With their politically charged lyrics and commentaries Lopango yaba Nka offer their fellow countrymen new approaches to overcoming the host of difficult challenges that their country, the Democratic Republic of Congo, is facing.
Buza, Mangenge and Kaba, the vocalists of Lopango yaba Nka, jointly rap and sing in Lingala, Tshiluba and Kikongo. With their popular debut release "Telema (pona Congo)" ("Stand up - for Congo)", they have provided the Congolese youth with a new national anthem in their proper language. "Justice and peace -- for Congo Reason and courage -- for Congo Children of Congo -- Stand up"
Song Lyrics: "Telema pona kongo" (Stand up for the Congo)
Music: B. Lemvo
Lyrics: B. Lemvo & M. Aundu
1st verse: Buza
I was told: „Boy, forget this country because it is already lost,
Rather stay in the west and care about your own affairs!â€
But my answer is: I stand for the Congo till death
I will fight for justice for my people
Blood is shed, but the world does not want to see it
Death of a black man does not mean a thing
Today they send you to kill your brother
Tomorrow they send someone else to kill you
They say:â€Boy, you are just a raindrop in the desert,
What do you want to change in this world,
Many have tried, many have vanished
Many gave up, many are dead
Boy, beware, this path is full of dangersâ€
But I clench my fist, beat on my chest
And I throw it in the air, for the Congo
Refrain:
Justice and peace, for the Congo
Reason and courage, for the Congo
Identity and independance, for the Congo
Love and unity, for the Congo
Let us stop with greed, for the Congo
Let us stop with jealousy, for the Congo
The palm tree is cut but it will grow again
It is cut again, it will grow again
Children of the Congo, Stand up!
Children of the Congo, Stand up!
2nd Verse: Mangenge
It's been 45 years that we have waited until this day
*The gorilla misses its tail, as our ancestors already said
But in what are we lacking, what have we done
That they changed our light to darkness
That bloodshedding just won't stop
From Lumumba, Mulele to Kabila
What we want is peace, change and truth
We had been deceived, we had been mistreated for too long
Everything at its own time
Let us raise our voices for our land
We all are children of the same home, my brother
Even if we belong to different tribes, we have to unite
The time has come, we have to wake up from our slumber
Take the bridle in our hands to show the Congo to the world
Your voice will open the door
Through your voice we will flee this darkness
Refrain (as above)
3rd Verse: Buza
I heard the throne is surrounded by enemies
They put traps in our way, from Kivu to Bunia
They are greedy for mineral resources
That is why they take our peace
The country is blazing but we think about enjoyment
Others are ensnared by the bible
They have been lied to that redemption only comes from the messiah
*Dream of a dumb, the suffering of the Congo has been going on for too long
Jesus has never come to us
Mangenge
Lumumba, revolutionary but gangsta means, what comes shall come
The children..s mind is as hard as *Ndika because of their asylum seeker status
This is for the idiots who put stones in Congo's way in order to make it stutter, they are known to us
It will take a long time to build this country, but slowly we are moving forward
You have brought yourselves to this
Now show that you can build it with reason
Everyone has to follow the law
Fathers and mothers, let us vote for the right ones
Refrain (as above)
*The gorilla misses its tail – waiting for something in vain
*Dream of a dumb – goal which cannot be accomplished
*Ndika – hard core of a palm fruit called Mbila
check out: www.lopango-yabanka.com