Category: Afropop

Great song that I listen to non-stop by the Kenyan group Sauti Sol, who won Best African Act at the 2014 MTV EMAs. This was last summer hit in Kenya with many vidz of people trying to do the lipala dance (find the link at the end of the post). This song will get you jumping on your feet. You can hear the “congolese guitar” in the background but the song style is totally Kenyan. I should make a post about Congolese guitar style… Anyways, back to the song. The lyrics are pretty nice too, for what I understand. Kenyan Kiswahili, or ‘Kiswahili bora’ as we call it in Congo, is a bit different, with more Arabic and more English into it. Maybe there are also some slang words or colloquial expressions that I don’t really get (I put a question mark where I’m not sure. Feel free to post comments for your translation). Basically, the guy explains to the girl he chose to marry all the reasons why he loves her and why she shouldn’t love anybody else but him. ‘Sura yako muzuri mama’ will be stuck in your head for a while after one listen. It means ‘Girl, you look fine’… All is said… Enjoy! 🙂

Title: Sura Yako (Your looks)
Artist: Sauti Sol
Album: Live And Die in Afrika
Year: 2014
Directed by Enos Olik

Nimekuchagua wewe, nikupende (I chose you, I love you)
Mama, sitaki mwingine (Girl, I don’t want any other)
Aushi usiniache, usinitende (Never leave my side)
Mama, usipende mwingine (Girl, don’t love any other)

Moyo wangu ni mwepesi (My heart is beating hard)
Umenikalia chapati (You control me*)
Nafanya vituko kama chizi (My jokes are cheesy)
Kukupenda sitasizi (I’ll never stop loving you)
Moyo wangu ni mwepesi
Umenikalia chapati
Nafanya vituko kama chizi
Kukupenda sitasizi

Sura yako muzuri mama aaah (You are beautiful, girl)
Aaah muzuri mama, muzuri mama, muzuri mama
Na tabasamu lako maua aaah (And your smile is like flowers)
Aaah muzuri mama, muzuri mama, muzuri mama
Sura yako muzuri mama aaah
Aaah muzuri mama, muzuri mama, muzuri mama
Na tabasamu lako maua aaah
Aaah muzuri mama, muzuri mama

Itabidi nikulinde, nikutunze (I had to watch over you, I cared for you)
Mama, usikose lolote (Don’t be mistaken, girl)
Pete nayo nikuvishe, nikuoe (I put the ring on your finger, I married you)
Mama, usiende popote (Don’t go anywhere, girl)

Juu moyo wangu ushakubali (My heart already loves you)
Umenikalia chapati
Nitakulinda kama polisi eh (I will protect you like the police)
Itabidi nikumarry (I had to marry you?)
Moyo wangu ushakubali
Umenikalia chapati
Nitakulinda kama polisi eh
Itabidi nikumarry

Na sura yako muzuri mama aaah (And your face is beautiful, girl)
Aaah muzuri mama, muzuri mama, muzuri mama
Na tabasamu lako maua aaah
Aaah muzuri mama, muzuri mama, muzuri mama
Na figure yako kama ya chupa ?
Aaah muzuri mama, muzuri mama, muzuri mama
Na sura yako muzuri mama aaah
Aaah muzuri mama, muzuri mama

Piga densi kidogo, piga densi, piga densi kidogo (Dance a little!)
Densi kidogo, piga densi, piga densi kidogo
Densi kidogo, piga densi, piga densi kidogo
Densi kidogo

Sura yako muzuri mama aaah
Aaah muzuri mama, muzuri mama, muzuri mama
Na tabasamu lako maua aaah
Aaah muzuri mama, muzuri mama, muzuri mama
Sura yako muzuri mama aaah
(You’re so beautiful)
Aaah muzuri mama, muzuri mama, muzuri mama
(You’re so so yeah…)
Aaah muzuri mama, muzuri mama

Aaah muzuri, muzuri mama, muzuri mama
(Piga densi kidogo, baby densi kidogo, mama densi kidogo…)
Aaah muzuri, muzuri mama, muzuri mama
(Na figure yako kama ya chupa)
Aaah muzuri, muzuri mama, muzuri mama
Aaah muzuri, muzuri mama

Niwe niwe (It’s you, it’s you (I choose))
Niwe niwe
Niwe niwe

• this comes from the expression meaning that a woman control her man by his stomach, cooking for him chapati

Check the remix with Iyanya from Nigeria

My Sura Yako playlist