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Translations are AI-generated and unedited. AI can make mistakes. When in doubt, trust someone who speaks the language.
Translations are AI-generated and unedited. AI can make mistakes. When in doubt, trust someone who speaks the language.
Intro
| Original | Translation | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| What else? | What else? | English - rhetorical question expressing confidence |
| You know what time it is | You know what time it is | English - idiomatic phrase meaning 'you know what's happening' |
| Obidi pon bidi | Obidi on the beat | Nigerian Pidgin - Rudeboy's nickname (Obidi) announcing his presence |
| Rrrruuuude | Rude | English - his stage name drawn out for emphasis |
| Yaahh yaahh yaahh yaahh yah! | Yeah yeah yeah yeah yeah! | English - ad-lib exclamation |
| Yaahh yaahh yaahh yaahh yah! | Yeah yeah yeah yeah yeah! | English - repeated ad-lib |
Verse 1 (Rudeboy)
| Original | Translation | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Back then in J.town | Back then in Jos town | Nigerian Pidgin/English - J.town refers to Jos, a city in Nigeria where Rudeboy lived |
| Me I de hustle de find my lane | I was hustling, trying to find my path | Nigerian Pidgin - 'de' is a continuous aspect marker |
| Grinding on da hustle | Working hard on the hustle | Nigerian Pidgin/English mix - emphasizing hard work |
| Struggling to make am pay | Struggling to make it pay off | Nigerian Pidgin - 'am' = it |
| Dream louder than a traffic | Dreams louder than traffic | English - metaphor for having big, noisy dreams |
| Wey dey Lagos on a Friday | That is in Lagos on a Friday | Nigerian Pidgin - Lagos traffic on Friday is notoriously chaotic; 'wey dey' = that is in |
| Told myself no stressing | Told myself not to stress | Nigerian Pidgin - 'no' used as negation |
| With baba God I go make am someday | With God the Father, I will make it someday | Nigerian Pidgin - 'baba God' = Father God; 'go make am' = will make it |
| With guitar on my back | With guitar on my back | English - literal reference to carrying his instrument |
| Conga slamming on my chest | Conga drum beating on my chest | English - reference to playing percussion instruments |
| Yes the journey had me shaky | Yes the journey made me uncertain | English - expressing doubt and instability |
| But my hope stayed blessed | But my hope remained blessed | English - faith kept him going |
| Cause I knew one day I would rise | Because I knew one day I would rise | English - expressing certainty about future success |
| With faith burning in my eyes | With faith burning in my eyes | English - metaphor for passionate belief and determination |
Chorus
| Original | Translation | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| From the dark to the light | From the dark to the light | English - metaphor for moving from hardship to success |
| Now I'm standing tall | Now I'm standing tall | English - idiom for being successful and confident |
| Used to dream of good tidings | Used to dream of good news/blessings | English - 'tidings' means news or information |
| Now I'm getting them all | Now I'm receiving all of them | English - dreams becoming reality |
| Every step that I take | Every step that I take | English - referring to each move forward in life |
| Every move that I make | Every move that I make | English - emphasizing deliberate actions |
| I remember where I came from | I remember where I came from | English - staying grounded and remembering humble beginnings |
| And I thank God every time | And I thank God every time | English - expressing continuous gratitude |
| Yeah I'm blessed I'm alive | Yeah I'm blessed, I'm alive | English - central theme of gratitude for life and blessings |
| From the dark to the light | From the dark to the light | English - repeated theme of transformation |
| I'm blessed I'm alive | I'm blessed, I'm alive | English - reaffirming gratitude |
| From the dark to light | From the dark to light | English - shortened version of the phrase |
| Ooh yeah!! | Oh yeah!! | English - exclamation of joy |
Verse 2 (Rudeboy)
| Original | Translation | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Now the crowd sing louder | Now the crowd sings louder | English - people now celebrate him |
| Than the echoes of my past | Than the echoes of my past | English - present success drowns out past struggles |
| For I get the confidence say hardship no de last | Because I have the confidence to say hardship doesn't last | Nigerian Pidgin - 'for' = because; 'say' = that; 'no de last' = doesn't last |
| So I carried every struggle like a medal on my chest | So I carried every struggle like a medal on my chest | English - metaphor treating struggles as badges of honor |
| The journey is never easy | The journey is never easy | English - acknowledging difficulty |
| When you want to be the best | When you want to be the best | English - explaining the price of excellence |
