Listen to the 'controversial' LittleBigPlanet song: Tapha Niang

by Andrew Yoon { Oct 17th 2008 at 1:15PM }

Like many of you, we're wondering if Sony's response to the song "Tapha Niang," included in the LittleBigPlanet soundtrack is a little harsh. Toumani Diabaté and the Symmetric Orchestra is known for combining the traditional music of Mali with other internation styles, like jazz, blues and flamenco. The international sound would be appropraite for a game like LittleBigPlanet, which takes players on a virtual journey around the globe. Diabaté won a Grammy award in 2006, the same year "Tapha Niang" was released.

His MySpace page has the entire song available to listen to, and amazon.com has a DRM-free version available to purchase. (iTunes users can listen to/purchase the song here.) It's surprising that a song, which has been available for over two years, is only now receiving controversial attention for its inclusion in Sony's blockbuster PS3 game. Perhaps if Sony didn't delay this game, this matter wouldn't have exploded to such incredible proportions?

Tags: littlebigplanet, tapha-niang

Reader Comments (Page 1 of 3)

Xeron @ Oct 17th 2008 1:19PM

screw the people responsible for messing this up. seriously just patch the damn game.

Eric E @ Oct 17th 2008 3:53PM

and there's no need for a recall, if you're offended don't play until the patch is released. some people already have the game (COLLECTORS ITEM)
But is this one of those religious things that Muslims can't do but don't get offended when others do it?
or is this wrong for anyone to hear the qur'an sang?

TinyTim121 @ Oct 17th 2008 6:17PM

@ Eric E

I think it varies from Muslim to Muslim. I mean if you look at his Myspace Profile, the controversial song Tapha Niang has absolutely no complaints on his comments.

Unless this is a instrumental version...

If I'm honest, i think that us PS3 fans were just unlucky to have an offended Muslim and I'm pretty sure that this particular Muslim had no attempt to have the game delayed three weeks - just to have it patched, if anything its done Sony a favour by preventing bad publicity and damages to the PlayStation 3's image.

Should the game be recalled and changed? Erm...i dunno. Again if stuff offends me or causes any sort of annoyance i just keep away from it - like in Tony Hawk's Underground when i just switched off this one annoying song...can't remember now but yeah i just basically find solutions to my problems, rather than create problems for others. But that's just me i guess.

mercurywa @ Oct 17th 2008 1:22PM

So this is really a BFD over nothing?

DelSource @ Oct 17th 2008 7:02PM

Well, according to some people, PS3 Fanboy is now in direct contravention of Islamic law! What a truly ridiculous and appalling situation. I really feel for those MM guys.

As a man* once said:

"Organised religion. Where the intolerant demand perpetual tolerance from the normally tolerant of their repeated intolerance."

* me. Just then.

Crabster @ Oct 17th 2008 1:28PM

Can anybody translate the lyrics?

ryan @ Oct 17th 2008 1:29PM

http://community.eu.playstation.com/playstationeu/board/message?board.id=b_EN_GAMES_general_lbp&thread.id=23576

aseel @ Oct 20th 2008 7:30AM

the parts containing verses from the Quran are :
1. "kol nafsen tha2qa al maowt" : which means every soul shall experience death"
2. "kol man alayha fan" which mean all that is on earth will perish

I am a Muslim.. and I'm not offended by the use of verses from the Quran... especially by a great artist like Toumani Diabaté...:)it's not like he meant to mock it or belittle it... these verses hold great meanings, and i think it's just one of the ways of representing our religion to other cultures...

somebody @ Oct 20th 2008 8:59PM

I think the song is actually in Wolof or Bambara (can't remember which), not Arabic, so unless you can find somebody who speaks that, you'll be hard-pressed to find a translation of the whole song. It's only a few lines that are in Arabic.

I do have the CD where this was released. The song is about the singer's brother, who is dead.

somebody @ Oct 20th 2008 9:11PM

Just to clarify my comment above: the song is about the death of the singer's brother. The words start with the two lines in question, quoted from the Qu'ran, in Arabic (apparently with a heavy accent, since the singer's first language is Wolof, IIRC).

ryan @ Oct 17th 2008 1:28PM

it probably wouldn't have exploded to the proportions that it did if it weren't delayed. but it still is strange to have those lyrics in a sidescroller.

i mean take your language of choice and have it translated as you play the level. you would feel awkward!

ryan @ Oct 17th 2008 1:35PM

i mean i can understand that this is part of some people's religion and all. it's just the rest of the world may not find it appropriate, especially in a game like LBP.

Volomon @ Oct 17th 2008 1:28PM

I don't even know wtf you are talking about -100 journalism points.

GerrywithaG @ Oct 17th 2008 1:29PM

i listened to the song, why is this so controversial?

Eddie @ Oct 17th 2008 1:51PM

http://kotaku.com/5065106/nsiders-letter-to-sony-and-media-molecule-re-quran-references

Here's why

Brodie-san @ Oct 17th 2008 1:38PM

The content of the lyrics are irrelevant.

Putting words from the Qu'ran to music is deemed offensive to Muslims. And also putting them in video-games -- so this is a double whammy.

