Real artists produce creatively because they must. There is no question of whether or not to express oneself, no considerable weighing of the options, and no deciding. Artists have stories, ideas, thoughts, dreams, and nightmares that must be released. In the case of K’naan, born in Somalia during one of the most turbulent times in its history, his need to share his stories of peace, war, love, and life began pouring out of his soul out of necessity.
With his second studio record, the aptly-titled Troubadour, K’naan expresses the sum of his life experiences in a whirlwind album that calls to mind tremendous artists like Dylan, Lennon, and Springsteen.
The rapper, now living in Canada, grew up informed by the poetry, music, and theatre of Somalia. At age 10, he discovered rap. Later, before he would head to North America, he would be chased by warlords and witness the dreadful death of his three best friends in a Mogadishu alley.
Such images scream to be released from consciousness.
And so it was only a matter of time before K’naan Warsame would amass the images that haunted his mind and begin to express himself musically. In 2006, he would score a Juno Award for Rap Recording of the Year for The Dusty Foot Philosopher. 2007 would see the release of a live album, The Dusty Foot on the Road, and 2009’s Troubadour continues his voyage.
In a day and age where mainstream rap is filled with incalculable images of bluster and preposterous tough guy acts, K’naan’s Troubadour is really refreshing. Here we have an artist with legitimate horror in his history, yet his choice is not to deify or focus on the violence. Instead, K’naan weaves a more comprehensive saga and strikes a sincere balance.
Album opener “T.I.A. (This Is Africa)” brims with clap-beats and a head-shaking surge. “I’ll take rappers on a field trip any day,” he spits, using his experiences from the “Mother of Rough Neighbourhoods” as fuel.
Article comments
1 - John
its a prilliant album
and i loved every song of it...
and pretty good review Jordan Richardson
and i agree with u Troubadour is one of the most incredible records I’ve had the honour of listening to this year so far.
2 - Seth
I’m not a rap fan. I’m not a hip hop fan. I’m barely a reggae fan. Whatever you want to label K’naan I’m probably not keen of, but I was intrigued with the chatter surrounding Troubadour. Wrapped up in my world of rock and metal, I saw “If Raps Gets Jealous” features Kirk Hammett (Metallica) on guitar. Perhaps I’ll see what this K’naan character has to offer, I convinced myself.
What I like most about K’naan is that he’s not a hardcore rapper " he’s a musician. He’s not a cliché. Hailing from Somalia, he’s influenced by the traditions and experiences of his homeland. He speaks of the violence and dreadful conditions in Somalia, and today anyone who watches or reads news is likely aware. It’s not a political thing " it’s just an articulation. What I’m on the fence about is the repetitiveness of the music. At times I want to forward through because it’s the same beat or rhyme over and over (“T.I.A.” is the best example). But more often than not I’m grabbed by the melodies and spoken word.
Troubadour is a good mix of styles and sounds and there’s honestly something for everyone to enjoy. Typical rapping and hip hop aside, “I Come Prepared” features Damian Marley, “Bang Bang” features Adam Levine (Maroon 5), “If Rap Gets Jealous” features Kirk Hammett (Metallica), and “Wavin’ Flag” is a great reggae anthem (sounds like an ending credits song for a heartfelt movie) which urges me to dust off some Bob Marley albums... and just in time for summer.