K’naan T.I.A.

T.I.A. – This Is Africa!

My brothers and sisters, life is too short for stress. So relax your brain with some of this great great great music.

Introducing K’naan hailing from the war ridden African country of Somalia. This is one of the best “how they got there” stories around.

K’naan growing up was in one of the worst areas during the Somali civil war which started in 1991, the neighborhood was referred to as the River of Blood civilians were dying left and right. K’naan’s father had left to drive taxi cabs in NYC and was wiring the money back to the family in Somalia. As the civil war worsened K’naan’s mother applied for a visa for their family, their visa was approved on the last day the US Embassy was in existence and K’naan and his family left the country on the last commercial flight leaving the country.

K’naan real name Kanaan Warsame

He arrived in Compton and then with his family reunited moved to a Somali sector of Canada in Toronto. Speaking absolutely no English K’naan learned how to rap by listening to artists like Mos Def and Nas copying their lyrical style and phonetic beats. A few years later he dropped out of his high school in Toronto to travel and rap at open mic events. After returning to Toronto he managed to secure a gig speaking in front of the United Nations Commissioner for refugees in whom he rapped about the UN failing to recognize the war in Somalia. His performance was seen by Senegalese Singer Youssou D’Nour who invited him to partake in his new album and travel on his world tour. K’naan obliged and on tour a small Canadian producer was blown away by the rhymes of K’naan and agreed to help the young artist produce his first album Dusty Foot Philosopher in 2005. The album somehow caught fire and K’naan, a Somali refugee who came to North America without knowing any English, worked his way to the top and released his second world recognized album earlier this year. CRAZY…. its amazing how talent finds its way to be recognized.

This is the first album from K’naan, Dusty Foot Philosopher. Some of the tracks are just simply jaw dropping. Enjoy!!!




K’naan also wrote the official song "Waving Flag" used for the 2010 World Cup in South Africa.