So many of you know that I love rap and Hip Hop. It used to be for just the fun of dancing. However starting in high school I started to search out the rap that was more on the poetic side. I fell in love with some old mc's such as the Fugees and Nas. I even like some of the old 2Pac, when he didn't rap about killing people to protect his hood.
When I came home from my mission I enjoyed that pop hip hop as much as the next person. As I get older I need more substance to music than just a good time. I need poetry. I started to leave the hip hop world and entered cheesy world of country. I love country its fun and has great messages. Some country artist are funny and a little poetic. Then I entered the emo world where poetry meets tune. I became addicted to a great musical poet Chris Carrabba of Dashboard Confessional. Wow his lyrics are great and tell stories of the soul. His melodies also tell stories. He is a true artist. I also enjoyed other great musical poets such as Jack Johnson, Death Cab for Cutie, Postal Service and other artists.
As much as I love Dashboard and Jack I was missing the poetic nature of hip hop. I listened to the Fugees, Nas, and even Eminem. I know that name scares a lot of people but his non commercial songs are good. I was limited to this small library that I have listened to since high school. Then I came across K'Naan on vh1. I was first intrigued by his sound. He has the sound and feel of Wycleif and Bob Marley (another great musical poet) and the sophistication in his lyrics of Eminem (I always have admired Eminem's word usage, he doesn't make up words and sounds educated). I decided to research K'Naan.
My research has proven K'Naan worthy to be called a musical poet. His music focuses on global awareness, promotes non violence, and tries to kill the need to be "hood" or "hardcore" in the world of Hip Hop. His music has substance and lacks "I'm the s***!" crap or "Lets have sex" rhetoric. Unfortunately he still is explicit at times.
K'Naan is from Somalia and lacks clothes 10 times to big. He came to America while his country was in civil war. He later settled in Ontario, Canada. He only learned English two years before his first album release. He learned English from primarily listening to rap and hip hop. His career started because he had a gig at the United Nations High Commissioners of Refugees. He performed a spoken poem criticizing the UN for their fails attempts to help his country. His poem captured the eye of singer. He started to get noticed by others and joined tours until he released his first album.
I am so excited to have anew artist hip hop artist to listen to that uses poetry in his lyrics. I know some say that rap and hip hop is not poetry, well, I strongly disagree. Rap and Hip Hop started as a musical way to speak about politic. Rap contains poetic elements. Until I discovered K'Naan I thought hip hop was dead. I am glad it still lives in K'Naan.
So I decided to add lyrics to one of my favorites so far from listening to him.
Take a Minute
And any man who knows a thing knows, he knows not a damn, damn thing at all, And everytime I felt the hurt and I felt the givin' gettin' me up off the wall, I'm just gonna take a minute and let it ride, I'm just gonna take a minute and let it breeze, I'm just gonna take a minute and let it ride, I'm just gonna take a minute and let it breeze, How did Mandela get the will to surpass the everyday, When injustice had him caged and trapped in every way, How did Ghandi ever withstand the hunger strikes and all, Didn't do it to gain power or money if I recall, It's to give; I guess I'll pass it on, Mother thinks it'll lift the stress of babylon, Mother knows, my mother she suffered blows, I don't know how we survived such violent episodes, I was so worried, and hurt to see you bleed, But as soon as you came out the hospital you gave me sweets, Yeah, they try to take you from me, But you still only gave 'em some prayers and sympathy, Dear mama, you helped me write this, by showing me to give is priceless. {Chorus} All I can say is the worst is over now, We can serve the hard times, divorce is over now, They try to keep us out, but they doors is open now, My ****** Akon is gettin awards for covers now, This is K'NAAN, and still reppin' the IS (?) Comin' out of Mogadishu and still draped in the mess, And no matter how we strong, homie, It ain't easy comin out of where we from, homie. And that's the reason why, I could never play for me, Tell 'em the truth, is what my dead homies told me, Oh yeah, I take inspiration from the most heinous of situations, Creating medication out my own tripulations. Dear Africa, you helped me write this, by showing me to give is priceless. {Chorus} Nothing is perfect man, that's what the world is, All I know is, I'm enjoying today. You know, 'cause it isn't everybody that you get to give.
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