ByK’naan

When I get older, I will be strongerThey’ll call me freedom, just like a Waving Flag

When I get older, I will be strongerThey’ll call me freedom, just like a Waving Flag

And then it goes back, and then it goes backAnd then it goes back

Born to a throne, stronger than RomeBut Violent prone, poor people zoneBut it’s my home, all I have known

Where I got grown, streets we would roamBut out of the darkness, I came the farthest

Among the hardest survivalLearn from these streets, it can be bleak

Except no defeat, surrender retreat

These are the original lyrics the song has been recently remixed featuring Will.i.am

So we struggling, fighting to eat and We wondering when we’ll be freeSo we patiently wait, for that fateful dayIt’s not far away, so for now we say

(Chorus)So many wars, settling scoresBringing us promises, leaving us poor

I heard them say, love is the wayLove is the answer, that’s what they say,

But look how they treat us, make us believersWe fight their battles, then they deceive us

Try to control us, they couldn’t hold usCause we just move forward like Buffalo Soldiers

But we struggling, fighting to eatAnd we wondering, when we’ll be free

So we patiently wait, for that faithful dayIt’s not far away, but for now we say

(Chorus)And everybody will be singing itAnd you and I will be singing it

And we all will be singing it(Chorus x3)

In 2006 he released his first album called The Dusty Foot Philosopher and in 2009 he released the album Troubadour and on it is his most known song Waving Flag

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"What makes K‘naan's music so compelling is not only his lyrical agility and social conscience but his ability to draw on so many musical resources--from his African roots and reggae styling to hip-hop, pop, and rock." Capobianco, Ken. "K'naan review."

Rev. of K'naan. Boston Globe: n. pag. Gale Biography Resource Center. Web. 17 May 2010. <http://galenet.galegroup.com/servlet/BioRC?vrsn=149&OP=contains&locID=rich56740&srchtp=name&ca=1&c=1&AI=U21378715&NA=k%27naan&ste=12&tbst=prp&tab=1&docNum=K1608005433&bConts=41>.

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When he gets older he hopes to be in a better place and a musician so his voice will be stronger and he’ll be a symbol of freedom like a country’s flag. "If you're going to make music I think it should contribute in some way," he said. "It doesn't have to change the world, it could just be a good melody.” "K'naan Warsame." African Success: n. pag. African Success. Web. 26 May 2010. <http://www.africansuccess.org/visuFiche.php?id=611&lang=en>.

“There is an image that I see of a window almost like an abandon building, and there is a window, a grainy, dark window and outside of it there is just this solitary flag that is waving” CBC interview, K’naan with George Stroumboulopoulos

“There is an image that I see of a window almost like an abandon building, and there is a window, a grainy, dark window and outside of it there is just this solitary flag that is waving” CBC interview, K’naan with George Stroumboulopoulos

Somalia is also famous for the pirating of the nearby seas. K’naan was involved in some of the trouble and at 8 he fired his first gun and when he was 12 he witnessed his three best friends get killed by pointless gunfire.

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His home in Somalia was filled with rebel forces trying to oust the president Mohamed Siad Barre.There was no stable government and rival warlords were at war constantly. "I'm poor, a refugee, been in prison, and survived a war….I come from the most dangerous city in this universe, you're likely to get shot at birth.""K'naan Warsame." African

Success: n. pag. African Success. Web. 26 May 2010. <http://www.africansuccess.org/visuFiche.php?id=611&lang=en>.

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As said by the name of his first album, The Dusty Foot Philosopher, K’naan and his family had to walk everywhere. They had to walk miles through desert terrain and through gunfire and grenade blasts. The only form of fun he had was a homemade drum and a vinyl record of Paid in Full by Eric B and Rakim sent to him by his dad from New York. "Exactly how he would rhyme, I would rhyme. And I had this drum that I used to play the rhythms on and rhyme everything back at the kids. They thought I was a hip-hop star. ... It was fun.”K'Naan said in an interview with the Ontario, Canada Record. K'naan. "Record." Interview by Nick Krewen. Gale Biography Resource Center N.p., n.d. Web. 25 May 2010.

As said by the name of his first album, The Dusty Foot Philosopher, K’naan and his family had to walk everywhere. They had to walk miles through desert terrain and through gunfire and grenade blasts. The only form of fun he had was a homemade drum and a vinyl record of Paid in Full by Eric B and Rakim sent to him by his dad from New York. "Exactly how he would rhyme, I would rhyme. And I had this drum that I used to play the rhythms on and rhyme everything back at the kids. They thought I was a hip-hop star. ... It was fun.”K'Naan said in an interview with the Ontario, Canada Record. K'naan. "Record." Interview by Nick Krewen. Gale Biography Resource Center N.p., n.d. Web. 25 May 2010.

