In the diaspora, there are many parallels across the aspects of culture. Whether discussing experiences on the continent of Africa, in the United States, in Eurasia, or in Southern America, there are commonalities of reality amongst people of melanin. Carrying this idea into the world of music, it is not surprising that music emphasizes the commonalities. K’naan is a perfect example of the cross-sectionalitey of diasporic experience. K’naan is a Somalia-born, Canadian raised rapper, poet, philanthropist, and revolutionary. After escaping from a civil war in Somalia, K’naan moved to America where he taught himself English through rap music. His experience with rap music influenced his diction and his perception of the community around him, as his repertoire included highly observant rappers such as Nas.
In 2005, K’naan released an album entitled The Dusty Foot Philosopher, which featured the song “Saboox”. Saboox is both politically and socially charged. Sabot is a Somali word meaning “to come out”. The song discusses the civil war in Somalia and the treatment of the citizens by the government.
K’naan’s verse begins with:
“Basically, I got beef
I wanna talk to you directly
I can’t ignore, I can’t escape
And that’s ’cause you affect me
You shatter my whole future in front of me
This energy is killing me
I gotta let it pour like blood, soobax”