Track 11: En Root (“In Root/En Route”)
The album’s message of a united humanity – which 1Key expresses in his previous song Universoul – nicely leads us into Entre 2’s reggae song: En Root (“In Root”). Over bouncy rhythms, the album’s entre deux (“between two”) motif persists until the end. As the title of the song suggests, 1Key is “in root”. The poet’s journey completes a full circle when he returns to his search for a connection to his “untraceable” roots. In the hook, 1Key sings in English:
“Take me to the roots of my family tree
Lead me to the truth and set me free
Save me from the dark, my world is full of lies
My shining star…”
1Key reveals that he emerges himself in technology “in order to get close to strangers/Hoping that the world will be better if we just accept to mix.” (Translated from French to English) The artist unsuccessfully tried to find himself through religion, race, ethnicity, nationality, traditions, and profession. In the end, 1Key tells us:
“I decided to embrace the fact that I’m this mass, or rather this mess that absorbs whatever the world throws at it, you know?
Who or what I am is no longer a big deal
I’m here and that’s all that matters…”
Breaking away slightly from his heritage, 1Key tells us that he has reinvented his personality. Rather than “in root”, he is now “en route”; the poet has “put the pieces together” and is on a new universoul journey…
With that, the piece transforms into 1Key’s appreciation song. The artist thanks his Grandfather, his mother, his aunties and his Uncle Faustin, who raised 1Key with his Grandfather. He also thanks his son. 1Key thanks music producers Barick, Junior Kafi, and Joe. He shows appreciation to the artists featured in the album: Dady Cassanova, Samy Kamanzi, Ricky Password, Brian Corpus, Jason Ntaro, Nono (Mhinganzima), and Natacha. He also thanks Tony Mwesigwa and Reniout Dujardin for “the amazing job on the cover”, and the founders of Spoken Word Rwanda (Diana and Betty) and Kwivuga Kampala (Nunu – who is also Rwandan). 1Key gives thanks to living legend Cecile Kayirebwa and her son Eric Soul, as well as Nelson, who invited 1Key to perform in Rwanda’s KigaliUp Festival for the first time. He thanks his colleagues and friends (Dorene, Colin and Josh) and members of Ze Clew: Kaneza, Fiona, Leah, PK, Dan, Gladys and Sam. Ze Clew is a WhatsApp group, with members from Rwanda, Uganda, Kenya and Tanzania. 1Key told me: “It’s a friendship group. The idea is for us to assist each other when travelling between these countries”.
Now here is my opportunity to thank you Eric 1Key! As an “outsider” in a country where privacy, distrust and caution have become normalised, I will be forever grateful for meeting you. Our first “interview” lasted for five intense hours! Since then, you have gifted me with many more hours of your time. Those were extremely busy days for you, with full time work, parenthood and preparation for your first live show. But patiently you helped me to translate all eleven tracks on your album. Your direct and open approach to discussion has taught me more than I could have imagined. It’s been a privilege; it’s been a lot of fun! Thank you for trusting me with your words.
Thank you, Merci, Murakoze!
Ceri Whatley
PhD African Studies/Anthropology of Music
University of Birmingham, UK
AHRC-M3C
_______
Song lyrics and translations
| En Root (“In Root” [Track 11 on Entre 2 album])
Prod. Barick (Kigali). Vocals: Yego Studio (Kampala); English, French. |
|
| [Intro] | [Intro] |
| Alright! Entre2 has been a beautiful journey | Alright! Entre 2 has been a beautiful journey |
| Yeah. Lots of discovery | Yeah. Lots of discovery |
| So I thought maybe we could take another small trip | So I thought maybe we could take another small trip |
| What do you say? Right? Come with me | What do you say? Right? Come with me |
| — | — |
| [Hook] | [Hook] |
| Take me to the roots of my family tree | Take me to the roots of my family tree |
| Lead me to the truth and set me free | Lead me to the truth and set me free |
| Save me from the dark, my world is full of lies | Save me from the dark, my world is full of lies |
| My shining star | My shining star |
| — | — |
| Take me to the roots of my family tree | Take me to the roots of my family tree |
| Lead me to the truth and set me free | Lead me to the truth and set me free |
| Save me from the dark, my world is full of lies | Save me from the dark, my world is full of lies |
| My shining star | My shining star |
| — | — |
| Woyooo | Woyooo |
| Woyooo | Woyooo |
| — | — |
| [Verse1] | [Verse1] |
| C’est le retour d’âge d’un adulte prématuré | It’s the mid-life crisis of a premature adult |
| Les boots dans l’asphalte, en route, le parcours est inauguré | I’ve got my boots on the road, en route, the journey has begun |
| Les yeux dans les étoiles, je cours après mon ombre | My eyes are lost in the stars, I’m running after my shadow |
| Car retracer mon histoire c’est recoller les décombres | Because walking on the path of my history, the whole of it is putting the pieces together |
| — | — |
| Mes traces ressemblent aux marques des pieds sur la plage | My traces look like footprints in the sand |
