Cojones literally translates to "testicles" or "balls." However, in Spanish slang, it's widely used to mean "guts," "courage," or "bravery." It's a strong, colloquial expression of determination and resilience.
In Eladio Carrion's song, the phrase "Fe, Cojones y Paciencia" (Faith, Guts, and Patience) is a central theme, emphasizing the mindset needed to overcome challenges and succeed. It's a memorable and impactful word that captures the raw, unyielding spirit of the lyrics.
Eladio Carrión opens by keeping score of the small stuff: "Pequeños logros, también los tengo que celebrar" [Small wins, I gotta celebrate them too]. He isn't bragging about a mansion here, just admitting fame hasn't killed the plain habit of noticing progress, and that habit is what the rest of the song runs on.
He flexes like someone who still remembers being broke: courtside watching LeBron pass Kareem, a box seat at a Canelo fight, half a rack of ribs from Chili's ordered to go. In the same breath he names whoever's been talking about him and shrugs it off, "La mayoría viven con su madre, Mr. Crocker" [Most of them live with their mother, Mr. Crocker]. The hook is his own explanation for how he got here from "salimos del hueco" [we got out of the pit]: "Hay que tener fe, cojones y paciencia" [You gotta have faith, balls, and patience]. By the last verse that patience has paid out for real, "Acabo de cantarle a treinta mil gente' en Valencia" [I just sang to thirty thousand people in Valencia].