K'naan , the Somalian-born, Canadian-based hip-hop artist speaks out whenever he can about the "unity and celebration" that will connect with his song "Wavin' Flag," after it had been chosen as the official anthem of Coca-Cola's 2010 FIFA World Cup, South Africa program.
Music Element Throughout 2010 World Cup
What the song would be was one of the best-kept secrets. The buzz around K’naan already started building in early 2009 when Khanye West ( believe it or not) gave the rapper a punt when he posted the video of K’naan’s song “America” on his massively followed blog.
K'naan's "Wavin' Flag" will be used as the music element throughout the entire 2010 World Cup campaign and as the soundtrack on all global TV commercials for soccer greatest soccer spectacle, which will take place in South Africa next summer during June and July. “Wavin’ Flag will also be played at events for the FIFA World Cup Trophy Tour by Coca-Cola which is now underway, and will be featured on the online digital platform for the World Cup.
"Wavin Flag: The Celebration Mix" – a World Cup Anthem
"Wavin Flag: The Celebration Mix" is a recast version of a track off K'naan's album "Troubadour" (Universal Music, 2009). The world cup anthem features many elements of the original song but includes a pre-chorus that sets the uplifting, unified tone of the 2010 FIFA World Cup, turning the song into one that is "more open, more inviting, more celebratory", the artist says.
Who is K’naan?
K'naan, born Keinan Abdi Warsame in 1978, is a Somali-Canadian poet, rapper and musician. His name, K'naan, means "traveler" in the Somali language.
He was born in Mogadishu, Somalia, and grew up there during the civil war, which started in 1991. His aunty, Magool was one of Somalia’s most famous singers. K'naan’s father Abdi, wanted a better life for his family and left for New York where he worked as a cab driver, sending money home to his family.
Left Somalia on the Last Commercial Flight
As the civil war continued and the situation in Somalia continued to deteriorate, K'naan's mother, Marian Mohamed, petitioned the United States embassy for an exit visa. Leaving Somalia at the age of thirteen, on what turned out to be the very last commercial flight to ever do so, K’naan and his family first settled in New York and then moved to the Toronto, Ontario neighborhood of Rexdale, where there was a large Somali Canadian community
In 2001, after gaining notoriety as a skilled MC and spoken word poet, K'naan was invited to Geneva to perform a spoken word piece at the 50th anniversary of the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Refugees. African superstar Youssou N'Dour, who was in the audience, loved the performance so much that he invited K'naan to Senegal to record with him.
Rising to Mainstream Popularity
K'naan would rise to mainstream popularity by participating in the 2008 BET Awards Cypher, This was his first appearance on American television. His second studio album, Troubadour, was released on February 24, 2009 on A&M/Octone Records, Troubadour, features the talents of Mos Def, Chali 2na, Metallica's Kirk Hammett and the long-lost Chubb Rock.
Rolling Stone magazine describes him a someone who “thinks like Bob Marley, flows like Eminem and mixes African music with conscious hip-hop, unabashed pop and even metal.”
Different Formats for 2010 World Cup
So far, there is no confirmed release of the song although there are a few versions available on YouTube and on K’naan’s website. It seems likely K'naan's new version of "Wavin' Flag" will be released in different formats and may feature on various recordings over the months leading up to the 2010 FIFA World Cup next summer. K'naan is looking forward to visiting South Africa as he was a big fan of slain Reggae star, Lucky Dube.
Well first we had the FIFA 2010 Slogan - Ke Nako; then the Mascot, Zakumi and now the Anthem, Wavin' Flag.
Follow K'naan on twitter: Iamknaan
Karen Lotter - Karen Lotter is a journalist and writer based in Durban, South Africa. She has written profiles, features, advertising copy, ...
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