A hard-hitting posse cut, Cho Cho Cho was inspired by a popular Congolese call-and-response chant. The song features six amazing young MCs and vocalists from Yole!Africa in Goma, with a guest verse from Beat Making Lab’s Pierce Freelon. With lyrics in Swahili, French and English the reoccurring lyrical theme “ni wakati” means “the time is now”. A translation of verses reveal a call for peace, “this is time for building love… it’s time to say no to rape” (DJ Couler) – “the time is now for development, courage and devotion / go ahead, Congolese without anger or hatred” (Fal J). Check out the video and find a full translation of Cho Cho Cho below:

English Translation:

Queen Minaj – Verse 1
[English]
MC you did not listen to my warning
Here I am in a world dizzying, breaking due to your rap
I rap so badly – but it’s rap
Respect for all those guys who saw me years ago rapping powerfully
Negros, you deserve my applause
Unfortunately some do not recognize – real rap
They think that rap is making disturbance
Negros, your place is not here, it is the parliament – Parliament!

[French/Kiswahili]
MC ta pas ecoute mes avertisement
Me voici a un monde brisquement prisement
De vos rapement je rap tellement mal
Me ce du rap man
Respect a tous ces gars qui mon vue rappuissement
Negro vous merite mes aplodissement
Maleuresment certin negro n’est reconessent pas
Des vrai rapement
Ils croir que ce fair du jaquassement
Negro votre place n’est pas ici m c au parlement
Parlement

Pierce Freelon – Verse 2
[English/Kiswahili]
Goma, where my people need “amani” (tr: peace)
Peace is what you get when you stand up the time is now
Say “niwakati” (tr: the time is now)
They see me and say “una toka wapi?” (tr: where are you from?)
Where you from?
Carolina but I’m really an Africa son
Hot as the African sun
Freedom’s about to be won
If we get you clapping your hands
Nobody’s clapping a gun
“Poa poa” (tr: cool, cool)
“Zuri sana” (tr: very good)
“Ndugu zangu” (tr: my family)
Can you feel me?
Sawa sawa (tr: yes, yes)

Chorus

Fal J – Verse 3
[English]
The time is now for building
The time is now for going ahead
The time is now for development, courage and devotion
Go ahead, Congolese, without anger and hatred
Act, Congolese, without doubt and hypocrisy
Stop corruption, those times have passed away
Together, unite we’ll raise Africa
With courage and devotion Congo will be heard
It will be heard and everywhere accepted

[Kiswahili]
Ni wakati wakujenga
Wakati wa kusonga
Wakati wa maendeleo bidii na jihada
Songa mukongomani bila hasira na chuki
Tenda mukongomani bila ziki na unafiki
Acha kula rushwa izo tim zisha pita
Pamoja na umoja tuta shimamisha africa
Na bidii na jihada congo itaskika
Ita skika na pote itakubalika

Melissa – Verse 4
[English]
It’s time to end the war!
It’s time to hold each other’s hand!
It’s time to build the country!
It’s time to higher our flag!

[Kiswahili]
Niwakati wakumaliza vita
Niwakati wa kushikana mukono
Niwakati wa kujengainchi
Ni wakati waku shimamisha bendera

Laureat – Verse 5
[English]
The time has come to do meaningful things
Everyone at his place
let’s work together

[Kiswahili]
Wakati umefika wakufanya bia mana
Kila mutu pa nafasi yake tu tumike pa moja

Chorus

Dj Couleur – Verse 6
[English]
The time is now to build our country Congo!
Flow event!
This is time for building love!
It’s time to respect man and his property!
It’s time to say no to rape!
The time is now, the time is now
The time is now to say no!
The time is now to say no to Corruption!
The time is now; the time is now to change Africa!
The time is now to say no to war and rebellion!

[French/Kiswahili]
C’est le moment now yakujenga inchi yetu congo
Evenement flow
Oyo tango yakotonga bolingo
Niwakati waku heshimu mutu na mali yake
C’est le moment tu seme non kwa ubakaji
C’est le moment, c’est le moment
Ni wakati waku kataa
C’est le moment tuseme non a la coription
C’est le moment,time is now yakubadili africa
C’est le moment tusime non a la guerre et rebelion
Mc Mussa – Verse 7
[English]
Goma, we’ve all arrived
Goma, we are all heard
Now, the time has come
The whole Congo should be heard!
MC Mussa, I saw everything as a zero
because every day we were given humanitarian assistance
In different places even up to the Kisharo
And at Kisharo they were given humanitarian assistance

[Kiswahili]
Goma sote tu me fika
Goma sote twa skika
Wakati sasa umefika
Congo yote nzima lazima tu skike
MC mussa yote niliona kama ni ziro
Kwa sababu kila siku tuli pewa mipero
Fasi mbali mbali ata mpaka na kisharo
Na kisharo walipewa mipokero

Chorus