K'naan Quotes

I know that often times a lot of people who work in music, whether they be labels and so on or even artists, want personal recognition. We want to be recognized for something, for what we did. I'd rather my song be recognized for what it's doing and that's important. It's not so important how many people know me.

I wasn't making music consciously when I was younger. I was a musician, but that has its own stigmas. Anywhere on the planet, it's one of the more undervalued positions.

I'm writing from a place of – a center of authenticity, somewhere that only I know how to write from.

I have moments of darkness, of anger, and moments of rage. They do creep up at the most inopportune times. Not to recognize that in my music would give people a sense of sainthood that I don't necessarily have or even want to have.

I don't feel political most of the time. Sometimes I'm placed in positions because no one else will go there.

I enjoy mediation. I think the artist's position is often to mend the things we feel are broken. Whether that's between two cultures or two thoughts. We're always trying to reach, trying to expand something.

The poetry I grew up on is really an intense form of poetry; it's so pure and powerful.

The people of Somalia just do not have a voice. They are to me the most forgotten people in the world.

I'm an optimist about other people. I'm not an optimist about myself.

I faced quite a few challenging times, and in front of those, I was more positive than some people not facing those conditions. I'm actually of the belief now that it is that struggle that offers you that open-hearted hope.

Hip-hop in Africa has been very often a duplication of an American experience, but in a context that's totally alien to it.

Quotes of the Hour

Bearing an eternal longing for Jewishness, I threw myself in all directions and left to work for another people. I am not one of those lucky ones raised in their own environment, whose work is normal.

You've got to be willing to put the time into seeing who's got talent and who's going to do a great job.

No one wants the United Nations to suffer the fate of the League of Nations, which collapsed because it lacked real leverage. This is possible if influential countries bypass the United Nations and take military action without Security Council authorization.

I prefer home-schooling because you can work at your own pace and go towards more what you're interested in, whether it be history or geography or math.

In almost any country, probably in Russia in particular, it's fashionable to criticise people in power. If you come out in support of someone like me, you're going to be accused of trying to ingratiate yourself.

K'naan Quotes

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