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Founded in 1993, B.U.G. Mafia continues to be one of the best Romanian hip-hop bands. A group whose music appeals to people from different age groups and walks of life. Their songs deliver social commentary on issues such as poverty, crime, and also lighter subjects such as love and relationships.

In their 2005 song “Strazile” (The Streets), the group raps about the ways of street life: its perils and traps, bonds and friendships, lessons and experiences the street forces one to learn. Nevertheless, the main theme of the song is connected to a more general one: the government's increasing corruption and the police’s failure to stunt criminal activity. Street life, as it stands, is the consequence or effect of a cause, and that cause is the failure of those in power to improve their faulty strategies.

"In their 2005 song 'Strazile' (The Streets), the group raps about the ways of street life: its perils and traps, bonds and friendships, lessons and experiences the street forces one to learn"

In a language of colloquialisms and street speech, Bucharest’s streets are likened to those of Las Vegas: “Ca atata smecherie numai in Las Vegas mai vezi” (You come across so much slyness only in Las Vegas). They are a place where “e posibil s-o dai, dar e posibil s-o iei” (you might give out punches, but are very likely to receive punches yourself). B.U.G. Mafia extends useful advice to those intending to take up street life rapping, you need to “intelegi treburile…frate/ pa’ strada dai de toate/combinate, amestecate peste poate” (understand how things work… my brother/ you can encounter all sorts of trouble/ combined and excessively diversified).

The song is slightly contradictory, in that it praises street life and presents it as a brotherhood, and a place where you can find support, while also presenting it as a danger zone where you’re on your own and have to watch your back: “Aici ne facem treaba, aici cu noi vei fi mereu/ […] Suntem […]frati de fapt” (This is the place where we roll, and where we will always be together/ as brothers).

"Founded in 1993, B.U.G. Mafia continues to be one of the best Romanian hip-hop bands. A group whose music appeals to people from different age groups and walks of life"

Even though it uses many vulgar words, such as “gabori” (policemen), “gainari” (villains), and “curve” (prostitutes), the song retains a certain poetic lyricism, as evidenced by the following lyrics: “Liderii adevarati palesc ca un boboc de floare/ Uitat de floraresele din colt in soare” (True leaders wither like a flower blossom/ left in the sun by the flower girl on the corner). “Strazile” is a stimulating song with an engaging musical line that complements its thought-provoking lyrics.

Romanian lyrics:

E un loc in care n-ai curaj, n-ai cum sa vrei E posibil s-o dai, dar e probabil s-o iei Ca atata smecherie in Las Vegas mai vezi Si cum se schimba unii in curve, nici nu-ti vine sa crezi E capitala Romanieeei...e Bucuresti E mai mult decat atat..eee...sa dovedesti Romanii si romancele, tiganii si tigancile Guvernul, banii, gaborii, gainarii Puscaria si anii Cartierul si veteranii Copiii si drogurile, armele, drogurile Tre` sa intelegi treburile....frate Pa` strada dai de toate Combinate....amestecate peste poate Este greu Aici ne facem treaba, aici cu noi vei fi mereu Nu e nici un sfat de dat nici un contract de semnat Suntem mafia pa` viata....frati de fapt Refren Poti sa spui rugaciuni Sa se intample minuni Dar ce semeni aduni Fugi, fugi..vin baieti buni Prezint solutii radicale Ca toti baietii buni Care au ridicat imperii In afaceri ilegale Ca-n strada poti sa te alegi cu rani letale Atunci cand armele zambesc in felinare In continuare bulangiii toarna si rastoarna tot Liderii adevarati palesc ca un boboc de floare Uitat de floraresele din colt in soare Si garda se faleste acum cu-n peste atat de mare...da' Reactia e-n lant, gabori zac in sant Avem demisii extraordinare la bilant Yo..urmatorul candidat la tron isi face loc Printre ziduri de beton s-acapareaza tot Ce eu sunt sigur pa` mine ca nu poti sa te bazezi decat pe tine Nici gaborii nu prea ma plac...in fineSangele latin care inca-mi curge-n vine Ma face sa fiu ca Al Capone...stii bine Refren Poti sa spui rugaciuni Sa se intample minuni Dar ce semeni aduni Fugi, fugi..vin baieti buni Pe cand se intamplau basmele Oamenii au creat legile Atunci au definit partile Astazi s-au aruncat cartile Conflictul a schimbat armele Pentru a dobori tintele Armurile sunt azi, vestele Care impiedica gloantele Dar si asa curge sangele Imagini sumbre dau stirile Mai nou se folosesc vocile Testele ADN, actele Si totusi nu se vad semnele Cum ca s-ar incheia luptele Garda si-a adunat fortele Sa-ncerce sa ne ia strazile Poate la anul zic: Refren Poti sa spui rugaciuni Sa se intample minuni Dar ce semeni aduni Fugi, fugi..vin baieti buni

English lyrics:

They are a place where your courage betrays you and your will deserts you, where you might send punches to others, but are yourself highly likely to receive punches. The level of slyness you find here equals that of Las Vegas. You won’t believe how fast some people change. It is the capital city of Romania, it is Bucharest. It is much more than that… it iiissss…To be able to put up with the Romanian men and women, the gypsy men and women, the government, the money, the police, and the crooks. The prison life and the years. The hood and the retired servicemen. The kids and the drugs, the firearms, and the drugs. You need to understand how everything works, my brother. You can encounter all sorts of troubles on the streets. Combined and excessively diversified. This is where we roll; we will always be together. There is no advice to be given no contracts to be signed. We’re the mafia, brothers for life.

Chorus: You can pray for miracles to happen. But what you reap is what you sow. Run, run…the good boys are coming to get us.

I am coming up with some radical solutions. Just like the good boys who have built up empires out of illegal trading. You can get lethally wounded on the streets. When guns smile at you in the street lights, backstabbers spill the beans and turn everything upside down. True leaders wither like flower blooms left in the sun by the flower girl on the corner. The police brag about a fish this big… yeah. It is a chain reaction, policeman rest inside roadside trenches. We’ve got extraordinary resignations on the balance sheet. Yo… the next candidate is paving his way to the throne. Amidst concrete walls that are closing in on everything, I am confident in myself as you can only count on yourself. Policemen do not like me very much… anyways. The Latin blood that is still flowing through my veins transforms me into an Al Capone… you know that fully well.

Chorus: You can pray for miracles to happen, but what you reap is what you sow Run, run…the good boys are coming to get us.

Once upon a time when fairy tales were still in fashion, people have come up with regulations. They’ve defined the partakers, the cards have been laid out. The conflict changed the firearms to take down the targets. The body armour is now the bulletproof vest. But even so, the blood keeps on being shed. TV news are filled with horrific images of late, voices are used, DNA tests, papers. And still, we do not see any signs that the fighting will cease. The police have gathered their forces to try and take over our streets. Maybe next year.

Chorus: You can pray for miracles to happen, but what you reap is what you sow. Run, run…the good boys are coming to get us.