Caribeño Lyrics English Translation by Rauw Alejandro
Tell me, Rauw
A real Caribbe-an
Opening paths with the sounds, clandestine parties
I never forget my roots
That they cut the umbilical cord from my navel
(I’ve always been real)
The Bronx is my witness
Happy in the street, I’m always gonna live that way
Romo and the drum raised me like this
Caribbe-an, Versace glasses
We’re in a perreo that comes voluntary
Giving her the whip, I leave her panties soaked
Let’s make a movie and send it to World Latin
From the land we’ve touched to the herb we’ve smoked
Seven and a half to take shots? Look how far we’ve come
Because there’s no dembow without Shabba Ranks
Cassette Playero, tell me wah gwan
The diaspora, the good salsa
Without the afro mambo like the one from “Chan Chan”
Merengue without kompa wouldn’t exist
Without the fire of Shango and the mouth of Eleguá
Mami, what’s up? Let’s go down
To the under, the water of Yemayá
From the beyond, through the sea breeze, the world hears our song
That comes from Jamaica, Cuba, DR, and also the Island of Enchantment
There goes a cocolo named Saso dropping knowledge, preaching
Always defending his people, so together they keep fighting
Caribbe-an
Ca-ca-caribbe-an
(National Meteorology in San Juan)
The Caribbean!
A tropical storm is coming—
(Puerto Rico is not prepared for this)
(Ay-ay-ay, eh)
Caribbe-an
The storm doesn’t break us, no (No)
We are a blessed mix
That Taína woman who sowed
From Africa comes the drum
And we have the edge of Castile
Up there in the mountain (Up there in the mountain)
The Caribbe-an man, his strength doesn’t shout, his strength builds
Even if the wind comes, he stands firm, like the ceiba tree
He doesn’t give up, he reinvents himself
If his soul was carved by centuries of struggle
The Caribbe-an woman has fire in her hips
She carries calm with her voice
She has the power to heal with just a look
And to raise up towns with her hands
(Mother)
When she walks, the ancestors follow her (Uh-wuh)
The Caribbean isn’t explained, it’s felt, it’s lived, it’s honored
We carry on our shoulders centuries of struggle
(Ey, let’s hit the street; ca-ca-come on)
But we still dance as if history weighed nothing, woh-oh
But we still dance and the sadness doesn’t show on our face
We’re not made of glass, we’re made of coral
Beautiful and resistant
(The Caribbean)
Full moon in the storm
(We are the storm, ey)