Kandaka by Mazmars and Seidosimba came out in June of 2020. Around then, it shuffled onto a playlist I was listening to and caught my attention. It’s a catchy song about being into someone who isn’t into you. The lyrics include some useful vocabulary but the beat is what stood out. As a former drummer, I love a good beat. Kandaka has that kind of beat that’s perfect for driving around in the summer, sitting on a porch, or hanging out at the beach. 

Mazmars is a content creator and Afro Beat artist. Seidosimba is a singer/songwriter/ rapper and an architect. As a duo, they also go by the name MarSimba. Kandaka is one of their first singles.

Credits: Lyrics by Seidosimba, composed by Dr. Krombo. Translation by Fi Kalam, edited by Saeed Alaktaa.

حلوة سمرة عيونها سودة سادة
A beautiful tan, her eyes are pure black
قلبي ما بلومه لو هو رادها
I can’t blame my heart if it wants her
هتفت بأعلى صوتها في القيادة
She called out, her voice loud and commanding
سودانية مننا دي كنداكة
A Sudanese woman, she’s one of us, this Kandaka

شامة في
She has a beauty mark
ابتسامة في
She has a smile
والشعر
Her hair,
زي الحرير
It’s like silk
والعيون
Those eyes
تعمل حروب
Wage wars
لو في يوم يوم يوم بدت تغير
If one day, day, day she began to change

انتي بتقتلي بتقتلي بتقتلي بتقتلي
You kill [me], kill [me], kill [me], kill [me],
كل ما تتقلي تتقلي تتقلي تتقلي
Every time you blow me off
ما بتحصلي بتحصلي بتحصلي بتحصلي
You won't take, take, take, take
غير لي زول صلي  زول صلي
Anyone but a great man, a great man
زي انا
Like me

الزمان بقيف لو جيتي مارقة
Time stops when you pass by
بجمالك منهم انتي لقلبي فارقة
To me, you’re the most beautiful of them all
سودانية أجمل الأفارقة
Sudanese woman, the most beautiful of the Africans

انتي بتقتلي بتقتلي بتقتلي بتقتلي
You kill [me], kill [me], kill [me], kill [me],
كل ما تتقلي تتقلي تتقلي تتقلي
Every time you blow me off
ما بتحصلي بتحصلي بتحصلي بتحصلي
You won't take, take, take, take
غير لي زول صلي زول صلي
Anyone but a great man, a great man
زي انا
Like me

سعدة لما تجينا
Happiness when she came to us
هادية وابقي رزينا
You’re calm and keep us level-headed
ضحكاتها بتودينا
Her laughter moves us
متين تحني علينا
When will you be nice to us?
ياخي حني علينا
Please be nice to us

حلوة سمرة عيونها سادة
A beautiful tan, her black eyes
ما تسحروها
Don't charm her
قلبي ما بلومه لو هو رادها
I can’t blame my heart if it wants her
هتفت بأعلى صوتها في القيادة
She called out, her voice loud and commanding
سودانية مننا دي كنداكة
A Sudanese woman, she’s one of us, this Kandaka

Vocabulary / مفردات

كنداكة / كنداكات
Nubian queen/s
During the recent Sudanese protests, an iconic, anonymous female, dubbed "Kandaka", became a symbol for the resistance and the contribution of women to the movement

سمرة
Tan

لوم
To blame

هتفت (هتف)
She shouted or she called out

في القيادة
In command or commanding

ابتسامة
A smile
ابتسم
To smile

الحرير
Silk

هادي/ة 
Quiet or calm

تسحرو (سحر)
You all charm (to charm)