AFS – Bilingual Lyrics Spanish/English

• By: Natanael Cano

Lyrics & Translation

Dive into the vibrant world of Mexican youth culture and modern slang with Natanael Cano's 'AFS'. Learning Spanish through this song offers a unique opportunity to master contemporary urban vocabulary, informal expressions, and the poetic cadence of 'corridos tumbados'—the genre redefining the Latin music landscape.

[English]

We started at an early age

He taught himself how to work

Now life has smiled on him and it doesn't change who he is

There's no need to even mention it

The backing he has comes from family

Always moving up with his people

Well prepared for whatever might happen

Don't get discouraged, there's plenty of Chapo left

With my people, ready for whatever they say

They know there is no way out of here

We are out here working hard in the hustle

And we are killing at random

I don't go around asking questions, so why even talk?

And around here, we are the real deal

Memories remained of that day

They failed miserably, they were already after them

Inside the armored truck with a loud corrido playing

Compa Kaby, get to work

Since I know the dirt road like the back of my hand anyway

The boys over there are heavily armed

Plus the trucks we have here in the convoy

The boss can be heard over the radio

I'm getting out of here, however I can

You boys, stay in the fight

Because that's why you carry the flag

And it's not just any flag, it's a badge of honor

Here we are in the desert

Salazar, for whoever was asking

...

They can't cross over to the US

There's no need, there's more than enough work here

The flag of that old man is respected here

Let the name Alfredo Salazar be heard

And crossing the kilos through the towns

They watch the light planes land

They fly out loaded with way too much weight

Good pilots are the ones flying out

The crew is ready for whatever they say

You can see him leading with the team at the front

We are out here working hard in the hustle

Fighting for whatever needs to be fought for

Fear doesn't exist, there is only loyalty here

And the money, well, that goes without saying

We started at an early age

He taught himself how to work

Now life has smiled on him and it doesn't change who he is

There's no need to even mention it

The backing he has comes from family

And always moving up with his people

Well prepared for whatever might happen

Don't get discouraged, there's plenty of Chapo left

With my people, ready for whatever they say

They know there is no way out of here

We are out here working hard in the hustle

And we are killing at random

I don't go around asking questions, so why even talk?

And around here, we are the real deal

...

[Spanish]

Empezamos a temprana edad

Solito se enseñó a trabajar

Ahora la vida le sonrió y no lo hace cambiar

No se ocupará ni mencionar

Apoyo que carga es de familia

Con su gente siempre p'arriba

Bien preparados pa' lo que pueda pasar

No se agüiten que hay Chapo pa' más

Con mi gente, para lo que digan

Ellos saben que aquí no hay salida

Andamos chambeando en la movida

Y andamos matando al azar

No ando preguntando, ¿y pa' qué hablar?

Y aquí somos puros de verdad

Recuerdos quedaron de aquel día

Se la pelaron, ya los traían

Arriba de la blindada con un corridón

Compa Kaby, póngase en acción

Que al cabo la brecha me la sé yo

Los plebes allá traen un refuegón

Más los carros que traemos acá en el convoy

En el radio se escucha el señor

De aquí salgo, pero como pueda

Ustedes plebes, quédense en guerra

Que para eso cargan la bandera

Y no es cualquiera, es un charolón

Aquí andamos en el desierto

Salazar, para el que preguntó

Pa'l gabacho no pueden cruzar

No se ocupa, aquí hay jale de más

La bandera de aquel viejo aquí se respeta

Que se escuche Alfredo Salazar

Y por los pueblos los kilos cruzar

Las avionetas las miran bajar

Se van cargadas con peso, pero de más

Buen piloto los que van fuera

El carrito para lo que digan

Con el equipo al frente lo miran

Andamos chambeando en la movida

Peleando lo que ocupe pelear

El miedo no existe, aquí hay lealtad

Y el billete, ese ni se diga

Empezamos a temprana edad

Solito se enseñó a trabajar

Ahora la vida le sonrió y no lo hace cambiar

No se ocupará ni mencionar

Apoyo que carga es de familia

Y con su gente siempre pa' arriba

Bien preparados pa' lo que pueda pasar

No se agüiten, que hay Chapo pa' más

Con mi gente para lo que digan

Ellos saben que aquí no hay salida

Andamos chambeando en la movida

Y andamos matando al azar

No ando preguntando, ¿y pa' qué hablar?

Y aquí somos puros de verdad

Key Vocabulary

Vocabulary	Meanings
temprana temprana A2	adjective - early, premature
enseñó enseño A1	verb - to teach, to show (here: taught himself)
sonrió sonrio B1	verb - to smile
mencionar mencionar A2	verb - to mention
apoyo apoyo B1	noun - support, backing
agüiten aguiten C1	verb - to get discouraged, to feel down (Mexican slang)
chambeando chambeando B2	verb - working, hustling (slang)
movida movida B2	noun - hustle, racket, business (often illegal)
azar azar B2	noun - chance, fate, random
blindada blindada C1	adjective - armored, bulletproof
brecha brecha B2	noun - dirt road, trail, gap
plebes plebes C1	noun - guys, youth, boys (slang)
charolón charolon C2	noun - badge of authority, big badge/influence (Mexican slang)
desierto desierto A2	noun - desert
jale jale C1	noun - job, work (slang)
lealtad lealtad B2	noun - loyalty