Love & Legacy
Listening Post 384. Dadju and Tayc are both on the shortlist of today’s leading French singer-songwriters, so when they envisioned a joint album they had every reason to be optimistic about success. Still, they left little to chance: Months in advance they posted insults about one another on social media, and even though many fans suspected a ruse the buzz was infectious. They followed up with a short pre-release film spinning an album backstory of fraternal treachery and then released two singles to keep the pot boiling. When Héritage finally debuted, it quickly achieved No. 1 status in France. Aside from the artists’ mellow voices, the album channels their cultural legacies—Congolese for Dadju, whose father sang with Papa Wemba’s band; and Cameroonian for Tayc. The young superstars bring similar influences to the collaborative project, creating a seamless blend of R&B, Afropop, hip hop, Congolese rumba and ndombolo, plus Caribbean touches. The album’s 16 songs—performed in French, English and Lingala—also include guest appearances by a dozen artists who amplify the contributions of immigrants (and children of immigrants) to French music, both today and stretching back to the nineteenth century. Despite its many fresh angles—including several tracks that feature captivating tempo-genre transitions—Héritage makes plenty of room for tradition. All but one of the songs revolve around love’s joys and struggles. The more classic-mode tracks include the blockbuster single I Love You (video 1); and Épouse-moi (Marry Me, video 2). The thematic exception is Makila : Wablé (Brotherly Betrayal, video 3), a tale of a friendship on the brink of rupture. Romantic banter animates Apprends-moi! (Teach Me, video 4) where one friend asks another for relationship advice; and Le Contrat (The Contract, video 5), captures a couple’s post-wedding conversation. Dadju and Tayc fill their album with energy and charm to spare, providing wide-angle and pinpoint views of humanity’s most essential emotion. (Amaterasu Prod/Good Mood Publishing)

Dadju & Tayc: Héritage
Dadju (Dadju Alimasi Nsungula): Lead vocals
Tayc (Julien Franck Bouadjie Monono Kamgang): Lead vocals
Yanick Péraste: Guitars, programming
BlackDoe [Alexis Berthe]: Guitars, bass, programming, keyboards
Zafy: Guitars, saxophone
Dallas: Guitars
Ny Kajy: Guitars
Nyadjiko [Raphael Koua]: Bass, keyboards, programming
Mr. Behi: Bass, keyboards, programming
Alexandre Marley: Bass
Alexandre Bilé: Bass
Seysey: Keyboards
Fabi & NY: Keyboards
P2J: Programming
Fabio: Programming

Guest vocals: Dinos [Jules Jomby], Ronisia [Ronisia Mendes Morges], Gims [Gims Alimasi Djuna], Monsieur Nov [Quoc Bao], Josman [José Nzengo], Yamê [Emmanuel Sow], Fally Ipupa, Rsko, Singuila [Singuila Ngaro Bedaya], Jungeli [Joel Ungeli], Mamans, Oxmo Puccino [Abdoulaye Diarra], Sofiane Pamart, Tuerie [Paul Nnazé]

Note: For more on the album’s unique advance media campaign, the dramatic/promotional Héritage – Acte II – Le Film, merits watching. It tells a gangsters-and-cops story (starring Dadju and Tayc) that is loosely echoed in the album track Makila : Wablé. The film follows the music videos below.

I Love You
Lyrics: Dadju, Tayc, Gims/Music: Nyadjiko, BlackDoe

(Performed in English and French)
And if I tell you that I love you/You have to answer me that you love me
It’s so simple, a bit like 1+1 makes two/And if you tell me you love me
I will tell you that I love you/I take your hand, I close my eyes and I feel better (oh, let’s go) 

Oh baby i love i love i love i love i love you (i love you beaucoup)
I love, I love, I love, I love, I love you (I love you beaucoup)
Oh baby, I love, I love, I love, I love, I love you (I love you beaucoup)
I love, I love, I love, I love, I love you (I love you beaucoup)

I’m going to break all my watches no matter what it costs me oh
When I love time must not pass oh
And since you are me, I have forgotten everything about the past oh (my darling)
Tell me where you were hiding oh 

Oh why do I hurt (hurt)
Why am I hurt oh
I asked God to separate us but he doesn’t want to grant me oh
Oh he’s the one who knows and his plan is already set oh
So if it’s for you it’s with joy that I’m going to cry oh

And if I tell you that I love you/You have to answer me that you love me
It’s so simple, a bit like 1+1 makes two/And if you tell me you love me
I will tell you that I love you/I take your hand, I close my eyes and I feel better (oh, let’s go) 

