Makambo ya Mokili (Troubles of the World) - Mboka Lion

soukous, ndombolo, rumba congolese, congolese vocalist, congo, electric bass, djembè, congas, talking drum, african traditional congolese instruments, african drums, 70-80 BPM

April 16, 2025 at 7:09 PMv4

Third song from the album The path of life by Mboka Lion.  Which you can find here: https://suno.com/playlist/a86c7760-988a-40dd-9176-e2b8f0337864

The song tells the story of a young man's struggle as he leaves his village to pursue his dreams in the city of Kinshasa. Despite the hardships, violence and injustice of the streets, the protagonist remains determined not to give up. The main theme is survival in a difficult environment, but with the hope and faith that inner strength will lead him to victory. The lyrics in the local language (Lingala) and references to religion show a cultural and spiritual connection, while the chorus emphasizes the idea that, despite facing a thousand obstacles, the road of life will never be abandoned.

###

I left my village with a dream so tall,  
But in this city, dreams can slip and fall.  
Mboka ya Kin, streets rough like stone,  
Every man for himself, you stand alone.

They tell me, "Boy, you gotta fight to eat,"  
Money moves fast, but it cuts so deep.  
No work, no sleep, no peace at night,  
Mama wrote a letter, said, "Boy, you alright?"

Makambo ya Mokili, eza pasi,  
-Life is hard, full of struggles, full of pain-
But I keep walking, never losing faith.  
They wanna break me, but I know my way,  
Nzela ya bomoyi, I will never stray.

Hustling all day just to find some bread,  
One mistake, and you might end up dead.  
Policeman looking, but they don’t see me,  
Too busy chasing their own money dreams.

Nzambe, bótánga ngai te,  
-God, don’t forget me-
My hands are clean, but the streets ain’t safe.  
Some sell lies, some sell hope,  
Some sell dreams just to help them cope.  
 
Makambo ya Mokili, eza pasi,  
-Life is hard, full of struggles, full of pain-
But I keep walking, never losing faith.  
They wanna break me, but I know my way,  
Nzela ya bomoyi, I will never stray.

They said Kinshasa was gold and lights,  
But all I see is long, dark nights.  
Dreams get heavy when you carry the load,  
But I’m still standing, I won’t fold.

Mboka Lion, never back down,  
Even in the storm, I still wear my crown.  
Nzela ya bomoyi, I walk it strong,  
One day they'll sing my victory song.

Third song from the album The path of life by Mboka Lion. Which you can find here: https://suno.com/playlist/a86c7760-988a-40dd-9176-e2b8f0337864 The song tells the story of a young man's struggle as he leaves his village to pursue his dreams in the city of Kinshasa. Despite the hardships, violence and injustice of the streets, the protagonist remains determined not to give up. The main theme is survival in a difficult environment, but with the hope and faith that inner strength will lead him to victory. The lyrics in the local language (Lingala) and references to religion show a cultural and spiritual connection, while the chorus emphasizes the idea that, despite facing a thousand obstacles, the road of life will never be abandoned. ### I left my village with a dream so tall, But in this city, dreams can slip and fall. Mboka ya Kin, streets rough like stone, Every man for himself, you stand alone. They tell me, "Boy, you gotta fight to eat," Money moves fast, but it cuts so deep. No work, no sleep, no peace at night, Mama wrote a letter, said, "Boy, you alright?" Makambo ya Mokili, eza pasi, -Life is hard, full of struggles, full of pain- But I keep walking, never losing faith. They wanna break me, but I know my way, Nzela ya bomoyi, I will never stray. Hustling all day just to find some bread, One mistake, and you might end up dead. Policeman looking, but they don’t see me, Too busy chasing their own money dreams. Nzambe, bótánga ngai te, -God, don’t forget me- My hands are clean, but the streets ain’t safe. Some sell lies, some sell hope, Some sell dreams just to help them cope. Makambo ya Mokili, eza pasi, -Life is hard, full of struggles, full of pain- But I keep walking, never losing faith. They wanna break me, but I know my way, Nzela ya bomoyi, I will never stray. They said Kinshasa was gold and lights, But all I see is long, dark nights. Dreams get heavy when you carry the load, But I’m still standing, I won’t fold. Mboka Lion, never back down, Even in the storm, I still wear my crown. Nzela ya bomoyi, I walk it strong, One day they'll sing my victory song.