Trafassi (Sranan Tongo for “a different way”) was founded in 1981 by former members of The Happy Boys, the erstwhile backing-band of Lieve Hugo. The band started out as a kaseko-formation, but gradually developed into an all-round band with songs in Sranan Tongo, Dutch and English. They made cover versions of the soul ballad The
Train by Ray Charles and Je t’aime… moi non plus, with the latter having equally suggestive lyrics under the title Me Jam.

In 1985, the band scored a hit with Wasmasjien, reaching number ten in the Dutch Top 40. This song was extensively promoted and received an unofficial music video by a Walt Disney cartoon-show. The song is based on the in 1982 Papiamento song “Wasmashin”, written and composed by Macario ‘Makai’ Prudencia from Curaçao, in the by him developed music style “Salsa Antiano”.

In the late 1990s, lead singer and percussionist Edgar Burgos and the other Trafassi members parted ways. Burgos founded a “new” Trafassi, with which he still performs.