(Blog) Somalia-Canadian rapper K'Naan stole beats from Oromo singer
Published 06/11/2009
- 2:30 a.m. GMT
(Blog) Somalia-Canadian rapper K'Naan stole beats from Oromo singer?
By Blogger Jaalala
Why would an African steal songs and beats from another African? I just heard this week that one of my new favorite singers/rappers, Somali-Canadian K'Naan, stole the beats of Oromo-Ethiopian singer Tilahun Gessesse. Even worse, K'Naan is getting millions of hits, awards and fame from these songs at the same time while the great legend Tilahun recently passed away. Tilahun was one of the best muti-ethnic singers in Ethiopian history, very talented and the first Oromo singer to use modern mass media technology for Afan Oromo songs. Especially for those who love oldies tunes, Tilahune's songs will surely live forever.
It is sad that K'Naan did not respect Tilahun and other singers which he copied beats from. It is one thing to casually acknowledge that he was influenced by music from Ethiopia, which he had admitted before on the sideline. But it is completely another thing to copy and paste full similar themes and exactly identical beats from other singers WITHOUT GIVING FORMAL CREDIT to the original composer (s). The somali rapper K'Naan should respect fellow African singers instead of making money from other people's work or not giving credit.
Please watch the video below and judge for yourself.
By the way, i liked K'Naan and his songs. He got skills and a growing African fan base. He was even wearing an Ethiopian flag wristband in some of his music videos. (not many somalis would ever do that) Some of his songs are simply amazing but if he hopes to keep his fans, he should apoligize or formally give credit to Tilahun and other singers, composers he stole works from.
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To settle the matter for once and for all. What k'naan is called sampling -some of you older people might not know about this latest development.
But majority of music is based on sampling and mixing the old in with the new. The idea is best understood by the influence of the artist which he sampled. Obviously their work was so inspirational and great that he build of it.
For examples of such music please review the band of Girl Talk , or any coverband that you might like to realize . You can take somebody else's music and either :
A. Sample It B. Remix it C. Personalize It to your liking.
I dont really understand what the issue here is each of the clips only demonstrates that K'naan sampled another artist music. There is no point in name calling or rudeness.
this is ridiculous 1st somalis and ethios share similar cultural beats anyway and if that guy was so good why does it take another to get his beats known hu!¬
YOu know nothing about copy rights. Besides K'naan havent stolen no themes or beats from none. The songs abobe are from somali songs. dude. wake up. YOu are just jealous and trying to express your jealousy by lying against some one's reputation. But K'naan is way above ye.
Where do u live dude, in a cave? No one in a major label can sample songs just like that without buying the rights to do so...Damn u so stupid n blinded by ur jlsy, envy...if u luv K'naan buy the original CD n read how much he thanks these artist n other Somali that influenced him... He did them all a favor by using his East African bros music...get ur brain out off ur ass shyt eater...
I long to understand, my own destiny at hands for within me.
My strength is my hope, my faith is the light of escence, it is my pathway of free self.
My belief, shields me, protecting my vulnerability, sparing me not all-but some pain "for me", this is necessary for that within my heart my strength remains.
" For me", at times I am lonely, other times only alone.
For in Somalia are my family a place that I call home. Yet thousands of miles across the ocean I am called to serve a cause, be it whatever , freeing me to be whom that I am.
Carrying in my own way doing the best I can. At time I do my reflection I hear souls crying from a far, in the midst of battle, famine, poverty, struggle, starvation and other things there are. It(Somali) is a land of beauty tainted by kingdoms, pilferaged by the kingdoms men.
A land where the Somali warriors/peacemakers, fight with the strength, and courage, to win , and victoriously defeat the enemy house- that shall never stand again. In this vision I can clearly see this spiritful message is meant (for me) allowing my mind to think so free –For ME
Marian Elmi( Somali)
** SOMALI PROVERB:
"WHEN GINGIVA LOSSES THE TEETH THEN THE TONGUE ACTS OUT BY MOVING AROUND BUT ONLY CAUSING vexation".
