Track 10: Universoul ft. Abaasa
Universoul is the ultimate track on the album. The collabo features Abaasa, a Ugandan music producer and (predominantly gospel) singer who lives in the UK. The artists connected on Twitter and began a conversation which progressed to Skype. Abaasa created the beats for the track and recorded his vocals for the chorus, which projects an uplifting, feel-good mood:
“I’m more than what you see
I’m free like the air you breathe
Je suis imparable, je suis untouchable, universoul
I’m untouchable like a dream
Unsolvable like a mystery
I’m untouchable, I’m unstoppable, universoul
Universoul…”
Abaasa emailed the demo to 1Key, who remembers escaping a noisy bar to listen to it. He told me: “It has an 80’s feel. I was born in ‘81. It was exactly what I needed!” 1key laid his vocals in French, at Yego Studio in Kampala. The contrast between 1Key’s French verses – which are rapped poetically and with purpose – and the English chorus, with its cheerful, sing-a-long quality, creates a beautifully original mood. Abaasa returned to Uganda for the Christmas holidays and the two artists met in person for the first time. They finalised their song, which was mastered by Ugandan music producer Nelson.
Entre 2 is a coming-of-age album. As we progress through the tracks, 1Key explores the twisted roots of his heritage, in search of a meaningful identity. In Universoul, 1Key makes peace with his life history, carving pride and meaning out of shame and isolation. He proclaims:
“My birth, a result of accidental conception
Is a beautiful error just like the creation of penicillin
Such a dreamer, I aspire to make a contribution to this life
As valid as that of Fleming in medicine
When I was a kid, I wanted to become a doctor
Today my poetry heals hearts.’”(Translated from French to English)
Among the ambiguities of 1Key’s life, what becomes clear is the poet’s sense of self. 1Key has transitioned from “identity crisis” to a position of artistic certainty.
1Key is half-Rwandan and half-Congolese. He has lived in the DRC, the Republic of the Congo, Rwanda, and Uganda. As a multi-lingual artist and conscious citizen of the world – who accesses online space and engages with current global debates – 1Key is at once Rwandan, African, and in his own words: “Universoul”. He tells us:
“I am a delta between multiple rivers
Lots of cultures coexist in my system
I come from nowhere and everywhere at the same time
I am a mixture of everything, neither homogenous nor heterogeneous
Human. That is the signature of my genes.” (Translated from French to English)
This emphasis on a united Humanity, where entwined linguistic and cultural influences exist in harmony, is reflective of the hopes of many Kigalians today. In 2015, I witnessed the birth of Rwanda’s Ubumuntu Arts Festival, which brings different artists from around the world to Kigali. The festival is the brainchild of Hope Azeda, the founder and Artistic Director of Mashirika Performing Arts and Media Company. Hope and I discussed what it means to be Rwandan today. She told me:
“So this is the Rwandan thing! We know that we speak different languages, and that we are a diverse culture, and the audience connects to that a lot. I think our differences make us strong. It has become very musical!” (Hope Azeda, 22 July 2015)
Ubumuntu means “being human”, and the festival responds to issues on a national and regional, but also global scale. Hope told me:
“It’s about restoring humanity in a world where humanity is facing extinction… it is a subject that is faceless. It’s not white, it’s not black… it has no religion, you know? Or it’s a mirror for every religion. So for me that’s why people love it. Humanity is a universal gift, but we abuse it…” (Hope Azeda, 22 July 2015)
While it true that 1Key is interested in politics, he makes it clear that he is not a politician. Despite embracing his Rwandan cultural identity, 1Key told me: “nationalities are over-rated! They are the cause of wars…” He raps:
“I am liberal and my world is not a third party
I am far away from your imaginary boundaries that create real enemies
Away from your “united nations” to exploit the vulnerable ones and racial divisions of your “united states”…” (Translated from French to English)
In the words of 1Key himself:
1Key
1World
1Love
Let us continue to spread the word…
_______
Song lyrics and translations
| Universoul ft. Abaasa [Track 10 on Entre 2 album]
Prod. Abaasa (UK), mastered by Nelson (Uganda). Vocals: Yego Studio (Kampala); French, English. |
|
| [Verse 1: Eric 1key] | [Verse 1: Eric 1key] |
| Je suis brillant de nature | I am brilliant by nature |
| C’est pas le talent dans l’écriture | It’s not the writing skills |
| Les phares, les voitures | The headlights, the cars |
| Les projecteurs des stades | The stadium beams |
| Le bling bling ou le swag, qui font de moi une star | The bling bling or the swag, that make me a star |
| Je suis né à la belle étoile | I was born under the stars |
| A l’aurore du dernier jour d’Avril | At the aurora of the last day of April |
| A l’aube du premier jour de Mai | And the dawn of the first day of May |
