Breakdown: Aponkye is a Goat | #b003

"Aponkye is a Goat" is a masterfully written piece by Pure Akan. In this short article, we'll provide a quick breakdown of some broad themes, leaving room for the reader to find their own inspiration from this piece.

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Verse 1

Mefiri maame yam baa me kwan na menim sɛ

I came from my mother’s womb knowing

Asɛdeɛ ɛda me so no mɛwie ansa Nyame afrɛ me

That I will fulfill my purpose before God calls me

Masi m'adwene pi maboa me ho na obiara nhwɛ me

I have made up my mind. I am prepared and everyone should watch me

M'anim ayɛ kusuu na magya m'abɔdwesɛ

My face is frowned, and I have left my beard to grow out

Daa ananteɛ-ananteɛ me tiri-nhwi amankyere amankyere

Roaming, roaming every day with my mangled hair

Ewia no abɔ me so ma wedeɛ me ho ani nyinaa ayɛ tumm

The sun has shone on me so much that my skin has become black

Ewia ne ba maben ma ɛrehye

Child of the sun. I'm cooked and burning

Babiara mɛfa no biara meporo me ho nson de gu nkyɛn ahh

Everywhere I go I shake off the ashes

Wahwɛ mu afrɛ me sɛ mendi kan me ne moshe

He's looked through the masses and called me to lead: I'm Moses

Mede mo bɛtwa ɛpo kɔkɔɔ no ma obiara nni mo adwen so

I’ll guide you across the red sea, so no one enslaves your minds

Mɛkyerɛ mo sɛ mondua mo aduane na

I’ll tell you to grow your own food

Makyerɛ mmofra no sɛ nokorɛ ne sɛ obiara ntumi nni yɛn so

I’ll teach the children that the truth is no one can dominate us

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Throughout "Aponkye is a Goat", Pure Akan overlays his personal story as a unique artist with the beginnings of human civilization from black people in Africa. He describes a deep connection to the purpose of Africans in the world and his own conviction as an artist destined to chart a new path for unique artists that will follow his vision of stellar art based out of Ghana and Africa.

Pure Akan always paints a vivid picture with his choice of words, and this is helped by the expressiveness of the Twi language.

M'anim ayɛ kusuu na magya m'abɔdwesɛ

Daa ananteɛ-ananteɛ me tiri-nhwi amankyere amankyere

Ewia no abɔ me so ma wedeɛ me ho ani nyinaa ayɛ tumm

Ewia ne ba maben ma ɛrehye

Babiara mɛfa no biara meporo me ho nson de gu nkyɛn ahh

In the above lyrics, for example, Pure Akan provides a vivid description of the prehistoric man, describing the face, darkness of skin, and mangled hair. He uses the analogy of burning to describe the darkening of prehistoric man's skin due to the abundance of melanin from continued harsh sun exposure, likens melanin to ashes, and then proceeds to reference the loss of dark pigmentation as humans roamed the earth into other climates as "shaking off the ashes."

By referencing Moses being chosen to lead and guide his followers across the Red Sea at the end of the first verse, Pure Akan speaks both about his conviction to be a pacesetter for artistic expression in Ghana and the importance of Africans in the continued evolution of humanity.

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Chorus

Ɛnyɛ me pɛ ne sɛ w'anbɔ me me ne wo anyɛ pɛ

It’s not my will that You didn't create me to be identical to you

Wabɔ me da mu baako pɛ ɛno na ɛma me yɛ fɛ

You made me unique, and that is what makes me beautiful

Wate me ato akyire sɛ ɛyɛ me na menhwɛ fie

You have picked me to stay behind to take care of home

Sɛ ɛyɛ me na menhwɛ sɛ n’asɛm a woaka ato hɔ no bɛyɛ pɛyɛ

That I am the one to ensure your spoken word will come into being

Wahyɛ me sunsum mu kena

You have strengthened my spirit

Wotu me mprɛnnsa a mɛfifi mprɛnnsa

If they uproot me thrice I will germinate thrice

Nea ɛbɛsi biara no bɛkɔ na asan abɛto me

Whatever happens will go around and return to me

Bɛkɔ na asan abɛdan me ne bɔhyɛ asase ɛne ha

Will go and come back to belong to me. His promised land is here

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In the chorus, Pure Akan celebrates his uniqueness as an individual and artist as well as the uniqueness of Africans in the world. He recognizes the beauty of Africa and its people, and he describes Africans as tasked with taking care of the continent. He also celebrates the resilience of Africans which guarantees that, by staying true to their rich history, they will rebound and recreate the prosperity of the continent's once-thriving empires. In a similar vein, Pure Akan addresses his stated purpose as an artist who will stay true to his cultural roots even as the art and music scene around him increasingly mimics that of the West.

For a full translation of "Aponkye is a Goat", check here. We hope this quick breakdown provides context for finding your own insights and inspiration from this stellar artistic piece.