Song: ABC's
Artist: K'naan feat. Chubb Rock
Album: Troubadour (2009)
(Sorry I keep disappearing... hectic life, but I'm going to try real hard to be here as routinely as possible... now on with the show!)
All kinds of elements at play in this track that get it some serious play from me right now.
I love supporting our own and K'naan is in fact that, an immigrant from Somalia who grew up in good ol' Rexdale, Ontario. While some are going to see the conscious Canadian rapper and immediately make a link to k-os, please don't. K'naan isn't all high and mighty like my man Kevin...
Second element at play is the guest appearance by Chubb Rock. Old school hip hop heads with certainly remember the big man from back in the day, just as I do, and it's nice to see him back on a beat and doing his thing. And by his thing, I mean tight lyrics like this:
The game dried up, so we come with the grease
Leadin' ya right and treatin' ya right, so peace
Element three: the beat. Produced by Track and Field, this song is infectious with the horns, the very dance floor friendly break beat and the ease with which it all rolls together.
Lastly, there are the lyrics. If you've been coming here a while, you know I'm a big fan of songs that actually say something and this one does in spades. Like I said off the top, dude is from Somalia, one of the most ravaged nations in the world and the chorus of this song, while seemingly charming and sung by children are not quite what they appear:
They don't teach us the ABCs
We play on the hard concrete
All we got is life on the streets
All we got is life on the streets
If I've said it once, I've said it a thousand times: this is what hip hop is supposed to be and should be: Influential, intelligent and meaningful. Continue reading ...
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