| Cause I knew one day I would rise | Because I knew one day I would rise | English - repeated from verse 1, showing consistent faith |
| With faith burning in my eyes | With faith burning in my eyes | English - repeated metaphor for determination |
Chorus (Repeat)
| Original | Translation | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| From the dark to the light | From the dark to the light | English |
| Now I'm standing tall | Now I'm standing tall | English |
| Used to dream of good tidings | Used to dream of good news | English |
| Now I'm getting them all | Now I'm receiving all of them | English |
| Every step that I take | Every step that I take | English |
| Every move that I make | Every move that I make | English |
| I remember where I came from | I remember where I came from | English |
| And I thank God every time | And I thank God every time | English |
| Yeah I'm blessed I'm alive | Yeah I'm blessed, I'm alive | English |
| From the dark to the light | From the dark to the light | English |
| I'm blessed I'm alive | I'm blessed, I'm alive | English |
| From the dark to light | From the dark to light | English |
| To the light!! | To the light!! | English - emphatic ending |
Verse 3 (Sarkodie - Rap)
| Original | Translation | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Su kyerɛ nyame sɛ what ever go happen | I told God that whatever will happen | Twi/English mix - 'Su kyerɛ nyame sɛ' = I told God that (Twi); switches to English |
| Cos me kae sɛ we came up from nothing | Because I remember that we came up from nothing | Twi/English - 'me kae sɛ' = I remember that (Twi) |
| I remember me boys no tease me for rapping | I remember my boys used to tease me for rapping | Nigerian Pidgin/Ghanaian English - 'no tease' = used to tease |
| All the things that I was saying they thought I was capping | All the things I was saying, they thought I was lying | English slang - 'capping' = lying, being fake |
| Nipa nnyɛ da man no be God | Man doesn't judge, man is not God | Twi/Nigerian Pidgin - 'Nipa nnyɛ da' = Man doesn't judge (Twi); 'no be' = is not (Pidgin) |
| A very dirty beginning but beautiful result | A very dirty beginning but beautiful result | English - contrasting humble start with current success |
| All the people blocking me way I no fit record | All the people blocking my way, I cannot count | Nigerian Pidgin - 'I no fit record' = I cannot count/document |
| I'm sorry but I'm not the same person you knew before | I'm sorry but I'm not the same person you knew before | English - declaring personal growth and transformation |
| I used carry all the pain | I used to carry all the pain | Nigerian Pidgin - 'used carry' = used to carry |
| But weytin I go gain | But what will I gain | Nigerian Pidgin - 'weytin' = what; 'go gain' = will gain |
| Nyame se me sɛ my hustle no go be in vain | God told me that my hustle will not be in vain | Twi/Nigerian Pidgin - 'Nyame se me sɛ' = God told me that (Twi); 'no go be' = will not be (Pidgin) |
| I no de compete with nobody me di me lane | I don't compete with nobody, I stay in my lane | Nigerian Pidgin - 'no de compete' = don't compete; 'me di me lane' = I stay in my lane |
| Even when I fail I stand up and try again | Even when I fail I stand up and try again | English - expressing resilience |
| Chale | My friend/Brother | Ghanaian slang - term of address meaning friend or brother |
| All the things I did just to survive | All the things I did just to survive | English - reflecting on survival struggles |
| Had to push through the dark to get to the light | Had to push through the dark to get to the light | English - echoing the song's main theme |
| All I used to say is I'm Stressed and I'm tired | All I used to say is I'm stressed and I'm tired | English - past emotional state |
| But finally we here I'm Blessed and alive | But finally we're here, I'm blessed and alive | English - arrival at success, connecting to song title |
Bridge
| Original | Translation | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| From the dark to the light | From the dark to the light | English |
| Now I'm standing tall | Now I'm standing tall | English |
| Never running from my root | Never running from my roots | English - staying connected to origins |
| I still dey on top | I'm still on top | Nigerian Pidgin - 'dey' = am |
| Every step that I take | Every step that I take | English |
| Every mountain I climb | Every mountain I climb | English - metaphor for overcoming obstacles |
| Has a little bit struggle but it all turned out right | Has a little bit of struggle but it all turned out right | English - acknowledging difficulties but celebrating outcomes |
| Yeah I'm blessed I'm alive | Yeah I'm blessed, I'm alive | English - title phrase |
| I'm blessed I'm alive | I'm blessed, I'm alive | English - repeated affirmation |
| (Yah yah yah yah yah!) | (Yeah yeah yeah yeah yeah!) | English - ad-lib celebration |