Lyrics & Translation
Discover the raw emotion and lyrical depth of Ninho's "Boîte Noire," a surprise single that delves into personal experiences and hidden traumas. This track offers a unique opportunity to explore contemporary French rap and understand the artist's perspective on fame, ambition, and the challenges of street life.
We mark our territory like pits, 10 I got the vision, the technique
(I got the vision, the technique) We handle it when it's a crisis
You want the armband, the money But not the problems that come with it
It's not by chance, you gotta grind 6x more, I'll repeat it to you
STAY FOCUS Or you're fired
He said he was happy for me, that he was glad
He said he was happy for me, that he was glad
But in his eyes, I saw that he was hungry, that he was shady
I can't fight I know the cards to take you down
It's not even a third of the show They're all [ __ ], big scams
Charlie Bravo talkie-walkie (Charlie Bravo talkie-walkie)
I got el mucho's hook One-punch KO
I got the fire of [_] And I only let the family eat (bro)
Like I was born in Macau And I'm too connected to
hit it at the same price as you You don't have the plugs upstairs
And I'm too connected to hit it at the same price as you
You don't have the plugs upstairs Celebrity, Paranoia, Stress, Crazy check
16 hours on a plane, I change my mood I say hello, they want the…
I smoke weed to de-stress To forget that the…
guy is scarred by betrayals I gotta make a movie to tell about it
You see that old guy over there, he's an investment fund
Kid, I've been in this for a long time Expert, let me drive
You see the wrist, I don't have time I touch wood like Geppetto
Prices are dropping - kilos, weed That's how it is in my ghetto
Bag filled and the lips go up to the ears
It's gr-gr, click-click It never stops (no)
Even the banker speaks English I drop off a suitcase for him
I stash on the left, a little on the right, in several currencies
White T-shirt - Richard Mille White horse, I took over
The biggest (I pay, I pay, I pay)
Stop looking at other people's pockets If yours is empty
Fill it up, then we'll sit down There's no point in rushing
Key Vocabulary
| Vocabulary | Meanings |
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marque /maʁk/ A1 |
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vision /vi.zjɔ̃/ B1 |
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crise /kʁiz/ B1 |
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problèmes /pʁɔ.blɛm/ A2 |
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yeux /jø/ A1 |
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faim /fɛ̃/ A2 |
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arnaques /aʁ.nak/ B2 |
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feu /fø/ A1 |
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prix /pʁi/ A1 |
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stress /stʁɛs/ A2 |
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avion /a.vjɔ̃/ A1 |
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gars /ɡaʁ/ A2 |
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film /film/ A1 |
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temps /tɑ̃/ A1 |
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ghetto /ɡɛ.to/ B2 |
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valise /va.liz/ A2 |
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poche /pɔʃ/ A1 |
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🚀 "marque", "vision" – from “BOITE NOIRE” still a mystery?
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Key Grammar Structures
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On marque le territoire comme des pitt
➔ Simile (using "comme")
➔ Uses "comme" to compare marking territory to how pitbulls mark their territory. Similes enhance imagery and add emphasis. The speaker is comparing the actions of his group to the territorial behavior of pitbulls, emphasizing their dominance.
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Toi tu veux le brassard, brasser Mais pas les problèmes qui vont avec
➔ Relative Pronoun "qui"
➔ "Qui" introduces a relative clause, modifying "les problèmes". The phrase "les problèmes **qui** vont avec" means "the problems that come with it". This relative clause adds specific information about which problems are being referred to.
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C'est pas du hasard faut taffer 6x fois plus que je te le répète
➔ Comparative Adverbial Phrase (plus...que)
➔ The phrase "6x fois plus que je te le répète" uses "plus...que" to express a comparison. It indicates that one needs to work 6 times harder than the speaker is telling them, emphasizing the necessity of hard work.
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Il a dit qu'il était content pour moi, qu'il était heureux Mais dans ses yeux j'ai vu qu'il avait faim, qu'il était véreux
➔ Subjunctive Mood after Expressions of Emotion/Opinion ("que" introducing subjunctive)
➔ While the verb "était" is in the imperfect indicative here (not subjunctive), the structure shows how the subjunctive *could* be used. Expressions such as "être content que" often trigger the subjunctive in the subordinate clause. Here, it shows reported speech and the speaker's perception of the other person's insincerity.
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Célébrité, Paranoïa, Stress, Chèque de ouf 16h d'avion j'change de mood
➔ Elision (d' in "d'avion")
➔ The use of "d'" instead of "de" before "avion" is an example of elision. This is a common phonetic phenomenon in French where a vowel at the end of a word is dropped before another word starting with a vowel or a mute 'h'. It maintains a smoother flow in pronunciation.
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J'leur dis bonjour, ils veulent le...
➔ Indirect Object Pronoun "leur"
➔ "Leur" is an indirect object pronoun, replacing "à eux" (to them). In this context, "J'leur dis bonjour" means "I say hello to them". The indirect object pronoun comes before the verb.
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Arrête de regarder la poche des autres Si la tienne est vide Remplis là, après ça on s'assoit
➔ Imperative Mood (Arrête)
➔ "Arrête" is the imperative form of the verb "arrêter" (to stop). It's a direct command, telling someone to stop doing something. This creates a sense of urgency and directness in the lyrics.