The phrases could be "How are you?" and "I like hotdogs" and it wouldn't matter. It's NOT what the words mean (though they do actually sound pretty extreme and go on about how everyone is going to perish etc.) but that's not the point.

Qu'ran + Music + Video-game = Problem

This is why you'll never see Guitar Hero: Qu'ran Karaoke Special - unfortunately.

Ty @ Oct 17th 2008 1:42PM

The reason its so controversial is the lyrics. If it was in english many more people would be offended and even then you yourself might be more sympathetic to the whole controversy.

The first lyrical line is

"Every soul shall taste death"
Not a big deal? Ok how about its ripped from the holy Quran. Touchy and sacred? I think thats enough to warrant a removal or atleast a censoring. Besides that, good tune huh. It gets worse... something along the lines of all on earth will perish. Pretty sure thats from the Quran too.

ryan @ Oct 17th 2008 1:51PM

to me the lyrics are just weird and don't fit right with the game. sure it's catchy, but religion wars aside, it just comes off as sloppy work on the dev's behalf.

Smitty @ Oct 17th 2008 2:00PM

This guy's music is fantastic. I hope this 'controversy' gets him a little extra exposure.

Hashbrown Hunter @ Oct 17th 2008 2:25PM

@ Brodie-San and Ty:
You both bring up good points, but you're wrong. I am Muslim and the whole reason behind this controversy is because it is actual lines from the Qu'ran. If it was just arabic, then it would not be a big deal (there is arabic music and no one cares). But the lyrics are actual lines taken from the Qu'ran and that is why it is seen as somewhat offensive. Sony wants to make sure they avoid a controversy before the mainstream gets a hold of this story maybe a month or so after the game is released.

adolson @ Oct 17th 2008 2:50PM

@Brodie-san - you misspelled "fortunately."

hurricane @ Oct 17th 2008 5:26PM

Why would somebody be offended by this? What happened is that somebody picked a song that sounds amazing and proceeded to shove it into a game. The only people who would recognize the actual lyrics are people who speak Arabic, and the only people who would know where the words originated from would be Muslim. So they then would know the context of the words being said. But maybe that's what the problem is? I don't know, but I'll put it this way: Mm is definitely catering to a very niche audience by removing this song... (and in the meantime I'll be sure to promote this artist and their wonderful music)

DelSource @ Oct 17th 2008 7:06PM

If the crime is putting those words to music, go and complain to the composer, not Sony, not MM, Not PS3 Fanboy, not Joytsiq, not ANYONE else. Get it?

DelSource @ Oct 17th 2008 7:07PM

GerrywithaG - my comment was of course not directed at you.

Eddie @ Oct 17th 2008 1:29PM

it's just messed up that I have to wait weeks for my LBP fix.

I bet that those who said that the song was offensive wanted the game t be delayed.

leatherface @ Oct 17th 2008 2:08PM

you're right, it is a conspiracy. microsoft is behind all of this. lol or probably reggie, he wishes LBP was on wii.

GerrywithaG @ Oct 17th 2008 1:32PM

o nvm i scrolled down and found out its because i quotes the quran

rvkremer @ Oct 17th 2008 1:33PM

How about those of us who aren't offended can get their copy, and the people who are can wait three weeks?

nakedatthecomp @ Oct 17th 2008 3:22PM

hahaha i wholeheartadly agree

James @ Oct 17th 2008 1:34PM

It's funny how the retard who reported it when asked why is it offensive can only respond "because the say it is" dogma at it's best eh?

dip @ Oct 17th 2008 1:51PM

Why is the person who reported it a retard? I would say you are the retard for either not reading or not understanding what he wrote. He is a Muslim and to the religion of Islam it IS offensive. (and if you care to know why, do a little research) He didn't happen to find it offensive because he obviously is not so extreme in his beliefs, he just didn't want MM/Sony/LBP to come under fire.

Ignorance at it's best eh?

James @ Oct 19th 2008 10:16AM

I could give a crap if it's offensive. The fact of the matter is if the only reason it offends you is because a book tells you it should it's dogma.. and if you fall so heavily into dogma that you are willing to bitch at Sony for a 2 year old song all because a book tells you to it's dogma.

It's always good to see Sony catering to extremist. There are plenty of things that offend christians.. some of which are even made to offend them and you don't see companies pull them under scrutiny.

I remember Kevin Smith was asked if there would ever be a movie like Dogma that pokes fun at Islam and he said something along the lines of "Hell no I don't want to die".

Nobody should tip toe around religion, it's beyond comprehension how religions get such a free pass and the one that gets it the most (obviously out of fear of their extremist base) is Islam. I think the main problem is Christians have adapted and learned to ignore parts of their scripture that tend to be violent like selling your daughter or stoning your brother for being a non believer. While Islam hasn't and most likely won't. That's why passages like this gem "They desire that you should disbelieve as they have disbelieved, so that you might be (all) alike; therefore take not from among them friends until they fly (their homes) in Allah's way; but if they turn back, then seize them and kill them wherever you find them, and take not from among them a friend or a helper." are still put to heart today.

