Lyrics | Artists

Charts

Genres

Images

K'naan

Rock music

African music

World music

The grandson of a poet and the nephew of one of Somalia's most famous singers, Magool, K'naan was in his early teens when he moved with his family initially to New York and then to Canada. It was there he became hooked on hip hop and, heavily influenced by Nas and Rakim, began rapping himself. In 1999 he performed a spoken-word piece criticising the United Nations for failed aid missions to Somalia which was heard by the Senegalese singer Youssou N'Dour, who was so impressed he invited K'naan to contribute to his 2001 album, Building Bridges and tour the world with him. This in t...