And if lightning strikes for a second/Love can’t end
Let me heal all your sores my darling/I can’t suffer anymore
Suffering even seeks to escape you/Listen to my chest, my heart has things to tell you 

Come on give your tears, oh give your cries/Everything they did to you, we will forget
Take me a present, make me forget my goof/Come on, take everything from me, keep it for yourself
And if the sky reminds me, it’s in front of you that I want to close my eyes 

Oh baby i love i love i love i love i love you (i love you beaucoup)
I love i love i love i love i love you
Oh baby i love i love i love i love i love you
I love i love i love i love i love you 

Once again, everything is written/Like an infinite loop, you come back into my life
Once again, everything is written/Like an infinite loop, so you come back into my life
Oh baby i love i love i love i love i love you/I love i love i love i love i love you
Oh baby i love i love i love i love i love you/I love, I love, I love you

 

Épouse-moi / Marry Me
Lyrics: Dajdu, Tayc, Fally Ipupa/Music: Seysey, BlackDoe, Yannick Péraste, Tudor Monroe

(Performed in French and Lingala)
Oh-oh, oh-oh-oh (Marry me)/Oh-oh, oh-oh-oh (Marry me, eh)
Oh-oh, oh-oh-oh (Marry me, marry me)/Oh-oh, oh-oh-oh

You can say anything but never that I didn’t do what I promised, yeah
For us I put the whole world on my back/Wow-wow, woh-wow, yeah
With you, I want to give life, yeah/Make you the most beautiful burden
I prayed all my life/I wanted all my life
Let us be reunited/Dreamed every night
I had the script/Ouh-woh-woh-woh, hands to the sky, yeah
God gave me better/Grow old and die with me, mama

I say yes/Ask me and I say yes
Yes, I know why I say yes/Before God, I say yes
I say yes, yeah/Ask me and I say yes
Yes, I know why I say yes/Mama, before God, I say yes

The tears on your face to begin with
I like Africanizing romance
As long as my heart continues to go ‘toukou-toukou’
When he sees you, you can trust him
I want your dress to be a Dolce or Goyard
Let’s replace the sugared almonds with soy
On kedjevara, make me choogou-tchougou
My baby, it’s you who leads the dance again

Marry me, marry me/Tell me yes, tell me yes
I say yes/Ask me and I say yes
Yes, I know why I say yes/Before God, I say yes
I say yes, mama/Ask me and I say yes
Yes, I know why I say yes/Mama, before God, I say yes

Oh-oh, oh-oh-oh (Forgive me, forgive me)
Oh-oh, oh-oh-oh (Forgive me, forgive me)

And married, before God we are married (I am)
Married, before God we are married

Li la-la, li la-la, li la-la/Li la-la, li la-la, li la-la
Rings, rings, rings, rings/He agreed to the marriage, uh, honey
She says yes to the wedding/As you said you to him
Stay ne well give him love too/Fally show us, Fally show us
I make you forever, the priority of my life, oh-oh/We will be like sheep you and I can
Every day, all the time/Fally show us, Fally show us

 

Makila : Wablé / Brotherly Betrayal
Lyrics: Dadju, Tayc/Music: Nyadjiko, BlackDoe

(Performed in Lingala and French)
Oh, Masami, what’s up?/Masami, what’s up?
Oh, Mbeyleli, what’s up?/Masami, what’s up?
Oh, Masami, what’s up? (Oh, Masami)/Masami, what’s up? (Oh, Masami, what’s up?)
Oh, Mbeyleli, what’s up?/Masami, what’s up?

Makila, it’s me/You did me wrong, right in my heart
We’re like siblings today, but we’re drifting apart/It’s been a while since we called out Makil

Makila, it’s me/You did me wrong, right in my heart
We’re like siblings today, but we’re drifting apart/It’s been a while since we called out Makila

Makila Wablé/Oh, Masami, what’s up?
Masami, what’s up? (Oh, Masami, what’s up?)/Oh, Mbeyleli, what’s up?
Masami, what’s up?/Oh, Masami, what’s up? (Masami, Masami)
Masami, what’s up? (What’s up?)/Oh, Mbeyleli, what’s up? (Mbeyleli, what’s up?)
Masami, what’s up?/You did me wrong, right in my heart
We’re like siblings today, but we’re drifting apart/It’s been a while since we called out Makila

Makila, it’s me/You did me wrong, right in my heart
We’re like siblings today, but we’re drifting apart/It’s been a while since we called out Makila
Makila Wablé

Oh, my brother (Don’t ever call me brother again)
You were my brother (Don’t ever call me brother again, oh, no)
Oh, my brother, oh
Makila Wablé

 

