By Crystal Okusa
Friday, November 20, 2009
"I was lucky to board the last flight out of Mogadishu before the airport was blown up," recalls K’Naan.
The world acclaimed rapper who now rakes in millions from shows and online music sales has not forgotten his roots.
A remixed version of his hit song Wavin Flag has become the official 2010 Fifa World Cup anthem and would be used as a music element through out the World Cup and as the soundtrack on all global TV commercials for soccer greatest spectacule and the World Cup Trophy tour which is already underway.
"The song was apparently chosen because of its unifying and uplifting tone in the chorus. I simply turned it to be more open, more inviting and more celebratory," explains K’Naan.
Back then in 1991, K’Naan was among hundreds of Somali youth who were running away from the war torn country. He later flew to New York and finally Toronto, Canada where he dropped out of school at grade ten to pursue poetry and music. He started doing open mic poetry with the help of a Canadian promoter Sol Guy and once criticised the United
Knaan shooting the video Soobax 
His courage sparked interest in a member of the audience who happened to be Senegalese singer Youssou N’Dour, who later invited him to be a part of his album Building Bridges in 2001.
Even though his English was not good when he started on spoken word, he tried to teach himself hip-hop and rap diction by listening to Nas and Rakim.
He was a constant figure in open mic gigs and eventually took to travelling around the world performing at open mic events as the dusty foot philosopher. This, he says, was in solidarity with many African children who walk on dusty roads on their bare feet.
He finally came to be known as the Dusty Foot Philosopher.
Growing up, K’Naan was largely influenced by his mother Marian Mohamed a poet, aunt Magool who is one of Somali’s most famous singers and his grandfather Hali Mohamed also a poet.
The choice of his name ‘traveller’ was perfect.
"A name is a great identity, a pointer in someone’s life. Mine is relevant to my life and as such parents should take time when choosing names for their children," expresses the father of two boys.
K’Naan released his debut album Dusty Foot Philosopher in 2005. He later travelled to Nairobi to shoot the video of his hit single Soobax in 2005. To recreate the Somali feel in the video he chose Eastleigh as the location and featured rapper Mwafrika, singer Mercy Myra and decksmen Pinye and Adrian.
Beefs
K’Naan regards Mwafrika as one of the finest rappers and did a collabo African Way.
"There is something special about Mwafrika and I wanted him in the song," he says.
Shooting Soobax in Kenya attracted controversy and brought beef between him and K-os, a prominent Canadian hip-hop artiste who ‘dissed’ K’Naan.
He called him a suburban Negro turned hip-hop hero and rhymed: "They took cameras to Africa for pictures to rhyme…Oh, yes great pretenders,"
But K’Naan still defends his choice of shoot location.
"Kenya is relevant because the words in the song talked about Somalis living in Kenya yet they have their country which they could live in if they embrace peace.
I don’t understand why K-os would hate on me," he adds.
K’Naan also detaches himself from being grouped with the proclaimed great rappers claiming they don’t sing about real experiences like he does.
"50 Cent sings to make money, but I sing about reality. The life I lived in the mean streets of Mogadishu is nothing to brag about so I can’t listen to lyrics or rapper claiming to have lived the hard life yet they just hear about it," he explains.
"I’m however close to many rappers including my pals Lupe Fiasco, Nas and Rakim," he adds.
And true to his words his debut album, Dusty Foot Philosopher won him Juno Award for Rap Recording of the Year and BBC Radio 3 Award for Newcomer Category in 2007. He was also nominated for Polaris Music Prize.
Since then he had been on tour promoting his album while working with Nelly Furtado, Mos Def, The Roots, Dead Prez, Lenny Kravitz and Pharaoahe Monch. He also collaborated with Damien Marley on the Welcome to Jamrock touring session.
His second album Troubadour was largely a tribute to great music legends Bob Marley, Fela Kuti and Bob Dylan all of whom influenced his music. He recently recorded at Bob Marley’s Tuff Gong Studios.
Source: Standard, Nov 20, 2009