He was born in Somalia (in Mogadishu) – a place where it topped Iraq and Afghanistan on Forbes magazine’s Most Dangerous Destinations, where nobody (children or the elderly) was safe, where it was lawless, and where 6-year-olds patrolled the streets with AK-47s. He is a Muslim. His aunt, Magool, was one of Somalia’s most famous singers. His grandfather was a well-known poet, which says a lot for a country called, “Nation of Poets”. He spent his childhood in the district of Wardhiigleey (“The Lake of Blood”) during the Somali Civil War.
He is an emcee straight from Somali.
Who is he?
He is…
K’Naan.
K’Naan’s father left the country to settle in NYC to work as a cab driver. Along with the money that he sent back home to his family, he also mailed hip hop albums (Rakim’s “Paid In Full“, Nas’ “Illmatic“, etc) to K’Naan. He memorized the rhyme ideas, the patterns, the phonetics (the way they’d say what they said)… without really knowing any English.
How did what was happening in your homeland affect what would later become your music?
I’m a product of it. I’m a product of the war. I lived through it, definitely a lot less than a lot of people who had to stay behind. I got to get out and I’m fortunate for that. I’m also fortunate for the actual experience, to be honest. A lot of people find it weird that I say things like that. It was an eye-opening experience. It is something that enriched the rest of my life. I don’t wish it on anybody, but it’s something that I don’t separate from myself as a truly bad experience because you grow, you know? [Interview]
After K’Naan lost two of his bestfriends by gunfire, he and his family took the last flight (literally) to ever leave the country. They moved to Harlem, NYC, before moving to Toronto. Around the age of 14, K’Naan began to learn English quickly and then rapped in English. He then travelled around and performed at numerous open-mic spots.
I can honestly say that he’s an individual that I can truely admire. His eloquence, positivity, and humbleness is what pulls me in.
His music is a beautiful blend of reggae, funk, pop, soul, and, above all, hip hop. Hip hop was the only thing he could turn to, where he could place all his energy and experiences. A lot of people label him as being a political artist, because he writes about stuff that makes sense or what needs to be said. He doesn’t classify his music as being political, he just says what he thinks is happening – whether it be a hurricane, a war, something unjust or a major issue going on.
His dreams are what kept him alive. Check out the video for “Dreamer“, which is a single from his “Troubadour” album that drops February 24th.
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UsTXvNVY4Vg]
“Troubadour” was recorded in Bob Marley’s studio, Tuff Gong. Contributions by Damian Marley, Mos Def, Chubb Rock, Adam Levine (of Maroon 5) and more. I loved his first album, “The Dusty Foot Philosopher”, so I’m incredibly excited about this next one. Be on the look-out for it! Support him on 2/24/09.
VIDEO: K’Naan – “ABCs” (ft Chubb Rock) & K’Naan’s EPK
WWW: Website & Myspace
