Biography
Born in Somalia,[3] K'naan spent his childhood in Mogadishu[4] and lived there during the Somali Civil War, which began in 1991. His aunt, Magool, was one of Somalia's most famous singers. K'naan's grandfather, Haji Mohammad, was a poet. He is Muslim,[5] and his name, Keinan, means "traveler" in the Somali language. He spent the early years of his life listening to the hip-hop records sent to him from America by his father, who had left Somalia earlier. When he was 13, K'naan, his mother, and his three siblings, older brother, Liban, and younger sisters Naciimo, Sagal were able to leave their homeland and join relatives in New York City, where they stayed briefly before moving to Canada, to the Toronto neighbourhood of Rexdale,[6] where there was a large Somali community and his family still resides.[7]Nas and Rakim. Despite the fact that he could not yet speak the language, the young K'naan taught himself hip hop and rap diction, copying the lyrics and style phonetically.[8] He then also began rapping.[9] There, K'naan began learning English, partly by listening to hip hop albums by artists like
He is married to Deqa, a pharmacist. They have two sons, born in 2005 and 2007[10][11].
Career
K'naan became a friend and associate of Canadian promoter Sol Guy, who helped him secure a speaking engagement before the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees in 1999, where K'naan performed a spoken word piece criticizing the UN for its failed aid missions to Somalia.[12] One of the audience members, Senegalese singer Youssou N'Dour, was so impressed by the young MC's performance and courage that he invited him to contribute to his 2001 album Building Bridges, a project through which K'naan was able to tour the world.
This project led to his work at other UN events, as well as the Montreal Jazz FestivalHalifax Pop Explosion. It also helped him meet Canadian producer Jarvis Church and his Track & Field team in 2002, who produced his debut album The Dusty Foot Philosopher, which was released in 2005 to critical acclaim. In 2006, it won the Juno Award for Rap Recording of the Year, and was nominated for the 2006 Polaris Music Prize. It also won the BBC Radio 3 Award for World Music in the newcomer category for 2007.[13][14] The Dusty Foot Philosopher was re-released and re-packaged as a "Deluxe Edition" featuring new mixes and a bonus DVD in the United States (and various international territories) by the emerging media company and record label iM (Interdependent Media, Inc.) in 2008. and the
Since then, K'naan has been on tour promoting his album and working on his follow-up release, "Troubadour," his debut album for new label, A&M/Octone Records. He has also been collaborating with artists like Nelly Furtado, Mos Def, The Roots, Dead Prez, and Pharoahe Monch on tours such as Live 8[15] and Breedlove Odyssey.[7] He also collaborated with Damian Marley on the "Welcome to Jamrock" touring session.[16]
K'naan released The Dusty Foot on the Road, a collection of recording made during his world tour on Wrasse Records.[17]
K'naan rose to mainstream popularity by participating in the 2008 BET Awards Cypher, This was his first appearance on American television. His second studio album, Troubadour, was released on February 24, 2009 on A&M/Octone Records, and will be distributed through Universal Music Group worldwide. The album's first single, "ABC's", was released to radio in late 2008. K'naan has featured in several video games such as Madden NFL 09 with his song ABC's, and FIFA 06 with his song "Soobax". The song "If Rap Gets Jealous", a rerecording of a track of the same name – with different verses – from The Dusty Foot Philosopher, features Metallica lead guitarist Kirk Hammett. K'naan was also the first featured artist on X3, a collaborative project between CBC Radio 3, Exclaim! magazine and aux.tv to promote new Canadian music.[18]
Style and influences
Jim Welte has said K'naan has "a sound that fuses Bob Marley, conscious American hip hop, and brilliant protest poetry."[9] His voice and style have been compared to Eminem,[8] but his subject matter is very different; according to K'naan, he makes "urgent music with a message", talking about the situation in his homeland of Somalia and calling for an end to violence and bloodshed.[19] He specifically tries to avoid gangsta rap clichés and posturing,[20] saying:
“ All Somalis know that gangsterism isn't to brag about. The kids that I was growing up with [in Rexdale] would wear baggy [track] suit pants, and a little jacket from Zellers or something, and they'd walk into school, and all the cool kids would be like, 'Ah, man, look at these Somalis. Yo, you're a punk!' And the other kid won't say nothing, but that kid, probably, has killed fifteen people.[12] ” This statement was made to explain his position on the world of difference which exists between where he grew up, and the ghettos of the first world.[21] Nonetheless, K'naan denies that he is overtly political, instead explaining that he "[shows] the state of the world [and] if you call it like it is you're being political."[22] His own opinion of his music is that it's a "mix of tradition and [a] kind of articulation of my own life and [..] my past experiences."[22]
In a December 2008 interview with Hard Knock TV, K'naan stated he had never smoked marijuana or drank alcohol, despite having toured with the Marleys.[23] This is in-keeping with K'naan's deep Islamic beliefs.
K'naan has said that he is influenced by Somali music and the traditional instruments of Somalia.[24] His most recent album, Troubadour, also draws heavily from Ethiopian sources, particularly Ethio-Jazz by Alemayehu Eshete and Tilahun Gessesse.[25][26] These influences can be heard in the Ethiopian jazz samples in his songs "America", "Dreamer", "Somalia", "ABCs", "Bang Bang" and "I Come Prepared".
which is about 1 hour north of Nanaimo B.C. I was able to get in on the deal too and so we got to stand right up at the front and take awesome pictures and videos!!!! At this point K'naan wasn't really well known to the general public... he was an artist trying to get a break.... but John and I definitely saw/felt his potential... he has rhythm, he speaks truth, he sends a message, and he has an intense stage presence!
