too hype to solve 'um
Even though we may have our own issues and struggles, we'd rather focus on having a good time and being hyped up instead of dwelling on them.
Who keeps it live all night
We're the ones who make sure the party doesn't die down and stays lively until the very end.
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd., Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Adam Pallin, Benjamin Ruttner, Faridah Demola Seriki, James Patterson, Kaelyn Behr
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@mohamedkarrom617
Awa ni ya, awa ni ya
Awa ni ya, awa ni ya
Open up my eyes to the sun on my skin
Try'in get buck wild, so I hit up my kin
We down to go somewhere to pull off last night again
They know us at the bar, bar man give us a regular
Who has the sauce, we
Who brings the ginger to the floor, me
Who has the kids all hype
Up to your mom and down to your wife (awa ni)
Who has the sauce, we
Who brings the ginger to the floor, me
Who has the kids all hype
Up to your mom and down to your wife
Awa ni ya, awa ni ya
Who has the kids all hype
Awa ni ya, awa ni ya
Who keeps it live all night
Who has the kids all hype (awa ni)
Who keeps it live all night (awa ni)
Up to no good gang you can ask about us
Love to cause chaos and the chaos loves us
We have our problems but we're too hype to solve 'um
They know us at the bar
Bar man gave us a regular
Who has the sauce, we
Who brings the ginger to the floor, me
Who has the kids all hype
Up to your mom and down to your wife (awa ni)
Who has the sauce, we
Who brings the ginger to the floor, me
Who has the kids all hype
Up to your mom and down to your wife
Awa ni ya, awa ni ya
Who has the kids all hype
Awa ni ya, awa ni ya
Who keeps it live all night
Who has the kids all hype (awa ni)
Who keeps it live all night
Who has the sauce, we
Who brings the ginger to the floor, me
Who has the kids all hype
Up to your mom and down to your wife (awa ni)
Who has the sauce, we
Who brings the ginger to the floor, me
Who has the kids all hype
Up to your mom and down to your wife
Awa ni ya
Who keeps it live all night
Awa ni ya, awa ni ya
Who has the kids all hype
Awa ni ya, awa ni ya
Who keeps it live all nigh
@KaranThakur927
One thing FIFA will continue forever to never disappoint in, the soundtrack selection. Impeccable.
@nifemiogunmeru608
This makes me feel like I’m driving down a highway with no cars at night. The windows are rolled down and and the cool night breeze is blowing through my hair. Such a time to be alive🤧🤧
@UnitedAnalysis
This song has nothing but happy vibes and that paradise feeling whilst listening to, so underrated 🔥🔥
@FifaFarm
Hey bobby u here guess we love the same song ig
@UnitedAnalysis
@@FifaFarm ha ha, hello 👋
@ST3PH3NGT
that's why I thought it was the best song on fifa 20
@samycfc3709
i can just imagine blasting this on full volume in the summer
@TheTigerPuppet
That’s what I’m saying, this is a perfect fit for the summer when it’s hot, fans on, and sometimes even good for outside.
@mohamedkarrom617
Awa ni ya, awa ni ya
Awa ni ya, awa ni ya
Open up my eyes to the sun on my skin
Try'in get buck wild, so I hit up my kin
We down to go somewhere to pull off last night again
They know us at the bar, bar man give us a regular
Who has the sauce, we
Who brings the ginger to the floor, me
Who has the kids all hype
Up to your mom and down to your wife (awa ni)
Who has the sauce, we
Who brings the ginger to the floor, me
Who has the kids all hype
Up to your mom and down to your wife
Awa ni ya, awa ni ya
Who has the kids all hype
Awa ni ya, awa ni ya
Who keeps it live all night
Who has the kids all hype (awa ni)
Who keeps it live all night (awa ni)
Up to no good gang you can ask about us
Love to cause chaos and the chaos loves us
We have our problems but we're too hype to solve 'um
They know us at the bar
Bar man gave us a regular
Who has the sauce, we
Who brings the ginger to the floor, me
Who has the kids all hype
Up to your mom and down to your wife (awa ni)
Who has the sauce, we
Who brings the ginger to the floor, me
Who has the kids all hype
Up to your mom and down to your wife
Awa ni ya, awa ni ya
Who has the kids all hype
Awa ni ya, awa ni ya
Who keeps it live all night
Who has the kids all hype (awa ni)
Who keeps it live all night
Who has the sauce, we
Who brings the ginger to the floor, me
Who has the kids all hype
Up to your mom and down to your wife (awa ni)
Who has the sauce, we
Who brings the ginger to the floor, me
Who has the kids all hype
Up to your mom and down to your wife
Awa ni ya
Who keeps it live all night
Awa ni ya, awa ni ya
Who has the kids all hype
Awa ni ya, awa ni ya
Who keeps it live all nigh
@choobi6432
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