Spotlight on African Talent - K' Naan

If you are anything like me and have extreme African pride, you will understand my weird obsession with exploring and promoting raw and underrated African talent. I feel an instant, deeper connection to hustling artists of all rights who are from the motherland. It's almost like a sense of an invisible family bond, as they become my sister or brother who I need to support during their rising movement. It's crazy to think that a household name in Africa has probably never been heard of by many living abroad, simply because they only see what is put in front of them. Nonetheless, I want to put spotlight on a lyrically gifted Somali rapper, K'Naan Warsame.

K'Naan is a Somalian-born, Canadian-based artist. For me, what sets him apart from other rappers is his ability to bring awareness to REAL issues with his unique flow like no other. Anyone that takes the time to listen to his songs will appreciate not only his struggle (fleeing Mogadishu at the height of the Somali Cilvil War)  but also the 'internal wars' he talks about that we as humans face on an emotional level. K'Naan's standout talent reached a new height when Coca-Cola used the remixed version of his smash hit "Wavin' Flag" as the theme song for the 2010 World Cup. This amazing opportunity allowed K'Naan to receive the recognition he deserves, especially grabbing the attention of world-known artists. The success of "Wavin' Flag" is reflected in the caliber of artists K'naan has been able to work with, including Nas, Nelly Furtado, Bono, Will.I.Am and B.O.B, just to name a few.

He has been known to use his celebrity status to be an advocate for sending aid to Somalia and other African countries. K'naan's positive impact is set to takeover Africa and beyond. This is confirmed by being ranked the 25th most powerful celebrity in Africa by Forbes in 2011. K'naan is definitely one artist to keep our eye on in the near future.

Enjoy some of my favourite songs/clips from the man himself !

-Posted by Vanessa