Keinan Abdi Warsame (Somali: Keynaan Cabdi Warsame, Arabic: كَينَان عَبدِ وَرسَمَ Kaynān ʿAbdi Warsama),[1] better known by his stage name K'naan (/ˈkeɪnɑːn/[2]), is aSomali Canadian poet, rapper, singer, songwriter, and instrumentalist. He rose to prominence with the success of his single "Wavin' Flag", which was chosen as Coca-Cola's promotional anthem for the 2010 FIFA World Cup. Besides hip-hop, K'naan's sound is influenced by elements of Somali music, Ethio-jazz and world music. He is also involved in various philanthropic initiatives.
Born in Somalia,[3] K'naan spent his childhood in Mogadishu[4] and lived there until the start of the Somali Civil War, which began in 1991. His aunt, Magool, was one of Somalia's most famous singers.[5]K'naan's grandfather, Haji Mohammad, was a poet. K'naan is Muslim,[6] and his name, Keynaan, means "traveller" in the Somali language. He spent the early years of his life listening to the hip-hop records sent to him from America by his father, who had left Somalia earlier. When he was 13, K'naan, his mother, and his three siblings, older brother, Liban, and Sagal left their homeland and joined relatives in New York City, where they stayed briefly before moving to Canada, to the Rexdale neighbourhood of Toronto,[7] which has a large Somali community. His family still resides there.[8] There, K'naan began learning English, partly by listening to hip hop albums by artists like Nas and Rakim. Despite the fact that he could not yet speak the language, the young K'naan taught himself hip-hop and rap diction, copying the lyrics and stylephonetically.[9] He then also began rapping.[10] While growing up in Rexdale, K'naan lost many friends to murder, suicide, prison and deportation.[11]
K'naan married Deqa, a pharmacy technician, with whom he has two sons, born in 2005 and 2007.[5][12] They divorced before he started touring for the 2010 FIFA World Cup with Coca-Cola.
Born in Somalia,[3] K'naan spent his childhood in Mogadishu[4] and lived there until the start of the Somali Civil War, which began in 1991. His aunt, Magool, was one of Somalia's most famous singers.[5]K'naan's grandfather, Haji Mohammad, was a poet. K'naan is Muslim,[6] and his name, Keynaan, means "traveller" in the Somali language. He spent the early years of his life listening to the hip-hop records sent to him from America by his father, who had left Somalia earlier. When he was 13, K'naan, his mother, and his three siblings, older brother, Liban, and Sagal left their homeland and joined relatives in New York City, where they stayed briefly before moving to Canada, to the Rexdale neighbourhood of Toronto,[7] which has a large Somali community. His family still resides there.[8] There, K'naan began learning English, partly by listening to hip hop albums by artists like Nas and Rakim. Despite the fact that he could not yet speak the language, the young K'naan taught himself hip-hop and rap diction, copying the lyrics and stylephonetically.[9] He then also began rapping.[10] While growing up in Rexdale, K'naan lost many friends to murder, suicide, prison and deportation.[11]
K'naan married Deqa, a pharmacy technician, with whom he has two sons, born in 2005 and 2007.[5][12] They divorced before he started touring for the 2010 FIFA World Cup with Coca-Cola.