Topenga Ataata
Kupu Tūpato
When I found you, you were young, wayward, lost in the cold
– I taku kitenga i a koe, he taitamariki koe, he pōhēhē, kua ngaro i te makariri
Pulled up to you in the Jag’, turned your rags into gold
– I toia atu ki a koe i roto i te Koroka, ka huri i o koroka hei koura
The winding road leads to the chateau
– Ko te huarahi hurihuri e ahu atu ana ki te whare rangatira
“You remind me of a younger me,” I saw potential
– “E whakamahara ana koe ki ahau i te mea he taitamariki ahau,” i kite ahau i te kaha
I’ll be your father figure, I drink that brown liquor
– Ka waiho ahau hei ahua matua, ka inu ahau i taua wai parauri
I can make deals with the devil because my dick’s bigger
– Ka taea e au te whakarite kirimana ki te rewera nā te mea he nui ake taku pī
This love is pure profit, just step into my office
– Tenei aroha ko te pai parakore, tika taahiraa ki toku tari
I dry your tears with my sleeve
– Ka whakamaroke ahau i your roimata ki toku ringa
Leave it with me, I protect the family
– Waiho mai ki ahau, e tiaki ana ahau i te whānau
Leave it with me, I protect the family
– Waiho mai ki ahau, e tiaki ana ahau i te whānau
I pay the check before it kisses the mahogany grain
– Ka utua e au te tīkiti i mua i te kihi i te witi mahogany
Said, “They wanna see you rise, they don’t want you to reign”
– Ka mea, “E hiahia Ana Ratou ki te kite i a koe e whakatika ana, e kore ratou e hiahia kia kingi koe”
I showed you all the tricks of the trade
– I whakaaturia e ahau ki a koe nga tinihanga katoa o te hokohoko
All I asked for is your loyalty, my dear protégé
– Ko taku i tono ai ko tōu pono, e taku kaitiaki aroha
I’ll be your father figure, I drink that brown liquor
– Ka waiho ahau hei ahua matua, ka inu ahau i taua wai parauri
I can make deals with the devil because my dick’s bigger
– Ka taea e au te whakarite kirimana ki te rewera nā te mea he nui ake taku pī
This love is pure profit, just step into my office
– Tenei aroha ko te pai parakore, tika taahiraa ki toku tari
They’ll know your name in the streets
– Ka mohio ratou ki to ingoa i roto i nga huarahi
Leave it with me, I protect the family
– Waiho mai ki ahau, e tiaki ana ahau i te whānau
I saw a change in you (I saw a change, saw a change in you)
– I kite ahau i te huringa i roto ia koe (i kite ahau i te huringa, i kite i te huringa i roto ia koe)
My dear boy
– E taku tama aroha
They don’t make loyalty like they used to (Not like they used to)
– E kore ratou e hanga pono rite whakamahia ratou ki (E kore rite whakamahia ratou ki)
Your thoughtless ambition sparked the ignition
– Ko tō wawata pōhara i whakaoho i te mura
On foolish decisions, which led to misguided visions
– I runga i ngā whakataunga poauau, nāna i arahi ki ngā tirohanga hē
That to fulfill your dreams
– Kia tutuki ai ō moemoea
You had to get rid of me
– Me whakakore koe i ahau
I protect the family
– Ka tiakina e au te whānau
I was your father figure, we drank that brown liquor
– Ko au tōu pāpā, i inu mātou i taua wai parauri
You made a deal with this devil, turns out my dick’s bigger
– I whakaritea e koe he kirimana ki tēnei rewera, ka nui ake taku pī
You want a fight? You found it, I got the place surrounded
– E hiahia ana koe ki te whawhai? I kitea e koe, i karapotia ahau e te wāhi
You’ll be sleeping with the fishes before you know you’re drowning
– Ka moe koe me nga ika i mua i to mohio kei te totohu koe
Whose portrait’s on the mantle? Who covered up your scandals?
– Ko wai te whakaahua kei runga i te kākahu? Ko wai i huna i ōu taupatupatu?
Mistake my kindness for weakness and find your card cancelled
– Hape i taku atawhai mo te ngoikore me te kitea kua whakakorea to kaari
I was your father figure, you pulled the wrong trigger
– Ko au tōu pāpā, i tangohia e koe te pātene hē
This empire belongs to me
– Ko ahau tēnei emepaea
Leave it with me, I protect the family
– Waiho mai ki ahau, e tiaki ana ahau i te whānau
Leave it with me, I protect the family
– Waiho mai ki ahau, e tiaki ana ahau i te whānau
Leave it with me
– Waiho mai ki ahau
“You know, you remind me of a younger me”
– “E mōhio ana koe, e whakamahara ana koe ki ahau i te mea he taitamariki ahau”
I saw potential
– I kite ahau i te pūmanawa
