"Music that defines the experiences in Somalia

Around the time of the World Cup over the summer, I heard of a Somali rapper named K'naan on National Public Radio (NPR) and downloaded some of his music. He is a rapper from Somalia and speaks of his and other Somalis day-to-day experiences of survival in Mogadishu and the emotional consequences of war. His lyrics are powerful, evoke emotion and gasps at what some people have experienced there, like in his song, ABC's and discussing the experience of children in education. "They don't teach us the ABCs, we play on the hard concrete, all we got is life on the streets." He said in an interview that this is very true for the youth in Somalia. He left Somalia when he was 13, first to join relatives in New York City and then to settle in Toronto, Canada. He has tried to avoid using gangsta rap, he explains, since "gangsterism isn't something to brag about," especially with other Somalis. His music includes influences from Somali music and traditional instruments, Ethiopian jazz samples and American hip hop. Check him out. (Information taken from NPR interview and Wikipedia)
--Kathy Zaleski, Iskashitaa Community Education Coordinator