John used his smooth talking skills and was also able to get us a picture taken with him and he signed my CD!!!!!
Then in February 2009 I heard he was coming back to Vancouver and was playing at the Commodore... an AMAZING venue for concerts (just not techno/house music because their sound system is a little TOO good/deafening) so I bought 2 tickets not knowing who I was going to go with... by this point John and I had already broken up, but K'naan is the type of artist that you want to see and appreciate with someone who loves him just as much as you do... so I invited my friend Julia. It was great, we both saw him at 'The Big Time Out' the summer before, so she was the perfect match!!! We went to his concert and loved it dearly... his new CD Troubadour had just come out and we were blessed with hearing these 'fresh out of the oven' tracks!!!
A great venue, a great concert, with a great artist! I love the pic above too... of course "Waving Flag" is on this album, and I was jumping for joy when I looked down and saw the picture I had just taken with the flag kind of iridescent like it is.... gave myself a pat on the back.Then I hadn't seen him in a while... but was still listening dutifully to his album and heard he was coming for the Cultural Olympiad 2010. There was many artists from around the world who came to Vancouver for the Winter Olympics... and it wouldn't be a cultural olympiad without K'Naan himself. As soon as I saw the flyer on the lamp post, I went online right away and tried to buy 2 tickets, again, not knowing who I was going to go with. The best seats available were saying 18th row and so I was trying to use my credit card info to purchase the tickets, but for some reason it wasn't accepting it!!! I was so mad, so as soon as the office was open the next morning I called on my lunch break and asked for tickets to see K'naan at the Orpheum Theater (another AMAZING venue!!!!!) The gentleman said, "I have front row tickets right in the middle, will this do?" AHHHHHHHHHHHHHH OF COURSE IT WILL DO!!!!!!!!! IT DOESN'T GET ANY BETTER THAN THAT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! So I purchased 2 tickets to front row, right in the middle seats. wow.
Down to the last minute, I asked a few people all of which who couldn't make it. I decided to call up the good ol' ex. We hadn't talked for a while, but as mentioned above, I wanted to go with someone who appreciates him as much as I do, and I know John does. So I text him and asked... he texted back saying he just 'fist pumped' in the air and YES he will go! hahahahaha... That said it all. I'm glad I asked... he appreciated the invite.
Another wonderful concert.... and sitting in another VIP location. He provided the VIP at the outdoor concert, I provided the VIP for this one.
And then came June 22, 2010.Well, before this date, I was reading the free french METRO paper on the train on my way to work as I normally do and was reading about all the goodies happening around town in relation to the World Cup. I saw that France was playing South Africa on June 22 and knew I had to watch the game. So I thought why not at one of the large outdoor screens they have set up around town... I kept reading and saw that K'naan was playing a free concert right by the Eiffel Tower!!!!! wooowowwwweeeeeee... I'll be there~!!!!
So I tried asking a few people to go with me, but they all declined because the French are mad over soccer....so if the French won, it would be mad chaos. Oh well... as mentioned above, I'd rather go by myself anyways... because they weren't die hard fans. So I made my way to the big screen, watched the end of the game, and then as the French fans mosied on out with their heads hung low, that's when I made my way in to the front row to watch K'naan!!!!!
It was great, seeing him on stage, presenting himself as an unknown artist to people who don't speak his language... it was kind of cute because he was a bit shy! I watched the 5 songs he sang and then watched him go off stage. I walked over to where his vehicle was and was peeking at him through the fence. Much to my surprise, he ended up walking over to the fence, asked the security to open it so he could shake the hands and take pics of people!!! I WAS RIGHT THERE!!!!!!
When I thought I was getting closer, I was actually getting further, people trampling all over eachother, including me... people were mad and forceful!!!!! It's a dog eat dog world out there (hahahahaha) so I shouted out, "K'naan, I'm from Vancouverrrrr!!!!"
I didn't know what else to say, as I was getting trampled on I was planning words to say if I got the chance to meet him. I was slowly and unknowlingly getting further and further away when all of a sudden security was pushing us all out, and I was RIGHT there!!!!!! so now, on the other side of the fence, another girl came up that I guess knew him and he said to the bouncers, let her in... I was able to get a second of eye contact, gave him a look of despair which said (and he heard), " Dude, I'm from Vancouver, I was right up at the front of the crowd and I didn't even get a picture"... so he said, let those two girls in. I waved and he waved back, and he said the one at the front and the one I waved to. YAYYYYY... so I squeezed my way back in and said, "Thank you so much, I met you in Cumberland at the Big Time Out and at the Cultural Olympiad and I'm a big fan." The picture was taken quickly and right before it was snapped he asked, "Do you know this girl? (The other one that got in)" and I said, "No, but it's all good!" And he laughed, then *CLICK*... I thanked him again, said "Salaam Alaikum" and he took my hand and said, "It was nice to meet you." Then before I could blink, the other girl had him with her camera and I was being escorted out by security. People looked at me like "Oh my gosh, I can't believe you were in there," and I looked at them with that exact same expression on my face. Wow.... I was shaking for the next 10 minutes and am still smiling now....4 hours later. I am not only an avid fan, but am so proud to see him grow as an artist.
What can I say.... gotta support the locals, even when they come to Paris :)
You sound like you're on such a high, cuz!! Glad you're having such a wonderful time. Lots of love xxx
ReplyDeleteWoweee.. you get more beautiful every time I see you! And MrK doesn't look tooo bad either!
ReplyDeleteGosh Farida, you're so blessed right now! Enjoy and love every minute!