As you already know, Asake sings mostly in Yoruba language, a language that a great number of Nigerians and other nationals do not understand, even tho they enjoy his songs.
In this article, I will be explaining translating and explaining the lyrics of the song ‘Awodi’ by Asake. The song is from his second album ‘Work Of Art’. It is the second song on the album and it was produced by Magicsticks.
(Ololade mi, Asake)
(Tune in to the king of sounds and blues)
Àwòdì fo lódé, o fẹ d′Olùwà
(Eagle flies high and wants to be like God)
Ẹribi, ẹribi, I wonder oo
(Look at/see, I wonder o)
Wonder shall never end (wonder) like Pasuma, I wonder
I wonder, Americana wonder oo
Kíní reason? Kíní plan? Kíní scope? Why the beefing?
(What is the reason? what is the plan? what is the scope? why the beefing?)
Àwòdì fo lódé, o fẹ d′Olùwà is used to describe when someone is acting or doing more than they should be doing. When someone is becoming kind of proud and arrogant, but the line means Eagle flies high and wants to be like God.
Catfish lórí títí
(Catfish on the street)
Jẹ bí chicken, ṣọbo le yọke jú billing (billing)
(Eating like chicken, ?)
Iwájú gán o easy, ẹhìn o ṣé lọ,
Going front/foward is not easy and one cannot go back
ọmọ ìyá mí, ṣo tí rísìnyí? (rísìnyí)
(My brother, do you see?)
My ship never sinking
Mó kanaku, mó jiggy
(I am calculative, I am sharp/firm)
They wanna know what I’m thinking
Many, many things, I no fit ṣàlàyé o
(Many many things, I can’t explain)
2022, mó gbé wọn trabayé o
(2022, I took them there) (Meaning I gave them a good vibe)
Olùwà ló gbé from the slum to the top
(God carried me from the slum to the top)
Èmí kọ, àwọn kọ, wọn o lé t′Ọlọ’run
(It wasn’t me, it wasn’t them, they can’t be like God)
Ìṣù jọba lórí ìyàn
(Yam is king over pounded yam)
Kémí má ní ìjọba òṣìkà
(The envious is king over/eviler than the wicked)
Ìṣù jọba lórí ìyàn meaning that Yam is king over pounded yam. Pounded yam may appeal to so many people over yam but without yam, you can never get pounded yam. The song was about proud people. And in this line, Asake is saying that there is always a hierarchy and someone else above you, hence the need for humility.
Kémí má ní ìjọba òṣìkà meaning ‘The envious is king over/eviler than the wicked’. Asake is saying here that an envious person is more dangerous than a wicked person. Because a wicked person, already has a personality of being wicked and their intentions are clear but an envious person? you don’t even know that they are nursing ill feelings for you.
Òjo l’ọkọ àgbàdo
(Rain is corn/maize husband)
As e dey go, jásí, my nigga
(As you go on, be smart, my nigga)
Aroma ńjo gẹ́, Aroma ńle wọn
Aroma ńdé bẹ, fabẹ yá o
Mó ge wọn bí Babayaro
(I dribble them like Babayaro)
Akabi Kaola, ó yà, kabi lórí àwá o
(Don’t let me face problem)
Òjo l’ọkọ àgbàdo means Rain is corn/maize husband. That is because without rain/water, rain cannot grow, maize needs rain to grow.
Àwòdì fo lódé, o fẹ d′Olùwà
(Eagle is flying high and wants to be like God)
Ẹribi, ẹribi, I wonder oo
(Look at/see, I wonder o)
Wonder shall never end (wonder) like Pasuma, I wonder
I wonder, Americana wonder oo
Kíní reason? Kíní plan? Kíní scope? Why the beefing?
(What is the reason? what is the plan? what is the scope? why the beefing?)
Catfish lórí títí
(Catfish on the street)
Jẹ bí chicken, ṣọbo le yọke jú billing (billing)
(Eating like chicken, ?)
Iwájú gán o easy, ẹhìn o ṣé lọ,
Going front/foward is not easy and one cannot go back
ọmọ ìyá mí, ṣo tí rísìnyí? (rísìnyí)
(My brother, do you see?)
My ship never sinking
Mó kanaku, mó jiggy
(I am calculative, I am sharp/firm)
They wanna know what I’m thinking
They wanna know
They wanna know (Aroma re o)
Aroma ńjo gẹ, Aroma ńle wọn
Aroma ńde bẹ fàbẹ yá o
Mó ge wọn bí Babayaro
Akabi Kaola, ó yà, kabi lórí àwá o
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