Immigrant Spotlight: K’Naan
The Immigrant spotlight is back, where I end the week by spotlighting the American achievements of somebody not born in America. Today we turn our attention towards singer/songwriter K’Naan. After growing up in war torn Somalia, K’Naan immigrated to NYC as a teen and later settled in Toronto. In 2005 he released his first LP, The Dusty Foot Philosopher, which was carried by the song, “Until The Lion Learns To Speak.” The song, and much of K’Naan’s music transmits an underdog message, as K’Naan feels it is part of his responsiblity to relay the stories and struggles of his people. I spoke to K’Naan about the song, and its message. He said,
“That comes from the idea that the victor is the writer of the battle, and he writes his own version of the battle. We don’t know that the lion roughed him up in a corner. We don’t know that he ran, and left his shoes and pants, and was frightened. When he comes home, just because he might have been able to subdue to lion or escape, he tells us everything that he did and what a great man he is. We don’t hear the side of the story from the lion. I think that my music kind of gives a voice to the lion. I think my music is for the unspoken for, the strugglers who for so long who have been quiet, who have stood aside without posture and with humility who have waited. That’s why when we go on the road, the music speaks to a lot of different kinds of people, but you get this crazy feelings when you see communities who are from where I’m from come out in large numbers and are at war about how much they love the things. It has long been unsaid what is being said. That’s the role of my music.”
You can read more of my interview with K’Naan here, and also check out some videos below.
K’NAAN “T.I.A” music video directed by: NABIL from nabil elderkin on Vimeo.