Somali-born Canadian rapper K'naan's albums The Dusty Foot Philosopher and Troubador are equally fantastic. It was a very difficult task to decide which one song to include on this Top 100 Political Music Countdown.
I love the brave and fierce Smile:
(Smile) When you're strugglin'
(Smile) When you're in jail
(Smile) When you're dead broke
(Smile) And the rent's due
(Smile) You ain't got friends now
(Smile) And no one knows you
NEVER LET THEM SEE YOU DOWN SMILE WHILE YOU'RE BLEEDING
From his challenge to the warlords of Africa in Soobax to his heart-breaking Fatima, K'Naan is the best political artist to come out so far this century. He's not the next Bob Dylan, he's the first K'naan.
From Somalia:
We used to take barb wire
Mold them around discarded bike tires.
Roll em down the hill in foot blazin’.
Now that was our version of mountain bike racing
Here's a good article from The Coast after The Dusty Foot Philosopher was released.
And an article on K'naan's work to try to get the Canadian government to pass an NDP bill that would make it easier for Canada to export life-saving drugs to developing countries.
And an article on K'naan's work to try to get the Canadian government to pass an NDP bill that would make it easier for Canada to export life-saving drugs to developing countries.
