Released on November 18, 2022, Tukoh Taka served as the official anthem for the FIFA Fan Festival and a marquee track on the official FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 soundtrack. Bringing together American rapper Nicki Minaj, Colombian singer Maluma, and Lebanese singer Myriam Fares, the track was designed to bridge cultures, genres, and languages on the global stage. Yet behind its upbeat reggaeton and house-rap production, the song's creation, linguistic choices, and cultural reception sparked fierce international debate.
Understanding the true story of this track requires looking past the catchy chorus to examine how three distinct regional superstars collided, what the phrase actually means, and why the song became one of the most polarizing releases in tournament history.
Linguistic Fusion and the Meaning of the Title
The most defining characteristic of the track is its multi-lingual approach. For the first time in FIFA history, an official tournament anthem incorporated English, Spanish, and Arabic into a single composition. Nicki Minaj handled the English and Jamaican Patois verses, Maluma delivered rapid-fire Spanish vocals, and Myriam Fares anchored the production with Arabic lyrics and regional cadence.
The phrase Tukoh Taka itself carries dual linguistic inspirations. In casual Arabic usage, the sound mimics a rhythmic knocking or tapping, similar to "knock-knock" or "click-clack". At the same time, the phrase functions as a clever piece of wordplay referencing tiki-taka, the famous tactical style of rapid, short-passing football popularized by Spanish club sides and international squads. Fares repeated variations of the title hook dozens of times throughout the track to build a stadium-ready chant that fans could memorize instantly, regardless of their native tongue.
Behind the Production: Who Made the Song?
The track didn't come together by accident; it was engineered by an elite team of cross-continental producers and songwriters. The primary production credit goes to the Texan sibling duo Play-N-Skillz (Juan and Oscar Salinas), known for crafting high-energy urban hits like Chamillionaire's "Ridin'". They collaborated with Guatemalan-American producer Gordo (who previously worked closely with Drake) and Canadian-Lebanese singer-songwriter Massari.
The writing camp involved a massive collaborative effort, featuring contributions from the three main artists alongside a dozen co-writers. The instrumental layers fused Latin reggaeton percussion with electronic house drops and Middle Eastern string textures, mirroring the demographic makeup of the host nation, where expatriates and locals created a hyper-diverse audience for the tournament. You can read more about tournament music initiatives directly on FIFA.
The Music Video and Visual Imagery
Directed by Edgar Esteves and Juan Felipe Zuleta, the music video was shot across separate locations to capture the international flavor of the collaboration. Maluma and Myriam Fares performed their segments against the sweeping backdrop of the Qatari desert, incorporating traditional and modern choreography. Meanwhile, Nicki Minaj delivered her verses from inside a stylized vintage bus, cutting between performance shots and archival footage of screaming fans and historic tournament goals.
Despite logistical hurdles during production, the video racked up tens of millions of views quickly, finishing its debut window as one of the most-watched female-led rap videos of that year.
Controversy and Public Reception
While FIFA positioned the track as a triumph of inclusivity, Tukoh Taka faced immediate backlash from multiple fronts upon release.
- Geopolitical Pressures: The artists faced intense public scrutiny for participating in an official event hosted by Qatar, given ongoing international controversies surrounding labor rights and local laws. While some performers withdrew from tournament events entirely, Maluma defended his presence by emphasizing his passion for music and football.
- Regional Criticism: Myriam Fares faced sharp critiques from segments of the Middle Eastern audience, who argued that the song's lyrical structure leaned too heavily into repetitive nonsense syllables rather than showcasing rich Arabic poetry. Others drew unfavorable comparisons between her dance aesthetics and those of Shakira's past World Cup performances.
- Mixed Chart Performance: Although the track achieved massive streaming numbers and topped regional charts in places like Lebanon and Central America, it failed to crack the upper tiers of the US Billboard Hot 100, landing instead on niche charts like World Digital Song Sales.
Common Misconceptions About the Anthem
Many casual listeners assumed the track was the singular, all-encompassing main theme of the 2022 tournament, much like Shakira's "Waka Waka" or Pitbull's "We Are One." In reality, Tukoh Taka held a specific designation as the official Fan Festival anthem, sharing space with other soundtrack releases like Trinidad Cardona, Davido, and Aisha's "Hayya Hayya (Better Together)."
Another frequent mix-up involves the language breakdown. Listeners often mistake Minaj's patois inflections for additional foreign translations, though her verses primarily rely on English slang mixed with Caribbean rhythm patterns.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who wrote Tukoh Taka?
The song was co-written by Nicki Minaj, Maluma, and Myriam Fares alongside a large production team including Play-N-Skillz, Gordo, Massari, and several other credited songwriters.
What languages are featured in the song?
The track features three primary languages: English (and Jamaican Patois) by Nicki Minaj, Spanish by Maluma, and Arabic by Myriam Fares.
Is Tukoh Taka the main World Cup song?
No. It served specifically as the official anthem for the FIFA Fan Festival, while other tracks made up the broader tournament soundtrack.
How did the public react when it dropped?
Reaction was heavily divided. The song achieved massive streaming milestones and topped regional charts, but it also drew criticism over its repetitive lyrics and the broader political context surrounding the Qatar tournament.
