Somalian rapper K'naan made his first appearance here on MISB way back in 2007 with the US release of his debut album The Dusty Foot Philosopher. It didn't take him long to record the follow-up, which dropped today, titled Troubadour. The new album crosses back and forth between hip hop and R&B, and it definitely feels like K'naan has assimilated American culture into his sound here. Where as the last album retained some ties to his homeland and native music, this new album, while still fronting lyrics connecting to his experiences in Somalia, has a much more westernized feel to it (with the exception of the album opener T.I.A. and, ironically, America, which features guest appearances by Mos Def and Chali 2NA). That's not to say that the last one was a Fela Kuti knock-off, just that it had more of an Afro-vibe to it.Check out the album's second track, ABC's, which features Chubb Rock and channels the old skool classic Treat 'Em Right.
Appears on Troubadour.
And here's a live version of an older song from his debut:
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