Tusa Lyrics in English Karol G , Nicki Minaj
Tusa is a popular Colombian slang term that is the heart and soul of this hit song.
It describes a specific kind of emotional state after a breakup: a mix of heartbreak, spite, and an inability to get over someone. In the song, Karol G sings about going out with her friend 'pa' matar la tusa' (to kill the 'tusa'), trying to cure this feeling with a party. Learning this word is key to understanding the culture behind modern Latin music.
Tusa is Colombian slang for a love hangover, the stubborn heartache that sticks around long after the breakup. Karol G steps into the song as a woman who swears she is over her ex: she gets dressed up, hits the club with her friends and downs shots “pa’ matar la tusa,” trying to dance the pain away. But the moment their song comes on, the façade cracks — tears flow, she reaches for her phone, and the cycle of “I’m fine… actually, I’m not” begins again. The lyrics capture that tug-of-war between fierce independence and the sudden punch of nostalgia that a single melody can trigger.
Then Nicki Minaj swoops in with a bilingual verse that flips the script. She trades vulnerability for swagger, calling out the ex as an “epic fail” and declaring herself the “baddest” in the room. Her cameo turns the track into an anthem of reclaiming power: yes, heartbreak hurts, but confidence and self-worth hit harder. Together, Karol G’s emotive chorus and Nicki’s unapologetic rap paint a relatable picture of moving on — crying one minute, conquering the world the next — all wrapped in an infectious reggaeton beat that makes “getting over it” sound like a party.
