Here is the answer

I debated long and hard about this post, but then I decided that although it goes against a lot of the rules that I have set on 6000 miles… , they were my rules anyway and it would be fine to bend them a little.
If you’re me.
This approach has worked for monarchies and governments for many years and I don’t see why I shouldn’t give it a quick go.
Just this once. Until next time.

So – step forward Die Antwoord, which is Afrikaans for “The Answer”.
They’re a foul-mouthed 3-piece hip-hop/rap group straight outta Brooklyn. No, not that Brooklyn, the other one – the one near Maitland in Cape Town.
And while they are rather rude and surely not 4 real, they’re also rather amusing and pretty entertaining – the Afrikaans version of Goldie Lookin Chain, innit.

With that explicit lyrics warning in full force – you can now head over to their website, where you can listen to their new album (out next month) and enjoy the dulcet tones of rapper Ninja, vocalist Yo-Landi Visser and the beats of the lovably cuddly DJ Hi-Tek.

Track 2, Wat Kyk Jy? (literally “What are you looking at?”) is a particular favourite of mine and I have attempted a quick translation of the chorus – an exchange between the inquisitive Ninja and the somewhat defensive Yo-Landi – from the guttural Afrikaans into English for the benefit of my readers:

What are you looking at?
Absolutely nothing.
What are you looking at?
Cat.
What are you looking at?
Go away.
What are you looking at?
You sewing machine.

Bi-lingual readers will already have worked out the intricacies of that little dialogue. Perfection.

There’s a lot more to hear as well, including colabs with the currently ubiquitous Jack Parow, Fokofpolisiekar and others.
Just don’t play it when the kids are around, ok?

7 thoughts on “Here is the answer

  1. The translation is pretty spot on!

    Die Antwoord does capture the essence of Tant Stienie from Brooklyn very well 😉 *whisper: I like it too. A. Lot.

  2. Zefmeister > But then, you would say that. 😉
    Enter the Ninja is definitely a close second to Wat Kyk Jy.

    Emil > Thanks. Although I feel that foreign readers will be (thankfully) bewildered by the reference to the sewing machine.

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