K’Naan and the price of getting merry

Muslims Jews and Christians war, no one’s left to praise the Lord (k’Naan)

One of my bestest friends phoned last Wednesday to invite me to a gig. Guy called K’Naan, Somalian, rap meets genuine melody, without the cheese of Nelly and other Western excuses for entertainment.

Of course, we had to stand through several warm-up acts. Which in hindsight could never be more than lukewarm against the heat of K’Naan. I’m sure that in a few years time these warm-up acts will be best-selling artists I tell my Godchildren I saw in person. But at the time they were rather generic.

K’Naan was fascinating.

At this point I would like to bring in his personal history, but my internet connection is intermittent at best, and K’Naan’s site – which I am told in good faith provides several recipes for superior weed – is a blank page with a message telling me the connection has timed out.

Thus I refer to his lyrics, which speak for themselves.

At one point he asks his audience: “Are you hardcore, really hardcore?” and then says that growing up in Somalia was the grittiest ghetto there is. What I loved about that song was his attack of 50 cent and other “hardcore” rappers. What I didn’t love was the competitive edge. He has a point, but I’m sure a kid his age from Rwanda would have similar, if not more relevant, claims to growing up in the worst ghetto there is.

Africa is a huge continent. I wandered into a shop selling ‘African’ food in Peckham on Tuesday and asked for mealie pap, only to be answered with blank stares. Speak Swahili to a Namibian or Zulu to a Nigerian, offer Mopane worms to a Senegalese or ask the Djibouti football team for their World Cup credentials and there is no understanding. Africa is apparently a poverty-striken continent; tell that to the millionaires living in JoBurg. The entire continent is a warzone; discuss that idea with those finally enjoying peace. There are many similarities, but far more differences between countries across Africa. The similarities appear to be more tragic than the differences, and yet the differences have a capitalist edge that render them ultimately more tragic than the similarities.

Somalia has issues and K’Naan has done bloody well for himself. He has some very pertinent and compassionate points to make. He also has a beautiful singing voice when he reverts from his eloquent rapping. A great night.

Bloody expensive though. And my friend’s boyfriend arrived later in a foul mood. Several costly beers later and he cheered up slightly. All in all a night that was measure by the quality of the entertainment and the quantity of the till receipts. Worth it, in my opinion.