Canada 150 — K’Naan: A Refugee Success Story

You may have heard of K’Naan through his smash hit “Wavin’ Flag”, but what you may not have known about the artist is that he was a child refugee at 12 years old. With a sense of urgency to leave the war torn country, K’Naan and his family left their homeland of Somalia for Toronto. Keinan Abdi Warsame was born the year of 1978 in Mogadishu, the capital city of Somalia.

Known to most by his stage name K’Naan, the Somali native’s childhood was one to remember. Growing up in a peaceful home on the coast of West Africa, K’Naan was raised in an artistically enriched family. His grandfather was a well-known poet in the community, and his Aunt, one of the most well known singers in Somalia. For nine years he had a peaceful childhood in Somalia. When war ensued, structure in the country collapsed, and destruction commenced.

K’Naan’s career got a jump start, after he performed a spoken word piece for the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) in 1999, criticizing the UN for it’s lack of support of Somalia. After his performance, a local Canadian artist was so impressed he invited K’Naan to collaborate with him. This opportunity led to multiple performances, eventually connecting him with producers Brian West and Jarvis Church who produce his debut album, “The Dusty Foot Philosopher” in 2005. A year later the album won a Juno for rap recording of the year, thrusting him into

mainstream recognition. Years later, the third single released off his second album “Troubadour”, would shoot him into international stardom. “Wavin’ Flag” was chosen by Coca- Cola to be the anthem for the 2010 FIFA World Cup. It seemed like everyone was singing the tune, “When I get older, I will be stronger…”. The lyrics resonated with people of all ages and nationalities, eventually leading to another Juno award, this time for artist of the year.

K’Naan’s songs launched him into conversation among hip-hop’s elite, but his message was always different from the rest. Avoiding traditional rap clichés, his lyrics sent urgent messages of peace. Traditional Somali instruments and sounds amplified the calling for an end to the bloodshed and violence in Somalia. K’Naan’s influence on the hip-hop community has illuminated the stories and realities refugees face while fleeing war torn countries searching for a safe home.