Roots Archives Forum

As far as the Ini Kamoze pronunciation, I believe it is Eye n Eye as heard in the song "A Little Love"

"big 'bout ya" is an expression to big up someone or something, an organization, area that you're from, etc....means that the one person holds the other entity in high regard and you express your support to the fullest.

you might be big 'bout a certain sound, or DJ, singer or even someone in general, or your neighborhood.

Wa Do Dem = Whats wrong with them? or whats the matter with them..

Big Bout Ya = Big around here, popular in the area etc...

Isat Mabrak = i tihnk its amharic language, not entirely sure of meaning though (its nothing to do with ice or drugs!! )

Bless Up

SLeng teng is like the effect of the herb.
I agree with 'Wa Do Dem- He told me that this means: "What's wrong with them" '

3. Last I have a pronunciation question. I've always pronounced Ini Kamoze "I-nee Kah-Mo-Zee"

Wa Do Dem has got to be "Why do they"

Wa Do Dem = "What's it got to do with them?" (i.e. How is it their business, just because she's very short and I'm very tall?)

lester wrote:Wa Do Dem = "What's it got to do with them?" (i.e. How is it their business, just because she's very short and I'm very tall?)

This interpretation makes most sense to me within the context of the song

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In the Horace Andy song "Better Collie", I am confused about the
lyrics.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k5gHMpxaNx0

He says his ishen "is the gorgon" pronounced "goor-a-gan", and I always thought it was a mis-hearing of this that lead to a version being titled "Kori Kong version" on the Dub Justice LP, but Horace says once in the song, and once again in the fade out at the end, "it a de goor-gan an the goor-a-gan" (what it sounds like to me) so what does that mean then? Surely It doesnt make sense to says "its the gorgon and the gorgon", so what is he saying?
What does "Kori Kong" mean? Is he saying "gorgon" or "kori kong" or both or something else?

Also does gorgon in the sense just mean "awesome" or "boss" weed, or is it more literally, as in if you even so much as look at this ganja, you turn to stone, its hardcore shit (no normal field collie!), smoke this and you aint doing nothing but meditate!?

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Oh and another little question, why is marijuana always pronounced marigwaana?

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Please can someone explain "ranking" to me?
I can get it when someone says "top ranking", surely that means it ranks the highest, it is the best. But what about terms like "Folly ranking"? Folly/Fally meaning foolishness presumably?
So what does "Fally ranking, you're gonna get a spanking" mean?

I read somewhere that there was a 'ranking' gang in Jamaica, so in terms of the "Folly ranking, you're bound fi get a spanking" lyrics I always figured it was a warning to those "bad bwoys" who ran with the gang.

a "ranking", traditionally, is someone who has some clout in a community or within a gang, no doubt due to his badman behavior - i.e., someone who "ranks" high. he's not "top ranking", because that's the big boss - the leader. really, it was like a euphemism of respect for an up and coming gunman with a reputation.

but then, just like any of the other superlative slang terms of the 70's, like "boss", "bad" and "dread", the word got popular outside it's original context and people used it to describe all kinds of things held in high regard. so it goes in the song "Uptown Top Ranking", it's a light-hearted song about two girls bigging up themselves, obviously they were not champion badasses.

but the original reference would be for a badman who was not to be effed with.

SLENG TENG.

Wow... this is much less complicated than some people here seem to think it is.

Sleng Teng = slim thing

The song is about smoking weed. He says he's under his slim thing. Meaning he's smoking a small amount of weed - a slim [skinny] thing [spliff]. He's saying the spliff is thin but sweet.. like a slim girl - less, but sometimes that's all you need. He can even pass it to his neighbour.

@judge dread - Riddims are named after the first or most famous song on the riddim. The Answer Riddim is named after Lone Ranger's song "The Answer".. Pressure & Slide Riddim is named after The Tennors' "Pressure & Slide".. SOOO - Sleng Teng Riddim is named so because Wayne Smith's song the first song on the riddim. Simple.

But yes - supposedly Wayne Smith did help write the riddim on a Casio. But the riddim is named from the song. Not the other way around.

Bless