| A la fin de la saison de pluies, mais crois pas que je suis né de la dernière | At the end of the rainy season, but don’t you think that I was born yesterday |
| Je suis un delta entre plusieurs rivières lointaines | I am a delta between multiple distant rivers |
| Plein de cultures cohabitent dans mon système | Lots of cultures coexist in my system |
| Je viens de nulle part, en même temps de partout | I come from nowhere and everywhere at the same time |
| Je suis un mélange de tout, ni homogène ni hétérogène | I am a mixture of everything, neither homogenous nor heterogeneous |
| Humain avant tout, c’est la signature de mes genes | Human. That is the signature of my genes |
| Des fois j’ai l’impression que mon existence est une conspiration universelle | Sometimes I have a feeling my life was conspired by the universe |
| Car ma naissance suite à une conception accidentelle | My birth, a result of accidental conception |
| Est une belle erreur comme la création de la pénicilline | Is a beautiful error just like the creation of penicillin |
| Reveur, j’aspire à faire une contribution dans cette vie | Such a dreamer, I aspire to make a contribution to this life |
| Aussi valide que celle de Fleming en médecine | As valid as that of Fleming in medicine |
| Quand j’étais petit, je voulais devenir docteur | When I was a kid, I wanted to become a doctor |
| Aujourd’hui ma poésie soigne les coeurs | Today my poetry heals hearts |
| Si tu veux savoir qui je suis, tu me trouveras | If you want to know who I am, you will find me |
| Parmi ceux qui croient que le hasard fait bien des miracles | Among those who believe that everything happens for a reason, however random |
| — | — |
| [Chorus: Abaasa] | [Chorus: Abaasa] |
| I’m more than what you see | I’m more than what you see |
| I’m free like the air you breathe | I’m free like the air you breathe |
| Je suis imparable, je suis untouchable, universoul | I’m unstoppable, I’m untouchable, universoul |
| I’m untouchable like a dream | I’m untouchable like a dream |
| Unsolvable like a mystery | Unsolvable like a mystery |
| I’m untouchable, I’m unstoppable, universoul | I’m untouchable, I’m unstoppable, universoul, universoul, universoul |
| Universoul… | Universoul… |
| — | — |
| [Verse 2: Eric 1key] | [Verse 2: Eric 1key] |
| J’ai pas le front patriotique, ni le derrière merdique des politiques | I do not push patriotism upfront like dirty ass politicians |
| Mes organes n’ont votre sens du sacrifice | My organs do not have your sense of sacrifice |
| J’ai l’syndrome John Q, je ne donnerai mon coeur qu’à mon fils | I have John Q syndrome, I would only give my heart to my son |
| J’veux pas d’édifice à mon effigie quand je serai parti | I do not want structures in my effigy when I am gone |
| Je veux pas qu’on me traite de héros, nombreux sont morts pour des faux idéaux | I do not want to be treated as a hero, many died for false ideals |
| Je paris qu’ils se retournent au fond de leurs tombes quand ils observent ce qu’on a fait de ce monde | I bet they roll over in their graves when they see what we have done to this world |
| Je suis pas international, je crois pas aux frontières | I am not international, I think not at the borders |
| Je suis plutôt libéral et mon monde n’est pas un tiers | I am liberal and my world is not a third party |
| Loin de vos limites imaginaires qui créent des réels ennemis | I am far away from your imaginary boundaries that create real enemies |
| Loin de vos nations unies pour exploiter les plus démunis et des divisions raciales de vos états unis Je m’évade à travers les couloirs de la vie | Away from your “united nations” to exploit the vulnerable ones and racial divisions of your “united states” I escaped through the corridors of your life |
| Mon âme slalome vers mon étoile, viens si t’as envie, mon univers est infini | My soul roams towards my star, join if you want, my universe is infinite |
| Mon hymne est un freestyle au rythme de mon coeur | My anthem is a freestyle on the rhythm of my heartbeat |
| Mon drapeau tout comme ma peau n’a pas de couleur | My flag, just like my skin, is colourless |
| Je suis fait d’eau, de terre, d’air mais aussi de lueur | I am made of water, earth, air but also light |
| C’est pourquoi tout comme ces astres au milieu Des ruines et des désastres je brille de mille feux | That is why just like celestial bodies, in the middle of ruins and disasters, I shine bright |
| — | — |
| [Chorus: Abaasa] | [Chorus: Abaasa] |
| I’m more than what you see | I’m more than what you see |
| I’m free like the air you breathe | I’m free like the air you breathe |
| Je suis imparable, je suis untouchable, universoul | I’m unstoppable, I’m untouchable, universoul |
| I’m untouchable like a dream | I’m untouchable like a dream |
| Unsolvable like a mystery | Unsolvable like a mystery |
| I’m untouchable, I’m unstoppable, universoul | I’m untouchable, I’m unstoppable, universoul, universoul, universoul |
| Universoul… | Universoul… |
| — | — |
| [Outro: Eric 1key] | [Outro: Eric 1key] |
| Je suis apatride pas métis | I am stateless not half-caste |
| Mon esprit ski entre les galaxies | My spirit skis between galaxies |
