High Peaks Pure Earth presents the English-subtitled music video to “1376” by ANU which features both established and new singers and rappers from all over Tibet, TMJ, Dekyi Tsering, Tashi Phuntsok, Uncle Buddhist and Young13DBaby.
[Scroll down past the introduction for the music video]
As readers will know, ANU are two young Tibetans, Payag and Gonpa, from Nangchen in Kham with art and music backgrounds. Their most well-known song so far was undoubtedly last summer’s modern classic, “Fly”.
Earlier this year, we posted ANU’s older music video “It’s All A Game” . “1376”, released on January 7, 2018, however sets a new bar for Tibetan rap/trap/hip hop music. The innovation is in the visual style as well as the skillful combining of traditional Tibetan opera with cutting edge music.
The video was released via ANU’s social media channels, including WeChat and Weibo, with the announcement: “A group of tibetan teenagers are standing at the spine of the world announcing their arrival to the world with music!”
“1376” is a way of writing “Chi Sam Dhon Drup” meaning whatever you wish, may it be fulfilled. The two best known of the collaborators are Tashi Phuntsok from Shigatse in Central Tibet and Dekyi Tsering from Yushu, Kham. Originally a maths teacher, Tashi Phuntsok broke through into the mainstream in late 2017 after winning the reality TV talent show Sing China!
Relative newcomers are TMJ, a rapper from Golog in Amdo, Uncle Buddhist, also from Golog and Young13DBaby from Kanlho in Amdo. Each singer/rapper takes on one segment of “1376” in their individual style and the lyrics are mostly in Tibetan with some Chinese and English thrown in.
The branding of 1376 has greatly expanded since January and 1376 is now a fully fledged clothing and accessories label with a very active online presence.
“1376” was challenging to translate and equally challenging to subtitle so watching on a larger screen is advised along with multiple viewings. For those interested, the lyrics are posted below the video, scroll down to read them. We will be posting more ANU music videos later this year!
Watch the video on our YouTube channel
“1376”
By ANU featuring TMJ, Dekyi Tsering, Tashi Phuntsok, Uncle Buddhist and Young13DBaby
Translation by High Peaks Pure Earth
ANU:
A prayer to fulfil your wishes
If you want to fulfil your wishes praying isn’t enough
Ain’t going to achieve anything
This you entrust to fate
This is about power
If you want 1376, hope is number 1
Confidence number 2
Responsibility number 3
Diligence number 4
You need these all
If you exert yourself without rest, then 1376
Talking out of your ass, brass with a golden lustre
Proud with nothing to be proud of, tea wastrel, barley beer bandit
These kinds of friends are enemies
False and divisive, consumed with jealousy
Pretenders with nothing to back it up
A beautiful exterior empty inside
These kinds of friends are enemies
Give them up, doubt them, beware!
It’s a long road searching for sincerity in the stars
I’m of heavenly descent
I’m the prince of the Tsanpos
TMJ:
Dreams of creativity, true and fresh
This is wisdom
The life-force of the new generation
The bravery of new wisdom
Not only the melody of the pure yearning of this generation
But the true love between old and new generations
This creativity and incomparable courage
Is not only white belief bound by truth and brilliance but also
hope and prayer for the benefit of others
Dekyi Tsering:
Speak if you will, think if you won’t
Whether you do or don’t, I’ll be the one to say if you know how to
True or false, you decide
Fire and chaos
Time doesn’t change. All people change.
On whether they change or not, I have three answers
Hustle and bustle
Home ain’t important. The outside is important.
To explain how you decide what is important, I have three words
Sometimes, 1: don’t listen. 2: must not, 3: don’t dare.
Saying don’t listen, do not, don’t dare
Generational change, the direction of the future
Throw the root of improvement to the other side
Throw it back to this side
Don’t set out on the road ahead
Don’t climb to the peak above
All the heads have become numb!
All the faces have become swollen!
All the stomachs have become bloated!
Don’t recognise anyone apart from your mother
Don’t grasp for anything but doorways!
Don’t know how to talk about anything apart from the faults of others
Tashi Phuntsok:
The land where the sun, moon and stars meet
Not only rivers, mountains, forests and great plains
Tibet, the land of snows is the birthplace of all mankind
The renowned blissful realm is here!
The crystallisation of worldly knowledge is here!
Not only surrounded by the majestic Himalayas
This incomparable song I have too
Fulfil your wishes
World Peace
Tashi Delek
Become one with the great home of peace!
Uncle Buddhist:
Incongruous singers, and dung beetles – there are so many these days
Don’t learn the basics, don’t want the fundamental melodies
Keep simplifying things
Pride at the bottom of drinking cup, fight among brothers
Oh you incongruous Tibetans!
If you have pride don’t feud within the family
If you don’t have the basics, then you don’t get to play
If you are drunk, then don’t talk about pride
Drunkard, big mouth, liar!
Tear off your own head. YA YA
See if you have pride afterward. YA YA
If you have enough to eat and drink, then good. YA YA
If you don’t have a fat mouth, then good. WU HU
Young13DBaby:
Young Wild Yak of Machu in the prime of his life!
Red faced Tibetan of the land of the snows
I’m a rapper, they call me the Amdo Aku Pema
My level is world wide
Feeling like a Super Saiyan
An oath bound to my heart
As solid as a diamond, Southside
Can you do it like this?
Look at me flying
Your potential is huge!
But you don’t dare reach it BIRD
It’s a revolting exchange
All my tigga gone crazy
Your value is too low
From my inside my mind SWEAR
boss shit raw shit
made in gang shit
move dat brick out bando
imma pull up in the Red benz
Started from the bottom now we straight outta Grassland
show u how to be a man
MXC4EVER GANG
yahh, I can go today, that’s God’s will
yahh cross over the border of Tibet’s rap game
If you avoid the pitfalls of evil people
You’ll have the chance to catch all the meat pies that fall from the sky
pull up wit stick pull up wit stick
pull up wit stick pull up wit stick
all my tiggas do it really quick
do it really quick
all my tiggas do it really quick
do it really quick
So I offer this verse that’s worth more 30,000 Kuai to God free of charge
To keep you warm in the wintertime
Translation by High Peaks Pure Earth
If you’ve enjoyed this post, please watch our other music videos from Tibet using this link: http://highpeakspureearth.com/category/music-from-tibet/
Could you please also post the lyrics in Tibetan? Thank you! Pretty awesome song, just wish they’d cut Young13DBaby out 😛
Sorry for the late reply – send us a message via FB/Instagram/Twitter and we’ll send you the Tibetan lyrics!