Regg-eh?
Whereas Vanilla Ice comically pioneered caucasian rap in 1991, two years later another white artist would meekly step over the line into the realm of “black” music and test the waters. In 1993 the world was introduced to a poor, Canadian-born reggae performer named Snow (birth name Darrin O’brien).
While he didn’t have the commercial success his predecessor enjoyed, he did have one enormous advantage: indecipherable lyrics. With the chart-topping single “Informer”, Snow captured our attention as we marveled at his dancehall rhythm and wondered, “What the fuck is this guy saying?” I couldn’t understand it when I was 11 and bought the single and well, thirteen years later and I’m still not sure. That’s all going to change today though as I attempt to decode this modern-day musical Rosetta Stone.
The ground rules are simple: 1.) Listen to the song in it’s entirety once. 2.) Then listen to each segment, individually, a second time. 3.) Write what I hear. 4.) Watch my head explode. Wish me luck.
[CHORUS:]
Informa’
You know say dadamesno meaga blay
A leaky boom-boom now
Tectamang saysay diddymasno me stab someone downa lane
A leaky boom-boom down
Policea demaday come anda they blodoan medor
Wanim cumquat truatroo my window
Sodey pume in the bakaka a dasashun
From da pwonon I reach my destination
Weda destination reechan downa ezdadenchun
Where dawip down me ponts look up me bottom
[CHORUS:]
Bigadeyah deytink deyave mopowa
Dere on the phone me say that on hour
Meefa wanta usa once anda me cal mayluva
Luva oome callina the one Tammy
And meluva a eenma ert down to my belia
Yesay diddymasno me I fee cool and deadly
Yes dawon MC Shan and dewon Daddy Snow
Together wea luvum assa tornado
[CHORUS:]
Listen tomehya beda lissafahme now
Listen tomehya beda lissafahme now
Wena merocka the microphone, me rocka estudia
Yesa diddymasno meah da ahtika don
Budda inanna out a dance an dasay, "Where ya come from?"
People demmasay I come from Jamaica
But me bornnana raze eena ghetto I wanya tanoa
Pyurblak people man dasala manno
Yeah me chews ara tear up ana matos usata shower
Were mea bornean ada one duranto
[CHORUS:]
Come with mea nice young lady
Intelligent, yea she gentle and irie
Everywhere me go me never leffaer ada liey
Yessa Daddy Snow meah the rome dance manna
Roam betweena dancing inaeena na shawna
Ya never know say diddymasno meah da boom shakata
Me never leya down fladda ina one cahbored boxa
Yesa diddymasno meago reachin ouddata
[CHORUS:]
Why would he?
(MC Shan)
Me sittin round cool with my jiggy jiggy girl
Police knock my door, lick up my pal
Rough me up and I can’t do a thing
Pick up my line when my telephone ring
Take me to the station, black up my hands
Trail me down 'cause I'm hangin with the Snowman
What am I gonna do, I'm backed and I'm trapped
Smack me in my face, took all of my gak
They have no clues and they wanna get warmer
But Shan won't turn informer
[CHORUS:]
Every time Snow speaks, someone in Africa starves to death. True story. And I still have no fucking idea what this song is about. I hate winter.