Thanks religion for the great majority of the earths wars, inquisitions, crusades.. etc. A real gift it's been to humanity.

kurtangle6890 @ Oct 17th 2008 1:34PM

Notice when people asked why is it offensive to the person who reported it he responded along the lines of "Oh that's what it says".. dogma at it's worse.

Jerses @ Oct 17th 2008 1:34PM

Sony should make a PS3 not only with parental control, but also Religious control or something... you put your religion in the settings and it automatic ban violence and explicit lyrics so we atheous wont have to deal with this crap.

uh-oh polio @ Oct 17th 2008 1:34PM

this is fucking stupid.
I guess it looks like its just farcry 2 for me next week.

Jerses @ Oct 17th 2008 1:35PM

Sony should have included Religion lock or religion control. So every time they put some explicit lyrics ,violence or something against religion they cannot play the game... that way we atheous can play games.

magicianoffear @ Oct 17th 2008 1:35PM

It's actually a nice song, musically speaking. Seriously though whats the big deal? Not to sound like a jerk but as a Christian believer myself you don't see me throwing a fit over the countless visual examples and depictions of God, Jesus, the Bible or the many potentially controversial uses of them in games. Not to mention Sony did not write the music so if you have a problem with it take it up with the artist. Plenty of the songs used in games like rock band and guitar hero are considered "blasphemy" by many different religions and you don't see anyone attacking those titles. The guy who reported this is going to have a very small friends list (since his PSN ID has already been released on the net).

fiziks @ Oct 17th 2008 3:01PM

that's because christianity thrives from objective illustrations ie. the pope, he's a walking illustration... islam, not the same

THE GUARDIAN @ Oct 17th 2008 1:40PM

THIS ROYALLY SUCKS, >:( NO OFFENSE TO THE MUSLIMS!!! :P :D

engadget.mlc @ Oct 17th 2008 1:41PM

Yeah. A guy from a country that is 90% Muslim writes a song that uses lyrics from the Quran and we're supposed to take from the few that find this offensive that all Muslims will find this offensive?

Now that is offensive. Not everyone is so ridiculous about their religion that reference to their religion offends them. I generally only expect that sort of response from Scientologists.

Ty @ Oct 17th 2008 1:49PM

Come on now, we're trying to avoid wars. If texans can flip off about Northern Lights books and the movie cause oof demons then I think when you consider the fact that the Qurans scriptures are SACRED and to be sung only in prayer this is quite blasphemous.

The artist himself is a sinner in Muslim terms, and having Sony remove it only shows their respect for Muslim religion. And thats as far as it goes. Its just the fact that it was in the same language as the scripture that it was removed. If it wasn't, it wouldn't matter. Since it is, it's an insult to their religion. Regardless of how much you like the movie Religulous, if you don't want another war, its best to avoid this stuff.

engadget.mlc @ Oct 17th 2008 2:05PM

Except the guy who wrote this *is* a Muslim composer. There are a lot of different religious interpretations within one group of religious believers.

Hats, beards, cameras, cars, Sunday, Saturday, toys, tools, words, blood, medicine, singing, not singing... The list of things that people claim to find offensive because of their faith is really long, and it stinks to let the noisy ones speak for the group as a whole.

I haven't seen Religulous. Is it any good?

nakedatthecomp @ Oct 17th 2008 3:26PM

Religulous is amazing! I'd watch it again and again

jarhead906 @ Oct 17th 2008 1:45PM

That song is tight as hell. I'm going to be very disappointed if they take the ENTIRE song out of the game instead of patching it immediately. What a shame.

I went to the blog with the individual who posted the initial complaint against the song's usage of phrases from the Qu'ran. As I'm reading the comments of other bloggers, someone had a very good question:

'Why is it offensive'.... well? By using these phrases in such a large public medium (a video game) it becomes exposed to thousands. Is the complaint that non-followers are able to listen to something only the devout followers of Islam should hear or read? Or is it that it denigrates the meaning behind the phrases and their 'holyness' regarding the entirety of that religion? I would really appreciate it if someone with some degree of insight (a Muslim, follower of Islam) would explain or shed some light onto the subject. Because everyone and anyone can state that they were 'offended' by something or someone. Is it affecting you in a negative physical, mental, or spiritual way?

Whether we gamers like it or not, the song is going to be edited in one way or another. Something I did NOT know was that a similar event happened with the release of The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time.

Volomon @ Oct 17th 2008 1:46PM

Europe is weak they have no sense of freedom. The only ones offended would be the one who still spread their faith by the sword. I say F them. Also F Europe for constantly being gutless.

djhsecondnature @ Oct 17th 2008 1:52PM

I say F U!

Vesku @ Oct 17th 2008 2:00PM

Last time I checked, it wasn't the European Union commencing the delay but Sony. Hey, what's this I hear about a worldwide delay anyway?

No need to thank me for correcting your mistake.

Volomon @ Oct 17th 2008 2:01PM

Tell me how their not weak for bending over to archaic religious dogma? Saladin Yussaf proved that every single line does not have to be followed. They prove it ever day they wake up and don't kill Christians. If they hold every line sacred then they should be heavily watched. European constantly bend over for dictatorships and dogma.