Duro Ni Be – English Lyrics

• By: Burna Boy, Phyno
• Album: On A Spaceship

Lyrics & Translation

Discover the vibrant world of Afropop with "Duro Ni Be" by Burna Boy and Phyno! This powerful track offers a fantastic opportunity to explore the Yoruba language through its confident lyrics about perseverance and triumph. Learn how to express steadfastness and celebrate success while grooving to its infectious beat. What makes this song special is its blend of cultural roots with universal themes of ambition and self-belief, making it relatable and engaging for language learners worldwide.

[English]

Yeah

Duro n be!

Yeah

Duro n be!

Won gbe

Won gbe

Won gbe wa

Wetin dey sup my nigga

Won gbe

Won gbe

Won gbe wa

Okay make I start am from the genesis

Now before they couldn't tell me anything

When I use to hustle for my Hennessey

Now na Hennessey they give me Hennessey

Took my music make I roll my medicine

Me I no dey see my enemies move

When my love dey why you mad at me

When I just dey hustle for my family

Mama everyday I just dey try

Chukwu mantana don't turn to lullaby

I don't know no friend I dey with my squad

Check am na my name dey for the design

Duro n be!

Oh yeah I'm gonna be on top so

I no get time to go watch your show

How me go sit down they start to convor

With these hating industry niggas I don't know

Duro n be!

That na something way I no go ever do

Me I rather focus on my revenue

Some people say they no dey like my attitude

They should show me gratitude

Duro n be!

Duro n be!

Moneymaker duro n be!

Duro n be!

Na beg oh, duro n be!

Duro n be!

Won gbe

Won gbe

Won gbe wa

Wetin dey sup my nigga

Won gbe

Won gbe

Won gbe wa

I've been balling ever since I was in secondary

Up to now, Uncle and them no know how many melody

Hold up! They be talking sh*t but I don't really care

When I dey my church, I dey believe no be coin

Hold up! Man in the hood, I lay my man in the hood

I dey my way, that's why you never got a clue

So I die, he's a tool, be free, check on my crew

I'm the motherfucking truth, how you gonna lose?

Corridors are you get road over

Every year young, I go for car, always sure

On my line, black or black, I pay and we are no joker

And I say give ink, I know they come and they no suffer

We the busy now table, leave no nothing, we'll be joking

I get to turn it louder, I go to make money, broker

International, and local, and I play the game with no care

I am the money because I feel the need to broker

Duro n be!

Duro n be!

Moneymaker duro n be!

Duro n be!

Na beg oh, duro n be!

Duro n be!

Won gbe

Won gbe

Won gbe wa

Wetin dey sup my nigga

Won gbe

Won gbe

Won gbe wa

Key Vocabulary

Vocabulary	Meanings
duro /ˈduːroʊ/ C1	verb - to stay, to wait; to endure
hustle /ˈhʌsəl/ B2	verb - to work hard, to push oneself aggressively noun - a busy, often aggressive activity to make money
money /ˈmʌni/ A2	noun - currency used as a medium of exchange
revenue /ˈrɛvəˌnuː/ C1	noun - income, especially of a company or government
attitude /ˈætɪˌtjuːd/ B2	noun - a settled way of thinking or feeling about something
gratitude /ˈɡrætɪˌtjuːd/ C1	noun - the quality of being thankful
moneymaker /ˈmʌniˌmeɪkər/ C1	noun - something that generates profit
hood /hʊd/ B1	noun - short for neighbourhood, often an urban area
crew /kruː/ B1	noun - a group of people working together
broker /ˈbroʊkər/ C1	noun - a person who arranges transactions between a buyer and a seller verb - to act as a broker or intermediary
international /ˌɪntərˈnæʃənl/ B2	adjective - relating to more than one country
game /ɡeɪm/ B1	noun - a competitive activity with rules
truth /truːθ/ B2	noun - the quality or state of being true
lose /luːz/ A2	verb - to fail to keep or maintain; to be defeated
corridor /ˈkɔːrɪdɔːr/ C1	noun - a long passage in a building
car /kɑːr/ A1	noun - a road vehicle with four wheels
joker /ˈdʒoʊkər/ B2	noun - a person who jokes; a playing card that can substitute for any other
turn /tɜːrn/ B1	verb - to rotate or change direction noun - an opportunity to act or a period of time allotted to someone
louder /ˈlaʊdər/ B2	adjective - more loud; having a higher volume
balling /ˈbɔːlɪŋ/ C1	verb - to spend money extravagantly; to live a lavish lifestyle (slang)

Key Grammar Structures

• I no dey see my enemies move

  ➔ Nigerian Pidgin Negation + Continuous Aspect

  ➔ "no dey" combines negation ("no" = don't) with continuous aspect marker "dey" (equivalent to "am/is/are"). "I no dey see" = "I am not seeing".

• I've been balling ever since I was in secondary

  ➔ Present Perfect Continuous + Time Clause

  ➔ "have been balling" shows ongoing action from past to present. "Ever since" introduces a time clause indicating duration starting point.

• they should show me gratitude

  ➔ Modal Verb for Obligation

  ➔ "Should" expresses moral obligation or expectation. Here it implies "they have a duty to show gratitude".

• When I use to hustle for my Hennessey

  ➔ Past Habit (Non-standard Form)

  ➔ "use to" (instead of "used to") describes past routines. Common in vernacular English, though standard form requires "used to".

• Me I no get time to go watch your show

  ➔ Pidgin Pronoun Repetition + Negation

  ➔ "Me I" emphasizes the subject (common in West African English). "No get" = "don't have" (Pidgin negation). "Go watch" shows future intention.

• I don't know no friend I dey with my squad

  ➔ Double Negation + Pidgin Continuous

  ➔ "don't know no" uses double negation for emphasis (non-standard but common). "I dey with" = "I am with" (Pidgin continuous).

• How me go sit down they start to convor

  ➔ Pidgin Conditional/Future

  ➔ "How me go" introduces hypothetical situation ("go" = will/should). "Sit down... start" shows sequential actions. "Convor" = Pidgin for "converse".

• I am the money because I feel the need to broker

  ➔ Declarative Statement + Infinitive of Purpose

  ➔ Direct declaration "I am the money". "To broker" (infinitive) explains the purpose of "the need".