| Aussi belles qu’elles paraissent, elles disparaissent avec la vague | Although beautiful, they disappear with the waves of the ocean |
| Racines intraçables, je suis superficiel comme une algue | My roots are untraceable, I’m superficial like algae |
| C’est haut du gratte-ciel que je cherche la base du baobab | It’s from the top of a sky scraper that I’m looking for the base of the baobab |
| — | — |
| Sur cet arbre généalogique, je ne sais sur quelle branche m’accrocher | On this genealogy tree, I don’t know which branch to hang on |
| Donc je me livre à la technologie pour me rapprocher des étrangers | So I emerge myself in technology to get closer to strangers |
| Espérant le monde sera mieux si on acceptait tous de se mélanger | Hoping that the world will be better if we just accept to mix |
| — | — |
| A peine la troisième generation des peuples soumis | It’s only the third generation of a subjugated people |
| L’histoire de ma nation reste fondée sur un mythe | The foundation of my nation’s story is a myth |
| Je crois pas qu’on ait apparu comme en un jour des champignons | I don’t believe we appeared one day like mushrooms |
| C’est pourquoi je cherche mes souches comme le noyau de l’oignon | This is why I’m looking for my layers, even though it seems like peeling an onion |
| — | — |
| On perd la voie de nos ancêtres, l’occident profite | We lose the way of our ancestors, and the West benefits from this |
| On se vend aux enchères depuis que le dollar est notre devise | We auctioned ourselves since the dollar became our currency |
| Main d’oeuvre bon marché, l’Afrique reste en crise | Man power is very cheap, so Africa’s economy remains in crisis |
| Les Etats se multiplient plus on se divise | Countries multiply the more we divide |
| — | — |
| [Hook] | [Hook] |
| Take me to the roots of my family tree | Take me to the roots of my family tree |
| Lead me to the truth and set me free | Lead me to the truth and set me free |
| Save me from the dark, my world is full of lies | Save me from the dark, my world is full of lies |
| My shining star | My shining star |
| — | — |
| Take me to the roots of my family tree | Take me to the roots of my family tree |
| Lead me to the truth and set me free | Lead me to the truth and set me free |
| Save me from the dark, my world is full of lies | Save me from the dark, my world is full of lies |
| My shining star | My shining star |
| — | — |
| [Appreciations] | [Appreciations] |
| It’s funny how | |
| I’ve been looking for myself all this time | |
| Only to realise that I was here the whole time | |
| I tried to find myself through religion | |
| Race, ethnicity, nationality, traditions, even profession | |
| But none of these things worked out for me man | |
| So I reinvented my personality | |
| I decided to embrace the fact that I’m this mass, or rather this mess that absorbs whatever the world throws at it, you know? | |
| Who or what I am is no longer a big deal | |
| I’m here and that’s all that matters. | |
| So today I’m here to say thanks | |
| Because I don’t believe there is such a thing as self-made | |
| We all need help from one another man | |
| So I’m gonna start with my Grandpa – rest in peace beautiful soul. | |
| Thank you for teaching me by simply being you. | |
| Thank you mom. I know you don’t know much about how I do what I do, but you believe in me. And that means a lot. | |
| Thank you Tantine Chantal. You changed my life. Rest In Peace. I wish you were here. | |
| Thank you Faustin. You’re my childhood everyday hero. Thank you for all the sacrifices. | |
| To my son. You’re my balance in this crazy world. I love you. I love you. I love you. | |
| To all my aunties: Didine, Yvette and Mukaza, and even the other Didine. Thank you for being here and thank for making me feel special. Thank you for not judging me. | |
| Yeah. I have a dream that one day we can sit around a table and laugh all together. Coz you know for sure we have so many comedians in the family. | |
| I also wanna thank Barick. You played a huge part in Entre2. I mean literally. I’m proud of you bro. I mean hang in there just a little bit, passion pays bro, it pays. | |
| Junior Kafi, your touch is divine bro. Keep doing what you do. | |
| Dady Cassanova, Samy Kamanzi, Ricky Password, Body of Brian, Jason Ntaro, Nono, Natacha. Thank you so much for pouring your hearts on this project. | |
| Tony Mwesigwa, Reniout Dujardin. Thank you guys for the amazing job on the cover. I can never thank you enough. | |
| Diana, Betty, Spoken Word Rwanda, Nunu, Kwivuga Kampala, Cecile Kayirebwa, Eric Soul, Nelson, Kigali Up. Thank you for the vote of confidence. | |
| Dorene, Colin, Josh, thank you for the support. Keep it real. | |
| Kaneza, Fiona, Leah, PK, Dan, Gladys, Sam, Ze Clew… oh Corey, yeah! Shout out to Ze Clew! | |
| You’re my friends, you’re the friends that I’ve always wanted to have. So stay true. Keep it cool. I love you. Be happy. | |
| And to everyone who shares my music on social media, I really appreciate. It means a lot to me. | |
| Thanks to all you tweeps, to my friends on Facebook. | |
| Ah! I don’t know! I don’t know where this music is gonna go, but I’m ready. I can let it take me wherever you wanna take me. | |
| Thanks everyone. Yego! Thanks Joe! Big up! | |
