>>PREVIEW
AFRIKADEY
K’Naan
Sunday, August 13
Prince’s Island Park
A refugee from the Somalian civil war whose family came to Canada when he was a young teenager, K’Naan’s early life in the blood-splashed streets of Mogadishu is the story of a child in the midst of the unimaginable atrocities of war. It stands in stark contrast to the passionate clarity, intelligence and compassion of his musical voice; K’Naan has come a long way from Mogadishu, and life as a child refugee.
Having developed a voice and talent as one of Canada’s up-and-coming hip-hop artists, K’Naan has spent the last couple of years touring relentlessly, spreading his brand of consciousness-raising music.
"The last year has been an amazing ride," he says. "I’ve gotten over a lot of fears in the past year, particularly a fear of stepping into the unknown.
"When I first made my music, it wasn’t made for selling or to be released," he continues. "It wasn’t something I thought people would receive well."
But that assessment was dead wrong. From Venezuela to North America to Africa, audiences the world over have received K’Naan and his musical message with a welcome and intensity that continue to surprise the young musician.
"The level at which people have received me has really increased my confidence in people," he admits. "I think that I used to worry about how concentrated my music is – it doesn’t really allow for escapism. When I started writing, it seemed that the majority of music out there wasn’t like that. Even the underground stuff wasn’t really saying anything."
One of the major highlights of K’Naan’s year was to travel to Djibouti (a former part of the Somalian coast, separated through colonialism) to perform.
"I’d never really been in Djibouti, but when we fled Somalia, the plane had to touch down in Djibouti to refuel. So, I’ve got this weird connection to the place. In some ways, it was very much like playing in Somalia might be.
"It was a bit strange, though. I don’t sing in their language – I sing in English. So here, people understand the words, but not necessarily the implications. There, the political implications of my music are understood but the languge isn’t. But even not understanding the words, it was as though the very fact that I exist was enough to celebrate. They seemed to draw inspiration from my life. I am from them, from the very struggle they deal with, and I’ve not only survived it, but managed to articulate it."
Another highlight of the year was a trip to Jamaica where K’Naan visited the home of Bob Marley and connected with Marley’s sons Damon, Julian and Steven – all musicians in their own rights.
"That was an amazing experience," he says. "Bob Marley is a hero to me, and to sit with his children and talk about music, to be welcome in their home, was totally amazing.
As K’Naan muses aloud about his unceasing touring schedule around Europe, North America, Africa and South America, it becomes clear that flight remains a part of his life, long after his initial flight from Somalia. He is philosophical, however, about his nomadic lifestyle and approach to identity.
"It’s interesting, being Somali and Canadian and travelling as much as I do. It seems to me that because of how the world has morphed, I’m not the only one that feels this way. It’s this strange feeling that nowhere’s home, but everywhere is home." |
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