Apprends-moi! / Teach Me
Lyrics: Dadju, Tayc, Ronisia/Music: Nyadjiko, BlackDoe, Yannick Péraste

(Performed in French)
How do you do it?/She only wants you, I see it in her eyes
I can’t do it no/And even when I force myself, it seems so fake (oh, so fake)
And when I see your life ooh Dadju/Yes, it hurts my ego 

Tayc, I told you be careful/You play the bad boy
Where did it lead you? (Where did it lead you?)/There’s only one thing that can satisfy you
Look at me, I already found it/You gotta make a choice (You gotta make a choice) 

Oh come on/I’m begging you, teach me
Please teach me/I’ll tell you how I did it
Ooh-ooh, ooh-woah
Oh come on/I’m begging you, teach me
I’ll tell you how I did it/Ooh-ooh, ooh-woah 

But tell me how you do it/She only wants you, I see it in her eyes
For me it’s too complicated/I’m tired, I don’t see my future together
But tell me how you do it/For me it’s too complicated
Ooh teach me, teach me/I’ve already asked too much of God 

Big, you are your own worst enemy
Don’t let success, money, women take you away from what’s most important (ever)
We get tired, even of diamonds
Think about finding the one who will only sleep when you come home
You’re a violin pro, you teach me all the way
For you, it’s never the right time, for a yes no, you slow down (you slow down)
Stop lying to yourself
Make your family, build it with your father’s name

One day you too will find
Your only friend, your confidante
Yeah, trust me (woah-oh-oh) 

Oh come on/I’m begging you, teach me (ooh, yes)
Please teach me (oh, oh)/I’ll tell you how I did ouh ah
Ooh-ooh, ooh-woah/Oh come on
I’m begging you, teach me (ooh, yes)/I’ll tell you how I did it (yeah, tell me how)

And tell me how you do it (Tell me again how you do it)/She only wants you, I see it in her eyes
For me it’s too complicated/I’m tired, I don’t see my future together
But tell me how you do it (ooh ah)/For me, it’s too complicated (ooh ah)
Ooh teach me, teach me/I’ve already asked too much of God 

Boy, you better teach me, teach me/Oh you better teach me, teach me
How to love without a break/How to love without a break
Boy, you better teach me, teach me/Oh you better teach me, teach me
Boy, you better teach me, teach me/Oh you better teach me, teach me
How to love without a break/How to love without a break

 

Le Contrat / The Contract
Lyrics: Dadju, Tayc, Singuila/Music: BlackDoe, Yannick Péraste, Tudor Monroe

Ouh-ouh-ouh, love you
Ouh, love you, love you love oh
Uh-woah

Oh-oh-oh, I signed the contract, it’s sealed/You and me, it’s sealed (well)
Life is a battle, with you, I have no doubt/Oh-oh-oh, the contract, oh, you and me it’s sealed
Oh-oh-oh, the contract/Yes, the contract

They ran away too soon (too bad)/Yeah, they ran away a little too soon
After the accounts were settled/We’re much less in the photos
You’re the only one who stayed, oh-ah, it’s true/Only two days since we were linked, woah (it’s true)
You have the keys, there’s no need to lock (it’s true)

Everything is signed
I signed the contract (uh-huh)/You and me, it’s sealed (okay)
Life is a struggle (mm-hmm)/With you I have no doubt
Oh-oh-oh, oh-oh, the contract, it’s sealed/Oh-oh-oh, oh- oh, you and me, it’s sealed

My darling, come sit down, we must talk now/We danced the Makossa, if there’s gossip
I just has to continue, hi, yeah, eh/You bear my name, don’t let anyone tarnish it
Nothing will be as it was before/I put a sapphire on your finger

Oh-oh, I signed the contract (everything is signed)/You and me, it’s sealed (I’m a fulfilled man)
Life is a struggle (life is a struggle)/With you I have no doubt

Okay, Casanova/Man, I’m gonna be a Casanova
There is no Casanova/Man, I’m gonna be a Casanova
Oh-oh-oh, I signed the contract (Casanova)/Oh-oh-oh, I signed the contract
Oh-oh-oh, the contract, the contract, yeah

Yeah, yeah, there you go/You’re putting all your marbles in one basket
Are you really ready to take it on? It’s for life/You’ll be faced with many trials
Crisis after crisis, you have to hold on, stay united/The project of starting a family
Making it your priority is easy on paper/What you’ve undertaken today commands respect
It will involve new dances/It will have consequences
You’ll make them baby mama, baby mama, mama/Baby mama, avoid drama
Oh, baby mama, baby mama, mama/Even if they gain a few kilos