Paid In Full - Eric B and Rakim (above)

K’naan and his 2 brothers used to laugh at American rappers and described them as kids who had everything but acted like they had nothing

Paid In Full - Eric B and Rakim (above)

K’naan and his 2 brothers used to laugh at American rappers and described them as kids who had everything but acted like they had nothing

They arrived in Harlem to reunite with K’naan’s father. K’naan and his family soon moved to Ontario, Canada where there was a large Somali community. K’naan visited Somalia before releasing Troubadour and in an interview said, ““For a long time I have been emotionally hostage to my child hood and I couldn’t have written another album without going back.” “The Road to South Africa." www.thedustyfoot.com: n. pag. www.Thedustyfoot.com. Web. 29 May 2010. <http://www.thedustyfoot.com>.

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His mom knew she had to get her family out of Somalia so everyday she walked miles to the U.S. embassy to petition to let them out of the country and every time they said “no.” Eventually they agreed to let them go on the very last flight out of the country before all airports were shut down.

When he improved his English he began to pursue his career as a musician and in 10th grade he dropped out of high school and traveled all over North America for 2 years and preformed in many places. "My experiences aren't just mine," he said. "It's just that I can articulate them in English.” K'naan Warsame." African Succes: n. pag. African Success. Web. 26 May 2010. <http://www.africansuccess.org/visuFiche.php?id=611&lang=en>.

There is civil war and starvation in Somalia and little is being done to help them. They don’t know if it will ever end but somehow they keep hope. K’naan is trying to get people to realize that something should be done to help them. “I don’t know what the solutions are but I hope there will be great leaders to emerge soon because we need it.” said K’naan. “The Road to South Africa."

www.thedustyfoot.com: n. pag. www.Thedustyfoot.com. Web. 29 May 2010. <http://www.thedustyfoot.com>.

There is civil war and starvation in Somalia and little is being done to help them. They don’t know if it will ever end but somehow they keep hope. K’naan is trying to get people to realize that something should be done to help them. “I don’t know what the solutions are but I hope there will be great leaders to emerge soon because we need it.” said K’naan. “The Road to South Africa."

www.thedustyfoot.com: n. pag. www.Thedustyfoot.com. Web. 29 May 2010. <http://www.thedustyfoot.com>.

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K‘naan performed at the United Nations' 50th anniversary concert in 1999. He used this opportunity to publicly criticize the U.N.’s handling of the Somali crisis in the 1990s

K‘naan performed at the United Nations' 50th anniversary concert in 1999. He used this opportunity to publicly criticize the U.N.’s handling of the Somali crisis in the 1990s

War and Crisis in Somalia

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Rebel forces ousted the president in 1991 when he was forced to leave the country and the Somali National Government gained control of the north while the United Somali Congress gained control of the south and Africa hasn’t had a stable government since 1991. Civil wars between the two sides has resulted in the killing of thousands of innocent Somalis. The UN got involved in 1992. By 1993 the mass starvation in Somalia had been stopped but the security issues had not been stopped. The U.S. and other countries withdrew their troops in 1995 after suffering major casualties in Somalia and order had still not been restored. The Un continued to assist Somalia only with the food crisis but remained distant from the war issues.

Buffalo soldier was the name given to the cavalry and infantry regiments made entirely of African American soldiers. These regiments originated in 1866 African Americans were forced to be on the front lines and in 1867 the first buffalo soldier unit was sent to the west to fight Native Americans. The Native Americans gave the buffalo soldiers their name. Buffalo Soldier regiments were disbanded in the 1950’s.

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Although he did not plan for it the Young Artists for Haiti foundation remixed his song for the benefit of charity the song features several Canadian artists (like K’naan) including: Drake, Jully Black, Pierre Bouvier from Simple Plan, Broken Social Scene, Justin Bieber, Nelly Furtado, Avril Lavigne, Lights, Serena Ryder, Deryck Whibley from Sum 41,Nikki Yanofsky and many moreThis song also helped win K’naan songwriter of the year during the 2010 Juno Awards in Canada

"I am honored," K‘naan said."Anybody would be.""Canadian artists wave flag for Haitian relief." LF Press: n. pag. lfpress.com. Web. 29 May 2010. <http://www.lfpress.com/entertainment/music/2010/03/11/13197411.html>.

K’naan’s song is also the theme song for the 2010 Fifa World Cup and he has remixed it again to better relate to the World Cup

K’naan’s song is also the theme song for the 2010 Fifa World Cup and he has remixed it again to better relate to the World Cup

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Sources

• http://www.lfpress.com/entertainment/music/2010/03/11/13197411.html

• www.thedustyfoot.com• http://galenet.galegroup.com• www.42explore2.com• www.africansuccess.org• www.starpulse.com• www.google.com/images• www.youtube.com