Lil Wayne move over…K’naan is bringing the realness
I think K’naan’s 2006 “The Dusty Foot Philosopher” is one of the best hip hop albums ever made and not only because its catchy as anything, but because it is so full of life and wisdom. The music fuses Somalian rhythms with commercial hip hop beats as K’naan rhymes in his Lil Wayne voice and sings in a way that is reminiscent of Will.i.am. Each song is fresh and the album gives the listener a feel for K’naans life. It is a true sonic journey, my only complaint is how similar some of his songs are to mainstream artists. “I Was Stabbed By Satan” sounds so much like Will.i.am that even as I write this I can’t help thinking my ipod mixed up the artist names and the title track, “Dusty Foot Philosopher” which is set to a Dre style beat has K’naan sounding and spitting just like Eminem on the verses and it all gets way too familiar when he Eminems the chorus which even ends with a “da da de da de da”. On his follow up “Troubadour”, Chubb Rock, Damien Marley, Adam Levine, Mos Def, Chali 2na and even Metalica’s Kirk Hammet join K’naan to spread the Somalian artists story to the streets of the world. K’naan is on tour with Matisyahu, another artist that has created his own music with sounds from his tradition and mixed it with popular music. Grab the Dusty Foot record, then his newest album and if you are in love like us, find his “My Life is a Movie” mixtape.
K’naan – My Life is a Movie (clip)
– Guy Emanuel
