While the Fresh Prince spent most of his days on the playground, chilling out max, relaxing and shooting some B-ball, the Whakamāori team has spent its days translating this quintessential 90s TV theme song into te reo Māori.
The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air was appointment TV viewing through the early 1990s and most 90s kids could rap the theme song composed by Quincy Jones III, written by Will Smith and performed by Smith and DJ Jazzy Jeff.
Will the te reo Māori version translated by Chey Milne, Ana-Piki Tuari and Anaha Hiini be just as catchy?
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TRANSLATIONS - printable version here
Nā Ani-Piki Tuari
English:
Now this is the story all about how,
My life got flipped-turned upside down,
And I'd like to take a minute, just sit right there,
I'll tell you how I became the prince of a town called Bel Air.
Whakamāori
Nā, nika te paki e hua nei te ara
I huri kōaro ai taku ao katoa
Tēnā, e noho, kia whai wā au kia huaina
Taku aranga hai wheao o te tāone / ka kiia ko Bel Air.
Nā Anaha Hiini
English
In West Philadelphia, born and raised
On the playground is where I spent most of my days.
Chillin' out, maxin', relaxin all cool,
And all shootin' some B-ball outside of the school.
Whakamāori
I te uru o Philadelphia, i tupu ai au
I te papa tākaro i pau katoa ai taku hau
Whakatā, mauri tau, parohe, hā!
Pūrei poitūkohu i waho i te kura
Nā Chey Milne
English
When a couple of guys who were up to no good,
Started makin' trouble in my neighborhood.
I got in one little fight and my mom got scared,
And said "You're movin' with your auntie and uncle in Bel Air.”
Whakamāori
Tērā te tōkorua rā, he kino te whainga
E toro ahi ana I te kainga
Kotahi noa te kakari, ka wehi a kui,
Ka kī me nuku koe ki Bel Air ki tō Uncle me Auntie
Nā Ani-Piki Tuari
English
I whistled for a cab, and when it came near,
The license plate said "fresh" and it had dice in the mirror.
If anything I could say that this cab was rare,
But I thought "Nah forget it, Yo home to Bel Air.”
Whakamāori
Ka tonoa te waka, whakatata mai ana
Hai tā te raihana he taiea/manea, he mataono i te mira
Hai tāku he tākahi motuhake
Heoi, hai aha atu māku, hanatu ki Bel Air
Nā Anaha Hiini
English
I pulled up to the house about seven or eight,
and I yelled to the cabby "Yo homes, smell ya later."
Looked at my kingdom, I was finally there, to sit on my throne as the Prince of Bel-Air.
Whakamāori
Ka tau i te takiwā o te whitu, o te waru
Kaha nei taku karanga ki te mihi atu
He whare ariki, he manako i ea
Kua tū rangatira hei wheao o Bel Air.
Made for RNZ by Arataua
