Before I delve into the song itself,I want to briefly comment on what “Rwebembera”,Kohen Jaycee’s second studio album,from which this song is taken,represents.The “urban music” scene in Uganda,which is essentially the music Uganda’s cool kids are making,has well and truly arrived.
The transformation of Joshua Baraka into an international act has been the most compelling evidence of this,but as a singular factor,it could have been attributed to exceptional talent or luck.But “Endagililo” is the first of two Swangz Avenue collaborations on “Rwebembera”,alongside “Wanting You” featuring Elijah Kitaka.Swangz Avenue is the biggest mainstream music label in Uganda.
To get not one but two Swangz artistes on an album is an indication that the pioneering label is not just aware of the momentum that the cool kids now have,it is convinced by its legitimacy and is,in fact,interested in aligning itself with it in anticipation of future trends.That is a big deal.
Now the song.Short,coming in at just 2 minutes and 24 seconds.But also sweet.Seriously sweet.Actually the more I play it the more I am convinced the shortness was deliberate because the creators recognized the replay value of the song.
In a way,the combination of Kohen Jaycee and Azawi was long overdue,as both are soulful smooth operators with a penchant for expressive R&B rhythms.The difference between them is that Jaycee,as one of the stalwarts of the urban music movement,tends to lean towards the international pop side,while Azawi,as perhaps the biggest artiste on the country’s biggest label,is more influenced by the Caribbean-originating dancehall sound that defines mainstream Ugandan music.
That is not to put the two artistes in respective boxes.In practice,their music is a cocktail of both local and international sounds.But they are also distinct from each other in that fundamental way.And “Endagililo” is them meeting in the middle.
The piano keys and bassline that open this midtempo song are the platform upon which Kohen Jaycee opens the song,with his intro coalescing neatly into the first verse.It is set up like a skit of a phone conversation where Kohen Jaycee asks Azawi to direct him to where she resides so he can visit her.
The opening lines “Mwana muwala nze njagala ndagililo/Ntuuke kko eyo gyosula manye ebiriyo” set the tone,capturing the man’s curiosity about the woman’s place of residence.He wants directions to the place so he can see and experience her hospitality.
The man knows that the woman’s overwhelming attractiveness is obvious to many others the same way it is to him.But he is also determined to overcome his competition,who he thinks of and describes as “abakusumbuwa”,meaning disturbers of her peace of mind.
Presumably because they can’t provide what he can,making them useless and worthy of being cut off.Hence the “…kubamu akafananyi nga bavuddewo…”.He wants her to imagine what it would be like for them to be official,which would mean exclusivity.
The verse ends with Kohen Jaycee overtly simping,desiring just a slice of her love,encapsulated by him saying “…Bino byenkusendasenda nze njagala ombegereko…”,because he is focused on her love and her love alone.
That desire seeps into the chorus,where the skit set up is further enhanced.It is simple but packs enough punch due to its relatability,as he asks her to send him her location in a way that Khalid would have been proud of.
Azawi’s character quickly shows that she is on the same page as her suitor.She wastes no time singing “…Get down in the corner/Ewali stage ya boda boda/Ojalaba obuduuka mu city center…”.The specificness with which she sings this betrays a mutual attraction,showing that she is as eager to see him as he is to see her.
She then announces that though she usually keeps her guard high,never letting a man into her house,he has her ready to break all her rules.The removal of boundaries shows how vulnerable she is willing to be with him,an explicit affirmation of the bond between them.
She is steadfast in her conviction,demonstrated by the lines “…Ba neighbor benina/Bonna nebangeya/Mbu ani gwakyaziza…”.She is so completely unabashed that even her neighbors’ gossiping doesn’t faze her.The euphoria seeing him will give her dwarfs any embarrassment she could feel about whatever opinion they have of her.
“Endagililo” is a song about the giddiness of young love,a giddiness that sometimes borders on recklessness,as the agonized longing of the man is contrasted with the initially cautious but ultimately enthusiastic willingness of the woman.
