K'naan - Troubadour

After spending most of your childhood watching a civil war erupt in your home country is something that most people only hear about and never really get to take in a full story from someone that has experienced that and turned all that negativity into drive, a drive to prove that it doesn't matter where you come from you can do anything if you put your mind to it. With K'naan's new album "Troubadour" (which defines as any wandering singer or minstrel; fitting because the definition of K'naan is "traveler") you can get a little taste of what he saw and experienced growing up in the beginning stages of the Somalia Civil War (which is still underway today) and what it was like for him making the transition to a Canadian lifestyle.

Now I know if I read that first paragraph I would pass this off as a political record of some sort and not give it a solid listen, BUT this album has nothing to do with that at all. The first half of the album K'naan takes you back to his days in Somalia and paints a picture of what it is truly like growing up an Africa war. The first couple of tracks "T.I.A" (This Is Africa), "ABC's he calls out almost ever rapper that has ever said that they are true gangstas, by true gangstas I'm referring to the Hollywood glorified gangsta, cause after listening to a couple of the things K'naan lists off (walking through The Lake Of Blood, seeing kids and "gangstas" carrying Oozes, learning the Africa ABC's on streets) would put any North American gangsta in their place. Once you listen to the first half of the album you'll see what I'm talking about. I have had the chance to see some of the things that K'naan mentions throughout the first part of the album and it is a reality to a lot of Africa's still today.

The tracks "Wavin' Flag" and "Somalia" are the turning points of the album, from here K'naan's lyrical content changes focus from his Somalian life to his new North American lifestyle. He still goes back and touches base with a few memories from africa but only to show that without his time in there he wouldn't be the same person that he is today. Over the next couple of tracks the content is a lot lighter and has more of a up beat feel to it; talking about Western Union, his lost love Fatima, inspiration, but once you get to the last track "People Like Me" it's almost like the album has gone in a full circle. I say this cause you find out more about why K'naan left Somalia and some major things that he had to leave behind. Overall this raps up the album in a great way!

I know that this album has been out for awhile now but I have been listening to it on and off from the day it came out, if you like any or all of the other Hip-Hop albums that I have posted on here, this is going to be another one that you will fall in love with. Looking at my ratings that I have given each track in iTunes that album gets a 4.6/5, take that how you want, but if that still hasn't sold you on it here are a couple of guest that K'naan has got to join him on the album. Damian Marley (actually K'naan tracks half of the album at Bob Marley's studio), Adam Levine (Maroon 5), Mos Def, Kirk Hammett (Metallica), and a couple ofthers.

Enjoy


K'naan - Troubadour
Release: February 24, 2009

T.I.A.
ABCs (featuring Chubb Rock)
Dreamer
I Come Prepared (featuring Damian Marley)
Bang Bang (featuring Adam Levine of Maroon 5)
If Rap Gets Jealous (featuring Kirk Hammett of Metallica)
Wavin' Flag
Somalia
America (featuring Mos Def and Chali 2na)
Fatima
Fire in Freetown
Take a Minute
15 Minutes Away
People Like Me

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