K'Naan @ The Millennium Stage
The buzz surrounding Friday's Millennium Stage performance was palpable, with the line forming hours ahead of time for a free concert that was part of the Kennedy Center's outstanding Arabesque festival. The performer was K'Naan. Judging by the standing room crowd that filled the entire length of the Kennedy Center's Grand Foyer, he stands on the cusp of being a "next big thing." Judging by his energetic and thought provoking performance, his reputation is deserved.
K'Naan's biography is a publicist's dream. Born in strife-ridden Mogadishu, Somalia, the hip-hop artist and global citizen spent his early years dealing with the violence and lawlessness that regularly appears in newspaper headlines. His family left the country as refugees, first staying with relatives in Harlem and then eventually settling among Toronto's growing Somali community. After becoming interested in hip-hop during high school, K'Naan's big break came in 1999, when he performed in Geneva at a concert celebrating the United Nations' 50th Anniversary. He eventually released his debut album, The Dusty Foot Philosopher, in 2005. His performance on Friday supported his latest recording, Troubadour, much of which was recorded in Jamaica at Bob Marley's studio. K'Naan's music is very much in the Marley tradition in that it synthesizes personal experience, political commentary, and social critique, all while maintaining a thoroughly danceable groove and positive tone.
Backed by his music director on keys and electronics, guitarist, drummer, and backing vocalist, K'Naan's hour-long set drew heavily from Troubadour. Highlights included "T.I.A.", a drum-istic groove that propelled the chanting vocals, while "ABCs" used an Ethiopian horn sample to kick off the aggressive rhyme. While there was no shortage of infectious beats, it was the quiet moments that stood out. The intimate "Fatima", dedicated to a young love, and the acoustic "Take A Minute", struck an emotional bond between performer and listener. An unexpected strong point was K'Naan's spoken word, which he peppered throughout the set. Reciting verses in praise of peace, love, and understanding, his charisma and delivery held the masses in pin drop silence.
These tender moments set the stage for the uplifting and anthemic "Wavin' Flag", which closed the set and had the entire multi-cultural and multi-generational crowd dancing and singing along with the chorus. K'Naan even acknowledged the diversity of the audience, the Somalis in particular. This wide appeal, and the artist's emotional depth, made frequent comparisons between K'Naan and Marley all the more apt.
With the recent success of M.I.A., and now K'Naan, elements of hip-hop could be trending toward artists that can bridge the West with the Third World/Developing World/Global South (whatever terminology political elites now deem appropriate). This is not surprising given the entire vocabulary of rhythms and sounds that are just waiting for a more mainstream and international audience. The personal experiences of these artists also make the hyper-masculinity and materialism of mainstream hip-hop all the more irrelevant in these trying times. Time will tell if K'Naan will become an international superstar, but have no doubt, he has great potential.