Encule is a popular Colombian slang term for a powerful, all-consuming infatuation. There's no perfect one-word translation in English, but think of it as being completely 'hooked' or smitten with someone.
It's a very strong word, and in the song, KAROL G uses it to express a total surrender to her feelings. She sings 'El encule me ha ganado' (The infatuation has won me over), admitting that she went from wanting a casual fling to being unable to think about anyone else.
Have you ever sworn you were only looking for a casual fling, only to catch feelings anyway? That is the exact dilemma Colombian star KAROL G talks about in "CAIRO" with producer Ovy on the Drums. She starts off wondering if the drinks are talking when she admits: "Sé que el amor no estaba en el contrato" ("I know love wasn't in the contract"). She promised herself it would be a one-time hookup, but now she cannot sleep unless he is beside her, and she is even nursing him when he gets sick.
What makes the track fun is how honest and playful she gets with Colombian slang to describe falling hard. She says "el encule me ha ganado" ("the infatuation got the best of me") and jokes "por ti no tengo ganado" ("because of you I don't have a roster"), using ganado (literally "cattle") as a cheeky way to describe a lineup of admirers she used to text. Now, she is leaving all those other prospects en visto (on "read"). Her friends warn her that he is "medio perrito" ("a bit of a dog" or a player), but she brushes it off with confidence: "Lo de bandido fresco yo te lo quito" ("Don't worry, I'll take that bad boy out of you").
Carolina Giraldo Navarro, known professionally as Karol G, is a Colombian singer-songwriter born on February 14, 1991, in Medellín, Colombia. She is regarded as one of the most influential artists in reggaeton and urban pop, with a career spanning since 2006. Karol G has earned numerous awards including a Grammy, six Latin Grammys, and five Billboard Music Awards.
Karol G rose to international fame with hits like "Ahora Me Llama", "Tusa", and her record-breaking album Mañana Será Bonito, the first Spanish-language album by a female artist to debut at No. 1 on the U.S. Billboard 200. She blends reggaeton, urban pop, and Latin R&B with powerful vocals and empowering lyrics. Beyond music, Karol G is recognized for breaking barriers for women in Latin urban music and continues to shape the genre worldwide.