Ruggedy Baba
Song by Ruggedman
Featured artist: 9ice
Album: Ruggedy Baba
Released: 3 March 2007
“Ruggedy Baba” is a blast from the past in the early era of Naija hip-hop by Ruggedman which featured indigenous maestro, 9ice.
This is a remarkable song that changed the narrative of the rap industry in Nigeria and carted a handful of awards including the hip-hop song of the year at the prestigious ‘Hip-hop World Awards’ now Headies Awards.
“Ruggedy Baba’ also serves as the stepping stone for 9ice to stardom as he made way with “Gongo Aso” afterward.
Lyrics & Translation:
Atewo mo bala (I spread my palm and see lines)
A o mo eni to ko (I don’t know who wrote them)
We spit in pidjin awon kan n wuko
You better show where you belong
Ruggedy Baba opomulero mo ja lekan (Ruggedy Baba the pillar that holds the building)
Ruggedy Baba opomulero mo ja lekan (Ruggedy Baba the pillar that holds the building)
Sa maa wo wan niran (Just keep looking at them)
Once again it’s me the individual running the game physical
I am here to open my mouth again and yarn spiritual
To speak from my heartlet you know where e dey pain me
As people dey back bite and talk about me up in this industry
Where them been dey when I dey speak for mechanics and shoe makers
Dem dey talk around the subject like our lawmakers
Before I dropped Ehen the industry was messed up
Fakers dey rule while realer rappers them dey stressed up
Nobody did a damn thing until I came through
I cleared the whole area now real rappers have a say too
Now people dey listen to emcome for our shows and clap for em
Some dey take am to the next level with hip hop forums
From Nigeria the world only know Juju, Fuji and Afro beat
But we all know hip hop is running the streets
Wetin go make them know where your music come from
In the long run
Na the fussion of grammar, your slang and your mother tongue
Atewo mo bala (I spread my palm and see lines)
A o mo eni to ko (I don’t know who wrote them)
We spit in pidjin awon kan n wuko
You better show where you belong
Ruggedy Baba opomulero mo ja lekan (Ruggedy Baba the pillar that holds the building)
Sa maa wo wan niran (Just keep looking at them)
Spit more
In your mother tongue
Till the people say say they want more
I’m tired of people and gossip
I don switch from smile to frown
I’m tired of so called hip-hop heads whispering that I am not holding it down
Say I don change from the way I be before
Say now I dey spit for pidjin
Dem prefer me when I been be hard core
Like when I dropped What If and split the air waves
Bur financially that left me grounded like Nigerian Airways
What if I tell you say I only do one or two shows
What if them no pay me well enough to buy one good shoe or some good clothes?
And say Paul Play
Had a hand in letting me know
What it will take for me to rearrange and eventually blow
While you sit around and talk sh!t
Our elders mock our sh!t
Cos of our too much metaphorical out of space type sh!t
When some rap
Dem no know where we dey come from
Back then two rappers on stage was like seven throwing a tantrum
We need to change thatput a face to our music
Let the world know where we come from
Let no one abuse it
Atewo mo bala (I spread my palm and see lines)
A o mo eni to ko (I don’t know who wrote them)
We spit in pidjin awon kan n wuko
You better show where you belong
Ruggedy Baba opomulero mo ja lekan (Ruggedy Baba the pillar that holds the building)
Sa maa wo wan niran (Just keep looking at them)
Spit more
In your mother tongue
Till the people say say they want more
Now let me address this issue of keeping it real
The one subject wey I go say dey make me vex still
Cos of how some emcees feel
About these three words whenever they open their mouths
Look my guy
I no fit shout
I go only ask what’s keeping it real?
Is it singing or rapping like Oyibo or doing what you and your own people can feel?
Some say I sell out because I do dance track they call me Baraje master
Forgetting it got me fame and money faster
Forget the latter I’ll move to the next chapter faster
I’m just speaking my mind playing my controversial character
The way I’ve been known to do when I spit it straight out to you
You better recognize a real brother that’s reaching out to you
Speaking pidjin and dance tracks no mean say I no keep am real
That’s just me so how else I wan be to be real?
My rules are spit in whatever language but make sense
I did that and I’ve been hot ever since
Atewo mo bala (I spread my palm and see lines)
A o mo eni to ko (I don’t know who wrote them)
We spit in pidjin awon kan n wuko
You better show where you belong
Ruggedy Baba opomulero mo ja lekan (Ruggedy Baba the pillar that holds the building)
Sa maa wo wan niran (Just keep looking at them)
Spit more
In your mother tongue
Till the people say say they want more
Ruggedman ft. 9ice ⇒ Ruggedy Baba
